With Billy Corgan being given the reins to the National Wrestling Alliance brand, former owner Bruce Tharpe hopes the Smashing Pumpkins lead singer can bring the promotion back into the wrestling spotlight.
Tharpe was interviewed by Hannibal TV to talk about Tharpe's recent selling of the NWA to Billy Corgan, which you can see a video of above. Tharpe said his original acquisition of the promotion in 2012 almost came out of nowhere at a time when the NWA was not a promotion in high demand.
“I acquired the brand, it was an unusual turn of events, but the brand was dropped on my doorstep, kind of like a baby that was abandoned. I took that baby in my arms, ran with it and did the best with the NWA for five years. Did all I could to get it on a national TV deal, but could not do it,” Tharpe said.
After Tharpe couldn't achieve the goals set for himself while running the NWA, he sold the company to Corgan, who was coming out of a failed attempt to buy Impact Wrestling. Tharpe said Corgan has the resources to bring the NWA back to national prominence.
“Along came Billy Corgan and I had several conversations with him and he has tremendous respect for the NWA brand. It’s important to me because I grew up with this brand and Billy Corgan proved to me he had tremendous respect for it, number one. Number two, he had a vision for the future. He’s got the capital and he’s got the connections in Hollywood to get the NWA back on national television. As hard as it was for me to do, I thought it was best for the brand to turn it over to Billy Corgan’s new partner Dave Lagana and I am wishing both of those men the best,” Tharpe said.
Corgan acquired the NWA earlier this year, with their first shows set to run in 2018.
