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 The World Class Championship Wrestling logo. It depicts Kevin Von Erich putting the Iron Claw on Genichiro Tenryu[1] | |
| Acronym | WCCW |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1966 |
| Defunct | 1990 |
| Style | American wrestling |
| Headquarters | Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Founder(s) | Ed McLemore |
| Owner(s) | Fritz Von Erich (1966–1988) Jerry Jarrett, Kerry, and Kevin Von Erich (1988–1990) |
| Parent | Southwest Sports, Inc. (1966–1988) Jarrett Promotions (1988–1990) |
| Formerly | NWA Big Time Wrestling (1966-1982) World Class Championship Wrestling (1982–1986) World Class Wrestling Association (1986–1990) |
| Merged with | Continental Wrestling Association |
| Successor | Initial: United States Wrestling Association International World Class Championship Wrestling Later: World Class II World Class Revolution |
World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), later known as the World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA), was an American professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich.[2] Beginning as a territory[3] of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), it went independent in 1986 in a bid to become a major national promotion, but was unsuccessful in its attempts and eventually went out of business in 1990. Rights to the pre-1989 WCCW tape library belong to WWE (the post-1988 rights are owned by International World Class Championship Wrestling) and select episodes from 1982 to 1988 are available on the WWE Network.
World Class Championship Wrestling experienced tremendous success from 1981–1985, shattering attendance records and achieving global exposure through their syndicated television program. Bookers Ken Mantell, David Von Erich, Gary Hart, Bruiser Brody and Kevin Von Erich provided fans with hard hitting action centered on the popular Von Erich brothers and a cast of devious villains. Storylines during this time followed a consistent theme of friendship and betrayal, with many of the top villains being first presented as friends to the Von Erich Family, only to betray them months or even years later. Talent deals and exchanges helped WCCW bring in future stars such as Chris Adams, The Fabulous Freebirds, Jake Roberts, Mick Foley, a young Shawn Michaels, Gino Hernandez and Iceman King Parsons, and others.
World Class Championship Wrestling was a member of the NWA and was originally known as Big Time Wrestling until 1982, when Adkisson decided that the name of his federation needed to be changed. Mickey Grant, who headed the production of its telecasts (known as Texas Championship Wrestling), suggested the name World Class. WCCW operated its enterprise in Dallas, Texas and held wrestling events at the Reunion Arena, and mostly at the famed Sportatorium, located just south of Downtown Dallas, which was also a well-known boxing and wrestling arena as well as the one-time home to the famous Big D Jamboree.
- ^ Claudia Tonihka Tweet, October 3, 2013
- ^ Foley, Mick. Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks (p.129)
- ^ "WrestlingTerritories.png". Freakin' Awesome Network Forums :: Freakin' Awesome Wrestling Forum :: (w)Rest of Wrestling. Retrieved March 25, 2012.