"She was the best" - Roderick Strong reveals how WWE Hall of Famer helped him out during his early years

Roderick Strong has been a vital part of WWE NXT for years at this point. Even outside WWE, he has garnered a lot of popularity and success. Strong's wrestling career spans over two decades now. He has competed all across the globe, learning from some of the best wrestlers in the world.

In a recent interview with Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, Strong credited WWE Hall of Famer Molly Holly for helping him out a lot during his early years as a wrestler. The former NXT North American champion had the following to say:

"She was the best. After she moved on and was in WCW and wasn't training with us, she was always like, 'send me tapes because I'm around the best wrestlers in the world that do this and I can help you as much as I can.' That she did." Strong added, "Every tape I sent to her, she responded back to me with footwork, just focusing on my footwork. Every day, that was my focus. She helped me a lot to become who I have in this business, just with her kindness. She's like the nicest person in the world, so I wouldn't expect anything less." [h/t Fightful]

Check out the full interview below:

Roderick Strong currently leads the Diamond Mine in WWE NXT

The Diamond Mine

On the June 22 episode of NXT, Kushida faced Kyle O'Reilly in a grueling match in the show's main event. Following the match, Cole came out and ambushed O'Reilly, continuing their rivalry while Kushida was left alone in the ring. Not long after, a hooded figure accompanied by Tyler Rust and Hideki Suzuki attacked the cruiserweight champion.

The hooded figure was later revealed to be Roderick Strong, who was making his first appearance following his resignation from WWE NXT in February.

.@roderickstrong, IS THAT YOU?!? #WWENXT @KUSHIDA_0904 pic.twitter.com/TXysAgQPnO

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) June 23, 2021

Strong racked up a few wins following the emergence of this new dominant faction. He even defeated his former Undisputed ERA partner Bobby Fish on the July 21 episode of WWE NXT. Under Malcolm Bivens' management, The Diamond Mine has put the entire WWE NXT roster on alert, especially Kushida, since Strong is now eyeing the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.

Yeah, I’m gonna turn the NXT Cruiserweight Championship into a spinner belt. pic.twitter.com/lM6M9z3n3E

— Malcolm (@Malcolmvelli) August 4, 2021

However, The Diamond Mine has lost a member as Tyler Rust was part of the most recent batch of WWE releases.

Do you think Rust's release will affect The Diamond Mine? Will they recruit a new member or continue without a member? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.