Zicky Dice Comments on NWA Departure, Broken Promises, & Nick Aldis

On Friday, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com posted his interview with former NWA talent Zicky Dice on Fightful’s Youtube channel. Dice had some “Outlandish” remarks to make about his time with the NWA, including why he allowed his contract to expire, his beef with a top talent, and the “broken promises” that were made to him. He also explains exactly where he intends to end up as one of North America’s top free agents, and the impact he intends to make on the business in 2021. 

Empty Promises

Throughout the interview, Zicky had some disparaging remarks to make about his former employer, the National Wrestling Alliance, where he spent the entirety of his 2020. 

“[I] was forever grateful for the opportunities that Billy Corgan and the NWA presented” Dice began, making sure that he made that clear before he felt his message would be misconstrued as “ungrateful”. “I saw the NWA as the lilypad that was meant to bounce me to that next level.” He goes on to talk about how the NWA offered him a contract shortly after winning the NWA Television Title in January. However, he felt that he was worth more than they were offering.

“I was told I was going to be offered something that I would be happy and comfortable with. I was then told that I was being offered $250/month as Television champion. I turned that down. No disrespect, no offense, but I’m good. I don’t need to sell “Outlandish” Zicky Dice for 250 bucks.” Billy Corgan, according to Dice, then continued to contact him in an effort to come to a deal where he would be happy. Corgan assured Dice that he would be paid more money if he moved to Atlanta and went above and beyond.

“I over-delivered,” he said, speaking on the video production efforts that he made to bring the NWA to “the next level”. However, Dice was still unhappy with management’s handling of his career.

“I started to see a lot of empty promises, and a lot of true colors coming out”. He told SRS about how he openly told management that he was unhappy with the vision of the brand. He then felt as though he was getting held back due to these comments. He mentions how he told the NWA that he was willing to defend the title on NWA television and elsewhere, but was never asked to do so.

“I was told that I needed to be ‘put on ice’ for some of my ideas and that I was ‘ungrateful’… All I wanted was a company that I felt believed in the Zicky Dice brand as much as I do.”

Initial Release and Retraction

After letting management know that he did not believe in their vision, Zicky Dice was reportedly granted his release from the NWA in June of last year. He says that he “tried to make the best of what he was given”, but was unhappy.

“I was told that it wouldn’t be taken personal. It was taken personal”. He mentioned how NWA Owner Billy Corgan dodged all of his calls following his release, not allowing Dice to try and make amends with the company. 

SRS: “Have you spoken to Billy Corgan since asking for your release?”

Dice: “There were a couple back and forths. I let him know that I was uncomfortable with some of the stuff that had happened at NWA that led to certain people, higher up, to leave the company”. SRS would correctly assume that this is in reference to former NWA Vice President Dave Lagana being forced to step down in June of last year following sexual assault allegations.

“They were willing to grant my release, but then I was sent this long, long NDA… that basically said that if I say anything about the NWA for the rest of my life that they could come back and sue me for it. I refused to sign that”. The NWA would retract his release acceptance, forcing Dice to sit out the rest of his contract. He is happy, however, that this has now allowed him to be a free agent with no strings attached.

SRS also asked Dice about his thoughts on talents like Eddie Kingston and Ricky Starks leaving the NWA. 

“All I can say is would the last one out the door please turn off the lights.” He says that “Everything happens for a reason” and that he wishes the NWA “the best in all their future endeavors”.

Zicky Dice “Butted Heads” with NWA World Champion Nick Aldis

The Outlandish One spoke about his problems with the backstage politics of the NWA, specifically involving a certain “Big Fish”. He would denounce the rumors that there was any backstage hit on him from the NWA, but that he was treated by some people like he acted like he “owned the place”.

“It seems like someone was trying to sabotage my career… I don’t know what could have caused Aldis… excuse me, all this”. He spoke about how NWA World Champion Nick Aldis told him that he was an “embarrassment” for “swiveling his hips” and making a joke of his win over Ricky Starks for the Television Championship.

“I kind of tucked my tail a bit, I’ll be honest,” he said, reporting that he apologized to Aldis and asked him for further advice moving forward. “Then, come to find out, he apparently texted his buddies saying ‘Oh Yeah, I just let him have it.’ Oh, so we’re playing a game”. He went on to speak about Aldis and him butting heads about Dice’s appearance on Cameo. Dice went on to claim that he has never butted heads with anyone in any locker room, and other than the heat with Aldis, he does not understand the reports that he has “massive backstage heat” with anyone else in the NWA.

“Zicky writes checks that Nick can’t cash” he joked, saying that he is not afraid to “ruffle feathers”. 

UWN Appearances and Losing Television Championship

Zicky Dice won the NWA Television Championship from Ricky Starks in March on an episode of NWA Power. However, he never got the opportunity to defend the title due to the pandemic and dropped the title to Da Pope on Episode 6 of UWN Primetime Live in October.

SRS: “Let’s go to the UWN stuff, because when that got announced, I figured, ‘Ok, that’s being set up to get titles off of people that need titles off them. I’m sitting here assuming that you were pretty sure that you were dropping that television title.”

“Oh yeah, I knew that was where it was gonna go down off the bat.” 

However, it seems that nobody in the UWN or the NWA had access to the television title, which, according to Dice, was with Dave Lagana. They reportedly didn’t have a belt for the Pope versus Dice match on Primetime Live until right before the match.

“Dave Marquez, shoutout to him, went out and hunted down a red replica title that was torn apart and not the best and that’s what we used.” This was reportedly one of the unprofessional moments that made Dice think twice about his involvement with the NWA.

“I was very proud to be television champion. I was never able to walk out to a crowd or have the title reign I felt like I deserve. I did business and I didn’t complain about a damn thing”. 

Zicky Dice Wants to Be All Elite

According to Dice himself, his contract was originally intended to expire with the NWA in September, but they rolled over his contract until January 1st at midnight. He says that he is now the “hottest free agent in entertainment”. 

“I made the best of what I was given. But now I’m ready for a bigger stage”. 

SRS: “So ideally, with you as a free agent, where is your destination?”

Dice: “I’ve had a lot of time to think about this, and what I see… I see myself being All Elite.”

He feels as though he can help elevate a new company like AEW and has the creativity and talent needed to help the company. 

Other Points Addressed

• Dice says that Pope was a “good dude” and was very easy to work with when it came time for Dice to drop the television title. He also said that Dave Marquez, whom he worked with previously in Championship Wrestling from Hollywood, fought for him to wrestle on Primetime Live. He has lots of respect for Marquez.
• He lived in California before moving to Georgia for the NWA. He also got married during the pandemic but hasn’t been able to have a honeymoon.
• He keeps in contact with former trainer Seth Rollins, who gave him the advice “not to sign anything you’re not happy with”. He says that he made a mistake in not listening to this, but that Rollins is still always there if he needs help. “That’s a perk of being a graduate of the Black and Brave Academy.”
• He credits Thunder Rosa for motivating and inspiring him to produce his content on platforms like Twitch.