National Wrestling Alliance

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GLAM! (Gorgeous Ladies of the American Mat)
Regional, Las Vegas, NV, Women's

A Glam pode apenas ter três anos de idade, mas já viu controvérsia. Muitos membros da NWA Board opuseram-se ao que iria vir a ser o 1º afliado dedicado ao women's wrestling. No fim, GLAM! Ganhou por votos com maioria absoluta. A promoção agradeceu á board ao fazer o mais chocante debut show de toda a história do wrestling. Houve mulheres semi-nuas a rollar no tapete, um “pudding” match envolvendo mulheres com gimmick's de nimfomaníacas, e um segmento chamado “Tylene Talks” onde Tylene Buck entrevistou o patrocinador do show enquanto lambia uma banana. O impacto imediato fez com que o show seguinte fosse cancelado e Rena Mero fosse a presidente.

Desde que Rena saiu da TWE por causa de ser vitima de assédio sexual em 2001, ela tornou-se numa forte advogada dos papéis das mulheres na indústria do wrestling. Rena despediu meio do roster original (muitas pornstars e tal), removeu todas as gimmicks degradantes e gimmick matches, e começou a bookar as mulheres tal igual os homens noutras federações. Entrando em 2008, GLAM! Apresenta um roster compacto. As detentoras de títulos: Jazz, Beth Phoenix e April Hunter ganharam muita reputação. E juntamente com Alexis Laree, Nora Greenwald e Lisa Varon, elas credenciaram a presença do women's wrestling na NWA.

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Honolulu Championship Wrestling
Regional, Honolulu, HI, Hybrid Classic American/Puro Style

'It's a Family Thing' certamente descreve a HCW, na terra do sol e do surf e tambem casa dos chamados 'Samoans', uma grande familia de grapplers mantiveram a promoção em forma desde a sua fundação em 1988. HCW trouxe aos fãs um enterteinimento orientado para as familías, assim como trouxe grandes comnates. Numa altura de complicada, a HCW procura uma nova identidade, visto que perderam o seu top wrestler Rikishi Fatu. Contudo, sem Rikishi, Rocky Johnson Jr., subiu e tem estado á altura, a familia continua a funcionar como sempre.

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Imperio De Lucha Azteca
National, Mexico City, Mexico, Hybrid Lucha Libre

O wrestling no México é uma tradição e as suas raízes vêm desde os Aztecas. Estrelas de Lucha como Santo, Blue Demon e Mil Máscaras não eram apenas famosas no ringue mas sim icones culturais que ajudaram a estabelecer uma tradição nacional. Antes denominada por EMLL, a promoção mudou de nome para Imperio De Lucha Azteca no fim dos anos 80 visto que absorveu muitas outrsa promoções mexicanas, tornando-se a unica e verdadeira promoção a sul da fronteira. Enquanto a história das promoções americanas é conhecida em grande detalhe, da ILA não se sabe muito para la´da fronteira. Contudo, estrelas como Rey Mysterio Jr., Eddy Guerrero e Konnan fizeram certamente a sua presença ser sentida nos 'States', muitas regiões agora têm Junior Heavyweight Divisions que são divisões de high flying, sendo que grande parte dos wrestler's envolvidos nas mesmas, apareceram nos eventos da ILA ou virão muitas cassetes da mesma.

A controvérsia chegou em 2002 no Starrcade, NWA World Champion Kurt Angle defendeu o seu título contra Eddy Guerrero da ILA. Konnan, wrestler da ILA constatou que a NWA tinha prometido por o título em Eddy, e essa decisão só foi trocada um minuto antes do Main Event. Konnan chamou á NWA um bando de racistas, e em retorno, os wrestler's da ILA não podiam aparecer nos states. Isto durou até cerca de dois anos atrás quando a BTW e a CS criaram condições para isso acontecer. Cheia de talento a ILA não vai desaparecer assim tão cedo.

