World Wrestling Association (Indianapolis)

American professional wrestling promotion (1964–1989)

For other uses, see World Wrestling Association (disambiguation).

World Wrestling AssociationAcronym| WWA

|

Founded| March 1964[1]
Defunct| 1989
Style| American wrestling
Headquarters| Indiana
Founder(s)| Dick the Bruiser[2]
Wilbur Snyder[2]
Owner(s)| Dick the Bruiser
Wilbur Snyder
Parent| WWE Libraries
Sister| Powerful Women of Wrestling
Split from| NWA Indianapolis

The World Wrestling Association was an Indianapolis-based professional wrestling promotion which was operated by Dick the Bruiser and his business partner Wilbur Snyder.[1][2] It was affiliated with the larger American Wrestling Association and recognized its champions, along with its own and those of the Indianapolis-based Powerful Women of Wrestling. It ran from 1964 to 1989.

## History

[edit]

The World Wrestling Association (WWA), operating under the legal name Championship Wrestling of Indiana, Inc., was established in 1964 by William Afflis and Wilbur Snyder.[1][2] The duo purchased the Indianapolis NWA promotion in 1964 from its longtime owner Jim Barnett, who at that time was attempting to start up a promotion in Australia. The name of the promotion was taken from the former promotions in the Chicago and Los Angeles areas.[2]

In 1965, the WWA purchased the Chicago-based Fred Kohler Enterprises from Fred Kohler. In May of the same year, the promotion ceased promoting events in Detroit.

The promotion developed wrestlers such as Bobby Heenan and amateur wrestler Greg Wojciechowski. Wojciechowski wrestled for the WWA under the name "The Great Wojo" and held the WWA World Heavyweight Championship three times.[3] In later years, Scott Steiner got his start in the WWA under his real name, Scott Rechsteiner.

A talent sharing agreement with American Wrestling Association (AWA) head (and longtime champion) Verne Gagne brought forth other talent, including The Crusher and Baron von Raschke. The WWA also put on joint wrestling events with the AWA starting in 1966. In 1971, the WWA returned to promoting events in Detroit in competition with the NWA Detroit until 1975.

The WWA tried to make a go of it in the mid-1980s, when Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation (WWF) was buying regional promotions across the country, but the Bruiser's advancing age and the talent drain to the WWF were too much, and the WWA ceased promoting matches in 1989.

## Championships

[edit]

* WWA World Heavyweight Championship[3]
* WWA World Tag Team Championship[3]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Regional Territories: WWA-Indianapolis - Intro". Kayfabe Memories. Retrieved 2009-08-23.
2. ^ a b c d e "Regional Territories: WWA-Indianapolis". Kayfabe Memories. Retrieved 2009-08-23.
3. ^ a b c Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.

## References

[edit]

* Lentz III, Harris M. (2003). Biographical Dictionary of Professional Wrestling (2 ed.). McFarland. ISBN 0786417544.

## External links

[edit]

* WWAsuperstarwrestling.com
* WWA title histories at Wrestling-Titles.com
* World Wrestling Association alumni at Cagematch.net
* World Wrestling Association alumni at OWW.com
* World Wrestling Association alumni at Wrestlingdata.com

* 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
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* PCW Ultra
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* Premiere Wrestling Xperience
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* 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
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* TNA Xplosion
* WWE Evolve
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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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