History YMMV / NationalWrestlingAlliance

* WTHCostumingDepartment: Well, for a loose definition of "costuming", but the NWA has had a lot of odd logos and oddly shaped and designed world title straps when it came to representing the NWA as a whole. Particularly memorable is their giant world woman's belt that couldn't have looked good on anybody smaller than Wrestling/AmazingKong. It made the difference between the "World" and "Local" champions [[BiggerIsBetter immediately obvious]] though, which made up for it looking over sized on its carriers.

* EarWorm: The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O52pRkD-2AM World Championship Wrestling theme]].

** "It's still real to me dammit!" (from an enthusiastic fan at a press conference)

* FashionVictimVillain: The NWA has had a lot of odd logos. Even if you don't think of the organization as whole of being very antagonistic it translated into a lot of oddly shaped and designed world title straps when it came to representing the NWA as a whole. Particularly memorable is their giant world woman's belt that couldn't have looked good on anybody smaller than Wrestling/AmazingKong. It made the difference between the "World" and "Local" champions [[BiggerIsBetter immediately obvious]] though, which made up for it looking over sized on its carriers.

** Many famous wrestlers start off in the smaller independent promotions which were/are still members of the NWA. Wrestling/MickFoley began as Cactus Jack in the Memphis-based CWA, as did The Freedom Fighters, later known as the Blade Runners and best known as Sting and the {{Wrestling/UltimateWarrior}}.
** One of the UK members, the Scottish Wrestling Alliance, had their own NXT in 2007, way before [[Wrestling/{{WWENXT}} WWE's version]].

** The treatment of the NWA World Heavyweight title, particularly in the late 80s throughout Ric Flair's various reigns. The NWA presidency was becoming declawed while various member promotions were stretching just how much they could get away with. Specifically, NWA bookers wanted their own top stars to go over the champion. In the past, the champ was the champ, and while the champion's job was to make local stars look good, he would still almost always come out on top. But more and more, regional members wanted [[WagTheDirector special exemptions]] made: Wrestling/DustyRhodes did not want to lose in Florida, the von Erichs did not want to lose in Texas, and so on. More and more, the front office gave in, leading to more and more time limit draws meant to keep their members happy. The overall perception, then, to the casual wrestling fan, was that perennial WWF champion Wrestling/HulkHogan was an unstoppable juggernaut who had a solid hold on his belt, while Wrestling/RicFlair was more lucky than good by taking a beating in every match from almost everyone and just barely escaping with his. A lack of solid high-profile victories over anyone of status by the NWA champion eventually began to erode the importance of the NWA title.

** Many famous wrestlers start off in the smaller independent promotions which were/are still members of the NWA. {{Wrestling/MickFoley}} began as Cactus Jack in the Memphis-based CWA, as did The Freedom Fighters, later known as the Blade Runners and best known as Sting and the {{Wrestling/UltimateWarrior}}.

* CreatorsPet

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff

* OlderThanTheyThink

* ArchiveBinge: It's been around too long for everything to be available, but nwaclassics.com still has more than enough to keep you watching 24/7, if that's your thing. Footage from Jim Crockett/WCW and ECW when they were members is on WWE Network as well.

** The treatment of the [=NWA=] World Heavyweight title, particularly in the late 80s throughout Ric Flair's various reigns. The [=NWA=] presidency was becoming declawed while various member promotions were stretching just how much they could get away with. Specifically, [=NWA=] bookers began wanting their own top stars to go over the champion. In the past, the champ was the champ, and while the champion's job was to make local stars look good, he would still almost always come out on top. But more and more, regional members wanted [[SpotlightStealingSquad special exemptions]] made: Dusty Rhodes did not want to lose in Florida, the von Erichs did not want to lose in Texas, and so on. And more and more, the [=NWA=] front office gave in, leading to more and more time limit draws meant to keep their members happy. The overall perception, then, to the casual wrestling fan, was that perennial [[Wrestling/{{WWE}} WWF]] champion Wrestling/HulkHogan was an unstoppable juggernaut who had a solid hold on his belt, while Wrestling/RicFlair was more lucky than good by taking a beating in every match from almost everyone and just barely escaping with his. A lack of solid high-profile victories over anyone of status by the [=NWA=] champion eventually began to erode the importance of the [=NWA=] title.

