Post by cfbliveshere on Apr 16, 2010 13:55:53 GMT -5
Pro Wrestling Alliance
The history of the Pro Wrestling Alliance has been a very up and down one in the past few years. Once a charter member of the North American Wrestling Association it was a large, national based promotion that had some of the best talent found any where in the world of pro wrestling. Times were good, money was pouring in, and everyone was one big happy family.
But like all good things the greatness the PWA once enjoyed began to slip away. PWA owner Rod Barker began to throw money away on his drug and gambling addictions. Wrestlers did whatever they wanted, even no showing events they were promoted to be at. The NAWA board of directors began to sour on the promotion and debate what was to be done about all the problems this was causing.
Not only was the PWA going through some hard times, but things began to change as a whole for the NAWA. Donald Trump had decided to venture into pro wrestling and carved out regional company in Chicago called Second City Wrestling and wrestlers along with fans began to take notice. Soon talent began jumping to Second City for bigger pay days and less travel and wear and tear.
Then Barker decided it was time to get away from the hands of the NAWA and its strict board of directors. On Halloween night 1999 the PWA seceded from the NAWA and began to run its own shows without any financial help or guidelines on who would be the stars of their show. By this time Second City Wrestling began to move into a National power, holding shows at larger venues. While the promtions that made up the NAWA either folded or also tried to set out on there own. Things had changed big time in the world of pro wrestling and the PWA felt they still had that old magic to succeed.
Unfourtanately things began to get worse as the PWA roster was full of aging veterans who either didn't care or just wanted to collect a pay check. And inexperienced rookies who could have used time working in smaller companies in the NAWA to hone their skills. It was obvious the young guys were not ready to showcase themselves on a National level. Rod Barker the aging leader of the PWA was forced to scale back his show. Soon shows went from major arenas in large cities. To smaller less prestigious venues no where the larger cities.
By the time 2003 rolled around the PWA was a shell of its once great self. The NAWA was still striving to survive having set up 4 solid promotions in each corner of the US. And Trump's Second City was easily the number one show in town. Everyone in the PWA thought; could things get any worse? Little did they know how their world was about to crumble.
The owner and long time figure head of the PWA was found dead from a self inflicted gun shot wound to the temple. Gambling debts and lone shark payments reaching into at least half a million dollars finally swallowed up this once great man and his dream of a pure wrestling product. The PWA was no more and the company soon closed its doors to end 2003.
The world of wrestling lived on as SCW reigned as the number one pro wrestling company in the US. The NAWA was a very distant second but still was doing well enough to start a new expansion into other areas of the US, Mexico, & Canada. But then came a new challenger to the game. The IWW, a compilation of all the best wrestling promotions in the world had come together to give the people something new to set their eyes on.
And during this time the nephew of Rod Barker, Mikey Barker was becoming a household name as "Lonestar" Mike Stabler in Second City Wrestling. But Mike was tired of the control the suits in SCW had over his career and although the pay was great he decided to quit the company. Mike still loved wrestling but he wanted to do things on his own terms. No more back stage politics or millionaires calling the shots. But to start a promotion without the proper connections would be tough. As he sat and thought about where to go from here his cell phone rang. One of the board of directors from IWW was on the other line and heard through the grape vine Barker's plans. The plan was set in motion and meetings were scheduled. The rebirth of the PWA was upon the world and the IWW would help usher in the new beginning to Rob Barker's baby.
Mike was ready for the challenge and was more then willing to work a small time regional setting in the Northeast. The IWW was home to some top promoters and now Mikey Barker would use his namesake and reputation to help build the Pro Wrestling Alliance back to its prime. The stage was set Spring 2010 Live from NYC the PWA would open for business and the IWW would be there to help people remember this is where we wrestle!
Titles: PWA Heavyweight Title, New England States Title, PWA Tag Team Titles
Size: Small-Mid sized regional promotion based out of Norwalk, CT. Shows are held throughout CT, MA, RI, & NY.
