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| GLADIATOR, READY? |
James Denton |
Gladiators and grappling star Nick "Oblivion" Aldis talks life in the ring, the Gladiator arena and the Octagon!
FSM: Most people know you from Gladiators as “The Big O”, Oblivion, but Nick Aldis has been wrestling on the British circuit for quite a while. What do you put on your CV these days under ‘occupation’?
Nick Aldis: I have no idea! It was hard enough before, because for things that have a drop-down menu on a computer, “pro wrestler” was never on the list. It generally takes a bit of explaining but ultimately I guess I should put “Gladiator”, as that’s my main source of income for the time being. My buddy Terry Frazier joked about how I might get to write on forms that say “occupation – gladiator” and now he’s right.
FSM: When did you first start watching wrestling, and when and how did you decide to get into the business?
NA: I had watched it as a kid, though we didn’t have satellite so I saw WWE when I could, but I had all the annuals and of course the action figures. When I was a little older, one of my mates at school was really into Shawn Michaels, so we started watching the dawn of the Attitude Era and I started lifting weights at about 12 or 13.
I was totally set on it by 15, and then when I was 16 I went to one of Ricky Knight’s training camps in Norwich, which was local to me. I really got a start there at WAW, and moved on to Frank Rimer’s DropKixx Academy for a while, which was a lot of fun and I made a lot of friends who are still in the business, like Stu Sanders and one of my closest friends, Marty Scurll.
FSM: You’re not just a wrestler – you’re also the promoter for Summit Wrestling. Tell us a little bit about the promotion – what sort of shows do you run, who are they aimed at, and what made you want to get into the promotional side of the business?
NA: I’m a commercially minded person, I have a tremendous interest in business and I think deep down I always had a desire to promote shows. Like a lot of guys, I felt like I could run decent shows and do things my way. Summit shows are aimed at a family audience, and I stick to a pretty tried and tested formula: five matches, plenty of variety, try to send them home happy!
I’ve had some disasters like every promoter, but I’m happy with what I’m doing with the business now – we’ve established a good customer base and I run shows in tours, like three or four at a time. We had our first sellout in February; the whole tour was successful and profitable.
FSM: Being both a performer and a promoter, you have a privileged perspective on the industry. What are your thoughts on the overall British wrestling scene at the moment, from both sides?
NA: Too many promotions, simple really. I know a lot of people will call me a hypocrite, but I book decent workers and actually pay them, I have a good quality ring, lights et cetera and I advertise properly and even carry out primary research.
So many jokers are out there claiming that they’re going to be the next ECW, and getting in family crowds full of wide-eyed kids looking for entertainment, then they do a four-hour card with 15 matches and some truly embarrassing wrestlers. Basically, there are a handful of reputable promotions building up towns, then there are endless amounts of utterly terrible ones killing them.
FSM: You’ve worked for a lot of different companies, but you’ve become a particular fixture on All Star Wrestling shows. Give us your thoughts on All Star and how it compares to other promotions.
NA: All Star for me is a love-hate relationship. I love being a part of without doubt the best wrestling shows in Europe; I hate the politics and atmosphere in the dressing room at times. It’s a funny thing working for Brian [Dixon, All Star promoter] because once you start working steadily for him you become less available to the tin-pots, and eventually you have no desire to work for the tin-pots any more because they simply don’t compare.
It’s night and day, really. You get a proper dressing room, it’s organised, you’re on with good workers and you get to perform in front of red-hot crowds. One thing that does stay the same with the tin-pots and All Star is what you get paid, unbelievably.
FSM: All Star has been around since the Golden Age, thanks to the shows it runs. There seems to be two distinct formats in this country at present: one that appeals directly to the hardcores and one that caters to families. Which would you say is the most successful model, both in terms of immediate success and the longer-term growth of the UK industry?
NA: With the exception of Alex Shane, nobody who is looking to make money from this business promoting shows should aim at the ‘hardcores’. Basically it’s like this: Alex’s shows are the Knightsbridge designer boutique – it doesn’t have as many customers, but the ones he does have empty their pockets big time when they come in.
All Star is TK Maxx – you’ve probably seen it all before, but it’s good value and you may get a fantastic surprise for your money, especially if guys like American Dragon [Bryan Danielson] are on the show. The family oriented format is what works, and it has done for a long time. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t going to be some great matches, it just means that the wrestlers may actually work the crowd instead of taking 15 bumps on their head just to get a pop.
FSM: Strictly in terms of your wrestling career, what are your ambitions – do you have your sights set on WWE, would you like to work in Japan, would you be happy making a full-time career on the British circuit, doing more on the promotional side… where is it that you want to be?
