Embedded Files
CWA - Championship Wrestling Association (1977-1987)
When Jerry Jarrett spearheaded an exodus from Nick Gulas' Nashville-based office, he basically killed that company off in the Memphis and used his connections to seize the market he had been running. Jarrett went to the third-rated TV station and promised to bring in the hottest show and proven media personalities (announcer/program director Lance Russell and announcer/weatherman Dave Brown) that would make Channel 13 the top station in Memphis - it worked. Jarrett erected a new company with the same stars, same style and same appeal. It was sometimes referred to as "Mid-Southern Wrestling," but "Jarrett Promotions, Inc." was the true name. The promotion had one of the most celebrated regional television shows that aired every Saturday morning and they established Memphis as a pro-wrestling hotbed. When Vince McMahon and the WWF began moving toward a national product, the CWA became a key member in the formation of "Pro Wrestling USA" along with the AWA, World Class, Georgia Championship Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions and other NWA promotions in an attempt to ruin McMahon. Ultimately, the Crocketts pulled out and the AWA tried to seize the glory. After this, Jerry Lawler began co-promoting with Jarrett in 1987 and the company began changing to deal with the new world of pro-wrestling.
Norvell Austin
Jerry Blackwell
Jim Cornette [Manager]
Al Costello [Manager]
Paul E. Dangerously [Manager]
James J. Dillion [Manager]
Jim Garvin [Manager]
"Superstar" Billy Graham
Grappler #1 (Len Denton)
Grappler #2 (Tony Anthony)
The Great Senshe (Shinya Hashimoto)
Al Greene [Manager]
Jimmy Hart [Manager]
Sputnik Monroe [Manager]
Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Saggs)
Sylvester Ritter (Junkyard Dog)
Jake Smith Jr. (Jake Roberts)
Buddy Wayne
Ron Wright [Manager]
CWA - Continental Wrestling Association (1987-1989)
In 1987, Jarrett and Lawler began running Memphis together. Lawler had been a big draw for over a decade and seemed to have the potential to anchor a national product in their eyes. While the WWF and the Crocketts' NWA were establishing themselves as national products, the remaining companies were battling for their regions. After the Pro Wrestling USA debacle of 1986, a second attempt occurred in 1988. When their major pay-per-view show, SuperClash III, tanked, the problems began again. AWA's Verne Gagne lied about the numbers to his fellow promoters and they forced him out. World Class was on its last legs, so Jarrett organized a merger to secure their talent and market.
Bam Bam Bigelow
Jerry Blackwell
Wendell Cooley
Fabulous Ones (Stan Lane & Steve Keirn)
Doug Gilbert
The Great Kokina (Yokozuna)
The Great Senshe (Shinya Hashimoto)
Lord Humoungous (Sid Eudy)
Sputnik Monroe [Manager]
Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags)
Buddy Wayne
USWA - United States Wrestling Association (1989-1997)
In 1989, Jerry Jarrett merged the CWA and WCCW to create the USWA. He ran two separate offices - one in Dallas (he in fact used the "World Class" name for a while longer) and the other remaining in Memphis. The Memphis office continued as it had and they tried to restore Dallas to its former glory. They had a decent pool of talent, but problems between Jarrett and the Von Erichs led him to pull out of the region in 1990, leaving only the memories of World Class's glory days in the early 1980s. The USWA in Memphis continued and Jarrett aligned himself with Vince McMahon soon after. Jarrett would have held the fort down for McMahon if he would have gone to prison during the steroid trial in 1991. In 1993, the two companies began a talent exchange that included Jerry Lawler joining the WWF. In 1996, Jarrett sold his assets to Lawler, who ended up with major legal problems when businessmen Larry Burton and Mark Selker disputed claims on the USWA. This forced the company to go under in 1997.
"Stunning" Steve Austin
Flex Cavana (The Rock)
Doug Gilbert
El Grande Pistolero (Gypsy Joe)
Willie B. Hert (Pez Whatley)
The Punisher (The Undertaker)
PY Chu Hi (Phil Hickerson)
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