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Memphis Championship Wrestling
Cult, Memphis, TN, Memphis Style Pro Wrestling

Tu não podes fumar sem fogo e tu não podes ter wrestling sem Memphis. A Memphis Championship Wrestling é uma das federações mais antigas do mundo no ramo, criaram um legado admiravél e e imcomparável com o resto do wrestling world. De facto, quando a NWA tentou dominar a WWF em 80's, a afliação da MCW deu legitimidade á NWA, especialmente por causa de Jerry 'The King' Lawler, muitos seguiram as suas pegadas e criaram a indústria que existe hoje.

Porém entrando no século 21, eles cairam para os lugares baixos do top 10. Os shows sempre se mantiveram no enterteinimento; o problema é que estão atrás do tempo. Os pedidos dos fãs mudaram e a MCW ficou no passado, com muito wrestling old-school. Está sempre a dar a spotlight aos mesmos wrestler's e raramente pusham alguem.

Com os tempso começou a ser decidido que tinha de haver mudanças. A MCW não estava preparada para ir buscar o lixo da TWE – então foram para a competição atlética. A MCW criou a Junior Heavyweight division e trouxeram as melhores e mais jovens estrelas do mundo. Hoje em dia, contamos com a presença de "The Lost Prophet" Christopher Daniels, Austin Aries, Bryan Danielson, Shane Helms, Shannon Moore e muito mais. Mas a MCW não é completamente atlética como a NWA: AA é. A MCW tem grandes wrestler's Heavyweight como o ex-NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett, The Armstrong Family, "The Music City Mastadon" Mabel e a lenda de Memphis: Jerry "The King" Lawler. Desde as mudanças que a MCW parece ter força para seguir para a frente.

Próximo Update: NWA-AA, NWA-LA, NWA-MC, RFP

NWA: Athletic Arts
Regional, Raleigh, NC, high flying lucha inspired

From its inception in 2004, Jim Kettner's NWA Athletic Arts (formerly East Coast Wrestling Association) has had a unique place among the National Wrestling Alliance. It was the place that gave career long journeymen who had been constantly overlooked and underutilized a place to finally shine. Stars such as Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Shane Helms and Shannon Moore, who had been deemed as "too small" to become big stars for any organization, received exposure in the small Carolina based promotion and are now some of the top ranked Junior Heavyweights in all of the National Wrestling Alliance. Athletic Arts was also the place that saw the emergence of new stars, eager and ready to prove themselves to a newer type of fanbase.

Today, many of the the top stars in the Junior Heavyweight Divisions all across the NWA at least passed through Athletic Arts. Though only Arch Kincaid, and Keven Martel, the promotion's champion remain from the inaugural class, there is an abundance of fresh new stars ready to stake their claim at fame, with just one big win away from NWA title contention. 'The OC Boy' Aden Chambers, and Chase Del Monte are simply two of the newer stars of the exciting brand of wrestling that is Athletic Arts, driving home their motto of "Adapt, Adopt and Improve."

NWA: Los Angeles
Regional, Los Angeles, CA, Edgy, Urban, Entertainment

Founded in 2002 out of the ashes of NWA Golden West, NWA Los Angeles was, from the very beginning, regarded as one of the most violent, and controversial, of the NWA branches. At once an outcast and also highly regarded, the territory, in its early days, featured stars such as 'The Fallen Angel' Christopher Daniels, American Love Machine, and The Masked Nazis. While the top of the card featured some of the best wrestling in the western United States, the rest of it was considered to be filled with hacks who were of a level of talent akin to 'yardtards', who cut and bled for the crowd's amusement.

Be that as it may, NWA Los Angeles was able to gain some measure of fame, or rather, infamy, through the use of controversy and the money of its owner, porn mogul Rob Black. While Black, in the early days, had a heavy hand in the day to day operation and booking of the promotion, that has since lessened considerable, most notably at the time in which Kevin Kleinrock took over as the head booker. It was in 2001 when NWA Los Angeles ran what is, to this day, considered one of the most revolting angles in professional wrestling history, when The Masked Nazis, a tag team who's gimmick was, quite obviously, that of nazi sympathizers in luchadore masks, 'murdered' a young worker of supposedly Jewish heritage (which he was not). This lead to a massive backlash on the company, as many workers left along with the fanbase. At this point, and with the urging of the NWA board, NWA Los Angeles closed down for nearly a year, before returning with Kleinrock at the helm, and Black in a purely monetary role.