NA: I’ve always wanted to work for WWE, but I also absolutely want to work in Japan. I went to Harley Race’s Noah camp in the States last year and I had a blast learning from KENTA, Marufuji, Morishima and Aoki.
As far as full time on the British circuit goes, I could do that tomorrow – but it’s not going to provide the lifestyle that I want, because the money is dreadful. I would love to follow in Doug [Williams]’s footsteps, although that’s easier said than done because he is such a tremendous wrestler. I don’t have a definitive place I want to be – I guess I’m lucky in that I would be happy in a number of different scenarios. I love being a Gladiator right now.
FSM: So if Johnny Ace called tomorrow, what would it be – WWE or Gladiators?
NA: That depends on whether I was offered a developmental deal or a full contract. Honestly, I’m sure I could get terms that allowed me to still do Gladiators, because it takes a few weeks to film the series and WWE would want to capitalise on the cross-promotional opportunities. But it’s not something I’m giving any serious thought to – they have one developmental league and 60 or 70 wrestlers. I’m 21, so I’m in no rush, regardless of how much I would love to be there.
FSM: Gladiators has put your grappling days on hold for the moment. Obviously, as a businessman, you’d be insane to give up the opportunities that the show has afforded you, so what do you see becoming of your wrestling career if Gladiators goes on to enjoy an eight-year run like the original?
NA: I’m just trying to make the most of this opportunity. By that I mean establish a recognisable character on TV and do my best do be entertaining. I would never disrespect the show by saying it’s a stepping-stone to bigger and better things, but at the same time I never look at anything as the finish line.
I want to be a part of Gladiators for as long as possible; I love it. But I miss wrestling, and I dare say that fairly soon I’ll start wrestling again. I think that being part of a big TV show can only be a good thing for a wrestling career, or any other entertainment career. I would love to work some crossover angles with WWE or TNA, but the show would need to have a successful run before that’s a possibility.
FSM: The stepping-stone thing is interesting. John Cena has just been ranting again in The Sun about how The Rock only used wrestling to get into movies, and somehow doesn’t really love the business. As someone in a similar situation, how do you regard the attitude that wrestling somehow owns you, and you’re forbidden to move on from it and be successful elsewhere?
NA: Well, first of all I’m a big fan of The Rock and Cena. I just listened to the entire interview podcast and I have to say I’m surprised at Cena’s lack of diplomacy, considering he is normally such a model employee type of guy. His interviews are generally formulaic; he blows smoke up WWE’s ass and rightfully so – he knows where his bread is buttered. It sounds like he wants to build to a money match with Rock.
I get pissed off at this whole unwritten rule culture in wrestling, like you have to love the business to be any good at it. You don’t hear Tom Cruise going round saying, “I love the movie business so passionately I’d sacrifice anything for it,” because nobody cares – the fact is that he’s a great actor and a box office draw.
The Rock is a third-generation wrestler, he knows more about life in the business than 99 per cent of people and, on top of that, he had the stigma and pressure of being a third-generation guy and still went on to be the most creative entertainer in the history of the job. He’s done it all – maybe he doesn’t want to tarnish his legacy by coming back and doing the same routine over and over.
As far as me and Gladiators goes, it’s a different thing obviously, but I didn’t grow up wanting to be a Gladiator. However, I love doing it now and have tremendous passion for it. Does that make me less qualified to do it than someone who has dreamed of being one their whole life? No, of course not.
Wrestling doesn’t own you, and neither do wrestling fans, contrary to their own belief at times. They believe that, if a wrestler stars in a movie, they are then qualified to be movie experts, or TV experts or whatever. It’s bizarre and quite sad, because it’s nearly always negativity that comes from them.
FSM: By that same token, it’s hard to imagine Gladiators fans saying, “Well, Spartan got his start on our show, so screw him if he wants to move on and do movies.” Have you encountered any similar eye-opening attitudes in the mainstream entertainment industry? Things that are so different from the way wrestling operates that you thought, “Wow, wrestling really is a bizarre little world”?
NA: You’re right, but there are diehard fans for everything, and that mentality probably does exist with Gladiators marks, too. As far as contrasts with mainstream entertainment and wrestling, I’d say the main one is the money and the treatment of the talent. I would tell the other Glads about how I regularly perform in front of crowds of around a thousand people for All Star, and they all assumed that I must have been making decent money. Wrong!
There are nowhere near as many politics, either. There are some guys in All Star that you can tell really enjoy being a prick to other wrestlers. And you get to a point where you just think, “Why would you want to live like this?” It’s the same in any wrestling company – there are snakes you need to avoid.
