The NWA 74th Anniversary Show comes to the Khorassan Ballroom on August 27th and 28th in St. Louis, Missouri. One of the featured bouts this weekend will be two time NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Trevor Murdoch. He took a little time out of his busy schedule leading up to that match to speak with Cageside Seats, and here’s what he had to say.
Murdoch on the honor of being NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion:
“I carry a huge amount of pride and there’s a whole lot of pressure too, you know what I mean? I want to make sure that I represent the people that have been before me and don’t do anything to besmirch the NWA Worlds Title. Harley Race was in my opinion one of the best NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champions so I just want to do my best to live up. It’s my way of giving back and representing what Harley did for me.”
Murdoch on his style of pro wrestling compared to other people:
“It’s a type of wrestling that isn’t so prevalent nowadays, you know what I mean? Everybody calls me ‘old school,’ like ‘Trevor you wrestle so old school.’ And I’m like ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, because I’m just wrestling.’ I’m not wrestling old school, I’m not doing a style, that’s just who I am. I kind of bring a smash mouth style of wrestling back to pro wrestling if that makes any sense.”
Murdoch on having to face an opponent the size of Tyrus:
“Yeah we’re not going to have the technical match of the year. In December when they’re putting all the year end reports out, we’re not going to win that award. But what’s going to happen is we’re going to go out there and test each other’s mettle and see who the toughest guy is.”
Murdoch on Tyrus being a worthy and respectful title challenger:
“I know he carries a lot of pride when it comes to the NWA, he has a lot of love for previous NWA world champions like Dusty Rhodes, and of course Harley and stuff like that. So he wants to be the man too, you know what I mean?”
Murdoch on not getting to face No. 1 contender Nick Aldis:
“I wouldn’t say disappointed was the way I was feeling. I’m in a mindset right now like I don’t care who you put in front of me, just make them worthy, make sure they’re worthy, you know what I mean? When I heard it was Nick at first, I know Nick, probably better than anybody in the company. For six months him and I battled back and forth and played mental games. There was a certain part of me that was excited knowing to a certain extent what I was dealing with going into the match.”
“Obviously that didn’t work out, things got changed, and Tyrus got put in that position. And I’ve never wrestled Tyrus before. Tyrus and I have known each other a long time, but we’ve never... and it’s almost a little intentional, we’ve never had a match with each other. We know it’s going to be really physical, and it’s going to be really painful for both of us. So we wanted to make sure that it would be worth it, at least a huge payday. It turns out it’s not only a huge payday but it’s also for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship.”
Murdoch on the prestige of wrestling at The Chase:
“There’s a lot of legends that walked through those halls and stepped into that ballroom. Again I revert back to Harley, he helped build that house. Wrestling at the Chase was something that he was a huge part of. So for me to be a part of it, not only did I help bring back Wrestling At The Chase for the first time in 37 years last year, I also got to wrestle in the main event for the Worlds Heavyweight Title. Now that I’m coming back and doing it again but this time as champion, there’s a lot of pride in that. I’ve worked really hard to get where I’m at, and I think me and Tyrus are going to tear it up. And if there’s anything left between us I think I’ll have my hand at the end of it. Hopefully.”
On Matt Cardona referring to himself as the uncrowned champ:
“To a certain extent, I’ll give him the credit where due, like he is right. He had to hand that world title over, he didn’t lose it. So I definitely am raising my hand, that if I get done with Tyrus, and Matt’s ready to go and he’s healthy, yeah I want that W back. I think he owes me a rematch, and to be honest with you I think he wants one too.”
Did Cardona cross a line with any of his comments about Murdoch?
“Dude everybody’s gonna say what they can to get under your skin man. This is where the experience in me comes in. This isn’t the first time somebody’s called me old school, somebody’s called me fat, somebody’s called me out of touch, but I’m still here. And he still had to come to me to get that world title, you know what I mean? And now I’ve got it again. So he can say all he wants man. He can do whatever he needs to do to get the Twitter followers fired up. At the end of the day when it’s all said and done you’ve got to step in the ring with me and handle business, and that’s where I’ll do all my talking.”
Indeed he will. Tickets are on sale now through the NWA website or at the box office (unless they are sold out), and you can also stream the full card on FITE.tv this weekend. A full replay of the 30+ minute Murdoch interview alongside my co-host Peter H is below.
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