The history of the Pro Wrestling Alliance has been a very up and down one in the past few years. Once a charter member of the North American Wrestling Association it was a large, national based promotion that had some of the best talent found any where in the world of pro wrestling. Times were good, money was pouring in, and everyone was one big happy family.
But like all good things the greatness the PWA once enjoyed began to slip away. PWA owner Rod Barker began to throw money away on his drug and gambling addictions. Wrestlers did whatever they wanted, even no showing events they were promoted to be at. The NAWA board of directors began to sour on the promotion and debate what was to be done about all the problems this was causing.
Not only was the PWA going through some hard times, but things began to change as a whole for the NAWA. Donald Trump had decided to venture into pro wrestling and carved out regional company in Chicago called Second City Wrestling and wrestlers along with fans began to take notice. Soon talent began jumping to Second City for bigger pay days and less travel and wear and tear.
Then Barker decided it was time to get away from the hands of the NAWA and its strict board of directors. On Halloween night 1999 the PWA seceded from the NAWA and began to run its own shows without any financial help or guidelines on who would be the stars of their show. By this time Second City Wrestling began to move into a National power, holding shows at larger venues. While the promtions that made up the NAWA either folded or also tried to set out on there own. Things had changed big time in the world of pro wrestling and the PWA felt they still had that old magic to succeed.
Unfourtanately things began to get worse as the PWA roster was full of aging veterans who either didn't care or just wanted to collect a pay check. And inexperienced rookies who could have used time working in smaller companies in the NAWA to hone their skills. It was obvious the young guys were not ready to showcase themselves on a National level. Rod Barker the aging leader of the PWA was forced to scale back his show. Soon shows went from major arenas in large cities. To smaller less prestigious venues no where the larger cities.
By the time 2003 rolled around the PWA was a shell of its once great self. The NAWA was still striving to survive having set up 4 solid promotions in each corner of the US. And Trump's Second City was easily the number one show in town. Everyone in the PWA thought; could things get any worse? Little did they know how their world was about to crumble.
The owner and long time figure head of the PWA was found dead from a self inflicted gun shot wound to the temple. Gambling debts and lone shark payments reaching into at least half a million dollars finally swallowed up this once great man and his dream of a pure wrestling product. The PWA was no more and the company soon closed its doors to end 2003.
The world of wrestling lived on as SCW reigned as the number one pro wrestling company in the US. The NAWA was a very distant second but still was doing well enough to start a new expansion into other areas of the US, Mexico, & Canada. But then came a new challenger to the game. The IWW, a compilation of all the best wrestling promotions in the world had come together to give the people something new to set their eyes on.
And during this time the nephew of Rod Barker, Mikey Barker was becoming a household name as "Lonestar" Mike Stabler in Second City Wrestling. But Mike was tired of the control the suits in SCW had over his career and although the pay was great he decided to quit the company. Mike still loved wrestling but he wanted to do things on his own terms. No more back stage politics or millionaires calling the shots. But to start a promotion without the proper connections would be tough. As he sat and thought about where to go from here his cell phone rang. One of the board of directors from IWW was on the other line and heard through the grape vine Barker's plans. The plan was set in motion and meetings were scheduled. The rebirth of the PWA was upon the world and the IWW would help usher in the new beginning to Rob Barker's baby.
Mike was ready for the challenge and was more then willing to work a small time regional setting in the Northeast. The IWW was home to some top promoters and now Mikey Barker would use his namesake and reputation to help build the Pro Wrestling Alliance back to its prime. The stage was set Spring 2010 Live from NYC the PWA would open for business and the IWW would be there to help people remember this is where we wrestle!
Titles: PWA Heavyweight Title, New England States Title, PWA Tag Team Titles
Size: Small-Mid sized regional promotion based out of Norwalk, CT. Shows are held throughout CT, MA, RI, & NY.