Photo Credit: NWA
In just over a year as a Full-Time Wrestling Manager Aaron Stevens has made his presence felt in the NWA. While he has always been known as one of the best talkers in the sport he has now become the Manager of Champions as well leading the NWA World Tag Team Champions Blunt Force Trauma into the next era of the NWA with the Titles secure.
Stevens is leading the team into the NWA Live Event Paranoia on January 13th and he is doing it at the same time as his look has shown up with Hall of Fame Manager Precious Paul Ellering wearing a White Glove on his Left Hand when he appeared in the WWE this past week in a new faction featuring Karrion Kross, Scarlett and the Authors of Pain. Stevens said the similarity in appearances brings him back to something the Legendary American Dream Dusty Rhodes told him.
“Paul Ellering is someone I studied when looking into being a Manager, I remember years ago in Florida Championship Wrestling Dusty Rhodes actually compared me to Paul Ellering believe it or not which is so weird. It’s Paul Ellering who managed the greatest Tag Team in the sport, the Road Warriors.” “
Maybe it’s a coincidence or maybe they said that’s kind of cool, let’s do that. You know White Glove left hand I tend to think, huh. Bottom line is I’m flattered when one of the Greatest Managers of All-Time takes something from me that means I’m doing something right.”
In a way Stevens and Blunt Force Trauma are doing something that was done before them in the way they’re Wrestling by going against the style of today and using a Hard Hitting destructive style more akin to the LOD in their prime. They’re just going out and beating down people. Stevens said that’s a good thing. “Let’s break this down to what Wrestling is and I think lots of Promoters have lost sight of this Wrestling is storytelling.”
He pointed out would the Rocky movies have been the success that were with the critics and the audience if it was about Rocky going against another Italian South Philly boxer versus Ivan Drago. “From a Storytelling standpoint contrast creates interest.”
“Blunt Force Trauma has been compared to Doom, obviously with a very similar look and the wrestling with elements from LOD.” “With Mr Ellering wearing a White Glove that is extremely flattering to me and I’m honored.”
“People aren’t going to confuse Mr Ellering and myself. He has two Hall of Fame Rings and I have the Golden Coat Brush. People say I have Brass Knuckles, I don’t know where that comes from, I just think I just have a really good left hand.”
“When one of the best of ALL-Time is doing something you’ve been doing for a year…I just think it’s cool and humbling.”
His Managerial reach may be expanding as well as his presence has been felt in the new NWA territory Exodus Pro Wrestling in Cleveland, OH. “If a Wrestler sends a highlight reel or course it’s a Best of and if you send one match of course it’s going to be their best match.” He said the goal of the NWA bringing the Territories back is to get in on the ground level and get a complete look at the young talent. “The territory system that Billy Corigan has done is something that I truly think is an amazing move.”
In a way it’s a full circle for Stevens who referenced his time in WWE developmental years ago with Dusty Rhodes now being in a position to influence the next generation of Wrestling.
Of course he’s part of the NWA but he also said, “It’s a very, very smart move buy the WWE to have Paul Ellering around having mind there and around the talent with the wealth of knowledge he has. If he was in the NWA I’d be picking his brain all of the time, he’s only going to make everyone around him better.”
You can see the work of Aaron Stevens and Blunt Force Trauma defend the NWA Tag Team Championship against the team of former NWA World Champions Tim Storm and Jax Dane at the Signature Live Event Paranoia on January 13th from Fort Lauderdale, FL along with the rest of the NWA. Then see the new season premiering on the CW App on February 6th.
