Ladies Professional Wrestling Association

Professional wrestling promotion

Ladies Professional Wrestling Association

Acronym| LPWA
Founded| 1989
Defunct| 1998
Style| Women's professional wrestling
Headquarters| Laughlin, Nevada (1989–1992)
Founder(s)| Tor Berg[1]
Owner(s)| Tor Berg (1989–1992; 1998–2000)

The Ladies Professional Wrestling Association (LPWA) was a women's professional wrestling promotion which operated in the early 1990s (ca. 1989–1992). It was considered a successor to such women's promotions as Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW), but it differed in that, while GLOW slanted more toward WWF-style sports entertainment, the LPWA treated its product seriously and put its primary emphasis on in-ring athletics.

## History

[edit]

Thurston John "Tor" Berg (1938–2011) founded the company ca. 1989.[1] An incident occurred in March 1991, where Berg promised Jumping Bomb Angels member Noriyo Tateno that he would give her a permanent job in the new company if she retired in Japan and moved to the United States.[1] Berg, however, later backed out on the deal, and Sherri Martel made the incident public.[1]

The LPWA produced two television series, The Super Ladies of Wrestling and Ladies Championship Wrestling from 1990 to 1992.[2] Many of their matches were also distributed and sold on VHS tapes. They held their first and only pay-per-view, Super Ladies Showdown, on February 23, 1992, before closing down operations shortly after.[3]

Berg planned on promoting a second Super Ladies pay-per-view event in 2000, but the event was canceled. The pay-per-view was scheduled to feature women from around the world, including American wrestlers Debbie Malenko, Sherri Martel, Sweet Destiny and Missy Hyatt; Japanese wrestlers Chikako Shiratori, AKINO, Chapparita Asari and Ayako Hamada; and Australian wrestlers Amy Action, Raya Riot, and former LPWA Champion Susan Sexton.[4]

## Super Ladies Showdown

[edit]

Super Ladies Showdown

Promotion| LPWA
Date| February 23, 1992
City| Rochester, Minnesota
Venue| Mayo Civic Center
Attendance| 400[5]

LPWA Super Ladies Showdown was a professional wrestling pay-per-view from the LPWA. It took place on February 23, 1992, from the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, Minnesota.[5] It was the only PPV from the LPWA, which folded shortly after the event. The main event was a match for the LPWA Singles Championship, in which Terri Powers faced Lady X. The event also featured a tournament for the LPWA Japanese Championship.

### Results

[edit]

No.| Results| Stipulations| Times

|
|
|

1| Mami Kitamura and Miki Handa defeated Allison Royal and Lisa Starr| Tag Team match| 3:46
2| Denise Storm defeated Susan Green| LPWA Japanese Championship Tournament First Round match| 6:02
3| Reggie Bennett defeated Yukari Osawa| LPWA Japanese Championship Tournament First Round match| 6:19
4| Shinobu Kandori defeated Desiree Petersen| Singles match| 4:31
5| Harley Saito defeated Mizuki Endoh| LPWA Japanese Championship Tournament First Round match| 7:06
6| Eagle Sawai defeated Midori Saito| LPWA Japanese Championship Tournament First Round match| 5:43
7| Black Venus (with Boogaloo Brown) defeated Rockin' Robin| Singles match| 5:39
8| Denise Storm defeated Reggie Bennett by disqualification| LPWA Japanese Championship Tournament Semi-Final match| 8:27
9| Harley Saito defeated Eagle Sawai by points| LPWA Japanese Championship Tournament Semi-Final match| 10:00
10| The Glamour Girls (Judy Martin and Leilani Kai) (c) defeated Bambi and Malia Hosaka| Tag Team match for the LPWA Tag Team Championship| 8:47
11| Harley Saito defeated Denise Storm| Tournament Final match for the LPWA Japanese Championship| 8:07
12| Terri Power defeated Lady X (c)| Singles match for the LPWA Championship| 8:36
| (c)|  – the champion(s) heading into the match

|

## Championships

[edit]

### LPWA Championship

[edit]

The LPWA Championship was a professional wrestling title created in early 1990.[6]

