On this week’s edition of NXT, Roderick Strong won the gold. The first official match of the night saw Kushida defend the NXT Cruiserweight Championship against Roderick Strong. The challenger wasn’t alone, however, as he had his faction in The Diamond Mine in his corner. This would work to his benefit, too. Despite a valiant effort from Kushida, who made this match official the previous week, “The Time Splitter” was unable to hold onto his gold. By the time the closing bell sounded, Roderick Strong stood tall with the NXT Cruiserweight Championship in his possession.
💎AND NEW 💎
Congratulations to NEW Cruiserweight Champion, @roderickstrong! #CruiserweightTitle #AndNew #WWENXT @DiamondMineWWE pic.twitter.com/5NzycVvWrD
— WWE (@WWE) September 22, 2021
Roderick Strong Wins the NXT Cruiserweight Championship
Leading up to the finish, it seemed that Kushida had the match well in his favor. However, once The Diamond Mine interfered, unbeknownst to the official, matters turned pear-shaped for the NXT Cruiserweight Champion. Kushida endured physical punishment from the group, including a stiff forearm from Ivy Nile, who joined the group on last week’s show. Once Kushida was rolled back in the ring, Roderick Strong executed his patented End of Heartache backbreaker for the pinfall victory, and more importantly, the NXT Cruiserweight Championship. Strong celebrated with the rest of The Diamond Mine, though the celebration in question would be short-lived.
A Newcomer Steps Up to the Challenge
Post-match, Grayson Waller made his entrance. After congratulating the NXT Cruiserweight Champion, Waller realized that, after what happened to Drake Maverick last week, NXT was a “jungle.” On that particular episode, Waller teamed with Maverick in a losing effort against Imperium‘s Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel. Waller proclaimed that he would survive before challenging Roderick Strong for his newly won title. Malcolm Bivens took the mic, making the championship match official. Only moments after winning the NXT Cruiserweight Championship and Strong already has a challenger waiting in the wings.
Look in @Malcolmvelli's eyes.
That is the look of a man that means BUSINESS.
NEW #WWENXT Cruiserweight Champion @roderickstrong vs. @GraysonWWE for the #CruiserweightTitle NEXT WEEK! pic.twitter.com/TDS3ImuUhp
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) September 22, 2021
What to Know About Roderick Strong, the New NXT Cruiserweight Champion
With this victory, Roderick Strong has ended Kushida’s title reign at 162 days. Leading The Diamond Mine, Strong is no stranger to gold on NXT. In 2018, he became a 2x NXT Tag Team Champion within The Undisputed Era. The following year, he won the NXT North American Championship; up until now, this was his only singles title victory in WWE. This doesn’t even begin to touch on his various accolades in promotions such as Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and Ring of Honor, winning multiple singles and tag team titles in both.
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