American Wrestling

By Navjot Singh

History:

Early yearsAnton “Tony” Stecher was a founding member of the NWA in 1948 and had promoted wrestling in Minneapolis since 1933 through his Minneapolis Boxing and Wrestling Club. In 152, he sold a one third interest in the promotion to Wally Karbo and his son Denis Stecher. On october 9, 1954, Tony Stecher died and control of the promotion passed to Karbo and Dennis Stecher.In 1959, Dennis Stecher sold his majority stake in the Minneapolis Boxing and Wrestling Club to Karbo and Gagne. They became co-owners of the promotion from that point onward.

Breaking away from the NWAIn 1960, after unsuccesfully lobbyng the NWA for a title match between Verne Gagne and the NWA World Champion, Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo led certain territories out of the NWA forming the American Wrestling Association.While O’Connor was the first AWA champion, he never wrestled in the AWA.Gagne was a former amateur-wrestling champion who had earned a spot on the U.S. team at the 1948 Summer Olympics; he ran the AWA with a traditionalist sensibility, firmly believing that sound technical wrestling- sold be the basis of a pro-wrestling company.

The remainderof the matches took place at the Rochester Civic Center, where the AWA taped live matches for its television program from from 1989-1990. Jake Milliman again came away with the win by eliminating DeBeers at the end, winning the Series and the suposed $1.000.000 chek for Larry’s Legends. The TCS concept was ill-convinced and poorly presented; many wrestling fans feel that it hastened the AWA’s demise. Yet elements of the series have parallels to the brand extension employed by World Wrestling Entertainment.

1982-1983Between 1982 and 1983 there were multiple cases of corruption trying to do that Hulk Hogan will win since he was the favourite of the public but they never obtained it. What did that Hogan rival was accepting an offer of the promoter Vince McMahin jr. To fight for the WWF, in december 1983.One month later became the champion of the heavy weight.Hogan and the WWF phenomena were done in the mass media jumping ahead of the AWA and NWA

1984the alliance with the NWA known as Pro Wrestling USA, which was a union between the AWA and NWA territory promoters in the summer of 1984 to establish a national presence to compete against the WWF, and aired a national show on ESPN.International working agreementsAbroad, the AWA had working agreements with Japanese promotions Internacional Pro Wrestling (1969 to 1980), then All Japan Pro Wrestling (1980 to 1988) and, near the end, New Japan Pro wrestling. The debacle was that on June 29, 1986, Hansen refused to lose the AWA Heavyweight Title to Nick Bockwinkel.

ESPN television deal

It was around that time that the AWA began airing weekly programming on ESPN, the network which formally aired Pro Wrestling USA programming, giving the promotion the national exposure alredy enjoyed by the WWF (on USA Network) and the NWA’s Georgia/World Championship Wrestling.

1986-1991: The downfall of the AWA

Howewer, the AWA continued to fall behind the WWF and NWA as a major promotion, throughout 1986 and 1987. The AWA would become inactive in the fall of 1990. As a result, Larry Zbyszko, the winner of the AWA world tittle in an 18- man Battle Royal, signed with WCW. As his last official act, Verne Gagne stripped the already-departed Zbyszko of the AWA World Title in December 1990.

AWA Team Challenge Series

The AWA held a “Team Challenge Series” from october 1, 1989 through August 11,1990. all of the available wrestler were divided into three teams, “Larry’s Legends”, headed by Larry Zbyszko, “Slaughters Snipers”, headed by Sgt. Slaughter, and “Baron Blitzers”, headed by Baron Von Raschke. Babyfaces and heels alike were assigned to teams, forcing bitter rivals to work together. The winners of the Team Callenge matches would share one million dollars. Some of the earlier TCS matches took place in a TV studio without an audience; the announcer claimed it was part of an effort to stop wrestlers from interfering, but it was actually due to poor ticket sales for arena shows.

AWA on television

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, AWA televisison production was headquartered at Minneapolis independent station WTCN-TV, then owned by Metromedia. Marty O’Neill announced the matches for the local WTCN audience. By 1979, production was transferred to Minneapolis station KMSP-TV. During the AWA’s existence, it produced or had hand in production of several TV programs:

-AWA All-Star Wrestling

-AWA Championship Wrestling

-AWA Major League Wrestling.

AWA on pay-per-view

From 1999 to 2002, a series of AWA-related pay-per-views were produced. Titled AWA Classic Wrestling, they featured compilations of old AWA footage, hosted by Greg Gagne and Todd Okerlund with occasional appearence by Verne Gagne. They pay.per-view ceased following the acquisition of the AWA tape library by World Wrestling Enternaiment. On February 29, 2008. AWA Classic Wrestling can be seen late night on ESPN Classic.

