Former TNA / Global Force Wrestling star Nick Aldis, aka Magnus, recently spoke with Sports Illustrated Extra Mustard‘s Justin Barrasso for this week’s “Week In Review”.
Aldis talks about leaving TNA and his current situation with Global Force Wrestling, recovering from injury, his wrestling influences, which promotion he’s shown interest in, and more. You can read a few excerpts below:
Nick Aldis updates his status with Global Force Wrestling, clarifies why he left TNA:
GFW is a start-up, so I’m not under contract there. They’re not in any position to be signing anyone to a contract. I want to dispel this idea that I left TNA in order to join GFW. I certainly don’t want that to be the idea at TNA. I hate the idea that there’s a notion floating around that there are sour grapes. I have nothing but gratitude for TNA, and I’m not backtracking from anything I’ve said, but I want to make that clear.
The situation with TNA is this–business wise, at the time, TNA was not in a favorable period. They said to me, “Look, your contract is coming up. The offer we would be able to make you is an embarrassment and a slap in the face to your work and your value to the company.” So I said, “OK, then don’t make the offer. I’ll venture out and see what happens.” I’d been under contract there for six years, and the majority of my adult life after signing with them at 21, and there was never any “Screw you, I’m out of here.” They were very honest, it was emotional, and there was no desire for it to end on either end.
Aldis provides an update on his torn shoulder surgery and recovery:
It was a very successful surgery and I’ve been cleared by doctors. I was fortunate. It’s a rough idea, but knock on wood, it’s the worst thing I’ve ever had in ten years as a full-time wrestler. I’ve never really been sidelined by an injury until now. I’m pretty much ready to go back to full work and full booking.
I’m in a limbo period in my career being a free agent and unsure where to try and attempt to go next, and unaware of where may or may not be interested. It forces you to reflect. There was definitely a part of me that had fallen into a little bit of a comfort zone, but luckily I was the person to identify that before anyone else. I’ve been going to gymnastics coaches and working on jiu-jitsu to integrate that into my work and evolve. There is a lot of emphasis now on moves and the term ‘work rate,’ and there is a real emphasis on what I call selfish workers. Their whole MO is “What can I do to make myself look good?” instead of “What can we do to take the fans on this great story?
Aldis talks about the different influences he had while with TNA:
The roster at TNA was an incredible learning tree with Kevin Nash, Mick Foley, Sting, Booker T and Scott Steiner. And the roster was filled with Bobby Roode, Kurt Angle, AJ Styles, the Machine Guns, Jay Lethal and Samoa Joe.
I certainly took a lot from Samoa Joe in the ring when we were working together as a team and then opponents. He forces that on you–his offense, especially, but just his demeanor and the way he operates in the ring. He works on such a level that you have two choices–you can either step up and match it, or you can fade away and be the background. I didn’t want to just team up with Joe and be the ‘Other Guy.’ I wanted to make sure we complimented each other and it was more about us as a team, and I think we achieved that.
Kevin Nash was another guy who liked to talk shop and talk about the business, instead of talking with guys who asked, “What did you think of my match?” Kevin and Sting were actually speaking up for me quite seriously. In terms of mechanics in the ring, it was Joe who helped the most, and from the business side of things, it was [Shawn] Daivari and Kevin Nash.
Aldis talks about what’s next for him, the possibility he works with his wife, Mickie James:
We would make a pretty cool pairing at this point. We have great chemistry, and we can both talk, we can both work, and we have a deep respect and appreciation of what one another can do. We are open to it now, and it could be a really cool way to reinvent ourselves.
Lucha Underground really interests me. The biggest problem with the business right now for the boys is that the remaining market share that doesn’t belong to WWE is divided up by so many companies. TNA used to have that market share, but now it’s divided up by so many entities. Financially, it’s not a great time to be a wrestler because it’s the same portion of market share divided up by more entity, but Lucha Underground is so different that it could bring in new fans.
I’m very much a free agent. I just started working with [agent] Bill Behrens, who has done great work with AJ Styles and Moose. I’m absolutely at a point where I’m refreshed and my passion is back, and it’s time for me to explore more and reinvent myself. I’m going to be better than ever wherever I go.
