Roderick Strong Makes WWE NXT Debut: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

Former Ring of Honor world champion Roderick Strong made his NXT debut Thursday night.

WWE shared a photo of Strong backstage:

Triple H also posted a photo of NXT's newest acquisition:

Aubrey Sitterson of the Straight Shoot podcast is happy to see Strong finally get a chance in WWE:

According to PWTorch's Wade Keller, Strong tagged with Austin Aries in the first round of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

Independent wrestling fans are well-acquainted with the 33-year-old's work. He was one of the standard-bearers for Ring of Honor and also spent time with Pro Wrestling Guerilla and TNA Wrestling.

For over a decade, Strong has put together classic matches in the ring. His nearly hourlong Ring of Honor world title match with Bryan Danielson at Vendetta in 2005 was among the best in the company's history:

As was the case with Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura, it would've been better if Strong had come to WWE in his prime rather than in his early 30s. Of course, that's not to say Nakamura and Joe haven't been excellent additions to NXT, and Strong will likely be no different.

And once the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is over, Strong could potentially be one of a few wrestlers vying for the NXT title over the fall and winter.