WWE SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis has looked back on one of the most important matches of his professional wrestling career.
Prior to joining WWE, Aldis found success in TNA and the NWA, winning the top championships in both promotions. Reigning as the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion in 2018, Aldis faced off against Cody Rhodes at the All In pay-per-view in Chicago. The critically acclaimed independent show that was organised by Rhodes and The Elite set out to prove that there was a demand for an alternative to WWE as more than 10,000 people packed out the venue to see Rhodes win the World Championship.
Although the event in isolation was historic in its own right, the independent show would be the first step in the partnership between The Elite and Tony Khan to form AEW, the second-largest promotion in the United States that would go on to sign some of the biggest stars in professional wrestling not tied to a WWE contract. Although multiple performers on the card would join The Elite and be later signed to the promotion, Aldis remained in NWA and was not a part of the upstart promotion.
“I Guess I Could Have Been Informed Sooner”: Nick Aldis On AEW
Speaking with Kenny McIntosh in issue 42 of Inside The Ropes Magazine, Aldis was asked if if there were any frustrations that his career did not skyrocket to the same level as Rhodes’ did after the All In match:
“I think in this business, if you start playing the comparison game, you can really go down a rabbit hole of bitterness and resentment very quickly. I felt a little bit betrayed when I found out that they were all familiar, they were all aware of Tony Khan and they’d been sort of plotting this thing (AEW). As we progressed a couple of months forward, it was clear it was a done deal. So in that respect, I guess I felt I could have been informed of that sooner. But I just looked at it from the perspective of that piece of business meaning Cody and I at All In did nothing but good things for all of everyone involved. It wasn’t like people looked at me as if I were finished.
We tore the house down and we had the match that everybody remembers, the real main event of that show. That built my credibility, and off the back of that we were able to launch an entire show that at that time had a strong sustainable audience. I landed a six-figure contract off the back of that also. Cody obviously had the pipeline to a billionaire. I only had a millionaire, but whatever, it’s all just part of the tapestry of your career.”
During the same interview, Nick Aldis discussed the behind-the-scenes process behind his WWE debut.
Issue 42 of Inside The Ropes is available for purchase here.
If you use any quotes from this article please credit Inside The Ropes.