But I don’t want to sound like I hate All Star – I’ve had some great times and I’ve got to work with truly great guys, like Carl Oulett, Gangrel and American Dragon. It’s no coincidence either that the most accomplished workers are usually the nicest guys, too.
FSM: Some people don’t realise how young you are. You’re only 21 years old, which means that you were just five years old when Gladiators was originally on television. What came first for you, Gladiators or wrestling?
NA: Wrestling, because I never really imagined that I would want to be a Gladiator. I guess it seemed too out of reach, plus it hasn’t been on TV for eight years! It’s funny to think that I was a small child when it first aired, and now I could be stepping up face-to-face with some of the stars from the previous series. I tend to compare a lot of the situations in Gladiators to wrestling, which is why I’ve carved a bit of a niche out for myself. People often tell me that they forget I’m 21, which I guess is understandable, but I love being the youngest male – it gives me so much confidence and a massive sense of achievement.
FSM: Obviously the show was a natural career opportunity for you. Pretty much all wrestlers know, from the moment they see it as a kid, that they want to get into wrestling; do you think you would have had that same reaction towards Gladiators if it was still going when you were growing up?
NA: Thinking back, I knew I wanted to be a wrestler instantly, but had Gladiators still been on TV I think I could have felt the same about that, because it gives the same platform and spotlight. But wrestling opened a door for acting, which opened the door to good representation from my agents Karl and Mo, which in turn opened the door to Gladiators. It was a natural opportunity that I have tried to grab with both hands from the word go.
FSM: What was the casting process like for the show? We imagine there were lots of strength and fitness tests, but did they try you out on specific events, ask you to cut promos and so on?
NA: They invited 50 guys to come to the first audition, and the first thing they did was put us through gruelling physical tests. It was a circuit of six events that you completed non-stop, to show all aspects of fitness. It was brutal! You had to get a certain score to even be considered, so about 20 were sent home there and then.
The rest of us were then given some mock events to do, just to show our basic ability and skill, then they turned the cameras on; 30-second promos, entrances and all that stuff, which is what I relished. At the call-back, the 18 or so remaining were drug tested and interviewed, with a little more physical stuff just to perform in front of the execs, basically.
FSM: There were a bunch of wrestlers and MMA guys, such as Matt Cross and Daniel Puder, who tried out unsuccessfully for the US version. Are there any other British wrestlers or fighters you know of that didn’t make the cut over here?
NA: I recognised a handful of guys at the audition. Two of my closest friends in the job were there. Brandon T was one of them – he’s a great performer and a wicked guy. The other guy is currently on the squad as a standby Gladiator, so I can’t tell you his name. Darren Burridge was there at the audition, but sadly he didn’t make it through stage one. I recognised a few other faces from muscle mags and stuff like that, but there were a few wrestlers there including me.
FSM: There’s a massive wrestling/MMA connection on the American show, with Hulk Hogan, Gina Carano, Wolf, Matt Morgan, Tanoai Reed and so on. Aside from yourself, are there any other sports entertainment connections on the current British roster?
NA: Like I said, one of the guys on the squad is also a wrestler, but I can’t tell you his name because it would get me serious heat and could potentially ruin his chance. He’s one of my best friends, so I obviously wouldn’t do that. Inferno is training to wrestle out in the States, although I was unfamiliar with her work
when I met her.
FSM: You’ve clearly emerged as one of the most charismatic Gladiators, which many would put down to your instincts from the ring. How much has your wrestling experienced helped you on the show?
NA: It has contributed hugely. My connection with the audience, my ability to work the mic, my character – they all came from my experience as a performer in sports entertainment. I refer to Gladiators as sports entertainment too, because the events are a shoot but the rest is purely with entertainment in mind. It’s not a work, I don’t plan or script anything, but I obviously wouldn’t behave that way in any other sport. This is a TV show, you always have to remember that.
FSM: Wrestling is unique in that, because it’s a form of theatre, there isn’t any particular athletic requisite to succeed – you can make a career if you’re charismatic, muscular, big, small or have any other distinctive attributes. What would you say are the most important attributes to becoming a successful Gladiator?
NA: Well, size and cosmetic look are obviously important, as they still are in wrestling. But interestingly, the overall size of the new generation is smaller than the original Glads, much like modern wrestling. There was definitely more emphasis placed on athleticism, which is why the collection of guys and girls are so phenomenal.
I was really flattered to be considered in the same category as guys like Predator (Du’aine Ladejo) – he is a total phenom and his athleticism is just breathtaking. Charisma and the ability to be a character were what I saw as my best attributes to offer. I’ve got enough athleticism to hold my own, but I will
be working my nuts off to improve physically.
