Roderick Strong recently spoke with Pro Wrestling Mania, here are the highlights…
On Getting Started With ROH: “I was working for a company called IPW Hardcore in Tampa Bay and they were doing some stuff with Jersey All Pro Wrestling. They brought Dan Maff down, he saw me wrestle and he told me I’d be a great fit for ROH. Overtime, Maff tried getting in touch with Gabe Sapolsky to get him to meet me, which I did, through Maff, of course. After that, I had my first tryout match on September 20, 2003 and the rest is history.”
On Changes In ROH: The amount of exposure has changed. “The amount of passion in the locker room has always stayed the same. I just think that’s something that’s a part of ROH that, unless the company comes to an end, that passion will always be there. It is always going to be a company that is driven to present the best wrestling. And not just the wrestlers, but the passionate fans are still the same as well. But speaking of the fans, if there’s one thing that has changed, it’s that more casual fans are aware of ROH. They’re getting into it and they’re seeing the passion that fans have had for 12 years.”
On His WWE Aspirations: “Of course, who doesn’t? I’m still young, in a sense. Even though I’ve been around for a long time, I’m still only 30 years old. There’s a lot more tread on the tires. Everyone’s dream is to be a huge superstar in professional wrestling. And to one day wrestle at WrestleMania where my niece and nephew can watch me means more to me than anything.