As an on-air authority figure and a producer behind-the-scenes for WWE, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis has to deal with WWE Superstars on a couple of different levels.
During a recent appearance on the K100 w/ Konnan & Disco podcast, the blue brand shot-caller for WWE addressed issues he has with one top WWE Superstar in particular, his past issues with a top-level WWE executive and more.
Featured below are some of the highlights from the interview where he touches on these topics with his thoughts. Also embedded below is a complete audio archive of the discussion.
On issues with former WWE Senior Director of Talent Development Canyon Ceman: “Well, getting to WWE, I know, unfortunately, it was a long time of me knocking on the door. Yeah, and the truth is, yeah, there was a long time where I was knocking on that proverbial door and I felt like it was being pretty unceremoniously slammed in my face. I’ve got thick skin. I’ve been around and I certainly don’t think of myself as this unbelievable talent that was a no-brainer sort of thing, and I’ve heard people sort of talk about me in that respect in terms of being signed by WWE and obviously I appreciate it when people have said that about me in the past but I was realistic, I think, about my abilities and stuff like that… So I say that to say I was never offended by being turned down. But, there was a time where I was slightly offended by how unceremonious it was. But it was a couple times, like, Canyon Ceman back in the day… He pretty much was just like, in the most corporate way possible, basically just told me to F off, and I was just like, ‘Wow.’ Not trying to say that I deserve a little more than that but I mean, no feedback… And that to me was sort of when I started to think, okay, this feels more personal than business, and look, obviously, the structure at WWE has changed a lot and obviously, it’s a very different group of cats in decision-making positions.”
On how he has trouble as a producer working with one particular top star in WWE, which the show hosts speculated to be Sami Zayn: “There are a couple, and I don’t wanna throw ‘em under the bus. All of my colleagues will hear this and they’ll know exactly who I’m talking about. There is one guy, but he’s really, really good, super over. It’s kind of an internal joke as well where it’s like, ‘Oh, good luck with that.” Co-host mentioned Sami Zayn’s name, and Aldis replied, “No comment. But, I still enjoy working with them because you know that the end result… It’s their process. It’s gonna be worked and re-worked and pontificated and discussed and picked apart and put back together, and right up until the last minute, which for me, if I’m wrestling, I really wanna have everything sort of clear and free in my mind at least a couple of hours before I go out. I always wanted to leave some area open to ad libbing anyway. But, I don’t really wanna be having any sort of major discussion about finishes or spots and stuff a couple minutes before because I’m trying to focus. But, it’s just the process. Everyone’s got their own process…”
On filming an interview for ‘What Do You Wanna Talk About with Cody Rhodes’ podcast: “I did Cody’s podcast recently. It didn’t come out yet.”
On if his WWE employee deal came with stock options and how he does actually have some TKO stock: “No stock options. No. I mean, I’m sure that the very high-up guys still do that but yeah, that was not something that was offered but, I have some TKO stock.”
