Dak Draper is becoming a breakout star in the National Wrestling Alliance ahead of NWA Hard Times 3, where he will challenge Cyon for the National Championship.
Draper first rose to prominence in Ring of Honor, where he won the Top Prospect Tournament in 2019. Throughout his time with the company, he faced several of its top stars, including Jonathan Gresham. But this chapter of Draper’s career ended when ROH went on hiatus after Final Battle 2021. Draper persevered through this adversity, as he has landed in the NWA. Shortly after his arrival, he won the #1 Contender’s Tournament for the National Championship, so he’ll challenge for the gold at the upcoming pay-per-view on November 12.
In an interview with WrestleZone, Draper was asked to describe the differences between ROH and NWA. He described how the NWA roster has more talent that’s as big as him, whereas he was often one of the largest men in any given match. He pointed out that this change has allowed him to adapt his wrestling style and showcase a different side of his athleticism.
“I think one of the big differences would be it’s just a different kind of roster,” Draper said. “It’s a roster that I’d say is probably a little bit more similar to my style of wrestling. I feel like at Ring of Honor, I was one of the bigger guys on the roster. I think Brody King and I were two of the biggest. In NWA, there are a ton of big guys there. Just look at the number one contender tournament finals match that I was in. I faced Chris Adonis and Thrillbilly. I was the smallest guy in the match.
“There was never a time in Ring of Honor where I was in a match, especially a multi-man match, where I was the little guy. So that’s definitely been a big thing, but I like that because I’m so agile. I can really lean on my ability, where there were times at Ring of Honor where I focused more on imposing my will and keeping control and being a control wrestler. There were times where I could really just let it fly, let my athleticism and my agility speak for itself.
Looking back on his journey to earning the title shot, Draper made it clear that these wins will only carry significant meaning if he dethrones Cyon at the pay-per-view. However, he noted that he has risen to the level of stars like Brian Myers and Chris Adonis. He stated that he has looked up to both men, and beating them has given him plenty of confidence.
“It’s one of those things where it won’t mean anything unless I complete the job and I win the title against Cyon. As long as I walk away with that National Title, then it’ll all be worth it. But it gives me great momentum going in. A win is a win, and beating Jax Dane, the former National Champion in the first round, then upsetting Brian Myers in the second round, who’s a guy that, when I worked for other wrestling companies, I’ve always looked up to Brian Myers. There were times when I was working for other wrestling companies where I perceived him to be all the way up here. So just being able to rise to that level and surpass that level is something that gives me so much momentum and so much confidence going into the title match.
“Then facing off against Thrillbilly and Chris Adonis, Chris Adonis is a guy that I watched on TV when I was a teenager. I thought Chris Adonis was the man when I was a teenager. There were times where I was lifting weights at the gym when I was 16 years old and his physique was in my mind. So being able to get in there and just to face off with him in the ring, it’s like this feeling that I can’t even describe the feeling. Then of course it all goes away the first time we touch in the ring. It’s one of those things that being able to get into these matches and then be successful in these matches had my confidence at an all-time high. Dak Draper with high confidence is a guy that you probably don’t wanna be across the ring from.
Draper was also asked to share his thoughts about what working for the NWA means to him, given the company’s illustrious history. He stated that it feels good to be attached to that prestige before he described how his move to the NWA has turned into a peak in his story, which has thrown plenty of obstacles at him. “The Living Tall Tale”, as Draper called himself, expressed his excitement that the NWA gets to host this success.
“Oh it feels great. Those three letters, you can tell, when you tell a wrestling fan like oh yeah, I’ve been working with the NWA, their ears perk up a little bit. That feels really good, just that prestige. It’s not a name that you have to explain to wrestling fans, at least wrestling fans that know what they’re talking about. So it’s a really good feeling, but it’s one of those things also that it’s just part of my story.
“I call myself the living tall tale because my story and my wrestling career, they’re playing out like a tall tale. There are great parts, and then there are not-so-great parts. But the big thing is coming out of those not great parts, those peaks and those valleys, and I feel like there was a valley with the end of Ring of Honor, and now that in with NWA, I feel like I’m pulling myself back up on a peak, and I’m so excited for myself. I’m also excited for NWA, that they get to be a part of this great story that’s being told that is the story of Dak Draper’s success.”
The NWA recently announced that Davey Richards will defend the MLW National Openweight Championship at NWA Hard Times 3. More information is available here.
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