The next Great fall of the NWA

It seems like every couple of years the NWA, the National Wrestling Alliance, falls back into obscurity.

Perhaps the highest point in NWA history, at least in the last two decades, was the appearance of then-NWA World champion Nick Aldis taking on Cody Rhodes at the historic All-In event in 2018. The championship was centerstage in the largest gathering of independent wrestlers and promotions. Something that hadn’t been seen in years, and what Rhodes called “Pro Wrestling’s Woodstock.”

Even the buildup to All In featured some of the best storytelling at the time. The NWA’s 10 pounds of Gold series, shown for free on Youtube was a breathe of fresh air and led the charge to an entire new audience. Before you knew it, the NWA World title meant something to wrestling fans once again.

After that, the NWA returned the championship to Nick Aldis and put together exciting hours on Youtube content called NWA Powerrr. However, the NWA curse wasn’t too far from rearing its head once again as a number of roster members left the company.

Almost immediately after losing many of the core roster members, the NWA began charging to watch NWA Powerrr, in one of the most ill-timed business plans in the last decade. Now, as a fan, you were expected to pay for a fraction of the roster you had seen just weeks prior for free. It didn’t make sense and after several months the NWA reverted back to the Youtube format.

The NWA brought back Wrestling at the Chase and put out one of the best edited wrestling pieces to come from a non-WWE company.

Before long it felt like they were out of ideas again, having spent so much time with Aldis as champion, he seemed to be their crutch. However, the audience wanted something new. The title was switched to Trevor Murdoch and eventually, like every other independent promotion at the time they title was put on Matt Cardona. The heat that Cardona received for his GCW appearances for being a “former WWE guy” didn’t translate to the NWA faithful as a number of their roster were also “former WWE guys.”

It seems like all the buzz for the company has died down from its glory days of headlining All In, and even the early episodes of Powerrr where Jim Cornette celebrated with the Rock and Roll Express in the ring after winning Tag Team gold.

While there is a still a great mix of new talent like Colby Corino, experienced veterans like Ricky Morton, and NWA favorites Nick Aldis, it seems like NWA is back down in the trenches. As a longtime fan and supporter of the company I can only sit back patiently and wait for the day they eventually climb back out of obscurity and reclaim their mantle and prestige back.

Will the upcoming autumn being a great fall season for the NWA or will it be the great fall of the National Wrestling Alliance?