faction SAnitY after coming to the aid of Tye Dillinger and No Way Jose, who were also battling the group. At NXT TakeOver: Orlando, Strong teamed with Dillinger, Ruby Riot and Kassius Ohno (replacing No Way Jose who had been attacked earlier in the night) to take on SAnitY in an 8-person mixed tag team match in a losing effort. On May 20, at NXT TakeOver: Chicago, Strong defeated Eric Young, giving Young his first pinfall loss in NXT. On the July 5 episode of NXT, Strong challenged Bobby Roode for the NXT Championship, but lost the match. After Drew McIntyre won the NXT Championship from Roode at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III, Strong defeated Roode on the August 30 episode of NXT. Strong unsuccessfully challenged McIntyre for the NXT Championship on the October 5 episode of NXT. Strong was defeated by Almas on the October 25 episode of NXT following interference from Zelina Vega. Strong entered a storyline with The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, and Kyle O'Reilly). For weeks, the trio tried to recruit Strong to join the group in an attempt to overtake NXT. During a match between SAnitY and The Authors of Pain on the November 1 episode of NXT, The Undisputed Era interfered and caused the match to end in a no-contest. Strong entered the fray and pulled out an Undisputed Era armband, seemingly joining the group. However, Strong attacked the three, and cleared the ring alongside The Authors of Pain. General manager William Regal emerged on the ramp, and announced a WarGames match for NXT TakeOver: WarGames (originally known as TakeOver: Houston). Strong would team with The Authors of Pain against The Undisputed Era and SAnitY. At the event, Strong (who dressed in a similar attire to his teammates) and The Authors of Pain were unsuccessful in winning. On the December 20 episode of NXT, Strong was defeated by Lars Sullivan in a qualifying match for a number one contender's fatal four-way match for the NXT Championship. On the January 30, 2018 episode of 205 Live, 205 Live General Manager Drake Maverick announced the 2018 WWE Cruiserweight Championship Tournament. Strong was later announced as a participant in the tournament, in which he would defeat Hideo Itami in the first round and Kalisto in the quarter-finals on the February 6 and February 27 episodes of 205 Live before being defeated by Cedric Alexander in the