Kemo
09-05-2023, 06:32 PM
Nick Aldis' future in wrestling may be as a WWE producer, but reports he is retired have been greatly exaggerated.
Earlier this year, news broke that WWE had its eye on Aldis for a backstage role, and have been keeping watch over him since he left the NWA in January. In April, Aldis returned to IMPACT Wrestling on a short-term deal that would see the Brit unsuccessfully challenge for the IMPACT World Championship.
Aldis and WWE
In recent weeks, Aldis has been backstage at WWE events, shadowing various producers and giving his own input into matches. During the latest Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Aldis spoke about the feeling-out process between himself and the promotion.
"Its all very much a handshake situation at the moment. Very much a 'Hey why don't you come in and see how all this works? See if you like it.' I will say this. They gave been very, very good to me and very, very accomodating. They've said 'Look, this is as much about whether you like it [as whether we want you.]"
Many have taken Aldis' backstage work with WWE as a sign that his in-ring career is ending, if it not already over. Many WWE producers are former wrestlers who now use their expertise to help the current crop of talent. In the interview, Aldis said that even those in the business aren't sure if he's retired or not.
"Now, where that goes, I don't know and I'm okay with that. It's tough with the internet and social media because people want to put this definitiveness on everything. This finality. 'Oh that's it! He's with WWE, that's it. Game over.' So now people are asking 'Oh are you not wrestling anymore? Are you retired?' Even the boys are saying 'Are you done wrestling?' Just slow down."
When Van Vliet mentioned that Aldis had been showing signs of a retirement, including dealing with a back injury, pulling out of dates and shadowing WWE producers, the former World Champion acknowledged how things look.
"The timing of that I can accept and concede that [it looked like I was retiring.] And I knew that even when I did it. I knew this isn't great, because now people are going to put two and two together and 'Oh he must be injured. He must have a back problem and can't wrestle anymore. Not the case. [I can still wrestle] 100%. I just took more dates recently."
Aldis hasn't competed since the July 17, 2023, taping of IMPACT Wrestling, where he lost to Eric Young.
Earlier this year, news broke that WWE had its eye on Aldis for a backstage role, and have been keeping watch over him since he left the NWA in January. In April, Aldis returned to IMPACT Wrestling on a short-term deal that would see the Brit unsuccessfully challenge for the IMPACT World Championship.
Aldis and WWE
In recent weeks, Aldis has been backstage at WWE events, shadowing various producers and giving his own input into matches. During the latest Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Aldis spoke about the feeling-out process between himself and the promotion.
"Its all very much a handshake situation at the moment. Very much a 'Hey why don't you come in and see how all this works? See if you like it.' I will say this. They gave been very, very good to me and very, very accomodating. They've said 'Look, this is as much about whether you like it [as whether we want you.]"
Many have taken Aldis' backstage work with WWE as a sign that his in-ring career is ending, if it not already over. Many WWE producers are former wrestlers who now use their expertise to help the current crop of talent. In the interview, Aldis said that even those in the business aren't sure if he's retired or not.
"Now, where that goes, I don't know and I'm okay with that. It's tough with the internet and social media because people want to put this definitiveness on everything. This finality. 'Oh that's it! He's with WWE, that's it. Game over.' So now people are asking 'Oh are you not wrestling anymore? Are you retired?' Even the boys are saying 'Are you done wrestling?' Just slow down."
When Van Vliet mentioned that Aldis had been showing signs of a retirement, including dealing with a back injury, pulling out of dates and shadowing WWE producers, the former World Champion acknowledged how things look.
"The timing of that I can accept and concede that [it looked like I was retiring.] And I knew that even when I did it. I knew this isn't great, because now people are going to put two and two together and 'Oh he must be injured. He must have a back problem and can't wrestle anymore. Not the case. [I can still wrestle] 100%. I just took more dates recently."
Aldis hasn't competed since the July 17, 2023, taping of IMPACT Wrestling, where he lost to Eric Young.