NWA Powerrr

[El-P]

A DQ Dusty finish in 2022, because old-school = good, of course. Corgan's NWA was a nice little cosplay novelty promotion for a few months. Them disappearing from Youtube really killed their groove, the over-saturation of pro-wrestling (and really now, I do think running ROH as a weekly show is not a good idea) makes them pretty irrelevant, as they got no hype whatsoever anymore (Cardona as NWA champ got much less talk than his stint in GCW does). Plus some of the talent they employ is questionnable at best (Tyrus, who brings exactly *nothing* to the table anyway, yet is apparently positioned pretty high in the food chain, for whatever reason). I wonder how long Aldis can carry this thing around. 

[chapstarfall]

8 hours ago, El-P said:

A DQ Dusty finish in 2022, because old-school = good, of course. Corgan's NWA was a nice little cosplay novelty promotion for a few months. Them disappearing from Youtube really killed their groove, the over-saturation of pro-wrestling (and really now, I do think running ROH as a weekly show is not a good idea) makes them pretty irrelevant, as they got no hype whatsoever anymore (Cardona as NWA champ got much less talk than his stint in GCW does). Plus some of the talent they employ is questionnable at best (Tyrus, who brings exactly *nothing* to the table anyway, yet is apparently positioned pretty high in the food chain, for whatever reason). I wonder how long Aldis can carry this thing around. 

Were you able to catch the show? It was fun. Not reinventing the wheel in any way but an easy breezy event to watch. They could improve in a few areas but they are a good alternative.

[El-P]

Nope. I actually wanted to catch up at least the woman's match (because I like all three) and Aldis vs Cardona (mostly because I'm really enjoying Cardona's heel stuff, Aldis' NWA champ fetish to me has jumped the shark a long while ago), but really, the thing is I'm way past the point of looking for an alternative. AEW and IMPACT more than fill my need in current US pro-wrestling now (and I don't even bother watching either Dark shows). Not even sure what I'm gonna cherry pick from Wrestlecon this year (apart from the IMPACT shows at least), probably some GCW stuff. NWA to me is like MLW at this point, I'm sure some if it is pretty good still (Richard Holliday & Alicia Atout as a heel duo sounds pretty fun actually), but I just don't have the will nor need (nor time, really) to look it up anymore. I'm still baffled they actually did a Dusty finish and thought this was a good idea for their big show...

[chapstarfall]

Well, I wasn’t big into the Aldis/Cardona much as a whole. I haven’t followed Cardona’s GCW arc so it was all new to me when watching the event and the little I saw of NWA’s programming with him but nothing seemed all that impressive. I think Aldis needs a break from the belt but not sure who should go in his place (Tim Storm would have been good at one point for at least a short run).

I watch AEW so I don’t mean that they or anyone else isn’t an alternative in a sense but NWA is so bare bones in their presentation that it’s nice to watch as a difference compared to other promotions who are still using WWE tropes. MLW had its moments when I watched but didn’t really grab my interest.

[sek69]

10 hours ago, El-P said:

Plus some of the talent they employ is questionnable at best (Tyrus, who brings exactly *nothing* to the table anyway, yet is apparently positioned pretty high in the food chain, for whatever reason).

He has a regular spot as a guest on Fox News talking head shows and normally is sporting the NWA TV belt when he does them. I suppose they see it as exposure. 

[SteveJRogers]

1 hour ago, sek69 said:

He has a regular spot as a guest on Fox News talking head shows and normally is sporting the NWA TV belt when he does them. I suppose they see it as exposure. 

Retroactively, it would have been humorous to see a current WCW TV champion (like Arn, Regal, Booker, etc do a kayfabe/shoot blend at various points on a CNN talking head panel show back in the day!

[sek69]

Speaking of the NWA, there was a bit of an odd exchange on Twitter yesterday. Bix was posting about how he hopes people he is friends with in the company realizes he doesn't watch the NWA due to the company being shit, and Maureen Tracy (who was a director with the NWA for merchandise until David Lagana got hit with #SpeakingOut allegations) made a point of replying to emphasize that they are a shit company. Makes me wonder if the wrestling community is finally getting to see the full, uncut Billy Corgan that the music industry knows so well.

