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Teaching up a Storm

Posted: Jan 14th 2020 By: http://worldofrasslin.wordpress.com

Tim Storm made history in 2016 as the oldest man to win the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Worlds Heavyweight Championship.

The Pine Bluff, Ark., native was 51 when he beat Jax Dane on Oct. 21, 2016, for the title, breaking a record held by the late great Lou Thesz. Little did Storm know how his life would change just a year later.

Storm fell in love with professional wrestling at a young age, filling his Saturdays with the weekly broadcasts from Memphis, Atlanta (home of the NWA), and the Sportatorium in Dallas, Texas.

“It was something I always wanted to do, but I didn’t start until I was 30,” he said. “[By that time] I had a wife, two kids, a house payment, car payments, all that stuff. I was vice-president of a company in Sherwood. I thought I’ll give this a try. Boy, was it challenging.

“I won’t say I dreamed of being one day NWA Worlds Champion, but I was blessed to have that happen,” Storm added. “My goal was just to have a match, see what the next match was, and get better at this. It was the most incredibly challenging did I’ve ever done or did, but it gets in your blood.”

Less than a year into Storm’s run as champion, the NWA was purchased by Lightning One and Billy Corgan, lead singer of The Smashing Pumpkins. Storm was the focus of the NWA’s new “Ten Pounds of Gold” web series, which debuted a day short of his one-year anniversary as champion.


More than 60 episodes of “Ten Pounds of Gold” have been produced by the NWA, which last October debuted a new weekly wrestling show called “Powerrr.” The premiere episode featured the third match in a series between Storm and current champion Nick Aldis, a feud that has continued into the New Year.

“It’s been amazing,” Storm said of his time with the NWA so far. “I’ve been so fortunate. Key people have helped me get here… Billy Corgan and vice-president Dave Lagana could have gone a lot of different directions.

“The ‘Ten Pounds of Gold’ series blew me away,” he added. “[Corgan and Lagana] have a 20-year plan. Everybody laughed about that when they said it. We’re in year two or three and it’s slowly unfolding. I’ve been passionate about wrestling for a long, long time. At my age to get to be part of something like that, dreams never stop.”

While most wrestling stars are considerably younger, Storm’s success shows that it’s never too late to fulfill your dreams.

“Don’t ever give up. I still have really good things happening in wrestling. I still have things I want to accomplish. I have dreams I want to reach even now,” he said. “If it’s something you love, you’re passionate about and willing to work for, a lot of good things can happen.”

Two years removed from his title reign, Storm said it still doesn’t seem real to have his name mentioned along other NWA greats such as Ric Flair, Thesz, and the late Harley Race and Dusty Rhodes.

“I’m honored and humbled,” he said. “It’s a constant motivator. Because of my love of the history of wrestling, it’s unbelievable.”

Storm is more weekend warrior than full-time grappler these days as he is also a history teacher in the great state of Texas. With nearly a million people viewing the NWA on YouTube, however, it might be harder for him to deal with his newfound success.

“Teaching has been a really good job for me,” he said. “My weekends are free to travel. I can fly just about anywhere, wrestle and fly back and be back for work on Sunday… I may be sleepy and tired, but what a great life.”

“My kids know what I do,” Storm added. “We’ll joke about it, but I’m never going to show a match in class. That’s not why we’re there, but they don’t need to picture their history teacher wearing wrestling trunks.”

Storm said his school district has been accommodating, allowing for “Ten Pounds of Gold” to shoot in his classroom. Another aspect of Storm’s personal life to gain some fame is his 95-year-old mother, affectionately known as “Mama Storm.”

“It’s one of those funny things in wrestling. The NWA on ‘Powerrr’ gives us a lot of freedom [on the microphone],” he said. “We have two minutes to go out and sink or swim. When I said it, I said I’m Mama Storm’s baby boy. That’s the absolute truth… I’m the baby in the family and I’m a mama’s boy. When I said it, I had no clue anybody was going to remember it.

“[Mama Storm] trended number one on Twitter,” Storm added. “I have no idea how that connects to people, but people seem to like it. I get to mom’s as often as I can. She doesn’t quite get the depth of what’s happening, but it’s kind of funny to hear your 95-year-old mother call herself ‘Mama Storm.’”
Tim Storm (right) with “Mama Storm”

Whatever happens going forward, Storm said being NWA Worlds Champion would likely be his career highlight.

“NWA had a big spot in my heart from the beginning,” he said. “I remember when I was training not having many matches, there was an NWA show somewhere in Northeast Arkansas… We drove to the middle of nowhere. There were 60 people there. That was a huge deal (for me) 23 years ago.

“To now have the opportunity with the resurgence that’s happening… When I was first involved with a franchise that was part of the NWA, in my first match I won the NWA Oklahoma Heavyweight Championship. At the time, that was the highlight of my career – wrestling for the NWA.”

Area wrestling fans will get a chance to see Storm in action Jan. 18 as Championship Wrestling from Arkansas presents “No Surrender” at the Maumelle Event Center in North Little Rock. In the main event, Jerry “The King” Lawler will put his career on the line in a “Title vs. Career” match against Arkansas Heavyweight Champion “The LVR Boy” Matt Riviera.

Storm, also a former Arkansas Heavyweight Champion, will face Davey Boy Smith Jr. in a first-time meeting. Smith, a former WWE superstar, has held titles across the globe and currently competes for Major League Wrestling.

“It’s going to be a challenge,” Storm said of the upcoming match. “He’s (Smith) big, he’s strong, he’s fast. Part of his training is jiu-jitsu and shoot fighting. He’s much younger and in phenomenal shape… I have absolutely nothing but respect for that guy [but] I plan on winning that match and I know he feels the same way.

“It’s a constant balancing act,” Storm added. “I think I can do everything I ever did 20 years ago. The issue now comes with as you get older, the recovery time. I won’t say I’ll wrestle forever, but I hope I’m part of the business for a really long time.”

Storm said CWA, which was established as a charity organization in 2017, features a “first-class incredible roster.”

“Every show is fantastic,” he said. “We have loyal fans that are always there… For first-class top notch entertaining professional wrestling, you can’t do better than CWA.”

Other matches include Miranda Gordy (daughter of WWE Hall of Famer Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy) versus Kacee Carlisle, Genetic Perfection taking on “The Son of JYD” Mike Carter and Gary “Roosevelt” Gram, “Golden Boy” Greg Anthony (with Lily) taking on Barrett Brown, Meklakov versus Pee Wee Pitts, and Matt Boyce against Niles Plonk. Memphis legends “Superstar” Bill Dundee and Dave Brown will also be in attendance.

For more information or tickets, visit http://www.cwatix.com or call the CWA Box Office at 479-518-5205.