Key  No.  | Overall reign number

|

Reign  | Reign number for the specific champion
Days  | Number of days held
No. | Champion  | Championship change  | Reign statistics  | Notes  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

Date  | Event  | Location  | Reign  | Days
1  | Susan Sexton | January 1990 | N/A  | N/A  | 1  | N/A  | Sexton was awarded the championship.  |
2  | Lady X | January 31, 1991 | LPWA show  | Laughlin, NV | 1  | 388  |  |
3  | Terri Power | February 23, 1992 | LPWA Super Ladies Showdown  | Rochester, MN | 1  | N/A  |  |
—  | Deactivated  | 1992  | —  | —  | —  | —  | The championship was abandoned after the LPWA closed.  |

### LPWA Japanese Championship

[edit]

The LPWA Japanese Championship was a professional wrestling title created in 1992. The inaugural (and only) champion was Harley Saito, who won an eight-woman tournament held during the Super Ladies Showdown pay-per-view event.

#### Inaugural championship tournament (1992)

[edit]

| Quarterfinals | | | Semifinals | | | Final |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

|  |  |  | | |  |  |  | | |  |  |  |
| Denise Storm | Pin | | |
| Susan Green | 6:02 |
| | Denise Storm | DQ |
|  |
| | | Reggie Bennett | 8:27 |
| Yukari Osawa | 6:19 |

| Reggie Bennett | Pin |
| | Denise Storm | 8:07 |
|  |
| | | Harley Saito | Pin |
| Mizuki Endoh | 7:06 | |

| Harley Saito | Pin |
| | Harley Saito | PTS |
|  |
| | | Eagle Sawai | 10:00 |
| Eagle Sawai | Pin |

| Midori Saito | 5:43 |
Key  No.  | Overall reign number

|

Reign  | Reign number for the specific champion
Days  | Number of days held
No. | Champion  | Championship change  | Reign statistics  | Notes  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

Date  | Event  | Location  | Reign  | Days
1  | Harley Saito | February 23, 1992 | LPWA Super Ladies Showdown  | Rochester, MN | 1  | N/A  | Saito defeated Denise Storm in the finals of an eight-woman tournament to become the inaugural champion.  |
—  | Deactivated  | 1992  | —  | —  | —  | —  | The championship was abandoned after the LPWA closed.  |

### LPWA Tag Team Championship

[edit]

The LPWA Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team title created in early 1990.[6]

Key  No.  | Overall reign number

|

Reign  | Reign number for the specific champion
Days  | Number of days held
No. | Champion  | Championship change  | Reign statistics  | Notes  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

Date  | Event  | Location  | Reign  | Days
1  | Team America
(Heidi Lee Morgan and Misty Blue) | March 13, 1990 | LPWA show  | Laughlin, NV | 1  | 352  | Team America defeated Bad, Black and Beautiful (Bad Girl and Black Venus) to become the inaugural champions.  |
2  | The Glamour Girls
(Judy Martin and Leilani Kai) | February 28, 1991 | LPWA show  | Laughlin, NV | 1  | N/A  | Also billed as The Queen's Court.  | [7]
—  | Deactivated  | 1992  | —  | —  | —  | —  | The championship was abandoned after the LPWA closed.  |

### LPWA Mixed Tag Team Championship

[edit]

The LPWA Tag Team Championship was an existing professional wrestling tag team title recognized in early-mid 1990. In 1973, Adrian Street and Miss Linda won the World Mixed Tag Team Championship by defeating Don Kovaks and Suzie Parker in Germany. Street and Linda were still undefeated as champions when they joined the LPWA in 1990 and continued to defend the championships in the promotion.[8]

Key  No.  | Overall reign number

|

Reign  | Reign number for the specific champion
Days  | Number of days held
No. | Champion  | Championship change  | Reign statistics  | Notes  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

Date  | Event  | Location  | Reign  | Days
1  | Adrian Street and Miss Linda  | January 1990  | LMLW show  | N/A  | 1  | N/A  |  |
—  | Deactivated  | 1990  | —  | —  | —  | —  | The championship was abandoned after Adrian Street and Miss Linda left LPWA by the end of 1990.  |

## Alumni

[edit]

### Wrestlers

[edit]