** June Byers, whom Wrestling/TheFabulousMoolah claimed was sleeping with promoter Billy Wolfe to get better bookings. There is a {{broken base}} here, with one half stating she was inferior than Mildred Burke and that is why her push coincided with the decline of women's wrestling in the 1950s while the other points out she was still over and claims she was a revolutionary, preferring to blame any perceived declines on chauvinists who were taking hold of the USA during her reign. Regardless, Burke being kicked out of the NWA and three title changes being ignored in June's favor puts Byers squarely in this category, especially when one of those title changes was a catalyst in the WWWF breaking away from the NWA. This came to an end when the Baltimore Athletic Commission stripped her of the belt when she tried to retire as champion.
** George Gulas, son of NWA Mid-America promoter Nick Gulas, in the 1970s. Fans got so sick of George that they followed Wrestling/JerryLawler and Jerry Jarrett out of Mid-America in droves, putting Nick out of business. This didn't stop the Jerrys from making the same mistakes with their own sons, Brian Christopher and Jeff Jarrett, in CWA, USWA or TNA though. In the latter case, perennial NWA champion Jeff was one of the masterminds of TNA alongside his father, meaning he graduated from 'pet' to '[[AuthorAvatar co creator]]'.

* FanonDiscontinuity: Franchise/{{RoboCop}} has never appeared in anything relating to the NWA, or Sting, or the Four Horsemen.

** Lou Thesz was popular in North America but was almost as big in Europe despite wrestling a lot less there and was akin to a god in Japan.
** Bob Sapp was mid card indie wrestler in the USA but became huge in Japan, a real pro wrestling draw and the highest paid mixed martial artist in the world.
** Sabu is much more well known and much less of a BaseBreakingCharacter in Japan than he is back in the US.

* HilariousInHindsight: Howard Brody wrote a column in 2002 explaining why Ring Warriors was not the NWA, and a follow up column in response to all the negativity it drew with his former friends in the NWA before going on the praise Future Of Wrestling(to show he didn't hate the alliance as a whole). In 2011 Ring Warriors actually did join the NWA only to leave at the end of 2012 when they learned they would no longer have a vote in how the alliance operated.

** Many famous wrestlers start off in the smaller independent promotions which were/are still members of the NWA. {{Wrestling/MickFoley}} began as Cactus Jack in the Memphis-based CWA, as did The Freedom Fighters, later known as the Blade Runners and best known as {{Wrestling/Sting}} and {{Wrestling/UltimateWarrior}}.
** One of the UK members, the Scottish Wrestling Alliance, had its own NXT in 2007, way before [[Wrestling/{{WWENXT}} WWE's version]].

* ToughActToFollow: ''Starrcade 86'' drew a million dollars at the gate, which was unprecedented for [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome a wrestling promotion in the Americas]] and wouldn't be done again until CMLL's 81st anniversary show in 2014. Unfortunately, JCP went bankrupt in 1988. Big shows didn't make up for the fact the promotion had helped the destroy the territorial system that made the NWA thrive. There's also the fact Vince [=McMahon=] Jr set out to [[InvokedTrope ensure]] ''Starrcade 87'' would be a flop by intimidating all but five cable companies into not carrying it by way of PartySchedulingGambit, which was especially damaging since JCP intentionally sacrificed another shot at a big gate for a better looking pay per view.

** June Byers, whom the Fabulous Moolah claimed was sleeping with promoter Billy Wolfe to get better bookings. There is a {{broken base}} here, with one half stating she was inferior than Mildred Burke and that is why her push coincided with the decline of women's wrestling in the 1950s while the other points out she was still over and claims she was a revolutionary, preferring to blame any perceived declines on chauvinists who were taking hold of the USA during her reign. Regardless, Burke being kicked out of the NWA and three title changes being ignored in June's favor puts Byers squarely in this category, especially when one of those title changes was a catalyst in the WWWF breaking away from the NWA. This came to an end when the Baltimore Athletic Commission stripped her of the belt when she tried to retire as champion.