[NintendoLogic]

8 hours ago, SteveJRogers said:

Retroactively, it would have been humorous to see a current WCW TV champion (like Arn, Regal, Booker, etc do a kayfabe/shoot blend at various points on a CNN talking head panel show back in the day!

WCW wrestlers were once on Politically Incorrect.

Note how incredulous Maher is at the idea that chair shots actually hurt. There's a lesson to be drawn there about toning it down in the ring. To the public as a whole, wrestling being fake means everything about it must be fake. After all, what kind of absolute morons would kill themselves in a fake fight?

[El-P]

One of the most fascinating aspect of pro-wrestling is its ambivalent relationship to "reality". The idea that there is still a discourse about it being "fake" is amazing in itself, it's like no matter what the ambivalence will always be there despite the fact it should be recognized for what it is (some kind of performance craftmanship/art) for ever now.

As far as toning it down, well, it all depends what constitues pro-wrestling in your (in a general way) eyes. There are aspects of it which absolutely constitute some sort of self-sacrificial behaviors (and I'm not just speaking of guys like Foley or Onita), which indeed can seem completely absurd, but what's the difference with workers (I don't mean pro-wrestlers) killing themselves and destroying their bodies and mental health during their entire lives (for much less money that is) through exploitation ? (and yeah, pro-wrestling is part of the entertainment world that makes violence acceptable as a spectacle so social violence doesn't occur and people accept their fate during the week instead of burning shit up until social justice actually occurs) The idea that pro-wrestling is "fake-fighting" is what drives that idea that it's stupid to kill yourself doing it, but pro-wrestling is not really "fake-fighting" (well, it is, but it's more than that). Still, the ambivalence lies somewhere, which is why it is so fascinating.

[JRH]

On 3/22/2022 at 5:48 AM, NintendoLogic said:

WCW wrestlers were once on Politically Incorrect.

Note how incredulous Maher is at the idea that chair shots actually hurt. There's a lesson to be drawn there about toning it down in the ring. To the public as a whole, wrestling being fake means everything about it must be fake. After all, what kind of absolute morons would kill themselves in a fake fight?

I think there was also an ep with wrestlers during the Comedy Central era. The scene I remember most was Randy Savage saying "When I win, it's real, when I lose, it's fake"

[The Thread Killer]

It looks like in addition to signing with Impact, The Briscoes are now working with the NWA. They have been there a couple of times since the Crockett Cup and apparently last night had an NWA World Tag Title match on Power(rrr) which was pretty good, if you are to believe the reports. I may have to start checking the NWA out again after all this time, if Dem Boys are going to be showing up on a regular basis. That episode debuts tonight on YouTube.

I still hope The Briscoes end up figuring into the plans if and when ROH gets another TV deal or has another PPV though. I guess the rumors are true and AEW isn’t going to happen for them. ☹️

[El-P]

So Matt Cardona was supposed to face Nick Aldis next Sunday for the NWA Title but he's injured with a torn bicep. He should 100% do a mock version of the Cody Rhodes show now.

[The Thread Killer]

Has anybody been following the news regarding the supposed backstage drama in Corgan’s NWA? Supposedly Nick Aldis was scheduled to face Trevor Murdoch for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at their big upcoming anniversary PPV. Aldis and Corgan have had some sort of falling out and Aldis is out of the match. Corgan has apparently named Tyrus as the replacement for Aldis. Either this is an angle, and a very bad one at that, or Billy Corgan has lost his mind. I have heard rumours online that Aldis is an egomaniac, hard to deal with and unpopular in the Locker Room. I don’t blame Corgan for pulling him…but Tyrus?! In the Main Event of your biggest PPV of the year? Seriously?

[El-P]

Tyrus is *worthless* and he's got a track record as a sex pest. That has to be an angle. Then again, Billy Corgan.

Aldis little stint as cosplay NWA champ has run its course for a while now. When he showed up in IMPACT to team with his wife he looked like some random dude and not a star at all. In *IMPACT*, where they manage to make everyone shine on their own level, whatever it may be. He had his moment of hype and glory with All In, mostly because of Cody, but this ship has sailed, there's no hype whatsoever left with the NWA. Honestly I wouldn't be surprised to see Aldis eventually get hired by WWE as an agent, since he's always been a Jarrett guy. 

