Nick Aldis
Nicholas Harry Aldis is an English professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he is a producer and the on-screen general manager of the SmackDown brand. He is best known for his tenure in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Magnus from 2008 to 2015, and the National Wrestling Alliance from 2017 to 2022.
Aldis made his debut on the British independent circuit in 2004 before signing with his first major contract with TNA in 2008. During his seven-year tenure there, he won the TNA World Heavyweight Championship once, becoming the first British-born world champion in the company's history along with becoming a three-time tag team champion, winning the TNA World Tag Team Championship twice and the IWGP Tag Team Championship once. At Ring Ka King in 2011, he won the RKK World Heavyweight Championship.
Immediately after leaving TNA in 2015, Aldis signed with Global Force Wrestling, where he was the inaugural GFW Global Champion and subsequently became the longest-reigning champion in the title's history. In 2017, Aldis briefly returned to TNA, now Impact Wrestling, due to their new partnership with GFW, dropping the title and leaving the company later that year. He then signed with the NWA and would soon after win the NWA World's Heavyweight Championship, a title he would hold twice, becoming the second British wrestler to hold that championship, making him a four-time world champion in professional wrestling. Aldis then left the NWA in late 2022 and briefly returned to Impact Wrestling in 2023 before departing the company in July and subsequently began working for WWE in August.
Aldis also appeared in the 2008 revival of Gladiators, where he was known as Oblivion. He was also a co-presenter of Britain's Strongest Man on Challenge TV.
Early life
Nicholas Harry Aldis was born on 6 November 1986 in Docking, Norfolk. Before training to be a wrestler, Aldis became proficient in swimming and tennis; he then began bodybuilding, which ultimately led to him becoming a professional wrestler.In 2008 he made several appearances on Gladiators under the name "Oblivion" along with fellow professional wrestler Mason Ryan under the name "Goliath".
Professional wrestling career
Early career (2004–2008)
After beginning his training at the age of 16, Aldis made his professional debut on 17 December 2004 for the British Wrestling Promotion Dropkixx Wrestling, losing to Charlie Rage.Early title matches included a DAM Promotions event where Aldis teamed up with Bash to take on the DAM Tag Team Champions Big Dave and The Bulk for the titles and he also went up against Ashe for the LDN Championship at Summit Wrestling, he would lose both matches. In 2007, he would face the WAW British Heavyweight Champion Brett Meadows for the title and lost. His last match before joining TNA was a win against Marty Scurll. During his time in England he wrestled primarily at All Star Wrestling and World Association of Wrestling.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2008–2015)
Early feuds (2008–2009)
In November 2008, Aldis signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. On 11 December 2008 episode of Impact!, TNA started airing vignettes of Aldis' debut under the name Brutus Magnus, a modern-day gladiator.Aldis competed under his Brutus Magnus name and gimmick at the TNA Maximum Impact! Tour in Glasgow, Scotland on 22 January 2009, where he defeated Matt Morgan. Two days later on the last night of the tour, Magnus defeated Sheik Abdul Bashir in London at the Wembley Arena. On 29 January episode of Impact!, another vignette of Magnus was played and it stated that Magnus' debut would occur next week. He debuted on 5 February episode of Impact! as a villainous character, defeating Shark Boy with his finishing move, the Tormentum. After the match, he issued an open challenge to anyone on the TNA roster. Chris Sabin answered the open challenge at Against All Odds, which Magnus also won. This continued with another victory against Eric Young at Destination X.
The British Invasion (2009–2011)
On 30 April 2009 episode of Impact!, Magnus dropped the gladiator character and formed a villainous group called The British Invasion with fellow British wrestlers Doug Williams and Rob Terry. In their debut match as a team, Williams and Magnus defeated Homicide in a two-on-one handicap match after assaulting his tag team partner Hernandez backstage prior to the match, and stealing his Feast or Fired briefcase. The Invasion has since formed an alliance called World Elite with Eric Young, Sheik Abdul Bashir and Kiyoshi and engaged in a feud with Team 3D over the IWGP Tag Team Championship. On 30 July episode of Impact!, Magnus and Williams won the IWGP Tag Team Championship by defeating Team 3D in a Tables match. However, New Japan Pro-Wrestling later stated that as the title change did not occur with the sanction of the promotion, they still recognised Team 3D as the official champions. On 10 August 2009, NJPW formally recognised the title switch. At Bound for Glory, the British Invasion lost the IWGP Tag Team Championship back to Team 3D, but managed to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship in a four way Full Metal Mayhem Tag Team match against Booker T and Scott Steiner, Team 3D and Beer Money, Inc.. The following month at Turning Point Magnus and Williams successfully defended the title in a three-way match against Beer Money and The Motor City Machine Guns. At Final Resolution they were once again able to retain their title in a match against Shelley and Sabin. At Genesis the British Invasion lost the TNA World Tag Team Titles to Matt Morgan and Hernandez. Afterwards, Magnus and Williams began abusing Terry and blaming him for their losses. On 18 February 2010 episode of Impact!, Terry finally grew tired of this and attacked Magnus, thus ending his alliance with the British Invasion and completing his fan favourite turn. At Destination X 2010, Magnus announced that from now on he would be known only by the name Magnus. He then went on to lose to his former mate and wrestling partner Rob Terry in a match for the Global Championship.File:Wolfe and Magnus.jpg|thumb|left|Magnus with Desmond Wolfe and his valet Chelsea in July 2010
