Exclusive: Magnum TA Looks Back At Crockett Cup, Is Proud Of The New NWA Model

National Wrestling Alliance is bringing back the Crockett Cup, and they’re doing it with the interest of many legends of the sport. 

Before an unfortunate automobile accident derailed his career, Magnum TA was on his way to being the NWA’s top star. That was on showcase in the 1986 Crockett Cup, when he and Ronnie Garvin made it all the way to the finals of the tag team tournament, before dropping the championship round to the Road Warriors. When speaking to Fightful, Magnum looked back fondly on the experience.

“That was arguably a golden era in our industry with the amount of talent that was working for the Crocketts going head-to-head with WWE. When Dusty said we were going to do that and were taking it to the Super Bowl in New Orleans, it had a special feel from the get go. The thing was really unique in that initially it was Dusty and I. We were called “America’s Team.” The original game plan was for Dusty and I to enter tournament. As they got closer to it, the magnitude of the venue, and trying to add all the value they could, they decided to pull Dusty and put him in a Worlds Title Match with Flair to give you the cream of the crop on the card. I love Ronnie Garvin, but we had no experience as a tag team. It was unique. They had people flying in from all over the world for this thing that wanted to be a part of it. It was very exciting and a lot of action. Being in the finals with the Road Warriors was a memorable experience,” Magnum told us. 

Billy Corgan and Dave Lagana’s NWA regime is hardly the first since Magnum T.A.’s career ended, and he admits that he often gets those phone calls to be associated with them. However, Magnum is proud of the direction that the new NWA is going.

“When I first what Billy was doing, I was very skeptical as to what they would be able to do to bring a modern twist to the NWA. With the social media machine that’s out there, they’ve made a modern twist to the revival of what the NWA meant. I like what they’re doing. I’d like for them to be able to have more events, but they’ve taken the heritage of the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship and have taken it around the world to showcase. Without having the old territory days, it’s hard to replicate that, but it’s 2019. Nothing’s the same. It’s a different venue you can reach the fans with. I’m glad they’re doing what they’re doing to pay homage and respect. I don’t think they’re trying to be competition to WWE and AEW, but they’re preserving the heritage and the respect that title carried,” said Magnum.

You can see NWA’s 2019 Crockett Cup on April 27, 2019 from the Cabarrus Arena in Concord, North Carolina. It will feature teams from the National Wrestling Alliance, Ring of Honor, New Japan Pro Wrestling and CMLL.