For Mustafa Ali, Full Sail University elicits fond memories and a career milestone. The once upstart was introduced to fans on a high level for the first time working the WWE Cruiserweight Classic almost a decade ago. He’d fill in as an alternate based on a recommendation from Lince Dorado. Fast forward to today and Ali is an established name riding on momentum in TNA Wrestling, which will broadcast three nights from the beloved venue November 13-15 including Impact and TNA+ special Turning Point. Central Florida in general holds a special place in the heart of the Order 4 faction.
“Going back there is going to be huge,” Ali said,. “Even when I went back to the PC (Performance Center) for the NXT versus TNA Showdown I didn’t know what to expect or feel, but it’s so weird you see some old faces. I saw Shawn [Michaels]. I saw the medical office who I’ve known forever, the receptionist I’ve known forever, security. There are these people who I haven’t seen in two years and just picking up a conversation like it wasn’t two years ago. Obviously, there was a lot of pressure with that performance, but walking in it was nice to see old faces. But yeah, I think I’m at that stage where I don’t get spooked or intimidated.
“I still care. Don’t get me wrong. I still get those nerves of wanting to perform good. I never have that moment where I don’t care. I very much care, but I’m past the whole time of ‘this venue is so big,I’m so intimidated.’ That’s not me at this point. But it was really great to see Shawn again, and talk to him and have conversations with him over the span of two weeks. The week before to set up the match and the match itself. The big thing was everyone was just so happy with the performance me versus ‘All Ego’ [Ethan Page]. Everyone was happy with it. It was a huge homerun. I had a chip on my shoulder. I just wanted to remind everyone what what they missed out on.”
The upcoming events mark the next chapter in many ways for TNA. After all they are coming off a record-breaking Bound For Glory. One that saw Ali’s faction battle The System in a wild 10-person intergender Hardcore War.
“What a tricky match in that it’s intergender, all these weapons,” Ali recalled. “Those matches can be chaotic and dangerous. My biggest thing is we went out, created a lot of moments of violence and craziness and concern, but genuinely everyone walked out of it okay. A couple scrapes, a couple of staples that need to be removed, a couple of thumbtacks removed. For the most part, everyone was okay. But yeah, you look at that spot where Agent 0 and Alisha Edwards are getting chokebombed through dozens of thumbtacks.
“A new level of respect for her taking that because that Agent 0 guy, he’s tall ladies and gentleman. I don’t know if I would want to take that. Let me just say that. The big point being that was their first time being on Bound For Glory, and Bound For Glory is TNA’s biggest event. So, I was really happy I was able to play an instrumental role in ensuring those people were able to get on that card. It was a huge show, marquee match, and I feel we delivered. So, hats off to everyone involved.”
Ali couldn’t be prouder of his crew made up of emerging talent like the, dubbed now, Great Hands Jason Hotch and John Skyler. He predicts tag team gold in their future within the next year. The veteran also sees big things for Tasha Steelz, who essentially reinvented herself.
“Tasha Steelz was a former Knockouts Champion and sort of went into this, I don’t want to say rut, but this moment of trying to find where she fits on the card,” Ali said. “Now she is known as the mastermind of Order 4, this strategic evil mastermind that is able to put these ideas and plots together has given her a whole new dimension to work within the ring and outside the ring. With these promos she has cut, post-filming she will get a standing ovation just because of her delivery and how committed she is to the character.
“That was my big thing with Order 4. I saw so much potential in every member. I had a spotlight, but if needed to take a step back and push them in the spotlight a bit, I will do that. I’m reaching down to pull them up, but by pulling them up, they have been able to prop them up. It’s a process. I told all of them when I came back to TNA earlier this year I promised all of us, I said give me six or seven months and we’ll be the top heel act here. Sure enough here we are and Order 4 reigns supreme.”
As for Ali’s onscreen high-politicized character, it’s a tight rope he walks. The Pakistani-American performer has admittedly run into a dilemma playing the Commander in Chief-like persona, but remaining true to himself and his values.
