World Championship Wrestling (Australia)

Australian professional wrestling company

This article is about the Australian professional wrestling promotion. For the American professional wrestling promotion, see World Championship Wrestling.

World Championship Wrestling

Acronym| WCW
Founded| 1964
Defunct| 1978
Headquarters| Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Owner(s)| Jim Barnett
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Professional wrestling

History

* History of professional wrestling
* By year
* Early wrestling championships
* Gold Dust Trio
* 1980s boom
* Black Saturday
* 1994 NWA World Title Tournament
* Monday Night War
* Attitude Era
* 2000 All Japan Pro Wrestling mass exodus
* The Invasion
* Wednesday Night Wars

Notable promotions

* All Elite Wrestling
* All Japan Pro Wrestling
* All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling
* All Star Wrestling
* American Wrestling Association
* Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
* Extreme Championship Wrestling
* DDT Pro-Wrestling
* Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
* Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling
* Jim Crockett Promotions
* Joint Promotions
* Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide
* Major League Wrestling
* Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling
* National Wrestling Alliance
* New Japan Pro-Wrestling
* Pro Wrestling Noah
* Ring of Honor
* Soft Ground Wrestling
* Stampede Wrestling
* Titanes en el ring
* Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling
* Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
* UWF International
* Women of Wrestling
* World Championship Wrestling (Australia)
* World Championship Wrestling (United States)
* World Wonder Ring Stardom
* WWE
* Raw
* SmackDown
* NXT
* Evolve
* Others

Notable men

Early 20th century (Before 1949)

* Bert Assirati
* Billy Riley
* Billy Sandow
* Ed "Strangler" Lewis
* Frank Gotch
* George Hackenschmidt
* The Great Gama
* Jack Pfefer
* Joe Stecher
* Jim Londos
* Lou Thesz
* Martin "Farmer" Burns
* Orville Brown
* Salvador Lutteroth
* Toots Mondt

Mid 20th century (1950−1969)

* Blue Demon
* Bruno Sammartino
* Buddy Rogers
* Danny Hodge
* Dick "The Destroyer" Beyer
* Édouard Carpentier
* El Santo
* Freddie Blassie
* Gene Kiniski
* Gorgeous George
* Karl Gotch
* Killer Kowalski
* Rikidōzan
* Sam Muchnick
* Stu Hart
* Verne Gagne

1970s

* Abdullah The Butcher
* Akira Maeda
* André the Giant
* Antonio Inoki
* Baron von Raschke
* Big Daddy
* Billy Robinson
* Carlos Colón
* Dory Funk Jr.
* Dusty Rhodes
* Ernie Ladd
* Giant Baba
* Gordon Solie
* Harley Race
* Jack Brisco
* Mil Máscaras
* Negro Navarro
* Nick Bockwinkel
* Terry Funk

1980s

* Bobby Heenan
* Dynamite Kid
* Genichiro Tenryu
* Hulk Hogan
* Jim Crockett Jr.
* Kerry Von Erich
* Randy Savage
* Ric Flair
* Ricky Steamboat
* Roddy Piper
* Satoru Sayama
* Stan Hansen
* Ted DiBiase
* Vince McMahon

1990s

* Akira Taue
* Antonio Peña
* Atsushi Onita
* Bret Hart
* Eric Bischoff
* Jim Ross
* Jushin Liger
* Keiji Muto
* Kenta Kobashi
* Kevin Nash
* Mick Foley
* Mitsuharu Misawa
* Owen Hart
* Paul Heyman
* Rob Van Dam
* Ron Simmons
* Scott Hall
* Shawn Michaels
* Sting
* Steve Austin
* The Rock
* The Undertaker
* Toshiaki Kawada
* Triple H
* Vince Russo

2000s

* AJ Styles
* Batista
* Brock Lesnar
* Chris Jericho
* Eddie Guerrero
* Edge
* Hiroshi Tanahashi
* Jeff Hardy
* Jeff Jarrett
* John Cena
* Kurt Angle
* Místico
* Naomichi Marufuji
* Randy Orton
* Rey Mysterio
* Samoa Joe

2010s−2020s

* Bryan Danielson
* CM Punk
* Cody Rhodes
* Jon Moxley
* Kazuchika Okada
* Kenny Omega
* Nick Khan
* Roman Reigns
* Rossy Ogawa
* Seth Rollins
* Tetsuya Naito
* Tony Khan
* Will Ospreay
* Zack Sabre Jr.

