New NWA era looms as Austin Idol hypes "really big deal" (Exclusive)

Austin Idol has performed as an on-screen manager in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) in recent years. In an exclusive interview, the legendary wrestler disclosed details about the company's new television deal.

Billy Corgan, best known as the co-founder of the rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, bought the NWA in 2017. The promotion has gained popularity during Corgan's tenure due to its nostalgic feel and unique style compared to other modern-day organizations.

Speaking to Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter, Idol shared exciting news about the NWA's new Roku contract:

"Billy struck a major, major deal with Roku. I mean, this is a big thing, so it starts on The Roku Channel, July 29, 8 p.m. EST, and then it replays that same evening at 11 p.m. EST. Now, the cool thing about this, what makes it so significant, 145 million people [households] in the United States [have TV sets], I believe they [Roku] actually go into 90 million homes in the United States. That's a really big deal. That's a lot of potential eyeballs on the National Wrestling Alliance." [5:36 – 6:39]

In the video above, Idol also offered his thoughts on how Goldberg's WWE retirement match against Gunther ended.

Austin Idol praises Billy Corgan's NWA ownership

As part of the new deal, NWA Powerrr will air every Tuesday for free on The Roku Channel. The show was previously available to watch on X.

Asked about Billy Corgan's determination to make the NWA succeed, Austin Idol put it down to his Irish roots:

"Part of it is he's Irish. Honestly, Willie, honestly, they don't know the meaning of quitting, giving up, and I've had this conversation with him because my real last name is McCord, so we're two Irish boys, right? And we just can't fathom giving up and quitting, and he has just kept going and going and going and going, and now he's reached this deal, it's huge, and it's gonna change the whole dynamic for the National Wrestling Alliance. I'm thrilled for him and thrilled for everybody who's part of the team." [7:21 – 7:58]

In the same interview, Idol praised former NWA star Nick Aldis for succeeding as an authority figure in WWE.

Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling and embed the video if you use Austin Idol's quotes from this article.

About the author

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

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Edited by Danny Hart