NWA Reportedly Signs New Talent

The NWA has added an independent talent to their roster, according to a new report. Fightful Select reports that the company has signed Hayden Backlund to a deal. Backlund has been working for the NWA for a couple of months now and competed in the 2026 Crockett Cup, where he and Pretty Boy Smooth lost to the Wrestling Machines in the first round.

Backlund is a six-year veteran who has worked for Beyond Wrestling, NEOPro, Exodus Pro and more over the last couple years. He worked a number of matches in 2021 on AEW Dark, and most recently appeared for AEW in 2023 when he and Myung-Jae Lee faced The Kingdom on an episode of AEW Rampage in July.