FSM: It sounds a little strange, but obviously wrestlers learn a lot from their peers and studying tapes of the greats. Did you do any similar kind of research, studying specific stars or series of Gladiators?
NA: Not deliberately, though I did find myself studying Wolf more closely. But it’s funny: I really knew everything he did already, just from my memories – that’s how much of an impact he had on me. From time to time I’ve watched an old episode to maybe see their technique on games, but not to do any character-based research. I am totally comfortable carving out my own character and feel like I know how to be unique.
FSM: So who’s the real “big bad Wolf” – original Gladiators’ Michael Van Wijk, or American Gladiators 2008’s Don “Hollywood” Yates?
NA: No contest, I’m afraid. Mike Van Wijk is the biggest baddest Wolf and always will be. I’m a big fan of Don Yates’ Wolf character too, though. It’s totally different to Mike’s and he’s got amazing screen presence.
FSM: How much input did the show’s producers have in everybody’s character? Were they giving you specific direction like, “You be Wolf 2008!” or was it more that you were given the gimmick and told to run with it?
NA: Neither. The producers talked to me and asked me what I wanted to do as a character. I said “villain” and I basically laid the whole character out myself. They gave me the name and costume, and a few suggestions, but ultimately I took it and made it mine.
FSM: And obviously it’s been a success; the debut show did 1.5 million viewers and it’s stayed pretty strong. It seems to be one of those family shows from yesteryear, like Dancing With The Stars, that the audience has really been craving to have back. However, the US version has taken a bit of a hit in the ratings for its second season – how do you see things panning out for the British series?
NA: Well, to address American Gladiators’ dip in the ratings, it’s my understanding that it was a case of bad timing rather than lack of interest. They started season two while a lot of popular shows were heading into their final four or five weeks, so the viewers had invested their time in those shows and chose them over AG. I think it will pick up.
I wouldn’t want to tempt fate with any long-term predictions for the show, as the landscape changes so frequently and I don’t have enough understanding of television yet. All I can say is that, from all the media stuff I’ve done, the general feeling from the media and public is one of huge affection towards the show, so we’re all hoping to generate a new audience and have a successful run.
FSM: Have you seen much of American Gladiators, and what are your thoughts on that version of the show?
NA: I’ve seen quite a lot, yeah. I like it. It’s very “American reality” with dramatic shots and corny one-liners that are obviously spoon-fed to the contenders, but they love that stuff and Hulk Hogan and Leila Ali are a great combo. I think the American Glads are awesome, too – they look the business and are great athletes.
FSM: The idea of invasions and inter-promotional angles are very “pro wrestling-y” concepts, but Gladiators/American Gladiators is very much a sports entertainment concept. Do you think we’ll see any sort of crossover between the UK and US productions?
NA: It’s obvious to me that there is a big pro wrestling influence on American Gladiators, and it’s even carried over to our series – fortunately for me! So I’m sure there are ideas being fired around for angles and different concepts. I know that I have a load of ideas, and I have a good relationship with the Sky One office, so I think as and when it becomes a possibility we could do some really creative stuff.
FSM: As always, there have been a lot of online wrestling fans chiming in with their thoughts on the show. Do you pay any more attention to the boards as a Gladiator than you do as a wrestler, and is the “smart” internet feedback really that important in either industry?
NA: Like I alluded to earlier, any time a pro wrestler becomes successful in another field, internet fans are convinced that they are now experts on that field as well. It’s hilarious. The wrestling fans that spend their time on message boards make up about one per cent of wrestling’s market, so how important do you think it is to Gladiators? I paid very little attention to the boards as a wrestler, and I pay even less as a Gladiator. It’s nothing against them, I just have better things to do with my time.
I only looked at one message board, which somebody emailed me the link to. One guy said something like, “Oblivion uses such generic wrestling promos and isn’t creative,” and “Spartan is a wannabe Randy Orton.” First off, Spartan doesn’t know who Randy Orton is! And I’m a Gladiator on Gladiators, not a wrestler. So it’s a generic wrestling promo, but an innovative and shocking Gladiators one.
It’s not the first time a sport or entertainment has borrowed from wrestling – watched any MMA or boxing recently? Muhammad Ali learned about showbiz from Gorgeous George, but nobody called him generic and uncreative. Internet fans need to accept that they are less than a minority – they don’t even move
the needle…
For the rest of this feature, check out issue 29 of FSM – available at WH Smith and all good retailers. (For US readers we are now carried at Borders and Barnes & Noble, so check for local availability or click here to subscribe.)
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