Since then, the company has found a renewed sense of purpose, but has never completely left its 'ultra-violent' roots behind. It was mid-2004 when the companies biggest coup came, in the form of the decorated tag team Harlem Heat, who, after an incident in World Class Championship Wrestling, came to Los Angeles. From that point, NWA LA has ridden the rise of Booker T, who, with the retirement due to injury of his brother and tag team partner Stevie Ray, has become one of the true top stars of the NWA, although World Championship gold has eluded him. Recently, with the rising interest in the promotion, due to Booker T's rise, as well as the young guns the company has created, NWA Los Angeles has begin to cut a more favorable mark for itself, and, has, for the first time in its young history, begun to create relationships with other NWA affiliates, most notably Calgary Stampede and Athletic Arts. In fact, one of the most heated feuds in recent NWA history involves Los Angeles young gun Kaos and former Athletic Arts ace Jeff Hardy.

NWA: Motor City
Regional, Detroit, MI, Hard Hitting American Pro Style

1998 saw Sabu (Terry Brunk) return to his uncle, The Original Sheik’s stomping grounds in Detroit to open up NWA: Motor City and left right where Sheik left off. NWA:MC’s debut show saw Sabu versus Rob Van Dam in the main event where the crowd was treated to chairs, tables, blood and barred wire that was much to the dismay of the NWA Board of Directors.

The Insane Clown Posse arrived in the Motor City in the summer of 1999 which would be dubbed “The Summer of Violence” where Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J would cause terror on a weekly basis beating down and bloodying their opponents each week and by the end of August they defeated Sabu in a “Echoside Death Match” to become Co-Holders of the Motor City Heavyweight Title. The Juggalo influence on Motor City saw their popularity reach huge heights with many ICP music fans begging to show up in numbers to shows.

In 2004, Motor City gained a huge acquisition in the former NWA World Tag Team and ECW Heavyweight Title holder Raven after a fall out with ECW Owner Paul E. Heyman. Raven would go to dark places citing Paul E. Heyman kicking him out of ECW was horribly reminiscent of his childhood memories when his father made him leave home. Raven said the best revenge would be capturing the Motor City Heavyweight Title to ultimately show that even the Raven has his day.

In recent years Motor City has been criticized for not being up the times and “still being stuck in 1998 instead of 2008” but the rise of the Murder City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) as well as Monty Brown are two reasons to keep an eye out for the renegade promotion.

Ric Flair Promotions
Cult, Charlotte, NC, Old School NWA Style, Formerly Jim Crockett Promotions

Jim Crockett Promotions was at one point the biggest, and undisputed best promotion under the NWA umbrella, but tragedy struck in 1975 when a plan carrying Crockett, Johnny Valentine, “Mr. Wrestling I” Tim Woods, Bob Bruggers, and a young prospect in Ric Flair crashed. Flair broke his back in three places and was told that he could never compete again or risk paralysis. Crockett, feeling sympathetic about how Flair's career had been cut short hired him as apart of the booking team.

As time went on, and with pressure from the ever expanding WWF to go bigger, Crockett did just that as he put all of his money into the company, and then some. Crockett however wasn't much of a business man when it came to expanding, and in 1984 he sold the company to Ric Flair for an undisclosed sum and Flair renamed it to Ric Flair Promotions. Flair became head booker and gave a young man by the name of Sting the NWA World Heavyweight Title, and started to build his company around him. The push of Sting was a complete success, and he has since gone on to reach iconic status within not only the NWA, but the entire world of professional wrestling.

RFP carried on even when the NWA Board made the crucial decision to remove the company's exclusive rights to the NWA World Heavyweight Title, and bringing it to Canada. The promotion builds around the technical skill of a wrestler rather than the character like McMahon's Titan Wrestling Entertainment. But don't be fooled into thinking character isn't important, as can be told by the reigning Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion, and top draw 'Lion Heart' Chris Jericho.