Notable women

Early and Mid 20th century (1900−1974)

* Chabela Romero
* Cora Livingston
* Donna Christanello
* Ethel Johnson
* Irma González
* June Byers
* La Dama Enmascarada
* Mae Young
* Mildred Burke
* The Fabulous Moolah

Late 20th century (1975−1999)

* Aja Kong
* Akira Hokuto
* Bull Nakano
* Chigusa Nagayo
* Chyna
* Dump Matsumoto
* Jackie Sato
* Lady Apache
* Lioness Asuka
* Madusa Miceli
* Manami Toyota
* Megumi Kudo
* Miss Elizabeth
* Sherri Martel
* Wendi Richter

2000s

* Awesome Kong
* Ayako Hamada
* Beth Phoenix
* Faby Apache
* Gail Kim
* Kaori Yoneyama
* Lita
* Madison Eagles
* Marcela
* Nanae Takahashi
* Sara Del Rey
* Stephanie McMahon
* Trish Stratus

2010s

* Alexa Bliss
* Asuka
* Bayley
* Becky Lynch
* Charlotte Flair
* Iyo Sky
* Kairi Sane
* Mayu Iwatani
* Meiko Satomura
* Mercedes Moné
* Princesa Sugehit
* Ronda Rousey

2020s

* Bianca Belair
* Giulia
* Liv Morgan
* Rhea Ripley
* Sareee
* Syuri
* Toni Storm
* Utami Hayashishita

Notable tag teams and stables

Mid 20th century − 1970s

* Assassins
* Blackjacks
* Blond Bombers
* The Duseks
* Fabulous Kangaroos
* First Family
* Kalmikoffs
* Los Misioneros de la Muerte
* Sharpe Brothers
* Valiant Brothers
* Wild Samoans

1980s

* Brain Busters
* British Bulldogs
* Bushwackers
* Crush Gals
* Demolition
* Fabulous Freebirds
* Four Horsemen
* Hart Foundation
* Heenan Family
* Los Infernales
* Mega Powers
* Nasty Boys
* Midnight Express
* Revolution
* Road Warriors
* Rock 'n' Roll Express
* Steiner Brothers

1990s

* Cho-Ten
* Dangerous Alliance
* D-Generation X (New Age Outlaws)
* Doom
* Dudley Brothers and the Dudley Boyz
* Dungeon of Doom
* Harlem Heat
* Heisei Ishingun
* Holy Demon Army
* Jado & Gedo
* Kai En Tai
* Las Cachorras Orientales
* Los Gringos Locos
* Ministry of Darkness
* Miracle Violence Connection
* New World Order (Outsiders)
* Public Enemy

2000s

* Age of the Fall
* Apollo 55
* Beer Money, Inc.
* The Briscoes
* Brothers of Destruction
* Burning
* Colony
* Edge & Christian
* Evolution
* Hardy Boyz
* Kings of Wrestling
* Latin American Xchange
* Los Guerreros
* Main Event Mafia
* Motor City Machine Guns
* Tencozy
* Voodoo Murders

2010s and 2020s

* The Addiction / SCU
* American Wolves
* Blackpool Combat Club / Death Riders
* Bloodline (Usos)
* Bullet Club
* Chaos
* Elite
* FTR
* Golden Lovers
* Judgment Day
* Los Ingobernables (de Japón)
* Los Perros del Mal
* New Day
* Oedo Tai
* Queen's Quest
* Shield
* Undisputed Era (reDRagon)
* Wyatt Family
* Young Bucks

