match to earn the title shot against NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura. On January 28, 2017 at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio, Roode defeated Nakamura to win the title, becoming the oldest NXT champion in WWE history in the process. On the March 15 episode of NXT, Roode made his first successful title defense, defeating Kassius Ohno. On April 1 at NXT TakeOver: Orlando, Roode successfully defended the title against Nakamura in a rematch, giving Nakamura his first clean singles loss in his departing match from NXT. On the April 19 episode of NXT, Roode was interrupted by Hideo Itami, who attacked him with a GTS. On May 20 at NXT TakeOver: Chicago, Roode retained the NXT Championship against Itami. On the June 7 episode of NXT, Roderick Strong announced his intentions of capturing the NXT Championship and Roode came out to mock him. Sparking a rivalry, the two engaged in a backstage brawl two weeks later after Roode mocked Strong and his family. On the July 5 episode of NXT, Roode successfully defended the NXT Championship against Strong. On the July 19 episode of NXT, Drew McIntyre defeated Killian Dain, earning the right to challenge Roode for the NXT Championship. On the August 2 episode of NXT, Strong attempted to attack Roode during a backstage interview, in which Roode claimed to be a "better man" than Strong. On the August 16 episode of NXT, Roode attacked both McIntyre and Strong during their main event to end the show. On August 19 at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III, Roode lost the NXT Championship to McIntyre, giving Roode his first singles loss in NXT. On the August 30 episode of NXT, Roode lost to Strong in his last televised NXT match. Roode wrestled his NXT farewell match at a NXT live event in Toronto on September 9, when he defeated Velveteen Dream. United States Champion (2017–2018) On the August 22 episode of SmackDown, Roode made his main roster debut as a face, defeating Aiden English in a singles match and later defeated Mike Kanellis on the following episode of SmackDown Live. On the September 26 episode of SmackDown Live, Roode confronted and challenged Dolph Ziggler for a match on October 8 at Hell in a Cell which Roode won with a roll-up whilst holding Ziggler's tights. Afterwards, Ziggler attacked Roode and demanded a rematch on the following episode of SmackDown Live which Roode accepted,