Thoughts the NWA’s decision to withdraw sanctioning from the #7LevelsofHate
It was announced earlier today that the National Wrestling Alliances and its Board of Governors have decided to remove the sanctioning for the biggest NWA Worlds Heavyweight Title Matches of this era. To say I am disappointed in this would be an understatement.
Obviously the National Wrestling Alliance is at a cross-roads. With a new leadership group who wish to re-establish and revive the long storied tradition and history of the NWA, this would be the perfect opportunity to see their Worlds Heavyweight Championship showcased Internationally in the biggest feud of the recent memory. This pivotal feud where the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship will be awarded to the man who desires it the most, the man who escapes the cage or pins the other to walk away champion was a built in opportunity for the NWA. This isn’t the first time the World Heavyweight Championship was at the center of an intense feud that would be settled in a cage.
On November 24th 1983 for an event for Jim Crocket Promotions, called Starrcade featured a young “Nature Boy” Ric Flair challenging “Handsome” Harley Race for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship. The build up to the match involved Race placed a bounty on the head of Ric Flair, a bounty that was collected by “Cowboy” Bob Orton Jr. and “Dirty” Dick Slater when they pile-drove Flair to the concrete floor hoping to re-aggravate Flair’s injured neck and back. This led to Flair taking a temporary hiatus from professional wrestling and declared a retirement. When Flair returned to the ring, everybody knew that this match couldn’t be contained in the squared circle. There would be the need of a Cage to keep the two in the ring and would be attackers, out side of the ring. Flair won his match against Race. Race received his comeuppance for trying to destroy the Nature Boy.
October 27th 2012, from Berwick, Victoria Australia, NWA World Heavyweight Champion “Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce was scheduled to defend his “Sweet Charlotte” inside of a steel cage against a man whose face was set on fire during their last encounter, Colt “Boom Boom” Cabana. The history of this feud dates back long before the either man had become NWA World Champion. Over the course of the 7 Levels of Hate, Pearce and Cabana would compete in some very dangerous matches.
The Seven Levels of Hate without a shadow of a doubt has been one of the biggest feuds in the NWA of this era. Much like Race and Flair before them, Cabana and Pearce have taken this feud across the United States six matches in California, Massachusetts, Kansas, Oregon, and the conclusion in Australia. With the finale being hosted by one of the very few International NWA Promotions. It is very rare that the Championship has been defended outside of North America.
This announcement has seemingly pigeonholed the National Wrestling Alliance. If Pearce is to lose in this now “Unsanctioned” non-title match, the NWA will have it’s 2nd Vacancy for the World Title in two years. Remember the agreed rules of this match from the beginning were simple, “If I can’t beat you in a best of seven, I will walk away, I will leave forever the NWA…” To sway Cabana to take on this challenge, Pearce put his career in the line. The fine NWA Warzone Fans of Berwick Victoria also lose. Sold on the idea they would see the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship defended at NWA Warzone 14, now will get one hell of a Cage Match, but no NWA World Heavyweight Championship. What message does that send to International Licensees and the same International Fans, what does that say about the NWA?
This was an opportunity for the National Wrestling Alliance to shine across the Globe with the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship being the Highlight of this historic feud in an International Sense. This announcement denied the NWA that opportunity. If it isn’t too late, I hope the NWA Board of Govenors rethink this plan and allow the title to be defended in Australia.