 | |
| Founded | 2004 |
|---|---|
| Style | Professional wrestling |
| Headquarters | Kingsport, Tennessee |
| Owner | Tony Givens |
| Formerly |
|
| Predecessor | Smoky Mountain Wrestling (unofficial) |
| Website | www |
Innovate Pro Wrestling (formerlyChampionship Wrestling Alliance andNWA Smoky Mountain) is an Americanindependentprofessional wrestling promotion based inKingsport, Tennessee.[1] The company was established in 2004 and until 2017 it was associated with theNational Wrestling Alliance. During its time in the NWA, NWA Smoky Mountain Wrestling was considered the flagship promotion of theNational Wrestling Alliance.[by whom?]
The promotion was founded by wrestler Tony Givens in 2004, as the Championship Wrestling Alliance, after breaking away fromSouthern States Wrestling. That same year,Championship Wrestling TV began airing locally onWCYB-DT2 and was later syndicated nationally on AMG-TV. It held weekly television tapings at theNational Guard Armory inMorristown, Tennessee as well as house shows throughoutEast Tennessee. The promotion joined theNational Wrestling Alliance as NWA Smoky Mountain Wrestling in early-2011.[2] The announcement was made by CWA Commissioner Robbie Cassidy on the March 13th TV taping ofChampionship Wrestling TV inGray, Tennessee.[3] On July 7, 2012, an unidentified fan attacked Cassidy and Tony Givens at an interpromotional show co-hosted by the Pro Wrestling Federation. The fan was subdued by Cassidy and police escorted him out of the building.[4]
On April 6, 2013, NWA Smoky Mountain drew its biggest crowd to date with 2,017 fans attending aNWA Smoky Mountain TV television taping atElizabethton High School.[5] In October 2013, Givens attempted to raise $15,000 onKickstarter.com to improve the production values forNWA Smoky Mountain TV. The appeal raised only $1,485 before the 60-day deadline.[6] The show became available onYouTube the following year.
NWA Smoky Mountain is advertised as a "spiritual successor" of the originalSmoky Mountain Wrestling and has used a mix ofSMW alumni and younger Southern independent wrestlers since its inception. Among the SMW talent to appear for the promotion include, most notably,Bunkhouse Buck,Eddie Golden,Tom Prichard,Tracy Smothers andRicky Morton. On January 6, 2014, Morton defeatedChase Owens at an NWA Smoky Mountain show to win theNWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.[7]
A number of top NWA stars have also visited the promotion. In February 2015,Jason Kincaid was interviewed onPipebomb Radio. He was billed as the longest-reigningNWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship in the company's history.[8] On April 17, 2015,Jax Dane won theSmoky Mountain Cup and earned a title shot for theNWA World Heavyweight Championship.[9] He defeated then championHiroyoshi Tenzan for the title four months later. NWA Smoky Mountain's "Collision Course 10", held on May 9, 2015, nearly sold out the Civic Auditorium inKingsport, Tennessee.Bobby Eaton also made a special appearance managing Eddie Golden against Jeff Tankersley on the undercard. Larry Goodman of GeorgiaWrestlingHistory.com claimed that the show, headlined by anA.J. Styles versus Chase Owens bout, "[shattered] the company's attendance and gate records".[10]NWA President R. Bruce Tharpe visited Kingsport for the first time at this event.[11]
On October 17, 2015, NWA Smoky Mountain held a special tribute show, "Enter the Dragon", forRicky Steamboat. Steamboat served as Ricky Morton's cornerman in a "student vs. teacher" grudge match againstKid Kash as part of Kash's retirement tour. This turned a no-holds-barred grudge match after a falling out between the two during a tag team bout.[12][13]
At ReGenesis on August 19, 2017; promoter Tony Givens announced that NWA Smoky Mountain Wrestling was leaving the NWA, and thus the promotion was changing their name to Innovate Wrestling.
| Championship | Champion | Previous | Date won | Days held | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innovate United States Tag Team Championship | The Adkins Boys (Alex and Wayne Adkins) | Inglorious (Aden Cross and Jeff Connelly) | March 4th, 2023 | 79+ | Kingsport, Tennessee |
| Smoky Mountain Cup | Chase Owens | Jason Kincaid | April 29th, 2023 | Kingsport, Tennessee | |
| Innovate Grand Championship | Caleb Courageous | Tobey Farley | April 29th, 2023 | 23+ | Kingsport, Tennessee |
| Championship | Final champion | Date retired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship | Chase Owens | August 19, 2017 | At ReGenesis, promoter Tony Givens announced that NWA Smoky Mountain Wrestling was leaving the NWA thus the promotion was changing their name to Innovate Wrestling and the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship was officially retired as a result. |
| NWA United States Tag Team Championship | The Ugly Ducklings (Rob Killjoy, Coach Mikey, & Lance Lude) | August 19, 2017 | At ReGenesis, promoter Tony Givens announced that NWA Smoky Mountain Wrestling was leaving the NWA thus the promotion was changing their name to Innovate Wrestling and the NWA United States Tag Team Championship was officially retired as a result. |
| NWA Mountain Empire Championship | Toby Farley | August 19, 2017 | At ReGenesis, promoter Tony Givens announced that NWA Smoky Mountain Wrestling was leaving the NWA thus the promotion was changing their name to Innovate Wrestling and the NWA Mountain Empire Championship was officially retired as a result. Farley defeated Timmy Lou Retton to become the Interim Innovate United States Heavyweight Championship as a result. |
| NWA Smoky Mountain Television Championship | Chris Richards | August 19, 2017 | |
| AWA World Heavyweight Championship/CWA World Heavyweight Championship (American Wrestling Affiliates/Championship Wrestling Alliance) | Chris Richards | February 4, 2011 | |
| Innovative United States Heavyweight Championship | Toby Farley | May 29, 2021 |
| Championship | Current Champion(s) | Held since | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship | The Heatseekers (Sigmon and Elliot Russell) | June 21, 2014[14] | 4,257 |
| Ring name | Notes |
|---|---|
| Aden Cross | |
| Alex Adkins | |
| Axton Ray | |
| Andy Optimal | |
| Bruiser Bob | |
| Chase Owens | |
| Chainz | |
| Christian Cross | |
| Cody Blades | |
| Cooper Jones | |
| Devon Driscoll | |
| Dylan Wayne Sizemore | |
| Evan Golden | |
| Elliot Russell | |
| Gavin Daring | |
| Gustavo | |
| Hogan Jones | |
| Jason Kincaid | |
| Jeff Connelly | |
| Jeff Baker | |
| Michael Starr | |
| Nicole Pain | |
| Nick Hammonds | |
| Rabbit Rogue | |
| Ryan Austin | |
| Rob Killjoy | |
| Matt Sigmon | |
| Skylar Kruze | |
| T.I.M. | |
| Toby Farley | |
| Travis Dykes | |
| Travis Lee | |
| Tyler Foshie | |
| Tyler Thorn | |
| Wayne Moxxi | |
| ”Zexy” Zee Collins |
| Ring name | Notes |
|---|---|
| Dylan Sizemore | Manager |
| Kaela | Valet |
| Mr. Cicero | Manager of Austin West |
| Rob Knight | Manager of Tobey Farley |
| Ring name | Notes |
|---|---|
| Tony Givens | Owner |
| Dan Jones | Commentator |
| Tim Hudgins “Malik” | Commentator |
