.jpg) TheGrand Olympic Auditorium, the home base of NWA Hollywood Wrestling. | |
| Founded | 1958[1] |
|---|---|
| Defunct | 1982[1][2] |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California, USA[1] |
| Founder(s) | Cal Eaton[1] Aileen Eaton[3] |
| Owner(s) | Cal Eaton and Aileen Eaton (1958–1966)[3] Mike LeBell (1966–1982)[1][4] |
| Formerly | North American Wrestling Alliance (1958–1961)[1] Worldwide Wrestling Associates (1961–1968)[1] |
NWA Hollywood Wrestling (sometimes referred to asNWA Los Angeles) was aprofessional wrestling promotion headquartered inLos Angeles,California in the United States that promotedprofessional wrestling matches throughoutSouthern California. It was founded in 1958 as theNorth American Wrestling Alliance, a member of theNational Wrestling Alliance. It broke away from the NWA in 1959 and was renamedWorldwide Wrestling Associates in 1961. In 1968, it rejoined the NWA and adopted its final name, remaining a member until closing in 1982.[5][6][7][8]
In 1942, Frank Garbutt, vice president of theLos Angeles Athletic Club, hired formerCalifornia State Athletic Commission inspector Alvah "Cal" Eaton as the promoter of theGrand Olympic Auditorium at the advice of his secretary,Aileen LeBell. Eaton and LeBell married in 1948, and over the following years the couple became major professional wrestling and boxing promoters inSouthern California.[9][3] By the early-1950s, the Eatons, along with Hugh Nichols, Johnny Doyle, and Mike Hirsch (collectively known as the "California Combine"), dominated professional wrestling in Southern California, leading to aUnited States Department of Justiceantitrust investigation in 1955 and 1956.[10]
On July 24, 1957,Lou Thesz defeatedÉdouard Carpentier under controversial circumstances to win theNWA World Heavyweight Championship, the principalchampionship recognized by theNational Wrestling Alliance. The decision was challenged by some members of the National Wrestling Alliance who continued to recognize Carpentier as World Heavyweight Champion.
In 1958, the Eatons created the North American Wrestling Alliance as a new vehicle for promoting professional wrestling in Los Angeles.[1] Eaton at the time was still a member of the National Wrestling Alliance, the national league that dominated professional wrestling in the United States, but had not paid dues since 1955. In October 1959, Eaton and LeBell withdrew from the NWA, recognizing Carpentier as the inauguralWorld Heavyweight Champion backdated to June 14, 1957, when Carpentier had originally won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. The promotion was renamed Worldwide Wrestling Associates in 1961.[1][11]
The promotion ran events throughout Southern California, with the Grand Olympic Auditorium as its base.[7]Bookers includedJules Strongbow,Freddie Blassie, Mr. Moto, andGory Guerrero.[1][7][12] The promotion developed a working relationship with theJapan Wrestling Association andNew Japan Pro-Wrestling, resulting in many talent exchanges.[13] Aileen Eaton introduced a system of paying wrestlers a proportion of the gate rather than a guaranteed fee, boosting profits and encouraging wrestlers to help promote the events.[4] The promotion also pioneered the use ofclosed-circuit television to show matches to fans who were unable to secure tickets for live events, an early precursor to thepay-per-view model that emerged in the 1980s.[8]
In 1963, WWA World Heavyweight ChampionBearcat Wright faced Freddie Blassie in a bout that Wright was scripted to lose. Instead, Wright headbutted Blassie, dazing him, and thenlegitimately pinned him. Wright was subsequently stripped of the championship which was then awarded to Edouard Carpentier.[14]
Eaton died on January 10, 1966, with Aileen's son from a prior marriage Mike LeBell taking over on behalf of his mother, who by then was a major figure in boxing.[15][16][4] On August 18, 1968, LeBell rejoined the NWA, renaming the promotion NWA Hollywood Wrestling. The WWA World Heavyweight Championship was abandoned and the promotion began recognizing the NWA World Heavyweight Championship once more.[1]
On August 27, 1971, the promotion set a national gate record for asupercard event at theLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum headed by a bout between Blassie andJohn Tolos that drew a crowd of 25,847 and $142,158 (equivalent to $1,103,739 in 2024) in gate receipts.[13][8]
In 1981, the promotion obtained a legacy of sorts by being the first recipient of theWrestling Observer Newsletter award forMost Disgusting Promotional Tactic. This tactic involved the push of Tony Hernandez, who had previously wrestled in the Arizona territory as "Frankenstein", a crazed man who believed himself to beFrankenstein's monster and even wore a rubber mask depicting the creature. LeBell chose instead to push him as "The Monster", who was billed as legitimately being made in a laboratory, and use him as a top heel. After being defeated byAndré the Giant (who was reportedly unimpressed by the act and decided to stiff Hernandez), the Monster was unmasked - despite the mask being intended to be his real face - and turned into a child-friendly babyface. This entire arc was seen as insulting by hardcore fans.[17][18]
NWA Hollywood Wrestling continued to operate until December 1982.[2] Mike LeBell sold his interest in the territory to theWorld Wrestling Federation,[19] which in March 1983, began promoting shows in its former territory.[20][10][self-published source]
| Championship | Created | Abandoned | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship | 1967 | 1982 | The title was first established in 1967 as a secondary championship in Worldwide Wrestling Associates. From 1968 until the promotion closed in 1982, the top singles championship in NWA Hollywood Wrestling. |
| NWA Americas Six-Man Tag Team Championship | 1969 | 1969 | A short-lived six-man tag team championship contested in NWA Hollywood Wrestling in 1969. |
| NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship | 1951 | 1982 | Originally contested in NWA Los Angeles, this championship was abandoned in 1959. In 1968, it was resurrected in NWA Hollywood Wrestling. |
| NWA Americas Tag Team Championship | 1964 | 1982 | Originally known as the WWA World Tag Team Championship. It was created in 1964 and defended in WWA until 1968. At that point, WWA became a National Wrestling Alliance affiliate, and the title was renamed the NWA Americas Tag Team Championship. |
| NWA North American Tag Team Championship(Los Angeles/Japan version) | 1973 | 1981 | Primarily contested inNew Japan Pro-Wrestling. |
| NWA United National Championship | 1970 | 1989 | Primarily contested inAll Japan Pro Wrestling. |
| NWA World Tag Team Championship(Los Angeles version) | 1957 | 1982 | The original World Tag Team Championship of the NAWA. It was created in 1957 and abandoned in 1958 upon the NAWA leaving the NWA. The championship was reactivated in 1979. |
| WWA International Television Tag Team Championship | 1954 | 1964 | Created in 1954 and abandoned in 1964. Renamed the WWA United States Tag Team Championship in 1963. |
| WWA World Heavyweight Championship | 1957 | 1968 | The title was established as an offshoot of the NWA World Heavyweight Championship whenEdouard Carpentier became recognized as champion in Los Angeles, when the promotion was then known as the North American Wrestling Alliance. The championship was renamed with the promotion in 1961 and was abandoned in 1968 after WWA joined the NWA and was renamed NWA Hollywood Wrestling. |