[SirEdger]

Aldis always claimed (well, not explicitly) that John Cena was the reason why he never got a fair look at by WWE (based on Cena's past relationship with Mickie James). I could see Jarrett trying to put a good word for him but I got my doubts he'll do anything other than touring indies.

[sek69]

Billy's a mark for Tyrus because he's a regular on that Fox News show and wears the NWA TV title. I wouldn't be shocked if Billy puts the world title on him for the same reason.

 

[The Thread Killer]

This is starting to smell like a very poorly executed work. Aldis and Corgan have been slagging each other off in the wrestling media this week, and then it was announced today that Aldis will be appearing at Night 1 of the PPV and will be addressing the NWA in an “Open Forum.”

I imagine it is safe to assume that something will happen which ends up with Aldis being inserted into the Main Event on Night 2. Or, Matt Cardona is supposed to face a mystery opponent on Night 1 maybe that will be, who knows.

Trying to “work” online wrestling fans makes no sense whatsoever. It’s just irritating. It’s irritating when AEW does it and it’s irritating in this situation as well.

I checked out the card for both nights of the pay-per-view and man, I don’t recognize half the names on that show. I know that thanks to NXT, MLW, AEW, and Impact, the NWA has basically no decent homegrown talent to pick from, but boy oh boy is that a talent pool weak. It’s like a who’s who of has-beens and those who never will be.

[Alucard]

Aldis is working Flip Gordon on night 2. 

I remember really enjoying NWA 73 last year. This feels a bit like a step back from that with Murdoch/Tyrus not being the most marquee main event (not that redoing Murdoch/Aldis from last year felt much bigger). Of the roster they do have, I love seeing Rodney Mack getting some work on a 'bigger' company again. 

[Coffey]

Honestly, Tim Storm always felt like a bigger deal in NWA Powerrr than Nick Aldis did to me. He felt more genuine & old school, which I thought was kind of the vibe they were going for. Studio audience, Dokken theme song, etc. It was like Storm was trying to be the Steamboat/Dusty everyday man & Aldis was trying to be Flair... without having the chops to do it. 

Then they brought in the Fox News Funkasaur... lol

Even at almost sixty, I would still prefer Storm.

[Al]

Tyrus is almost 50 himself.

[The Thread Killer]

I am literally still in disbelief that this is basically their biggest pay-per-view of the year, and they are going with Tyrus in the main event. I have no beef whatsoever with Trevor Murdoch as their World Champion, but they really need to find a better challenger. This is just insane.

[Dale Wolfe]

Tim Storm could be a good little manager somewhere if the role was in fashion. Great talker

[sek69]

32 minutes ago, Dale Wolfe said:

Tim Storm could be a good little manager somewhere if the role was in fashion. Great talker

Tim Storm reminds me of what someone said about Kevin Nash, that he would make an excellent manager if it wasn't for the fact he would absolutely dwarf anyone in his stable. 

He doesn't have Big Kev's height of course, but he's got that old school 80s beefy wrestler physique and most of the folks in the NWA....well.... don't.

[Dale Wolfe]

Yeah thats a good point really. It's a shame they dont have a modern-day Sid

[Alucard]

On 8/25/2022 at 8:04 AM, Coffey said:

Honestly, Tim Storm always felt like a bigger deal in NWA Powerrr than Nick Aldis did to me. He felt more genuine & old school, which I thought was kind of the vibe they were going for. Studio audience, Dokken theme song, etc. It was like Storm was trying to be the Steamboat/Dusty everyday man & Aldis was trying to be Flair... without having the chops to do it. 

Then they brought in the Fox News Funkasaur... lol

Even at almost sixty, I would still prefer Storm.

Agreed on all accounts! I'm sad that Tim doesn't have a match anywhere on the 2 nights of NWA 74. He's still the man. They should've gone with him when they had Billy go through the trouble of lifting the 'Storm can never challenge for the title again' stip in a great segment, instead of just jobbing him to Aldis once again which in turn went nowhere since Aldis isn't getting the shot anymore either. 

I like what they're using currently but nothing can ever touch Dokken, that was so integral to the initial atmosphere when Powerrr started. That debut episode with Storm/Aldis still rocks.