#### Female wrestlers

[edit]

* Allison Royal (Christine Arrant)
* Alona Star
* Alma Alvarez
* Babyface Nellie
* Bad Girl
* Bambi (Selina Majors)
* The Beast (Peggy Patterson)
* Black Venus (Jean Kirkland)
* Brandy Wine
* Brittany Brown
* Candi Devine (Candace Rummel, also billed as The Goddess)
* Cheryl Day
* Cheryl Rusa (also billed as Little Mo)
* Comrade Orga Stalinska
* Dawn Marie (Dawn Marie Johnston)
* Dangerous Debbie T Wild
* Denise Storm
* Desiree Petersen
* Despina Montagas
* Diane Von Hoffman
* Eagle Sawai
* Flame
* Harley Saito
* Heidi Lee Morgan
* Judy Martin (Judy Hardee)[9]
* Kimmie Kozak
* La Gata
* Lady Lilith (also billed as Miss Lily Tedesco)
* Lady X (Peggy Lee Leather)
* Leilani Kai (Patricia Schroeder)[9]
* Lisa Starr
* Madusa Miceli (Debra Miceli)
* Magnificent Mimi (Mimi Lesseos)
* Malia Hosaka
* Mami Kitamura
* Midori Saito
* Miki Handa
* Miss Linda
* Misty Blue Simmes (Diane Syms)
* Mizuki Endoh
* Nasty Kat (Kat LeRoux)
* Nasty Linda (Linda Dallas)
* Reggie Bennett (also billed as Big Mo)
* Rockin' Robin (Robin Smith)
* Rusty "The Fox" Thomas
* Samantha Pain
* Shelly Francis (also billed as "The Desert Rose" Sheba)
* Shinobu Kandori
* Sindy Paradise
* Susan Green
* Susan Sexton
* Sweet Georgia Brown (Jacqueline Moore)
* Terri Power (Terri Poch)
* Tina Moretti (Lisa Moretti)
* Wendi Richter
* Yukari Osawa

#### Male wrestlers

[edit]

* Adrian Street (also manager of Miss Linda)
* Barry Horowitz
* Tim Horner

### Tag Teams

[edit]

* Bambi and Malia Hosaka
* Bad Black and Beautiful (Bad Girl and Black Venus with Boogaloo Brown)
* The Glamour Girls (The Queen's Court) (Leilani Kai and Judy Martin with Christopher Love)
* Locomotion (Big Mo/Reggie Bennett and Little Mo/Cheryl Rusa)
* The Mighty Mites (Cheryl Rusa and Sindy Paradise)
* The Nasty Girls (Nasty Kat/Kat LeRoux and Nasty Linda/Linda Dallas)
* New Team America (Misty Blue Simmes and Allison Royal)
* Rockin' Robin and Wendi Richter
* Team America (Misty Blue Simmes and Heidi Lee Morgan, later Heidi Lee Morgan and Comrade Orga Stalinska)

#### Mixed Tag Teams

[edit]

* Adnan Al-Kaissie and Sheba
* Adrian Street and Miss Linda
* Barry Horowitz and Lisa Starr
* Tim Horner and Malia Hosaka

### Other on-air talent

[edit]

Commissioner

* Wally Karbo

Managers

* Adnan Al-Kaissie (also occasional wrestler)[9]
* Ashley Kennedy (also occasional wrestler)
* Boogaloo Brown
* Jonathan Blue
* Norman (Mike Shaw)
* "Queen" Christopher Love (Bert Prentice)

Announcers

* Jim Cornette
* Joe Pedicino
* Ken Resnick
* Mick Karch
* Nick Bockwinkel
* Sgt. Slaughter (Robert Remus)

