Nick Aldis Details His Issues With Billy Corgan, Responds to Corgan’s Claims of Politicking

As previously reported, Billy Corgan removed Nick Aldis from the World title match at NWA 74, replacing him with Tyrus. Corgan would later accuse Aldis of politicking for his spot and said he couldn’t take it anymore. In an interview with Busted Open Radio (via Fightful), Aldis gave his side of the story and detailed his issues with Corgan. Here are highlights:

On when he first started working for Billy Corgan & the NWA: “My first year with the NWA, an entire year, we’re talking the Ten Pounds of Gold Series, traveling all over the world. Tommy is well aware of this because he is a promoter who booked me. The entire time I was doing that, do you know how much money I received from the NWA? Try 0. Try zip. My earnings as a professional wrestler came from the promoters who wanted to book me because the fans wanted to see me defend that belt. I was working without a contract. All In, one of the most significant pro wrestling shows of the last decade, I didn’t sell those tickets, but by the time we got there, I was in the match people wanted to see. I had no contract. If I had been a ‘politicker,’ do you not think I would have said, ‘Hey brother, there are 11,000 people here and I’m in the match you guys came to see. I think I’m going to need a little cheddar or might need something here because this doesn’t work for me, brother.’ If I was a politicker, do you not think I might have been able to call Stamford and say, ‘I don’t have a contract.’ Everything is riding on this and here I am, you need me to facilitate this moment you want. I didn’t do that because I love and respect this business and I’m a man of my word.”

On his match with Trevor Murdoch being a draw for NWA 73: “Whether he wants to accept it or anyone else wants to accept it, that show was sold out because people wanted to see him beat me. I’m not going to apologize for being good at my job and for having the impact I had on the NWA and the industry. I’m a 35-year-old grown fucking man now and I know who I am and know what I’m worth. My whole reaction to this? Good luck. I have nothing against Tyrus. He sells a hell of a lot of books. I hope he’s putting tickets to NWA 74 in them. Ultimately, the people will tell you. I know the NWA audience because the NWA audience is largely my audience. I ain’t going to apologize for that. That was my job. He’s trying to re-create this image of me as if I was given this thing and I turned into a monster. No, I was given one of the most difficult tasks in the modern era of wrestling. I’m presented with this challenge of ‘do you think you can make anyone give a shit about the NWA?’ Yeah, I think I can.”

On giving money back during the pandemic to help others: “I gave money back from my salary so he could help keep other guys whole. I said, ‘I’m okay, I’m good, help try and keep some of these other guys whole.’ I’m not sure at what point I was politicking. What I’ve always done, regardless of where I worked, is I’ve done everything I can for the people paying me. No amount of money in the world buys you the privilege to disrespect me.”

On being loyal to NWA: “In 2019, I was given the opportunity to jump on the train with Tony Khan. Tony was very gracious to me. He gave me a phone call and we had a good conversation. Out of loyalty and gratitude, I decided to stay. I guess the train doesn’t stop twice. Now that I look back, who knows. That gets thrown back in my face. For what?”