The charismatic Canadian proved that he can do what the legendary Sting did the past decade and carry the promotion on his shoulders, as a matter of fact it was Jericho who "forced" 'The Man They Call' Sting to pass the torch to him on the biggest drawing show for the company since Flair took the reigns. Although Sting remains a constant threat to the title, 'Lion Heart' has new challengers coming at him left, right and center with 'Kamikaze' Ken Anderson in particular looking to be the number one challenger for Jericho's title.

Titan Wrestling Entertainment
National, Stamford, CN, Sports Entertainment

Call Vince McMahon what you will, liar, politician, tyrant, and even failure. One thing no one can deny however is the fact that the man is above all else, a gambler. WrestleMania may have been a vision well ahead of its time, but there's no doubt that McMahon believed in the concept behind it, after all he had invested all of his fortune into the event. As the old saying goes, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, McMahon did just that in 1993, eight years after the WrestleMania failure, when he established Titan Wrestling Entertainment in the WWF's old stomping grounds.

His crop of top talent included a major coup in former NWA World Champion 'British Bulldog' Davey Boy Smith, Curt Hennig, who would be repackaged as the loudmouthed 'Mr. Perfect,' Sgt. Slaughter, 'Hacksaw' Jim Duggan and perhaps the most controversial signing of all, Jim Helwig. As the Dingo Warrior, Helwig had a history of being controversial, if not clinically insane all across the other promotions in the NWA leading to no less than blacklist status. In Helwig however, McMahon saw a million dollar body, and the face of his promotion. Repackaged as the energetic, flamboyant 'Ultimate Warrior,' he would topple Sgt. Slaughter in a tournament final to become the inaugural TWE Heavyweight Champion.

Using 'Sports Entertainment' in small doses over the next decade McMahon's promotion grew, and fans eventually grew accustomed to the 'Soap Opera' feeling of the promotion. This was in direct contrast to the rest of the NWA, who still promote wrestling above all else. In recent years TWE has seen its share of controversy. With the formation of GLAM!, it was a guarantee that the NWA Women's Championship would go to that promotion as the top title, but McMahon instead opted to purchase the rights to the title from the NWA for ten years. The smarks went berserk at the thoughts of many of TWE's untrained 'Divas' holding what is supposed to be the highest honor in all of Women's Wrestling. McMahon's actions didn't stop at titles, earlier in the year he signed a promising young upstart by the name of Chris Mordetsky away from Championship Wrestling Unleashed. A little background on Mordetsky, he was groomed by CWU owner Paul Orndorff as his greatest student and Orndorff even handed down the moniker of "Mr. Wonderful" to Mordetsky. How did Mordetsky show his gratitude? He left the company as Heavyweight Champion, signing with TWE and taking the 'Mr. Wonderful' name with him as well as Orndorff's famed piledriver finishing move.

Today the promotion headlined by such top names as Jean Paul Levesque, the giant Paul 'The Great Wight', 'Heart Break Kid' Shawn Michaels and 'The Cuban Stud' Scott Hall. In addition to that, there are plenty of young and hungry stars fleshing out the line up including 'Mr. Wonderful' Chris Mordetsky, 'Macho' Matt Morgan (who is on a collision course with former NWA World Champion Randy Savage, who is the commentator for TWE), and Dave Batista.

Vancouver Championship Wrestling
Regional, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Hybrid Strong Style, Technical Pro Wrestling

Yet another federation highly influenced on the fast paced style of today, Dave Republic's Vancouver Championship Wrestling features primarily Junior Heavyweights from Canada, the US and even Great Britain. With the likes of Spanky, Paul London, NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion PAC, and others VCW has the ability to put on great shows filled with exciting athletic competition.

Windy City Wrestling
Regional, Chicago, IL, Classic American Style with Hardcore Elements

Based out of Chicago, Windy City Wrestling is considered “the underground movement” of the NWA. One of the most talked about lesser promotions in the NWA, their DVDs are third highest selling on NWAWrestling.com Their mix of Classic American Wrestling with Hardcore Elements produces a unique blend and feel to their shows that the promotion's following loves.

Former NWA World Tag Team Champions, the Road Warriors founded WCW in 1998. Hawk and Animal where the stars of the show with them heavily being featured in the main events and even getting a NWA World Tag Team Title shot at ‘Windy City Classic’ but where unsuccessful.