By region

* Australia
* Bolivia
* Canada
* China
* France
* India
* Iran
* Israel
* Japan
* Mexico
* New Zealand
* Puerto Rico
* Russia
* Saudi Arabia
* United Kingdom
* United States

Styles

* British wrestling
* All-in style
* Mountevans rules
* Cruiserweight
* X Division
* French catch
* Hardcore
* Intergender
* Lucha libre
* Midget
* Mini-Estrella
* Puroresu
* Shoot style
* U-Kei
* Women's

Concepts

* Attire
* Masks
* Wrestling singlet
* Wrestling shoe
* Blading
* Championship
* World Heavyweight
* Dirt sheet
* Glossary of terms
* Kayfabe
* Gimmick
* Face
* Heel
* Shoot
* Heat
* Job
* Push
* House show
* Match types
* Music
* Ring name
* Sports entertainment
* Tag team
* Weight classes
* Wrestling ring

Culture

* Backyard wrestling
* Cauliflower Alley Club
* Cauliflower ear
* Comic books
* Fantasy wrestling
* Films
* Luchador films
* Magazines
* Paintings
* Gustave Courbet
* Thomas Eakins
* William Etty
* George Luks
* Rib
* Ribera Steakhouse
* Ten-bell salute
* Video games
* Wrestling personalities in politics
* Zubaz

Media outlets

* Botchamania
* Box y Lucha
* Dark Side of the Ring
* Fighting Spirit Magazine
* Live Audio Wrestling
* OSW Review
* Power Slam
* Pro Wrestling Illustrated
* Solowrestling
* Súper Luchas
* WrestleCrap
* Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Controversies

* Animals in professional wrestling
* Chris Benoit double-murder and suicide
* David Arquette in WCW
* Death of Owen Hart
* Fingerpoke of Doom
* Killing of Bruiser Brody
* Killing of Rikidōzan
* Mass Transit incident
* Montreal Screwjob
* Premature deaths
* Ring boy scandal
* Speaking Out
* United States v. McMahon
* Vince McMahon sex trafficking scandal
* WWE–Saudi Arabia relationship

Lists

* Attendance records
* Championships
* Families
* Halls of fame
* Matches rated 5 or more stars by Dave Meltzer
* Moves
* Promotions
* Rivalries
* Rosters
* TV shows
* Wrestling families

Related topics

* Combat sport
* Comparison of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts
* Martial arts
* Mock combat
* Pankration
* Shootfighting
* Sport wrestling
* Amateur
* Catch
* Shoot
* Submission
* Lancashire
* Luta Livre
* Pehlwani
* Stage combat
* Theatre
* Theatresports

* v
* t
* e

World Championship Wrestling was an Australian professional wrestling promotion that ran from 1964 until 1978.

## History

[edit]

The promotion gained publicity through television programs on the Nine Network, which were presented at noon on Saturdays and Sundays.

An average of 6,500 people attended in the first three months of the promotion's existence, a crowd of 8,000 attended a show on 7 November in Melbourne when the first title change in the new promotion took place as Dominic De Nucci defeated Killer Kowalski. WCW also promoted throughout Southeast Asia, particularly in Singapore and Hong Kong.

When WCW began operations in 1964, the promotion created the International Wrestling Alliance as a sanctioning body for WCW's original championships, the IWA World Heavyweight and World Tag Team Championships. WCW joined the National Wrestling Alliance in August 1969, but they continued to recognise the IWA World championships until 1971, when they were abandoned in favor of new NWA-sanctioned titles (see below).

In 1978, the Nine Network ceased coverage of WCW; with no TV coverage, promoters were facing financial ruin, leading to the decline of professional wrestling in Australia. The "World Championship Wrestling" name was reused in 1982 by Georgia Championship Wrestling in the United States for its own TV program, which became the roots of the American promotion of the same name. At the time, the promotion's former owner, Jim Barnett, was one of the owners of Georgia Championship Wrestling.