After not being seen for over three months, Magnus returned on 14 June at the tapings of Xplosion, defeating Suicide and afterward challenging Rob Terry to a rematch for the Global Championship. The rematch took place at 29 June tapings of Xplosion, with Terry retaining his Global Championship. On 3 July 2010, Dixie Carter announced that Aldis had signed a new long-term contract with TNA. On the edition of 14 July 2010 of TNA Today, Aldis debuted a new charming but promiscuous gimmick. He then went on to form a tag team with Desmond Wolfe, with the two of them defeating Amazing Red and Suicide in their first match together at 13 July tapings of Xplosion. At the 26 and 27 July tapings of Xplosion Magnus and Wolfe defeated the teams of Hernandez and Rob Terry and Ink Inc. in a four tag team tournament to earn the right to challenge for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On 26 August episode of Impact! the tag team of Magnus and Wolfe was named London Brawling. They were scheduled to receive their shot at The Motor City Machine Guns and the TNA World Tag Team Championship at No Surrender, but were at the last minute pulled from the event, with TNA citing a "personal issue" as the reason. It was later reported that Wolfe had been sidelined due to an undisclosed medical situation. Magnus returned to working live events on 30 September.
On 16 December, Magnus made his first appearance on Impact! in three months, when he met his former tag team partner Douglas Williams and informed him that Wolfe was close to a comeback. On 30 December episode of Impact! Magnus offered to team up with Williams in a tag team match, where they were defeated by Fortune members A.J. Styles and Rob Terry. Magnus reappeared as a heel on 24 February 2011 episode of Impact!, in a match, where he was defeated by Crimson. On 31 March episode of Impact!, Magnus and Douglas Williams officially reformed the British Invasion once again as a heel group by attacking the team of Eric Young and Orlando Jordan. In their first match back together, Magnus and Williams were defeated by Ink Inc. on 12 April, on Xplosion. On 17 April at Lockdown, Magnus and Williams were defeated again by Ink Inc. in a four tag team number one contenders' steel cage match. Despite not having won a match since their reformation, the British Invasion received a TNA World Tag Team Championship match at Slammiversary IX, which they lost to James Storm and Alex Shelley. On 30 June, Magnus and Williams turned face by responding to Mexican America's bad remarks by praising the United States. They were then attacked until Rob Terry returned to save them, effectively adding him back to the group. On 14 July episode of Impact Wrestling, Mexican America's Anarquia and Hernandez defeated Magnus and Williams in a TNA World Tag Team Championship number one contender's match, following outside interference from their stablemate Rosita. At 9 August tapings of Xplosion, Magnus defeated Alex Shelley in the finals of a sixteen-man Xplosion Championship Challenge tournament to earn the right to challenge for the title of his choosing.
Teaming and feuding with Samoa Joe (2011–2012)
In December 2011, Magnus began teaming up with Samoa Joe to take part in the Wild Card Tournament. On 5 January 2012 episode of Impact Wrestling, Magnus and Samoa Joe defeated A.J. Styles and Kazarian to win the four-week-long Wild Card Tournament and become the number one contenders to the TNA World Tag Team Championship. Three days later at Genesis, Magnus and Joe failed to capture the TNA World Tag Team Championship from Crimson and Matt Morgan. Despite the loss, Magnus and Joe remained together as a tag team, attacking Crimson and Morgan on the next two episodes of Impact Wrestling.On 2 February, Magnus and Joe defeated Crimson and Morgan in a non-title match to earn another shot at the TNA World Tag Team Championship, and at Against All Odds, Magnus and Joe defeated Crimson and Morgan to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship. Magnus and Joe then defeated Crimson and Morgan in two rematches in February and March and Mexican America in March to retain the championship. On 15 April at Lockdown, Magnus and Joe defeated The Motor City Machine Guns in a steel cage match to retain the TNA World Tag Team Championship. During the first "Open Fight Night" on 26 April, Magnus and Joe successfully defended the TNA World Tag Team Championship against the team of Jeff Hardy and Mr. Anderson, after which they were attacked by Christopher Daniels and Kazarian, who had asked for a title shot earlier in the event. On 13 May at Sacrifice, Magnus and Joe lost the TNA World Tag Team Championship to Daniels and Kazarian.
On 14 June episode of Impact Wrestling, Magnus entered the 2012 Bound for Glory Series, taking part in the opening gauntlet match, from which he was eliminated by Samoa Joe. Magnus' participation in the tournament ended on 16 August episode of Impact Wrestling, when he was defeated by Joe in a singles match, leaving him outside a spot in the semifinals. Afterwards, Magnus would attack Joe after the latter offered a sign of respect, turning heel in the process. On 14 October at Bound for Glory, Magnus unsuccessfully challenged Joe for his TNA Television Championship.