Interviewer

* Boni Blackstone

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Lano, Mike (June 21, 2007). "Remembering a good friend, Sherri Martel". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
2. ^ "LPWA TV". Savatage. Retrieved 2010-12-24.
3. ^ LPWA, Inc. "LPWA History". All Women Wrestling. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
4. ^ "Debbi Malenko". Amy Action. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2010-12-22.
5. ^ a b "Other Wrestling Cards". Wrestling Information Archive. Archived from the original on 2008-01-05. Retrieved 2008-01-11.
6. ^ a b Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
7. ^ Hoops, Brian (February 28, 2017). "Daily pro wrestling history (02/28): Andersen & Hansen win NWA Tag Titles". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
8. ^ Street, Adrian. "Pedigree of Champions". Bizare Bazzar. Archived from the original on 2010-10-15. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
9. ^ a b c Johnson, Steven (August 8, 2007). "Return of a "Glamour Girl"". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved 2008-11-06.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Galloway, Paul. "Sexy Sindy's Unlikely Hold on Female Wrestlingdom".  Washington Post.  6 May 1990
* Rowh, Mark and William Ray Heitzmann. Careers for Sports Nuts & Other Athletic Types. Chicago: McGraw-Hill Professional, 1997. ISBN 0-8442-4325-6

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Professional wrestling in the United States

Active promotions

| National promotions|

* All Elite Wrestling
* Major League Wrestling
* National Wrestling Alliance
* Ring of Honor
* Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
* WWE

Women's:|

* Women of Wrestling

Independent promotions|

* AAW Wrestling
* All Pro Wrestling
* Beyond Wrestling
* Championship Wrestling
* Chaotic Wrestling
* Combat Zone Wrestling
* Coastal Championship Wrestling
* Deadlock Pro-Wrestling
* DEFY Wrestling
* East Coast Wrestling Association
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* Premiere Wrestling Xperience
* Reality of Wrestling
* Southern States Wrestling
* Ultra Championship Wrestling-Zero
* Warrior Wrestling
* World League Wrestling
* World Xtreme Wrestling
* Xtreme Pro Wrestling

Women's:|

* Shine Wrestling
* Sukeban
* Women Superstars United
* Women's Wrestling Army

Puerto Rican promotions|

* IWA Puerto Rico
* La Liga Wrestling
* World Wrestling Council

Governing bodies and interpromotional alliances|

* United Wrestling Network
* WWNLive

Notable TV programs|

* AEW Collision
* AEW Dynamite
* TNA Impact!
* WWE NXT
* WWE Raw
* WWE SmackDown

Notable streaming programs|

* NWA Powerrr
* Ring of Honor Wrestling
* TNA Xplosion
* WWE Evolve
* WWE Main Event
* WWE Speed

Defunct promotions

| National promotions|

* American Wrestling Association
* Extreme Championship Wrestling
* Jim Crockett Promotions
* Lucha Underground
* Universal Wrestling Federation (Bill Watts)
* Universal Wrestling Federation (Herb Abrams)
* World Championship Wrestling
* World Class Championship Wrestling

|

Independent promotions and regional territories|

* 50th State Big Time Wrestling
* American Wrestling Federation
* Assault Championship Wrestling
* Big Time Wrestling (Boston)
* Big Time Wrestling (Detroit)
* Big Time Wrestling (San Francisco)
* Capitol Wrestling Corporation
* Century Wrestling Alliance
* Championship Wrestling from Florida
* Chikara
* Continental Championship Wrestling
* Continental Wrestling Association
* CWF Mid-Atlantic
* Deep South Wrestling
* Dragon Gate USA
* Extreme Rising
* Evolve
* Family Wrestling Entertainment
* Florida Championship Wrestling
* Fred Kohler Enterprises
* Front Row Wrestling
* Future of Wrestling
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* Global Force Wrestling
* Global Wrestling Federation
* Hardcore Homecoming
* Heart of America Sports Attractions
* Heartland Wrestling Association
* House of Hardcore
* Houston Wrestling
* Incredibly Strange Wrestling
* Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance
* International Championship Wrestling
* International World Class Championship Wrestling
* IWA Mid-South
* IWF Promotions
* Jersey All Pro Wrestling
* Mason-Dixon Wrestling
* Memphis Wrestling
* Memphis Championship Wrestling
* Metro Pro Wrestling
* Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
* Millennium Wrestling Federation
* National Wrestling Conference
* National Wrestling Federation
* New England Championship Wrestling
* NOVA Pro Wrestling
* NWA Mid-America
* NWA San Francisco
* NWA Wildside
* OMEGA Championship Wrestling
* Pacific Northwest Wrestling
* Phoenix Championship Wrestling
* Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling
* Pro Wrestling America
* Resistance Pro Wrestling
* Ring Warriors
* Smoky Mountain Wrestling
* South Atlantic Pro Wrestling
* Southern Championship Wrestling (Georgia)
* Southwest Championship Wrestling
* St. Louis Wrestling Club
* Steel City Wrestling
* Texas All-Star Wrestling
* Texas Wrestling Academy
* Top Rope Promotions
* Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling
* Ultimate Pro Wrestling
* United States Wrestling Association
* Warriors 4 Christ Wrestling
* West Coast Wrestling Connection
* Western States Sports
* Windy City Pro Wrestling
* World Wide Wrestling Alliance
* World Wrestling Alliance
* World Wrestling Association
* Worldwide Wrestling Associates
* World Wrestling Network
* Xcitement Wrestling Federation

