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The United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotional organization based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was a federation founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.
History
The USWA was founded after the Pro Wrestling USA debacle with the AWA. It was an attempt to create a third national promotion, alongside the now defunct Jim Crockett Promotions / WCW, and the WWF (now known as the WWE). The USWA was created through a merger of the WCCW (from Texas) and the CWA (based in Memphis). It originally promoted shows, headlined by Jerry Lawler, in both Tennessee and Texas.
The Dallas promotion (formerly World Class), which was 40 percent owned by the Von Erich family, withdrew from the USWA in September 1990 due to a revenue dispute. That promotion reverted back 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 promoters Joe Pedicino, Max Andrews, Boni Blackstone and Grey Pierson were getting the new Global 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 1993, the USWA began a talent exchange with the WWF, which saw Lawler sign on to Vince McMahon's federation, while several high profile WWF stars appeared in the USWA. Dallas wrestler Chris Adams spent a few months in the USWA in an angle involving Brian Christopher and Toni Adams, splitting his time between Memphis and Dallas' GWF during this time frame.
Although Lawler was working for the WWF, he ended up buying a stake in the USWA from Jarrett, and businessmen Larry Burton and Mark Selker in 1997, and the USWA went out of business by November of that year, resulting in a nasty lawsuit between Burton, Selker, and Lawler.
Jerry Jarrett and his son, Jeff Jarrett, later founded Total Nonstop Action Wrestling out of Nashville, Tennessee.
Championships of USWA
- USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship
- USWA Southern Heavyweight Championship
- USWA Tag Team Championship
- USWA Texas Heavyweight Championship
- USWA Television Championship
- USWA Women's Championship
- USWA Junior Heavyweight Championship
- USWA Middleweight Championship
Stars of USWA
- Jerry Lawler
- Randy Hales
- Bill Dundee
- Brian Christopher
- Spellbinder
- Ricky Morton
- Jeff Jarrett
- Master of Pain
- Jimmy Valiant
- Austin Idol
- Kamala
- Eddie Gilbert
- Koko B. Ware
- Junkyard Dog
- Sid Vicious
- J.C. Ice
- Wolfie D
- Flex Kavana
- John Tatum
- Stacy Carter
- Terry Funk
- Dutch Mantell
- Tom Pritchard
- Pat Tanaka
- Paul Diamond
- Eric Embry
- Tommy Rich
- Buddy Landell
- Doug Gilbert
- Brian Lee
- Billy Jack Haynes
- Jesse James Armstrong
- Miss Texas
- Toni Adams
- Scotty Anthony
- Robert Fuller
- The Harris Brothers
- Tracy Smothers
- Downtown Bruno
- Steve Doll
- Billy Travis
- The Ninja Turtle
- Freddy Kruger
Talent exchange wrestlers in USWA
Their home promotion in parenthesis
- Owen Hart (WWF)
- Razor Ramon (WWF)
- Randy Savage (WWF)
- Kerry Von Erich (WCCW)
- Sensational Sherri (WWF)
- Tommy Dreamer (ECW)
- Tatanka (WWF)
- Ahmed Johnson (WWF)
- Beulah McGillicutty (ECW)
External links
"United States Wrestling Association"