** Sabu is much more well known and much less of a BaseBreaker in Japan than he is back in the US.

** Wrestling/JimCornette breaking his knees during the scaffold match between Wrestling/LegionOfDoom and Wrestling/TheMidnightExpress was the most replayed fall in pro wrestling until Mick Foley's from the Hell In A Cell structure through the SpanishAnnouncersTable. After that his reaction to the resulting medical procedure, "The Cornette Face", became better known.

* ToughActToFollow: ''Starrcade 86'' drew a million dollars at the gate, which was unprecedented for [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome a wrestling promotion in the Americas]] and wouldn't be done again until CMLL's 81st anniversary show in 2014. Unfortunately, JCP went bankrupt in 1988. Big shows didn't make up for the fact the promotion had helped the destroy the territorial system that made the NWA thrive. There's also the fact Vince [=McMahon=] Jr set out to [[InvokedTrope ensure]] ''Starrcade 87'' would be a flop by intimidating all but five cable companies into not carrying it by way of PartySchedulingGambit, which was especially damaging since JCP intentionally sacrificed another shot at a big gate for a better looking pay per view.

** Once, the NWA was once considered the ultimate authority in pro wrestling, with the champion recognized by the majority of promotions in the U.S., Canada, Japan, Mexico and beyond. With the rise of WWE, however, it soon became restricted to small scale independent promotions. It is, however, still respected in Japan, and has an ongoing relationship with Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling.

** Wrestling/JimCornette breaking his knees during the scaffold match between Wrestling/LegionOfDoom and Wrestling/TheMidnightExpress was the most replayed fall in pro wrestling until Mick Foley's from the Hell In A Cell structure through TheSpanishAnnouncersTable. After that his reaction to the resulting medical procedure, "The Cornette Face", became better known.

** Wrestling/JimCornette breaking his knees during the scaffold match between Wrestling/LegionOfDoom and Wrestling/TheMidnightExpress was the most replayed fall in pro wrestling until Mick Foley's from the Hell In A Cell structure through TheSpanishAnnounceTable. After that his reaction to the resulting medical procedure, "The Cornette Face", became better known.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: The Mulkey Brothers, two guys the promoters were determined not use as anything but a jobber tag team but were hot with the crowds. So hot an offhand jokes about them on commentary quickly showed up on merchandise that quickly spread throughout the South, especially in South Carolina.

* ToughActToFollow: ''Starcade 86'' drew a million dollars at the gate, which was unprecedented for [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome a wrestling promotion in the Americas]] and wouldn't be done again until CMLL's 81st anniversary show in 2014. Unfortunately, JCP went bankrupt in 1988. Big shows didn't make up for the fact the promotion had helped the destroy the territorial system that made the NWA thrive. There's also the fact Vince [=McMahon=] Jr set out to [[InvokedTrope ensure]] ''Starcade 87'' would be a flop by intimidating all but five cable companies into not carrying it by way of PartySchedulingGambit.

** Jushin Thunder Liger is among the most recognizable Japanese wrestlers of North America, particularly the United States and Mexico. In Japan he's certainly respected but you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who considers him among their biggest stars.

* ToughActToFollow: ''Starcade 86'' drew a million dollars at the gate, which was unprecedented for [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome a wrestling promotion in the Americas]] and wouldn't be done again until CMLL's 81st anniversary show in 2014. Unfortunately, JCP went bankrupt in 1988. Big shows didn't make up for the fact the promotion had helped the destroy the territorial system that made the NWA thrive. There's also the fact Vince [=McMahon=] Jr set out to [InvokedTrope ensure]] ''Starcade 87'' would be a flop by intimidating all but five cable companies into not carrying it by way of PartySchedulingGambit.

* ToughActToFollow: ''Starcade 86'' drew a million dollars at the gate, which was unprecedented for [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome a wrestling promotion in the Americas]] and wouldn't be done again until CMLL's 81st anniversary show in 2014. Unfortunately, JCP went bankrupt in 1988. Big shows didn't make up for the fact the promotion had helped the destroy the territorial system that made the NWA thrive. There's also the fact Vince McMahon set out to [InvokedTrope ensure]] ''Starcade 87'' would be a flop by intimidating all but five cable companies into not carrying it by way of PartySchedulingGambit.

