Recharged With NWA Powerrr Back On YouTube

In this edition of The Wrestling Estate roundtable, we discuss the return of NWA Powerrr to YouTube, as well as the debut of NWA USA.

How do you feel about NWA Powerrr returning to YouTube?

Chad Gelfand: It’s a good move for the company as far as accessibility goes and getting more eyes on the product.

David Gibb: I have mixed feelings. NWA Powerrr got off to a terrific start, but the company’s general air of insensitivity and lack of ability to deal with criticism (the reasons it hid behind the paywall in the first place) have made it hard to root for the last few years.

Steven Jackson: It’s great! By now, many people know I closely follow FITE. But NWA Powerrr was always at home on YouTube. That’s where its niche and audience was built. I’m really pleased it has come home.

John Corrigan: Overjoyed. I loved NWA Powerrr when it premiered in the fall of 2019, so much so that I’d watch it live on Tuesdays at 6:05 p.m. Obviously, the retro brand’s momentum came to a screeching halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but when the promotion resumed operations, it mindbogglingly moved behind a paywall on FITE TV. To take a free product with a depleted roster (Ricky Starks, Thunder Rosa and Eddie Kingston jumped to AEW, plus The Question Mark’s untimely passing) and automatically expect people to pay for it was ludicrous.

I haven’t watched NWA since. Furthermore, last March, I suggested that Billy Corgan cut his losses and shut the company down. Well, I stand corrected. Corgan has come to his senses and I’m glad that he sees the value in putting NWA Powerrr, as well as NWA USA, on YouTube. I’ll be watching every week.

Did you watch NWA Powerrr and/or NWA USA this past week?

Gelfand: I did not.

Gibb: No, see above.

Jackson: No, sadly. I was so heavily invested in catching up with Wrestle Kingdom weekend and puroresu, I had to miss out on NWA Powerrr and NWA USA. I’ll catch up this week, though.

Corrigan: Absolutely. I enjoyed both shows, discovered plenty of fresh faces and can’t believe Tim Storm hasn’t kicked Nick Aldis’ ass yet. Watching wrestling on a Saturday morning/afternoon made me feel like a kid again. I spent many a Saturday watching WWF Metal on Channel 48 in Philly before heading over my friend’s house and superkicking each other.

Who is your favorite wrestler currently in the NWA?

Gelfand: JTG. I’m excited to see him with the opportunity to wrestle more and explore a different character than the one he had in WWE.

Gibb: I’ve always felt that Parrow has something special and just needs the right booker behind him.

Jackson: Trevor Murdoch. He’s always had the aura of an NWA wrestler, so it’s fantastic seeing him tearing it up as NWA World Champion. His matches are great and his promos are brilliant!

Corrigan: Natalie Markova. The blonde bombshell won me over in one match.

Dave Meltzer recently reported that Nick Aldis had interest in AEW before re-signing with NWA. Did Aldis make the right choice?

Gelfand: I think so. I can’t see him doing too much in AEW right now with how packed the roster is. Aldis has a lot of history in NWA, too, and with being one of its longest-reigning champions of all-time, he’ll have more clout staying in NWA.

Gibb: As a fan/outsider, I would have to say no, but I can’t really judge where the best place for someone I don’t know to work would be. He acts like the position he’s in is a dream job for him, and maybe it is.

Jackson: Yes. AEW has become WWE/TNA 2.0. Once again, like so many companies before, AEW has just become oversaturated with ex-WWE and TNA talent, tarnishing the original AEW stars. Nick Aldis rebuilt the NWA to this point we’re at now, so he absolutely made the right choice. Plus, being a Brit, I want British wrestlers (and wrestling) to shine.

Corrigan: Of course. Aldis would’ve got lost in the shuffle in AEW, which is already heel heavy at the moment. He’s become synonymous with NWA and should remain a big fish in a small pond.

If returning to YouTube isn’t enough, what could NWA do to make you a regular viewer?

Gelfand: I would like to see NWA put together a few more compelling storylines and cards that have some buzz around them before I’ll check it out on a more consistent basis.

Gibb: Prove it cares about not platforming lousy human beings.

Jackson: To make me a regular viewer, I’d really like to see the NWA bring in even more original talents, rather than ex-WWE and Impact Wrestling stars. I do like that people are getting a second (or third or even fourth) chance in the NWA. But there’s so many young indie talents who’d be a perfect fit in the NWA, giving them an opportunity to gain huge exposure.

Corrigan: I’m already hooked, but it’s going to take a lot to get me to buy a pay-per-view. A lower price point than AEW’s PPVs certainly helps, but as Chad mentioned, I’ll need compelling storylines and matches.