End of Heartache
Roderick Strong was walking backstage with a towel on his neck. He and Pete Dunne had been attacked by the Undisputed Era during their match with the Authors of Pain. As a result, the match was ruled a no contest, and now they had to fight in a triple threat tag match at Takeover: New Orleans for not only the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic trophy, but also the NXT Tag Team titles.
However, Pete Dunne had left immediately when he and Roderick got to the back. This frustrated Roderick, as he had just started to get some good luck with Pete, but still couldn't get through to him. Due to his frustration, Roderick threw his towel to the ground, and sat down on a crate next to the medical trainers. Roderick put his face in his hands before hearing footsteps coming near him. When he looked up, he saw Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly coming up to him. Roderick sprung up and got into a fighting stance. Adam and Kyle threw their hands up in response.
"Woah there, Roddy. Slow your role. We're not here to fight," Kyle said, holding his NXT Tag Team title, with Adam Cole nodding his head in agreement.
"You think I believe you guys!? You cost me and Pete the match and attacked us!" Roderick yelled, still in a fighting stance. Adam and Kyle looked at each other with a smile on their faces, clearly not afraid of Roderick.
"That was nothing against you, Roddy. We just wanted to make a statement that we are the top team in NXT. You just happened to be an unintentional causality," Adam responded, with a shrug. This did nothing to assuage Roderick's anger, however, and he pointed a finger right in Adam's face.
"Unintentional or not, when me and Pete Dunne get our hands on you, we're taking those titles away…" Roderick started before Adam swatted Roderick's finger out of his face.
"Oh, you mean you and the partner that left you in the dust? Where is he? Pete!? Are you back there!?" Adam joked, over dramatically looking behind Roderick.
"That doesn't matter!" Roderick yelled. He was getting really frustrated, and was breathing heavily while glaring a hole through both Kyle and Adam. The smile that had been on Adam's face since this exchange started left his face and he got right in Roderick's face.
"Actually it does matter! How do you think me, Kyle, and Bobby were able to take over NXT!? Simple; planning, strategy, cohesion, and we always have each other's backs. I have Kyle's back, he has mine, we both have Bobby's back, and vice versa. You really think Dunne has your back, or that he gives a crap about you!? He'll turn his back on you the minute you're of no use to him. Look, he's not even here with you and you're supposed to be his partner, and you honestly think that you two will win!? You must be really fuc…" Adam soliloquized before Kyle put a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down.
"Look, all we're saying is that you can't trust Pete Dunne. We know it and you know it. Jim Cornette once called us the future of the wrestling business, and you know that together, we can make waves in this company. Think about it, Roddy," Kyle said before walking off with Adam. Roderick just stood still, watching Kyle and Adam's disappearing forms and really soaking in the words that they had told him.
"Can I really trust Pete? We've been successful over the past few weeks, but…are we an actual team?" Roderick whispered to himself. He took a few deep breaths before kicking the crate he was sitting on out of frustration and walked to his car.
NXT Takeover New Orleans…
Roderick Strong was on the apron watching Pete dominate Kyle with elbows and forearm strikes. The Authors of Pain were down on the floor, and Adam Cole was put through the announcer's table. Roderick had the words of Adam and Kyle stuck in his head for days, and he was really conflicted about what to do. He wanted to win sure, but was Pete really the right partner for him?
When Roderick returned to the ring, Pete had been hit with a kick to the side of his head by Kyle. Roderick tried to motion for Pete to make a tag, but Pete looked at him with that signature scowl of his, and turned his attention back to Kyle.
Roderick started seeing red, and at that moment, he didn't hear the WWE Universe chanting for Pete Dunne or cheering for him when he hit the Bitter End on Kyle. He ran into the ring, and stomped Pete in the back of the head while he was in the middle of pinning Kyle. Roderick looked at Pete's fallen form with a smile on his face, but it quickly went away when he heard the WWE Universe boo him.
This made him even angrier as he picked Pete up, and hit him with the End of Heartache. Roderick looked around again and saw the WWE Universe booing him the announcers going into a conniption fit even though he couldn't hear them, and Adam and Kyle looking at him like they had just seen a ghost. Kyle, still shocked, went over to pin Pete for the three count, allowing the Undisputed Era to retain their titles.
Roderick smiled at them, which Adam and Kyle responded with the same surprised faces they had a minute ago plastered on their faces. Roderick grabbed Adam's arm, and pulled off one of the Undisputed Era armbands, and put it on his own arm. Adam and Kyle's shocked expressions were replaced with one of pure joy, as they hugged and celebrated their defense with Roderick.
Backstage…
Adam, Kevin, and Roderick were backstage laughing about their victory with Bobby Fish, who was on crutches due to his recent leg surgery, posing with their newly won Dusty Rhodes Classic trophy, their tag titles, and Adam's new North American Championship.
"Look at it boys, ain't it a beaut?" Adam said, the wide smile never leaving his face, with Kyle nodding and Roderick still laughing. "And we have the Messiah of the Backbreaker to thank for it," Adam said, with a smile on his face and a hand on Roderick's shoulder.
"Adam, you don't have to thank me. In fact, I should be thanking you. Your words a few days ago woke me up, and made me take a second look at my relationship with Pete Dunne. I realized that even if we won those titles, he was gonna stab me right in the back. But not you guys," Roderick explained, giving Adam a pat on the back.
"I'm glad you finally realized the truth about Dunne. You made the right choice, and thanks to that, you have three new best friends who will bring you to the top of NXT!" Adam answered, hugging Roderick who hugged him back. Kyle tapped both of them on the shoulder after thirty seconds of hugging.
"Alright, enough with this mushy crap, let's get out there and party!" Kyle yelled, pointing to the exit door. Adam and Roderick nodded at each other and followed Kyle and Bobby out the door to celebrate their victories.