Nick Aldis is currently the General Manager of SmackDown. What some people may not know is that Aldis is a 20-year veteran in the industry. He’s competed for different promotions all over the world. He’s also known for his 1043-day reign as NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion.
Aldis doesn’t just have the looks of a superstar, he has the necessary in-ring skills as well. While WWE fans may have to wait to see him get physical, TNA and NWA fans know how good he’s between the ropes.
Let’s take a look at the top five matches of Nick Aldis’ pro wrestling career:
Magnus vs. James Storm (Unsanctioned Match – TNA Slammiversary 2015)
Before he became Nick Aldis, Magnus was a top star on TNA Wrestling. Such was Dixie Carter’s faith in him that she chose him to be AJ Styles’ final opponent on the IMPACT Zone. Magnus went up against many formidable opponents, but none brought out his violent side like James Storm.
The Cowboy met the Brit in an Unsanctioned Match at Slammiversary 2015. This was an all-out brawl with some creative spots. Both men made some good use of weapons. The finish did its job. Aldis wouldn’t return to TNA until 2017.
Nick Aldis vs. Cody Rhodes (NWA Title Match – All In 2018)
The inaugural All In featured plenty of great matches. None, however, had higher stakes than the NWA Worlds Championship match between Cody Rhodes and Nick Aldis.
The American Nightmare entered the ring with a star-studded entourage featuring DDP and other legends. Rhodes and Aldis showed mutual respect with a handshake before the match.
The action was basic, but had some incredible spots. Rhodes performed a blade job to give the match a great visual effect. Brandi Rhodes also became a part of the action by taking a brutal elbow drop from Aldis.
In the end, Rhodes put away Aldis to win his first and only NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship.
Nick Aldis vs. Trevor Murdoch (NWA 73rd Anniversary Show)
The entire build to Aldis vs. Murdoch was reminiscent of some of the legendary rivalries from the old NWA. For Aldis, it was about extending his 1,000-plus-day title reign. To Murdoch, a loss would mean he had to say goodbye to his career.
Murdoch brought his rough and tough old-school wrestling style to the ring. Aldis carried himself as the classy champion inside the squared circle. The challenger managed to dethrone the champion with a piledriver and a top-rope bulldog combo.
Nick Aldis vs. Cody Rhodes (Best Two out of Three Falls – NWA 70th Anniversary Show)
The rematch from All In 2018!
Aldis had walked out of the event without the 10 Pounds of Gold around his waist. Both men met for the title in their rematch at NWA’s 70th Anniversary Show. This was a two-out-of-three falls match, so extreme physicality was guaranteed.
This wasn’t a flashy spot-fest, but back to the basics of a wrestling match. It felt more like a love letter to the NWA. The technical-grappling aspect was well executed. Cody delivered some great tributes to his father and the men he looked up to growing up.
In the end, Aldis finally reclaimed the title – kicking off his historic second reign in the process.
Nick Aldis vs. Marty Scurll (Crockett Cup 2019)
One of Nick Aldis’ best career performances came against Marty Scurll at the 2019 Crockett Cup. The video package did a great job hyping the history between the two men. Aldis had been more than a year into his second NWA Title reign when he put it on the line against Scurll.
This match featured some heavy throwbacks to the old NWA. Aldis took pride in himself as the promotion’s champion. He resented underhand tactics to win the match. Scurll, on the other, used every possible means to win the title.
It also had one of the best endings to an NWA title match.
Also read: Best NWA PPV Matches
