NWA 74 HOT TAKE

For 74 years, The National Wrestling Alliance has reigned over the world of professional wrestling, epitomizing all that can be and is great about the king of sports, professional wrestling. From the days of Frank Gotch as the pride of Iowa to the storied, shimmering aisle walked by Ric Flair, the NWA has been the sun by which the entire galaxy of professional wrestling has revolved, ebbing and flowing like a mighty river, surging with energy and pulling the entire industry along its majestic current.

Whether it be hard times, four raised fingers, the greatest wrestler on God's green earth or the glorious number 6:05, the National Wrestling Alliance is synonymous with presenting the best in true professional wrestling from every corner of the globe to the discerning professional wrestling fan that lived and died by "The King of Sports" and all those who vied to prove themself as the best athlete, the best fighter, the best competitor on the globe.

Today, as the NWA leaps into NWA 74 weekend, presented exclusively on FITE, that man is Trevor Murdoch, who for the second time, can proudly proclaim he is the Worlds Heavyweight Champion. A fighting champion as home on the mat as he is at the corner stool of the bar, Murdoch is a salt of the earth man of the people and that's why he's succeeded - he has clawed and scrapped with the best of them. Murdoch will headline night two of the NWA 74 Extravaganza, walking the same path as his mentor and trainer, Harley Race inside the Chase Ballroom, seeking to replicate history and prove that in 2022, he is the best damn wrestler on God's Green Earth.

In order to do so, he'll have to upend Tyrus, the FOX News crossover star who has taken the NWA by storm with his crushing NWA World Television Championship reign. Tyrus is seeking to exchange one championship belt for another, looking to level up and become the absolute best in the industry. This bout promises to be a physically taxing bout that will push each individual and by the end of the night, the entire direction of the NWA may have been changed forever as history will be made, live on FITE.

History will also be made live before the eyes of FITE fans across the globe when former NWA Champion Nick Aldis takes to the ring this weekend. Having been removed from his initially announced championship bout against Murdoch, the issues between Aldis and NWA management have been brewing and smoking, a volcano about to erupt into a magma-hot natural disaster. While Aldis will take to the ring and looks to beat his frustrations out against one of the most talent aerial assault artists of the 21st century, Flip Gordon on Night 2, NWA President William Corgan has offered Aldis an open mic to speak his mind on Night One, setting the stage for anything to potentially be said and to go down. Aldis has been one of, if not the most important talent, for the NWA in recent years and this weekend could define his legacy within the National Wrestling Alliance.

The NWA Women's Championship and all of the top female competitors in the National Wrestling Alliance will also be showcased in their full, fiery glory. NWA Women's Worlds Champion Kamille will once again step forth with all her unbridled power, seeking to carve another notch in the win column, taking on the world traveled multi-time Champion Taya Valkyrie, who has helped bridge the worlds of lucha libre and beyond in her exploits. For Taya to stop Kamille, she's going to have to find some weakness that has yet to be discovered and exploit it to gain victory. While this will be no small feat, Kamille may find herself tested as well as Taya has a very unique in-ring aptitude gained by her travels through Impact Wrestling, WWE NXT, Lucha Underground and more.

Even worse for each competitor is that after they clash on NWA 74 Night One, they will have to do it all over again 24 hours on Night Two, facing the competitor who emerged on top in the first-ever Mildred Burke Invitational Gauntlet as the stars of today pay tribute to one of the true pioneers that paved the way for all of professional wrestling the best way possible, battling inside the ring. Samantha Starr (with her mother, the legendary Baby Doll), KiLynn King, Tootie Lynn, Missa Kate, Max The Impaler (with James Mitchell), Madi Wrenkowski, Angelina Love, Jennacide, Natalia Markova and more will seek to survive and earn the ultimate prize, a championship match on Night Two.

