"I wanted to go" - WWE legend's spouse opens up on potential deal with Tony Khan falling through

Former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis is headed into free agency and is rumored to be either WWE or AEW-bound. He recently discussed talks he had with the latter company.

Aldis was a major player in Cody Rhodes and the Young Bucks' All In event in 2018. The independent supershow, which is largely thought of as the precursor to AEW, witnessed a classic battle between Cody and Aldis for the NWA title. Rhodes captured the title on the night, but Aldis managed to win it back later.

Speaking in an interview with Wrestling Inc., the former TNA star revealed that he had actually had advanced talks with AEW beforehand. Although it's unclear what type of deal was being discussed at the time, Aldis stated that he wanted to get NWA functioning effectively first.

"Well, I thought that it was well known at this point that I had talked to [AEW CEO Tony Khan] very early on, and there’s a lot more to it than people know. Essentially, I wanted to go, but I also wanted to wait until I had got the NWA to a point where I felt like they could function effectively," Nick Aldis said.

Unfortunately for Aldis, by the time the next window of opportunity appeared, the relationship between Tony Khan and NWA President Billy Corgan had cooled off, as he explained:

"By the time that came around, again, the relationship between Tony and Billy had changed. And I probably should have reached out sooner and had my own direct communication, instead of trusting what was being told to me about what was potentially coming up down the road. I’ll just say that.” (H/T Wrestling Inc.)

Ric Flair believes WWE or AEW will pick up Nick Aldis

During his monumental reign as the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion, Nick Aldis looked to make the title represent its storied lineage. He did so in direct consultation with some of the greatest legends in the industry, one of which was Ric Flair.

Flair recently discussed Aldis and what his next move should be, saying that both AEW and WWE would be lucky to have him.

"He’s not only a great kid but he’s a great performer. He carries himself like a champion, he dresses great, [how] he conducts himself – he’s perfect. And why he’s not with the WWE? I don’t know. Whichever one gets him – it will be AEW or WWE – whichever one gets him will be very lucky. He brings a lot of professionalism with him wherever he goes," Flair said. (13:59 onward)

The NWA brand has suffered a dip in popularity since Aldis dropped the title, especially receiving backlash after Tyrus won the belt recently.

Where would you like to see Nick Aldis go next? Let us know in the comments below.