Documentaries about the promotion were released in 2007 called Ruff, Tuff N Real[1] and Over the Top Rope in 2017.[2]

## Roster

[edit]

* Jack Little
* Michael Cleary
* Paul Jennings
* Tony Marino

### Wrestlers

[edit]

* Abdullah the Butcher
* Alex Iakovidis
* Allan Pinfold
* "Amazing Antonino Argentino" Rocca
* André the Giant
* Andreas Lambrakis
* Angelo "Little Jumping Joe" Savoldi
* Antonio Pugliese
* Apache Bull Ramos
* Art Nelson
* Big Bad John
* Blackjack Slade
* Brute Bernard
* Bugsy McGraw
* Bulldog Brower
* Bruiser Brody
* Bruno Sammartino
* Butcher Brannigan
* Bobby Shane
* Bob Blassie
* Bob Ragan
* Bob Roop
* Ciclón Negro
* Chief Big Heart
* Chief Billy White Wolf
* Clyde Steeves
* Con Dandos
* Con Tolios[3]
* “Cowboy” Bob Ellis
* Czaya Nandor
* Dale Lewis
* Dennis McCord
* Dennis Stamp
* Dick Dunn
* Dick Murdoch
* Dominic DeNucci
* Don Carson
* Donna Christianello
* Dr. Jerry Graham
* Dusty Rhodes
* Efride Dengler
* El Greco
* Evelyn Stevens
* George Barnes
* George Gouliovas
* George Julio
* George Lackey
* George Trikilis
* The Golden Terror
* The Great Mephisto
* Hans Schroeder
* Harley Race
* "Haystacks" Calhoun
* Jack Claybourne
* Jack Brisco
* Jerry Brisco
* Jan Jansen
* Jimmy Golden
* John da Silva
* John Tolios[4]
* Johnny Gray
* Kevin Martin
* [5]Ken Medlin
* Killer Karl Kox
* Killer Kowalski
* King Curtis Iaukea
* Larry Hennig
* Larry O'Dea
* Lars Anderson
* Len Holt
* Lenny Hayter
* Les Roberts
* Lorenzo Parente
* Lou Liotta
* Mario Milano
* Mark Lewin
* Max Steyne
* Max Tamboola
* Michael Cleary
* The Missouri Mauler
* Moose Morowski
* Murphy the Surfie
* Mr. Fuji
* Mr Wrestling
* Nikita Kalmikoff
* Ox Baker
* Pat Barrett Paddy
* Pat Patterson
* Paulette Giret
* Peter Scalise
* Peter Spence
* "Playboy" Gary Hart
* Ray Stevens
* Red Bastien
* Ricky Wallace
* Ripper Collins
* Ron Miller
* Roy Heffernan
* Sheik Wadi Ayoub
* Skandor Akbar
* Skull Murphy
* Sonny Dalton
* Spike Robson
* Spiros Arion
* The Spoiler
* Steve Hardy
* Steve Rackman
* The Medics (Bob Griffin and Dale Lewis)
* Tiger Singh
* Tex McKenzie
* The Tojo Brothers (Hiro 'The Great' Tojo and Hito Tojo)
* Tony Kontellis
* Tony Parisi
* The Von Steiger Brothers
* Waldo Von Erich
* Ron Fuller

## Championships

[edit]

Championship:  | Final champion(s):  | Active From:  | Active Till:  | Notes:

|
|
|
|

IWA-sanctioned championships
IWA World Heavyweight Championship | King Curtis Iaukea | October 1964  | 1971  | WCW joined the NWA in August 1969, but continued recognizing its own world champion until 1971.[6]
IWA World Tag Team Championship | Kurt and Karl Von Steiger | June 1966  | 1971  | [6]
NWA-sanctioned championships
NWA Austra-Asian Heavyweight Championship | Ron Miller | 28 April 1972  | December 1978  | [6]
NWA Austra-Asian Tag Team Championship | André the Giant and Ron Miller | 2 December 1972  | December 1978  | [6]

## See also

[edit]

* Australia portal

* Professional wrestling in Australia
* List of professional wrestling organisations in Australia

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Ruff Tuff and Real: Legends of Australian Wrestling (Video 2007) - IMDb". IMDb.
2. ^ "Over The Top Rope".
3. ^ "Con Tolios - Online World of Wrestling". Archived from the original on 22 November 2012.
4. ^ "John Tolios - Online World of Wrestling". Archived from the original on 22 November 2012.
5. ^ "Ken Medlin - Online World of Wrestling". Archived from the original on 20 November 2012.
6. ^ a b c d Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.