The legacy of the National Wrestling Alliance is something that gains greater prestige by the year and this weekend, Kerry Morton, a third-generation star is seeking to win his first major championship in the NWA World Junior Heavyweight title. Morton carries all the knowledge and family pride that has been instilled within him by his father Ricky Morton but even with all of that and an incredible technical finesse that is well beyond his years, Homicide is still waiting across the ring when the bell drops. The reigning champion has carried promotions and waged bloody wars across the length of his career in professional wrestling and has never been swayed to give mercy to anyone. This will be the classic professional wrestling showdown of your beloved pure young star facing down with the hardened, grizzled veteran who has seen it all. Morton will have to prove himself to earn respect and he'll have to fight through the impossible to achieve the biggest win of his career this weekend live on FITE.

The NWA has always celebrated a wealth of championships across the years, but one title that has been sadly missed is the United States Tag Team Championship, a belt that was defined by the historic reign of The Midnight Express. This weekend on Night Two, a Battle Royal will be held to resurrect those championships with tandems from across the NWA spectrum all stepping into the melee to proclaim themselves the new champions. Among the teams converging in St. Louis this weekend are Gold Rushhh (Jordan Clearwater and Marshe Rockett), The Miserably Faithful (Sal The Pal and Gaagz The Gymp), The NOW (Hale Collins and Vik Dalishus),. The Ill Begotten (Alex Taylor and Rush Freeman), Ruff 'n' Ready (D'Vin Graves and Diante), The Fixers (Jay Bradley and Wrecking Ball Legursky), Hawx Aerie (Luke Hawx and PJ Hawx), The Country Gentlemen (AJ Cazana and Anthony Andrews), Team Ambition (Mike Outlaw and Camaro Jackson) with more to be announced. Vegas bookies remain at a loss to set the odds.

Of course, the Championship Cavalcade doesn't stop there. On Night One, NWA World Tag Team Champions The Commonwealth Connection, Doug Williams and Davey Boy Smith Jr. will step into a contractually mandated rematch with former Champions La Rebellion, who are seeking to make international headlines with another championship victory. Another championship rematch is guaranteed to see emotional boil over as NWA Women's Tag Team Champions Pretty Empowered charge into an anything goes Street Fight against former Champions The Hex. NWA National Champion Jax Dane will face the mysterious masked man Cyon as well.

Of course, the NWA stands for National Wrestling Alliance, built initially on an agreement between promoters who gathered one historic day in Waterloo, Iowa. In that spirit, the NWA has opened its doors to Major League Wrestling's National Openweight Champion Davey Richards as The American Wolf strives to find the best competition across the globe. At NWA 74 this weekend live on FITE, taking on NWA upstart Thrillbilly Silas Mason with Pollo Del Mar. Mason has the chance to make history and change the trajectory of two promotions at the same time, but to do so, he will have to withstand the MMA-infused hybrid fighting style that Richards brings to the squared circle. Inter-promotional history will be made this weekend.

The stars continue to shine across the NWA spectrum. The controversial EC3 will make his debut against Matthew Mims, who's become one of the most beloved, charismatic competitors in today's National Wrestling Alliance. All-time Hall of Famer Bully Ray will get the tables as he battles with The Cardona Family's Mike Knox in a Tables Match. Former NWA Worlds Champion Matt Cardona himself will return to action, seeking to set his own path back to the championship he was forced to relinquish due to injury. The Pope and Rodney Mack, accompanied by Aron Stevens, will throw down with ferocious intensity.

With over twenty matches over two nights, the National Wrestling Alliance and FITE will once again form like Voltron and present a united front for fans of true professional wrestling who want all the hallmarks of the old school with all the majesty of today's best athletes. This weekend, St. Louis once again reigns supreme as the nucleus of all professional wrestling and FITE, once again, is your conduit to all of the action, live as it happens, direct to your homes and devices no matter where in the world you are!

Mike Johnson is the lead reporter for PWInsider.com and has been writing about professional wrestling since 1996. He can be found on Twitter @MikePWInsider and MikeJohnsonWrites.com.