“I am who I am. My name is Mustafa Ali,” he explained. “I’m very clearly from a certain region of the world. My belief is very open. So within that and this character, I have found that it is tricky sometimes what I want to say and how I want to say it or how I want to be perceived can be misconstrued, can be misquoted and misinterpreted. At the end of the day, we are entertainment. Our job is to entertain the fans. I would never want someone from anywhere in the world to tune in and feel offended or feel like I’ve been isolating them in a negative manner. This character, this presidential politician, almost dictator-esque character is strictly within the confines of professional wrestling. There is no subliminal messaging, no I’m really talking about this, I’m talking about championships, contenders, and that’s it.
At the end of the day, I’ve found I need to sometimes be cautious of real-life events and how they can be misinterpreted into wrestling. This character makes it a little more difficult to navigate. I am very open about what I think is right and wrong. I’ve always been about treating people right. That’s a conversation for another time, but the point being is this character I do have to double-check sometimes what I’m saying and how I’m saying it or how it looks because we unfortunately live in a world today where a fan will grab a quote, or screenshot, and saying, ‘he was saying this,’ and that is not what I was saying at all within the context of the promo. It is fairly difficult. I feel like anywhere you look in the world now there is trouble. How do you not try to mirror that? Whether it’s intentional or not intentional. At the end of the day, my goal is to put on the best product, performance. My goal isn’t to offend anybody with what I’m saying. I’m fairly cautious. That’s always in the back of my mind when I’m performing.”
Along with Orlando, TNA’s last string of shows continue on into El Paso with Impact and Final Resolution from December 5-7. Ali could feel the energy of the audience the last time the company ran there in March. It also brings back some good and some painful memories.
“I was wrestling now TNA World Champion Mike Santana,” he said. “I was in the ring and nobody told me that he was coming out on a lowrider. His music hits, and I’m looking around to see where he is at and I see this garage lift up and see this lowrider and think, ‘you got to be?’ The crowd goes nuts. Not just because it’s Santana, but because he is paying tribute to one of the greatest of all-time [Eddie Guerrero]. He came out, and I could feel this crowd.
“I want to say crowd-wise and in-ring-wise it was probably one of the best matches TNA put on this year. Go back and check it out. I believe it was Sacrifice where it was me versus Mike Santana. You could feel the energy in that match. At one point my jaw was literally located this way. I had to put my hand in my mouth to bring it back in. That’s how intense and physical that match is. I’m looking forward to going back to El Paso with TNA. I hope they bring that energy and noise like last time. I hope I don’t get my jaw dislocated this time. I can do without that. Other than that, let’s go. El Paso is just one of those great towns with great wrestling.”
The former X-Division Champ has high hopes not only for himself in the new year, but TNA as well. Amid whispers network talks and potential weekly live TV opportunities, Ali will focus on the task at hand. Putting on the best shows possible.
“I’m going to show up to work and see what is asked to do and go do it,” he said. “What I’d like to see from TNA, and this is just my controversial take, but they are in a position where they can be different. They don’t have to follow the formula. I think one of the coolest things about TNA was the six-sided ring, which was the X-Division. What I’m trying to say is I want TNA to go back to that experimental phase where we’re just trying these wacky ideas. At the end of the day, you can’t argue with the business model right now. Sold-out shows, potential network deals, and things like that. I also remember a time where I’d look out at TNA and see maybe a couple hundred people. At Bound For Glory, I looked out and saw a couple of thousands.
“It’s a beautiful thing, but whatever TNA is doing, I think they are doing things right. They have their eyes on young talent. They have tryouts coming up. It’s a great mixture of these talented veterans, then like the middle child are trying to figure out their journey and their brand-new people coming in. It’s a beautiful locker room, a great team to work with. Production just keeps getting better and better with each show. There is a lot of experimentation going on. I think at Bound For Glory we had our first 4K camera for the entrance, so there were some unbelievable shots coming out. I’m just really excited, but if you asked me, selfishly I’d just like to see them experiment more with wild concept matches because we are in a position I feel we can do it. I think that would attract even more wrestling fans toward our product.”