* ToughActToFollow: ''Starcade 86'' drew a million dollars at the gate, which was unprecedented for [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome a wrestling promotion in the Americas]] and wouldn't be done again until CMLL's 81st anniversary show in 2014. Unfortunately, JCP went bankrupt in 1988. Big shows didn't make up for the fact the promotion had helped the destroy the territorial system that made the NWA thrive.

* RootingForTheEmpire: Sputnik Monroe is one of the most famous cases ever for trying to integrate sports stadiums in Memphis during the time of Jim Crow laws. Obviously this was to get under the skin of the white adults, who were the majority audience, but young boys and ''especially'' black wrestling fans loved him.

** June Byers, whom the Fabulous Moolah claimed was sleeping with promoter Billy Wolfe to get better bookings. There is a {{broken base}} here, with one half stating she was inferior than Mildred Burke and that is why her push coincided with the decline of women's wrestling in the 1950s while the other points out she was still over and claims she was a revolutionary, preferring to blame any perceived declines on chauvinists who were taking hold of the USA during her reign. Regardless, Burke being kicked out of the NWA and three title changes being ignored in her favor puts her squarely in this camp, especially when one of those title changes was a catalyst in the WWWF breaking away from the NWA. This came to an end when the Baltimore Athletic Commission stripped her of the belt when she tried to retire as champion.

* BadassDecay
** Oh so much, whereas the NWA was once considered the ultimate authority in pro wrestling with the champion recognized by the majority of promotions in the U.S., Canada, Japan, Mexico and beyond, it became restricted to small scale independent promotions. It is, however, still respected in Japan, and has an ongoing relationship with Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling.
** Also, the treatment of the [=NWA=] World Heavyweight title, particularly in the late 80s throughout Ric Flair's various reigns. The [=NWA=] presidency was becoming declawed while various member promotions were stretching just how much they could get away with. Specifically, [=NWA=] bookers began wanting their own top stars to go over the champion. In the past, the champ was the champ, and while the champion's job was to make local stars look good, he would still almost always come out on top. But more and more, regional members wanted [[SpotlightStealingSquad special exemptions]] made: Dusty Rhodes did not want to lose in Florida, the von Erichs did not want to lose in Texas, and so on. And more and more, the [=NWA=] front office gave in, leading to more and more time limit draws meant to keep their members happy. The overall perception, then, to the casual wrestling fan, was that perennial [[Wrestling/{{WWE}} WWF]] champion Wrestling/HulkHogan was an unstoppable juggernaut who had a solid hold on his belt, while Wrestling/RicFlair was more lucky than good by taking a beating in every match from almost everyone and just barely escaping with his. A lack of solid high-profile victories over anyone of status by the [=NWA=] champion eventually began to erode the importance of the [=NWA=] title.

** June Byers, whom the Fabulous Moolah claimed was sleeping with promoter Billy Wolfe to get better bookings. There is a {{broken base}}, one half stating she was inferior than Mildred Burke and that is why her push coincided with the decline of women's wrestling in the 1950s while the other points out she was still over and claims she was a revolutionary, preferring to blame any perceived declines on chauvinists who were taking hold of the USA during her reign. Regardless, Burke being kicked out of the NWA and three title changes being ignored in her favor puts her squarely in this camp, especially when one of those title changes was a catalyst in the WWWF breaking away from the NWA. This came to an end when the Baltimore Athletic Commission stripped her of the belt when she tried to retire as champion.

** "It's still real to me dammit!"(from a fan at a press conference)

** One of the UK members, The Scottish Wrestling Alliance, had it's own NXT in 2007.
* RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap: Gary Steele and Naoya Ogawa weren't the most celebrated World Heavyweight Champions but their later runs in UK Hammerlock and Zero 1 turned the crowds around and retroactively made Ogawa holding the belt a good thing.
* RootingForTheEmpire: Sputnik Monroe is one of the most famous cases ever for trying to integrate sports stadiums in Memphis during the time of Jim Crow laws. Obviously this was to get under the skin of the white adults who were the majority audience but young boys and ''especially'' black wrestling fans loved him.

* ArchiveBinge: It's been around too long for everything to be available, but nwaclassics.com still has more than enough to keep you watching 24/7, if that's your thing.