## External links

[edit]

* Media Man

* v
* t
* e

Professional wrestling in Australia

Promotions|

| Current|

* Impact Pro Wrestling Australia
* Melbourne City Wrestling
* Riot City Wrestling
* World Series Wrestling

|

Former|

* AWA Superstars of Wrestling
* Hulkamania: Let The Battle Begin
* I-Generation Superstars of Wrestling
* Pro Wrestling Women's Alliance
* World Championship Wrestling
* World Wrestling All-Stars
* Wrestling Alliance of Australia

Australian championships|

* Australian Heavyweight Championship
* Australian Light Heavyweight Championship
* Australian Middleweight Championship
* Australian Tag Team Championship
* NWA Austra-Asian Heavyweight Championship
* NWA Austra-Asian Tag Team Championship
* NWA Australasian Heavyweight Championship
* NWA Australasian Tag Team Championship
* NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship (Australian version)
* World Brass Knuckles Championship (Australian version)
* World Light Heavyweight Championship (Australian version)
* WSW World Heavyweight Championship

Other|

* Impact Down Under Tour
* WWE in Australia

* v
* t
* e

National Wrestling Alliance

Championships|

| World|

* World's Heavyweight (reigns)
* World Television (reigns)
* World Tag Team (reigns)
* World Junior Heavyweight (reigns)

|

National|

* National Heavyweight (reigns)
* Mid-America Heavyweight (reigns)
* United States Tag Team (reigns)

Women's|

* Women's (reigns)
* Women's Television (reigns)
* Women's Tag Team (reigns)

Programming|

| Current|

* Powerrr

|

Former|

* Primetime Live
* Shockwave
* USA

Pay-per-view and major events|

| Current Signature Live Events|

* Anniversary Show
* Crockett Cup
* Hard Times
* Samhain

|

Pop-Up Events|

* New Years Clash
* By Any Means Necessary
* PowerrrTrip
* 1
* 2
* The World is a Vampire: NWA vs. AAA

Historical events|

* 312
* Alwayz Ready
* Back for the Attack
* Back to the Territories
* Break the Barrier
* EmPowerrr
* Into the Fire
* Looks That Kill
* Nuff Said
* Paranoia
* Shockwave
* Superbowl of Wrestling
* When Our Shadows Fall
* World Wrestling Peace Festival
* Wrestling Summit
* Pay-per-view and closed circuit events (1983–1990)
* Pay-per-view events (2002–2004)

Home bases|

* GPB Studios

Notable acquisitions|

* Houston Wrestling (video library)

Partnerships|

* All Japan Pro Wrestling
* Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide
* Ohio Valley Wrestling
* WWE

Current territories|

* NWA Chicago
* NWA Exodus Pro Midwest
* NWA JCP Southeast
* NWA Kross Fire
* NWA New Mexico
* NWA Texas
* NWA World League Wrestling

Former partners|

* All Elite Wrestling
* Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
* Global Force Wrestling
* Pro Wrestling USA
* American Wrestling Association
* National Wrestling Federation
* New Japan Pro-Wrestling
* Ring of Honor
* Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
* United Wrestling Network
* Championship Wrestling from Hollywood
* Combat Zone Wrestling
* World Championship Wrestling

Related|

* All In
* Attendance records
* Billy Corgan
* Current champions
* Former territories
* Hall of Fame
* Hall of Heroes
* NWA All Access
* NWA (stable)
* Pinkie George
* Sam Muchnick
* Wrestling at the Chase

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States

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