The current iteration of the National Wrestling Alliance has been a haven for professional wrestlers that are looking for a second shot. Talent like Nick Aldis, Trevor Murdoch, and LA Knight all found a new lease on their respective careers once they stepped through Billy Corgan’s promotion. The latest star to reintroduce himself within the NWA’s walls is Kevin Kiley. The 41-year-old wrestler is set to compete in his first singles match since 2016 this weekend, taking on EC3 at NWA Nuff Said. Under the ring name Alex Riley, Kiley spent nearly a decade in WWE and its developmental territories, best known for his alliance with The Miz in the early 2010s.
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Speaking with ComicBook.com’s Liam Crowley, Kiley revealed that his in-ring return has actually been in the works for a number of years, but various events postponed it.
“I really wanted to come back earlier. I was dealing with some family stuff. COVID hit. I was trying to understand that space,” Kiley said. “It was really just God’s timing on this. I wanted to come back. I was planning on coming back. I was really planning on coming back before COVID, and then all of that stuff just happened, and people stopped going into arenas.”
Kiley’s last match came on a Spring 2016 episode of NXT where he was defeated by Shinsuke Nakamura. Shortly after that match, Kiley departed WWE and professional wrestling altogether, pursuing other endeavors in Los Angeles.
When it comes to his NWA Nuff Said opponent, Kiley is far from unfamiliar. Kiley shared a WWE locker room with EC3 for five years, specifically in former developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling.
“We grew up in the business together. We’ve known each other for a long time. We’ve always been decently close,” Kiley said of his relationship with EC3. “He reached out and said, ‘What do you think of this? And would you…’ And I liked it. I really respect him. I really respect his work. I really respect Control Your Narrative and the message that he’s trying to tell. It’s a good fit for me, and he is a good opponent.”
The Kevin Kiley that stands opposite EC3 promises to be a far cry from the Alex Riley that audiences once knew.
“The character’s me this time. It’s me,” Kiley said. “It’s everything that I’ve been through. It’s everything that I’m going to go through and I’m just going to tell my story.”
That story may include some of his signature hip toss neckbreakers and fireman’s carry cutters, but also will feature stuff that Riley has never pulled out of his arsenal before.
“I’m going to try to do some dives. Diving in and out of the ring, coming off the ropes, things like that,” Kiley said. “I’m going to try to work some of that stuff in. I’ve never really gotten an opportunity to do that.”
Kiley takes on EC3 this Saturday, February 10th at NWA Nuff Said.