Over time, The Road Warriors returned to touring with other NWA promotions and in 2001, sold the promotion the operators of the ‘Windy City Gym,’ Ace Steel and Danny Dominion, who then sold it to Dave Prazak.

With the Road Warriors gone, Prazak changed WCW’s style to what we know today. Steel and Dominion battled over the WCW Heavyweight Title and introduced the WCW Junior Heavyweight Title that was won in a tournament by one of their students, CM Punk. WCW’s Junior Heavyweight Division is what drew all the attention to them in 2002 with wrestlers like CM Punk, American Kickboxer, Michael Shane (now Matt Michaels) and Low Ki and (depending on who you ask) the Junior Heavyweight belt was considered more prestigious then the Heavyweight Title.

WCW is home to ‘Chicago’s Elite’ consisting of CM Punk, Colt Cabana and Ace Steel. CM Punk holds the WCW Heavyweight Championship and has done so for a year, he has fought off challengers including his trainer Danny Dominion, Adam Pearce (who left for WCCW afterwards), Jerry Lynn and most recently AJ Styles. Punk though has everything to be worried about, as Chris Hero looks to have his number, pinning the champion in a Tag Team Match.

Windy City Wrestling can been seen via syndication around the country and most importantly in the Illinois area. Their biggest show of the year ‘Windy City Classic’ is only a few months away, will Hero get his title shot?

World Class Championship Wrestling
National, Dallas, TX, Southern Style Wrestling

WCCW has been the top dog of the NWA since Memphis Championship Wrestling lost popularity in the mid 1990’s. While both federations are distinctively southern, WCCW entices more fans through its cast of gritty southern wrestlers providing unrelenting brutality. Every week on WCCW Ignition, people are busted open, struck with weapons and simply beaten to a bloody pulp in a way that the TWE’s sports entertainment can’t come close to emulate. On a recent episode of Championship Wrestling on ESPN, Cactus Jack and Abdullah the Butcher assaulted sixty-three year old Terry Funk with forks and barbed wire in a sickening assault that left Funk face down in a pool of his own blood. WCCW’s audience is so used to this style of product however; the television network only received a small number of complaints.

WCCW are not slackers in the character department either. ‘Superstar’ Steve Austin has evolved from a beer drinking redneck with an attitude to a film star as a result of appearing in several Hollywood productions. NWA Champion: Brock Lesnar is a bad ass killing machine whose actions speak louder than words. He decimates opponents typically in one/two minute matches, and is headed on a collision course with Austin. And the Rhodes in Dusty, Cody, Dustin and his wife Terri are in a continual saga where they yo-yo from happy families into being worst enemies thanks to Terri’s manipulative ways.

In recent times, WCCW’s top spot has been in trouble. Despite TWE lacking in a couple of departments, its soap opera/entertainment value and sheer accessibility has seen the Vince McMahon owned company loom ever closer to the coveted top spot. WCCW’s policy has been to continue as normal and hope the threat goes away. But with the TWE drawing in southern audiences too, that seems unlikely. In order to maintain its 10+ year reign at the top of the mountain, WCCW needs to do something drastic to make sure it stays that way.

Xtreme Fight Club
Small, Las Vegas, Nevada, Mixed Martial Arts based Pro Wrestling

Opened in 2005 as the NWA’s attempt to capitalize on the ever growing popularity of Mixed Martial Arts. The XFC style is a mix of MMA and Pro Wrestling where ‘Fights’ take place inside a Octagon Cage where pin falls and submissions still apply but the chance of a Knock Out or Referee Stoppage is more likely to occur. XFC is headlined by Al Snow, Paul Birchall, Eric Angle (brother of Kurt Angle) and former MMA Fighter Daniel Puder, who was wooed away from signing with the UFC by XFC owner Dana White.

Women are also not afraid to step inside the Octagon with the XFC Knockouts fighting over their ‘Knockouts’ Championship with GLAM! Star Jessica J. Dalton fighting off such women like Lacey and Mercedes Martinez. Currently in the XFC, a fight has been signed to take place in February at XFC 20: No Disqualifications, where Daniel Puder will set to defend his XFC Championship against Paul Burchill where there will be No Disqualifications.