Professional Girl Wrestling Association

Professional Girl Wrestling AssociationAcronym| PGWA

|

Founded| 1992
Style| Women's professional wrestling
Headquarters| North Carolina
Founder(s)| Tom Randolph[1]
Website| LadySports.com

The Professional Girl Wrestling Association (PGWA) is an American women's professional wrestling promotion. The aim of the PGWA is to preserve and promote "Old School" Women's professional wrestling. Based in North Carolina, the organization frequently sponsors matches and whole cards in the Mid-Atlantic and Mid-South states, as well as in Mexico and the United Kingdom[2] through partnerships with other regional promotions. From its founding in 1992 until her death in mid-2008, the Commissioner of the PGWA was Penny Banner.[3]

## Purpose

[edit]

The company sets up wrestling matches for independent female wrestlers—wrestlers that are not signed to a major company—video tapes the matches and sells them to help promote their careers.[1] Because the women do not sign exclusive contracts, they are free to wrestle in other promotions or major wrestling companies.[1] Unlike many female-only wrestling organizations, PGWA does not overly emphasize the sexuality of the female wrestlers, nor does it promote them as "eye-candy",[1] but rather stresses their skills and ability.

PGWA matches tend to run 15 to 30 minutes, as opposed to the usual 5 to 10 minutes often allotted female wrestlers by promoters. This allows wrestlers to display a full range of their abilities, rather than having to focus on a few key moves in the short span of time their match allows.

## History

[edit]

The Professional Girl Wrestling Association (PGWA) was founded in 1992 in North Carolina by sportswriter Tom Randolph.[1][3] Randolph brought a video camera to one of Susan Green's training sessions and later videotaped a match between her and Judy Martin.[1] Green later became the promotion's first champion.[1]

In 2002, the promotion began holding events in the United Kingdom and Europe.[2] The 2004 show "Summer Heat", filmed in Nashville, Tennessee, had the largest card in the promotion's history to that time with 16 women wrestling at the event.[4] In October 2004, PGWA co-promoted the first ChickFight tournament, which later became an annual event, with All Pro Wrestling.[5] In November 2008, after the death of Penny Banner, Susan Green became the new commissioner of the PGWA.[6]

## LadySports

[edit]

Concurrent with the launch of the PGWA in 1992, the promotion began selling a women's wrestling newsletter called Connections. Shortly, this was transformed into a quarterly magazine titled LadySports (3 issues of a sister magazine, LadyBoxer, were also published in the late 1990s). The PGWA staff also frequently supplied photographs and feature articles to such newsstand publications as Wrestling Eye, PWI, WOW! and Fighting Females. Since the mid-90s, a LadySports Online website has also been maintained. With the cessation of the quarterly magazine, publishing efforts were shifted to the website, which not only offers downloads of PGWA matches and features on PGWA talent, but also provides coverage for non-PGWA women, from wrestlers to valets and referees.

## PGWA Championship

[edit]

Wrestler:  | Times:  | Date:  | Location:  | Notes:

|
|
|
|

Susan Green | 1  | 1992  | Charlotte, North Carolina | [3]
Judy Martin | 1  | 1999  |  | [7]
Susan Green  | 2  | 1999  |  |
Angel "Riptide" Orsini | 1  | 2000  | Thomasville, North Carolina |
Lexie Fyfe | 1  | 2001  | Charlotte, North Carolina | Won the title in a three-way dance against Riptide and Brandi Alexander[8]
Leilani Kai | 1  | July 2002  | Branson, Missouri | Won at the "Battleground: Branson" event
Pippa L'Vinn  | 1  | November 2003  | Raleigh, North Carolina | [2]
Nikki Roxx | 1  | April 23, 2005  | Manchester, England | Won at an event entitled "St. George's Daymes"[2]
Tracy Taylor  | 1  | November 15, 2008  | Millersville, Tennessee | Won at the "A Banner Night" event
Nemesis  | 1  | April 16, 2011  | Millersville, Tennessee | Won at "Spring Fling '11"
ThunderKitty  | 1  | August 4, 2017  | Wilmington, Ohio | Relinquished belt May 4, 2018 due to injury
Allie Parker  | 1  | July 4, 2018  | Las Vegas, Nevada | Awarded belt after being recognized as the top contender
Jennifer Thomas | 1  | June 15, 2019  | Los Angeles, California | Won at the SessionGirls all-women's PPV

Relinquished belt August 15, 2021 due to injury

Kasey Fox | 1  | September 25, 2021  | Mount Airy, North Carolina | Won at the "Darlings of the Ring" all-women's event

Relinquished belt on May 1, 2023 due to inability to defend it in a scheduled match

Savannah Sweet  | 1  | May 27, 2023  | Covington, Kentucky | Won at the "Revolution Rising II: Queens of the Midwest" all-women's event
Riley Matthews  | 1  | April 27, 2024  | West Union, Ohio

## Rookies of the Year

[edit]

* 1994-Molly McShane[3]
* 1995-Regina Hale[3]
* 1996-Joanie Laurer/Lee (AKA Chyna)[3]
* 1997-Brandi "Babydoll" Collins[3]
* 1998-Strawberry Fields[3]
* 1999-Sweet Destiny (AKA Little Jeanne)[3][9]
* 2000-Amber Holly[3] (AKA Amber O'Neil)
* 2001-Mia Martinez[3]
* 2002-Christie Ricci[3]
* 2003-Venus[3]

RotY retired

* 2019-Nikki Victory (RotY award revived)
* 2020-Elizabeth
* 2021-Kasey Fox
* 2022-Riley Matthews
* 2023-Savannah Sweet

## RingStar Award Winners

[edit]

* 2023-Nikki Victory (inaugural award)

## See also

[edit]

* Sports portal

* List of women's wrestling promotions

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g Selke, Lori (March 1, 2007). "Plenty of pain and gain". Curve. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
2. ^ a b c d "Pippa L'Vinn to Face Nikki Roxx in England". GLORY Wrestling. April 13, 2005. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "PGWA Announces 2003 Rookie of the Year". GLORY Wrestling. January 14, 2004. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
4. ^ "Summer Heat Video Now Available". GLORY Wrestling. August 17, 2004. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
5. ^ "Chick Fight VIP Tickets". GLORY Wrestling. October 25, 2004. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
6. ^ "Professional Girl Wrestling Association announces Susan Green as new commissioner". Indy Wrestling News. November 10, 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
7. ^ Johnson, Steven (August 8, 2007). "Return of a "Glamour Girl"". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
8. ^ "Lexie Fyfe's profile". GLORY Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
9. ^ Sokol, Chris (August 11, 2004). "Little Jeanne's destiny is old-school". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved 2008-11-04.

## External links

[edit]

* LadySports Official Website
* Pippa L'Vinn interview

* 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
* Empire Wrestling Federation
* Exodus Pro Wrestling
* Full Impact Pro
* Game Changer Wrestling
* Hoodslam
* House of Glory
* Independent Wrestling Federation
* Innovate Pro Wrestling
* Juggalo Championship Wrestling
* Kaiju Big Battel
* Keystone State Wrestling Alliance
* Main Event Championship Wrestling
* MCW Pro Wrestling
* Northeast Wrestling
* Ohio Valley Wrestling
* PCW Ultra
* Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
* 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
* Georgia Championship Wrestling
* 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

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