Nick Aldis Says He'd Like To See NWA Become The "HBO Boxing Of Pro Wrestling"

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis appeared on the This is the NWA podcast to talk about his time in TNA, the differences between wrestling and entertainment, and advice he has for younger wrestlers.

Aldis began wrestling for NWA in late 2017 and since then has become the NWA Worlds Champion on two occasions. Aldis recalled when he was first approached being told what NWA President Billy Corgan's vision was for the promotion and was then asked what he'd like to see from the NWA, which was to make pro wrestling matches feel like prize fights.

"[David Lagana] said ya know, Billy basically wants the wrestling he watched on TV,'" Aldis began. "He wants a modern equivalent to that. He wants men cutting promos and having physical rough and tumble wrestling matches. I said, 'That I can do.' That was them describing their vision of what they wanted and then they asked 'What is your vision?' I said, 'I wanted matches to feel like prize fights.'

"I said 'I'm sitting here watching the build to Mayweather / McGregor and it's just the best s--t I've ever seen. It's fantastic theater. They're taking everything that pro wrestling did first, doing it better and pro wrestling's not even doing it anymore. We're just literally handing over all of this money to MMA and boxing. We gave them secret sauce and then stopped using the secret sauce ourselves."

With wrestling have a big presence on TV and the internet today, Aldis was asked what type of fan the NWA is looking to pull in.

"My major concern is that the already somewhat whittled down niche audience compared to better days for our business is gonna be divided up even further. But, we're not in the same business. We're going after a different market. If wrestling fans who predominantly exist in the current form decide not to watch our product, we're okay with that because we're trying to go after a different audience like any smart business would. We're trying to go after a different demographic, and that demographic is fans who've fallen off for whatever reason because they preferred a certain style of stuff.

"Ya know, it's so hard to state any of these intentions without seeming like you're projecting your own opinion, but my opinion has nothing to do with it. This is one-hundred percent a business decision in the sense that there sure are a lot of folks who aren't watching wrestling each week anymore. What did they used to watch? I can bet you a great deal used to watch the NWA and WCW."

Aldis was then spoke about where he saw himself and the NWA in the next five years. The champ felt like NWA could become something like the "HBO Boxing of pro wrestling"

"You know I'd like to think that in five years I'll be firmly established as a top performer and a top attraction, a sort of respectable OG character. I think that the NWA, if we keep on our current trajectory and our current milestones, within five years we could be a very solidly established brand, attraction and organization. I think brand is the best way to put it because I could see us working with multiple different companies here and there but ultimately what I've always wanted for us is to be like the HBO Boxing of pro wrestling."

PAUL ADAMS, 1990s INDEPENDENT MANAGER STANDOUT IN NASHVILLE & NORTHEAST, PASSES AWAY

Larry Goodman wrote the following.

Paul Adams was one of a kind. He touched the lives of many people in pro wrestling, more than what he probably ever knew, Paul was the connection between wrestling people that otherwise would not have been connected. The outpouring of remembrances about Paul posted online has come from all corners. He was a very funny guy. He had an acerbic wit, as former PW Insider writer Jess McGrath put it. Adams was a also deeply caring person, which was not necessarily evident on the surface. No doubt, a great wrestling mind was lost with his untimely death. 

Adams was raised in Irvington, NY. He started doing a wrestling newsletter called "The Examiner" before breaking into wrestling with Larry Sharpe and Dennis Corraluzzo in the early 90s. He did a little of everything for the promotion along with appearing on their shows in Clementon, NJ. Adams managed a team callled the Super Jocks who feuded with the Spiders, later known as The Headbangers in WWE. Chris Candido, Balls Mahoney and Sandman also worked those shows.

Adams then worked with Mike O'Brien and Mike Henry  to start up Northeast Wrestling. Adams thought they could do well running shows in Maine because there was very little pro wrestling there, so they ran a few shows as Maine Event wrestling using Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young before heading to Nashville. 

Nashville was supposed to a short-term deal, Adam ended up staying there for the rest of his career. He started managed for Bert Prentice's Music City Wrestling as "Towel Boy" Paul Adams. Adams lived with Prentice for a time, an experience that became the source of many great stories. The towel on his shoulder became a signature prop that he carried with him for the rest of his career. He was a gifted talker, who was often also featured on commentary. 

Although they had vastly different styles as managers, Adams was like Georgia's Jeff G. Bailey in that they had big league ability, but reached their prime at a time when the use of managers in pro wrestling was beginning to fade. 

Adams was best known for his run with Southern Allstar Wrestling.  SAW was collaboration between Reno Riggins as promoter, Tim Thomason in charge of the television production. and Adams handling the booking along with an on-camera role as manager of the top heels. SAW had television in Nashville for years and ran shows at the Nashville Fairgrounds that drew close to 1000, featuring stars like Chase Stevens, Kid Kash, David Young, Andy Douglas, Derrick King, Vordell Walker, Jeff "The Crippler" Daniels, Rick Santel, Wolfie D and Shane Williams. 

Adams and Young were best friends. They had a unique chemistry that led to a numerous comical vignettes that were memorable for their hilarity. They were both willing to look as ridiculous as necessary to make something work.

Adams always had multiple entertaining stories to tell. He particularly loved telling stories about Prentice, who Adams remained in contact with long after his Music City Wrestling days were over.

Adams had an eye for talent and a lot of wrestlers got meaningful opportunities through Adams with SAW. Among the wrestler with Georgia connections that worked for Adams are Nick Iggy (who got his start there), former Georgia Wrestler of the Year Phil Shatter (NXT's Jaxson Ryker), Steven Walters (WWE star Dash Wilder), Eight-time Georgia Technical Wrestler of the Year Kyle Matthews, former Georgia Announcer of the Year Dan Masters and current ACTION ring announcer and SCI promoter Scott Hensley.  

Adams was sporadically involved in pro wrestling after SAW. He took a job with the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. One of his responsibilities was running the wrestling events associated with the annual state fair. 

In 2013, David Marquez brought Adams on board as the booker and local promoter for Southeastern Championship Wrestling, which was part of Marquez's United Wrestling Network. The concept was a TV studio wrestling program out in Knoxville. It was not a satisfying experience for either Marquez or Adams, and the project came to an end after a couple of tapings. 

The last time I spoke Adams was  September. He seemed content with life. He said he had been contacted by WWE a number of months earlier and just had a meeting in Stamford. It was no secret that Adams had been plagued by substance abuse issue over the years. He was scheduled to have back and neck surgery this month. His mother his having body flown to New York for an autopsy. 

Pro Wrestling Australia- PWA Colosseum Countdown FULL EPISODE

The Colosseum Countdown highlights the 4 local competitors as they enter the toughest and biggest tournament of their lives. The Colosseum tournament takes place October 18-19 at Max Watts, Sydney.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMmKQjatHW8

Mat Memory- CWA Memphis Dustin Rhodes Greenhorn Promo 10/03/1989

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQPWYnt7a-Q

Mat Memory- CWA Memphis Dustin Rhodes vs Black Bart 07/29/1989

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcaDRJkEZ_c