Nick Aldis is an accomplished professional wrestler with an in-ring resume that dates back over 20 years, but he is well aware that there are two completely different worlds when it comes to fans of the industry.

The former NWA and TNA world heavyweight champion traded his trunks for a suit when he began working as a behind-the-scenes producer, and eventually as an on-screen authority figure, fall 2023.

During a conversation about Overview with Chris Van VlietNick Aldis has joked that it’s been a bit of a humiliating experience for some WWE fans to have the “shocking” realization that he’s also a wrestler.

In fact, it wasn’t that long ago that he was competing with one of his brand’s biggest stars for the NWA Heavyweight Championship.

“It’s funny because the anniversary just passed a few days ago where me and Cody (Rhodes) had two out of three falls in Nashville,” Aldis told CVV. “Usually, the While the match and this match are the ones that tend to be sort of annualized. It came back and all these comments are like: What? certainly not! It’s funny, because it’ll always be like that, right? Because that’s just the difference between WWE and the rest of the wrestling world. »

The transition from competitor to authority figure was smooth for Nick Aldis and it was a decision that didn’t require much thought on his part.

When the role of Smack down General Manger was offered to him last year, he went into it with the idea that he would be the best general manager WWE fans had ever seen and then see what opportunities materialized across the board. line.

However, he does not consider this decision as a farewell to his career in the ring. At least not 100 percent.

“I see him more as kind of a wrestler maybe not full time, but I don’t know. Look, everyone asks it all the time except me. I’ve never once said, hey, and me? Could I fight? Because I don’t need to. If and when the time comes, it will be what they want, and I hope it will be the right time. If you want to do that, I’m ready.”

Aldis is willing to do whatever WWE asks of him. Even if it means getting physical on the fly. This is the situation that unfolded during last year’s episode of SmackDown where Randy Orton decided to sign an exclusive contract with Blue Brand.

The exuberant SmackDown General Manager raised Orton’s hand in celebration after he took the pen, only for The Viper to drop his new boss with an RKO. It was a spot that wasn’t originally planned, and to this day, Nick Aldis doesn’t know who called him to take over.

“He was going to sign the SmackDown contract and watch Roman (Reigns), and I think that was it. And then it was like someone told someone while I was on the edge of the ring. So I had to go in and call him I never knew who was behind it I still feel weird revealing the magic. connect. So there seems to be a heightened level of interest in this particular moment because it was really unexpected, even for me.”

Between owing Orton a receipt and his history with Cody Rhodes, WWE certainly has enough material to build a match involving Nick Aldis if they want.

There’s also a contingent of hardcore wrestling fans who wouldn’t mind seeing Aldis and Raw General Manager Adam Pearce – another former NWA World Heavyweight Champion – face off one day on the ring.

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