 | |
| Acronym | USWA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1989 |
| Defunct | November 1997 |
| Style | Rasslin' |
| Headquarters | Memphis, Tennessee (1989–1997) |
| Founder(s) | Jerry Jarrett Von Erich family |
| Owner(s) | Jerry Jarrett andKevin Von Erich (1989–1990) Jerry Jarrett (1990–1995) Jerry Lawler (1995–1997) Larry Burton (1997) |
| Predecessor | Continental Wrestling Association World Class Championship Wrestling |
| Successor | Unofficial: Power Pro Wrestling Kick-Ass Wrestling Memphis Championship Wrestling Memphis Wrestling |
TheUnited States Wrestling Association (USWA) was aprofessional wrestling promotion based inMemphis, Tennessee. The company was founded when theMemphis-basedContinental Wrestling Association merged with theDallas-basedWorld Class Championship Wrestling.
The USWA was founded as an attempt to create a fourth national promotion, alongsideJim Crockett Promotions/WCW,AWA and the WWF (now known asWWE). The USWA was created through a merger of theWCCW (from Texas) and theCWA (based in Memphis, Tennessee). It originally promoted shows, usually headlined byJerry Lawler, in both Tennessee and Texas.
The Dallas promotion (formerly WCCW), which was 40 percent owned by the Von Erich family, withdrew from the USWA in September 1990 due to a revenue dispute. According toSkandor Akbar, there were lawsuits involved, most notably whenJerry Jarrett was sued byKevin Von Erich. That promotion reverted to the World Class name, but ceased operations two months later due to lack of revenue.
Jerry Jarrett and Jerry Lawler brought the USWA back to Texas, but only on a limited basis, while promotersJoe Pedicino, Max Andrews, andBoni Blackstone were getting the newGlobal Wrestling Federation ready for a spring 1991 debut at the Sportatorium. Several of the former World Class and USWA Dallas wrestlers joined the new GWF, while others from the old CWA remained with the USWA.
In 1992, the USWA began a talent exchange with the WWF, which saw Lawler sign on toVince McMahon's federation, while several high-profile WWF stars appeared in the USWA. Dallas wrestlerGentleman Chris Adams spent a few months in the USWA in an angle involvingBrian Christopher andToni Adams, splitting his time between Memphis and Dallas' GWF during this time frame.
The wrestling landscape changed in 1995 – theMonday Night War began, with WWF and WCW battling for cable television supremacy on Monday nights each and every week. As for the USWA, their biggest crowds came every Monday night at theMid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee. With a growing wrestling viewership on Monday nights that could watch pay per view-quality wrestling matches for free on television, the live attendance at the marquee events for the USWA began to dwindle. A move to Thursday nights did not help what was becoming inevitable – the demise of the USWA.
A combination of a poor line up, sub-standard venue, lack of talent and holding the show on a Thursday night led to a show on October 3, 1996, drawing the smallest crowd in the history of Memphis wrestling: just 372 fans, paying$1,800, to the Big One Flea Market. The future of the promotion was being questioned, following the previous week's resignation of general manager Randy Hales. The Louisville and Nashville crowds had stayed consistent, but the Memphis crowds, which in the past had carried the promotion, had fallen over the past few months. In addition, the Big One (Flea Market) pavilion was less than inviting, the zigzag roof of its original owner (The Treasury Stores) causing its major leaking problem.
Deceased individuals are indicated with a dagger (†).
Home promotion in parentheses