Women's:|

* ChickFight
* Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling
* Ladies Major League Wrestling
* Ladies Professional Wrestling Association
* Naked Women's Wrestling League
* Professional Girl Wrestling Association
* Powerful Women of Wrestling
* Rise Wrestling
* Shimmer Women Athletes
* World Women's Wrestling
* Wrestlicious

Governing bodies and interpromotional alliances|

* American Wrestling Affiliates
* Global Professional Wrestling Alliance
* National Wrestling Association
* Pro Wrestling USA
* Wrestling Superstars Live

Notable programs|

* AEW Dark
* AEW Dark: Elevation
* AEW Rampage
* AWA All-Star Wrestling
* AWA Championship Wrestling
* Before the Impact
* ECW Hardcore TV
* ECW on TNN
* ECW on Syfy
* Lucha Libre USA: Masked Warriors
* Lucha Underground
* MLW Fusion
* MLW Underground Wrestling
* NWA USA
* Superstars of Wrestling
* UWF Fury Hour
* WCW Monday Nitro
* WCW Thunder
* WCW Saturday Night
* WCW WorldWide
* Wrestling at the Chase
* Wrestling Society X
* WWE 205 Live
* WWE Heat
* WWE NXT Level Up
* WWE NXT UK
* WWE Superstars
* WWE Velocity

* Attendance records
* Hall of Fame
* History

* v
* t
* e

Women's professional wrestling

Women's wrestling
promotions|

| Active|

* 2point5 Joshi Pro-Wrestling
* Actwres girl'Z
* Bellatrix Female Warriors
* ChocoPro
* Dream Star Fighting Marigold
* Femmes Fatales
* Ice Ribbon
* Ladies Legend Pro-Wrestling
* Lucha Libre Femenil
* Marvelous That's Women Pro Wrestling
* Oz Academy
* Pro Wrestling Wave
* Pro-Wrestling: EVE
* Seadlinnng
* Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling
* Shine Wrestling
* Sukeban
* Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling
* Women Superstars United
* Women of Wrestling
* Women's Wrestling Army
* World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana
* World Wonder Ring Stardom

|

Defunct|

* All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling
* Arsion
* ChickFight
* Gaea Japan
* Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling
* JDStar
* JWP Joshi Puroresu
* Ladies Major League Wrestling
* Ladies Professional Wrestling Association
* Naked Women's Wrestling League
* NEO Japan Ladies Pro-Wrestling
* Powerful Women of Wrestling
* Pro Wrestling Women's Alliance
* Rise Wrestling
* Shimmer Women Athletes
* World Women's Wrestling
* Wrestlicious

Women within other promotions|

* Nitro Girls
* TNA Knockouts
* Women in WWE
* championships
* Women of Honor

Accomplishments|

* Women's World Championship
* Women's World Tag Team Championship
* Women's Wrestling Hall of Fame

Media|

* ...All the Marbles
* GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling
* Lipstick and Dynamite, Piss and Vinegar: The First Ladies of Wrestling
* Netflix's GLOW
* Pushed to the Limit
* Queen of the Ring
* Silver
* Sisterhood of the Squared Circle

Related|

* Fighting Cholitas
* Intergender wrestling
* Ring girl

*[No.]: Number
*[Ref.]: Reference(s)
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