World Wrestling Entetainment ownership

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) inducted Verne Gagne into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 1, 2006. Currently, all footage for the AWA prior to the formation of AWA Superstars of Wrestling is owned by World Wrestling Entertainment. The WWE released The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA on November 21, 2006

AWA Superstars of Wrestling

In 1996, American Wrestling Association name in the state of Minnesota and the “AWA” re-opened as an independent promotion called AWA Superstars of Wrestling . On April 26, 2007 it was revealed that WWE has sought legal action against Dale Gagne for the use of the AWA name, citing trademark infrigement. The trademarks for the AWA logo and the name American Wrestling Association are owned by WWE

American Wrestling Title History

The AWA World Heavyweight Championship was established in May 1960, after the AWA became a separate promotion from the National Wrestling Alliance, which had previously been a part of as the NWA's Minneapolis, Minnesota-area presence. The first champion was Pat O'Connor, who was recognized as the first champion upon the AWA's secession from the NWA as O'Connor held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship as well, which he won on January 9, 1959. With the introduction of the championship, which had world title status for its entire existence until the promotion folded in January 1991, the NWA World Championship lost its status as the only World Championship of pro wrestling.

The creation of a second world title would pave the way for the creation of many other world championships in other wrestling promotions.The title was supposedly revived in 1996 in Dale Gagner's independent promotion AWA Superstars of Wrestling, who relicensed the AWA name. However, WWE has sued Gagner for the use of the AWA name, citing trademark infringement, as the WWE owns the AWA tape library, trademarks, and logos. AWA Superstars of Wrestling has claimed lineage for their world title to the classic AWA title and control over the title history, but because there is no connection to the original organizations or individuals involved therein, no continuity in title reigns or even physical belts, and questionable legal use of the AWA name, the claims made by AWA Superstars of Wrestling are in historical dispute and in legal jeopardy

THE UNDERTAKER

Mark William Calaway (born March 24, 1965)is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name The Undertaker. He is signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), wrestling on its SmackDown! brand.

HULK HOGAN

He was born in August 11, 1953,better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American actor, semi-retired professional wrestler, and former rock bassist. He currently stars on the VH1 reality show Hogan Knows Best and is the new co-host of American Gladiators on NBC

REY MISTERIO

Oscar Gutierrez was born December 11, 1974 better known by his ring name Rey Mysterio, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling on its SmackDown brand. Despite competing as a cruiserweight for most of his career, he is a former World Heavyweight Champion, as well as a record-setting eight-time Cruiserweight Champion.

BATISTA

David Michael Bautista, Jr. was born January 18, 1969,better known as Dave Batista or by the ring name Batista, is an American professional wrestler. Batista is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), wrestling on its SmackDown! brand.Batista is a three-time World Heavyweight Champion and the winner of the 2005 Royal Rumble match.

THE GREAT KHALI

Dalip Singh Rana was born August 27, 1972 better known by his ring name The Great Khali, is an Indian professional wrestler, actor and former powerlifter who won Mr. India in 1995 and 1996. He is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestling on its SmackDown! brand. Before embarking on his professional wrestling career, he was an officer in the Punjab state police. Singh is a one-time World Heavyweight Champion, and appeared in the film The Longest Yard (2005).

JOHN CENA

John Felix Anthony Cena was born April 23, 1977 is an American professional wrestler, hip hop musician and actor. He is employed by WWE as a member of the Raw brand. In his WWE career, Cena has been a three time WWE Champion, a three time United States Champion, and a one time World Tag Team Champion with Shawn Michaels. He also won the 2008 Royal Rumble. Before being promoted to the main WWE roster, Cena trained in and wrestled for Ultimate Pro Wrestling and Ohio Valley Wrestling, holding the top titles of both promotions.

TRIPLE H

Paul Michael Levesque was born July 27, 1969 is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by the ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of his former ring name Hunter Hearst Helmsley. He currently wrestles for the Raw brand of WWE.Before joining WWE, Levesque began his wrestling career with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1993, wrestling under the ring name Terra Ryzing. He changed his ring name to Jean-Paul Lévesque before joining WWE in 1995, which was then known as the WWF.

UMAGA

Edward Fatu was born March 28, 1973 is a Samoan professional wrestler better known by his ring names Jamal, Ekmo, and currently Umaga. He is presently signed to WWE and performs on their Raw brand.He is a member of the Anoa'i wrestling family, and before his current WWE role, he frequently worked as a part of a tag team — variously named The Island Boyz, the Samoan Gangstas, and 3-Minute Warning — with his cousin Matt Anoa'i.

The life of Randy Orton:

He was born in 1 April, 1980 in Knoxville, Tenesse.

He is an American professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainmentv(WWE) wrestling on its Raw brand, where he is the reigning WWE Champion

During his career in WWE, Orton acquired the moniker of being a "Legend Killer", disrespecting Hall of Famers and physically attacking veterans of professional wrestling outside of appropriate restrictions. He is also a former Intercontinental and World Tag Team Champion.

Fight: 2002: In 20 Genuari, with Batista, Ric Flair and Triple H we won to Scott Steiner.

2003:I gain(earn) reputation and it he made début thanks to his her presence in EVOLUTION

2004:Orton lost the intercontinental title against Edgey conquered Chris Benoit in SummerSlam and turned into the champion mas young of the WWE.

2007: He was participe in Backlash, in Vengeance, in

2008:

He was win WWE Champion

PHOTOS:

BOBBY LASHLEY MR. KENNEDY

FINLAY

HORNSWOGGLE

BOOKER-T ANDQUEEN SHARMEL