Roderick Strong

Roderick Strong, born Christopher Lindsey, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He boasts a career spanning over two decades, showcasing his skills in prominent promotions like WWE NXT, Ring of Honor (ROH), and now AEW. Strong is known for his technical prowess, and his signature "Neck Strong" persona. He is a member of The Undisputed Kingdom alongside Adam Cole, Matt Taven, Michael Bennett, and Wardlow. Strong is the former holder of the AEW International Title.

Also Read: What is the net worth of Roderick Strong's teammate Adam Cole?

Early Life

Roderick Strong's real name is Christopher Lindsey and he was born on July 26, 1983. Originally hailing from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Lindsey relocated to Florida with his family during his youth. After navigating a challenging childhood, he graduated from Riverview High School where he excelled in American football. Academically gifted, Lindsey earned a scholarship to the University of South Florida, majoring in business for two years before ultimately deciding to pursue a different path.

Professional Wrestling Career

Early Years, ROH, and Independent Circuit (2000-2016)

Lindsey was trained by his father and made his debut in 2000. He began using Roderick Strong as his ring name and quickly began climbing the ranks on the independent circuit. In 2003, Strong began working for ROH. Strong became a part of Generation Next and dominated ROH. At Final Battle, Strong and Aries won the ROH World Tag Team Championship. After losing the titles, Strong formed another faction called No Remorse Corps. In 2010, Strong defeated Tyler Black to win the ROH World Championship. Later, he defeated Jay Lethal to win the ROH Television Championship and became a triple crown champion. In 2014, Strong created another stable called The Decade and went by Mr.ROH. After feuding with Hangman Page, Strong won his second ROH Television Championship from Jey Lethal.

In 2016, Strong lost the championship and wrestled his final match for the company. During his tenure with ROH, Strong also wrestled for TNA, Dragon Gate, Pro Wrestling NOAH, Full Impact Pro, and several smaller independent promotions before signing with WWE. Strong has spent over a decade at PWG, where he won the PWG World Championship and PWG Tag Team Championship on three occasions.

WWE (2016-2022)

In 2016, Strong made his NXT debut on began teaming up with Austin Aries. They quickly disbanded the team due to Aries's injury. In 208, he began feuding with Bobby Roode and lost. Later, he began feuding with the Undisputed Era. At TakeOver WarGames, Strong teamed up with AOP to face Undisputed Era and Sanity, where he lost. In 2018, he teamed up with Pete Dunne for the Dusty Rhodes Classic. In the finals, he turned on Dunne and joined the Undisputed Era, and won the tournament. For the next three years, Strong was a part of the stable. Strong won the NXT Tag Team Championship on two occasions. In 2019, he defeated Velveteen Dream to become the NXT North American Championship.

In 2021, Adam Cole disbanded the group and began feuding with Kyle O'Rilley. Strong was not able to pick a side and left NXT. A few weeks later, Strong returned as a part of Diamond Mine. In the coming months, Strong won the WWE NXT Cruiserweight Championship from Kushida. Strong and the rest of Diamond Mine then eventually turned fan-favorite in the beginning of 2022, after entering a feud with The Imperium.

In September, Strong was written off the WWE TV due to an injury. A few months later, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that Strong had recovered from his injury. On October 11, 2022, he made his last appearance on the WWE TV alongside Julius Creed. His contract with WWE expired in November and the two parties did not renew it, leading to Strong's departure from the company.

AEW (2023 - Present)

On April 26th, 2023, fans were surprised to see Strong appear on AEW Dynamite. He came to the rescue of Adam Cole, who was being attacked by the Jericho Appreciation Society. This marked Strong's official debut in the promotion. The following week, Strong showcased his skills in his first official AEW match. He teamed up with Cole, Orange Cassidy, and Bandido to defeat the Jericho Appreciation Society in a tag team brawl.

On May 17th, Strong faced off against the veteran Chris Jericho in a brutal Falls Count Anywhere match. With some assistance from Cole, Strong emerged victorious from this intense encounter. Strong participated in the Owen Hart Foundation Men's Tournament on July 1st at AEW Collision. However, his run was cut short as he was defeated by Samoa Joe in the quarter-finals.

In August 2023, the storyline took a turn. Strong, along with his team The Kingdom, confronted Adam Cole for his decision to join forces with MJF. This confrontation hinted at a potential future rivalry. On September 6th, Strong entered the Grand Slam Tournament. He showcased his resilience by defeating Trent Beretta in the quarterfinals and Darby Allin in the semifinals. However, he fell short in the finals against Samoa Joe on September 13th. The storyline further developed with Strong suffering another neck injury (kayfabe) after the match.

At AEW World's End, MJF faced Samoa Joe for the AEW World's Championship. There, Adam Cole revealed himself as the Devil and turned on MJF. Roderick Strong was one of the superstars who revealed himself as Devil's Masked Man, along with Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, and Wardlow. Three days later on Dynamite, they named the group The Undisputed Kingdom. Strong then got in a feud against the AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, leading to a title match at AEW Revolution which Strong won, bringing the first title to the Undisputed Kingdom. He lost the title to Will Ospreay after his reign of 84 days at the vent of AEW Double or Nothing 2024.

Roderick Strong Net Worth

As per various sources, Roderick Strong is worth in the range of $1.5 Million to $5 Million. He draws an annual salary of about $200,000 to $400,000 from All Elite Wrestling. Click here to read more about the net worth of Roderick Strong.

Roderick Strong Wife

Roderick Strong is married to fellow professional wrestler Marina Shafir. She is also a Mixed Martial Artist. The two got engaged in December 2015. In 2017, they were blessed with their boy Troy Veniamin Lindsey. The two got married on November 7, 2018.

Born on April 14, 1988, Marina Shafir is a Moldovan-American professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. She is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling, alongside Strong. In her MMA career, Shafir had a career in Invicta Fighting Championship in the Women's Featherweight Division.

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Championships and Accomplishments