Nick Aldis was a recent guest on the Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast and discussed why he thinks he hasn't ever received a fair chance from WWE.
Aldis compared himself to Cody, in that they both shoulder burdens from who they are outside of wrestling. Aldis is married to WWE superstar Mickie James and the former NWA World Heavyweight champion believes people see him as nothing more than that, which is not the way he wants to make it into the WWE.
"The very compelling thing about Cody Rhodes and I is that there are parallels with completely different origins. They were very parallel journeys in a sense where we both had this huge thing looming over us that has no barring of what our ability is that we bring to the table. His being that he is the son of Dusty Rhodes and mine is being that I am married to someone [Mickie James] who is successful," Aldis explained.
"Hey, no one was talking about that when I was the TNA World Heavyweight Champion and Mickie was sitting at home or when she was pregnant with our son, that wasn't an issue, but now and then I will get the Twitter troll who will say something like, 'Oh. Mr. Mickie James gets another chance?' Another chance at what? Believe me, it doesn't help. If anything, it is the opposite. It is not a help. That is not the way that I would want to go to WWE for example if that ever happens, but that is not the way I would want to go in."
Aldis has learned to ignore ignorant fans throughout his time in wrestling as he’s become comfortable with who he is. Despite losing the NWA World Heavyweight title at ALL IN this past Saturday, Aldis is proud that he’s making a name for himself outside of the WWE bubble:
"The days of 'fake it till you make it' are over. You've got to be there on merit and have to create some interest in what you are doing. The boys are often the first perimeter whether something is working or not. When I had guys in the dressing room that I had worked with for multiple years in TNA and had come up to me and would say, 'Man, there is just something different about the ways you are doing stuff and I love just watching you. Not necessarily in the ring but you are going about your business,'" Aldis said
. "That starts in your mind - you have to believe and put out there who you are and who your vision is of yourself. It is very necessary and where this whole thing - some of it may seem serendipity, but Cody Rhodes and I had this discussion in private where it may seem that way but it actually isn't. It is his vision for himself, my vision for myself; Billy Corgan's vision for NWA, Dave Lagana's vision for the NWA; Ring of Honor, everything is all intersecting and we can all learn from this."
Check out the rest of interview at
Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast.