Long Island's Bryan Idol featured in National Wrestling Alliance anniversary event at The Paramount

The year most closely associated with Billy Corgan, may be "1979” — one of his band’s biggest hits. But this Saturday, the Smashing Pumpkins frontman will be celebrating a different year — 1948.

That’s the year the National Wrestling Alliance was founded. And on Saturday, the NWA will find its way to The Paramount in Huntington for its 77th anniversary event, which will also be streamed (via tape delay) on the Roku Channel.

Corgan — a lifelong wrestling fan — bought the NWA in 2017, and relaunched the brand using a blend of modern wrestling sensibilities and a nostalgic embrace of the NWA’s historic roots. (NWA was a competitor to the World Wrestling Federation, now World Wrestling Entertainment throughout the '60s, '70s and '80s.)

"This is the oldest pro wrestling body in the world ... and we not only carry that history and tradition with us, but we are bringing it into focus for another century, which is a heavy lift," Corgan told Newsday. "But we are pulling it off, and so seeing us is like seeing the next big thing right before that break out moment."

From its inception, through the 1980s, the NWA world heavyweight championship was one of the most prestigious prizes in all of wrestling, having been worn by such legends as Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes and Harley Race. Today, the "Ten Pounds of Gold" sits around the waist of Thom Latimer, who defends his championship against "Thrillbilly" Silas Mason in the main event of NWA 77.

Another featured title match on the show will serve as a sort of homecoming for Bryan Idol, who grew up in Port Jefferson Station and began his wrestling career performing in front of scant few fans in small independent shows in firehouses and skating rinks. On Saturday, Idol returns to Long Island to defend his NWA Television championship against another Long Islander, East Meadow’s Joe Ocasio.

"It means the world to me," said Idol, a Comsewogue High School graduate who has also toured with the Pumpkins, wrestling on stage in front of packed stadiums as the band plays "Cherub Rock."

"It all starts with Billy. ... He took a dead brand and brought it back to life," said Idol, who doubles as an NWA promoter, and picked the Paramount as the setting for NWA 77 after being in the building when Steven Spielberg recently shot a wrestling scene there for a forthcoming movie.

"My ultimate goal has been to bring [an NWA] anniversary show to Long Island. I was waiting for the right venue and the right set up," Idol said. "And it fell right in front of me."

By Alfonso A. Castillo

alfonso.castillo@newsday.com@alfonsoreports

Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.