The world of professional wrestling has a rich and complex history, with various promotions and organizations shaping its evolution. Among these are "outlaw promotions," which operated outside the established National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territory system, and the unique spectacle of midget wrestling. This article delves into the history of these often overlooked aspects of wrestling, exploring their origins, key figures, and impact on the broader wrestling landscape.
Outlaw promotions are traditionally defined as professional wrestling promotions not affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance, not recognizing the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and promoting shows in direct competition against NWA regional territories. Wrestlers who had been blackballed from the sport or were winding down their career often found a home with such promotions.
This was not always the case, however, as some promotions freely cooperated with the NWA promoters (e.g. National Wrestling Federation) while others operated in areas where there was not an established NWA presence.
Upon its acrimonious exit from the NWA in summer 1983, the World Wrestling Federation became, in effect, an outlaw promotion. Longtime NWA members, such as Jim Crockett Promotions, the Universal Wrestling Federation and World Class Championship Wrestling, left the organization in order to compete with the WWF during the 1980s wrestling boom.
Here is a list of outlaw wrestling promotions in the United States, sorted by regional area, from the 1940s to 1980s. This list does not include pre-1948 groups active during the "Pioneer Era" (1900s-1940s), overseas promotions outside the NWA remit from this period or modern-day "indy promotions".
Read also: Vaudeville and Midget Wrestling
Outlaw Wrestling Promotions in the United States (1940s-1980s)
Outlaw promotions typically operated in areas within the NWA territory system.
Several wrestling stars got their start travelling with Van Fleet including Bearcat Wright, Butcher Vachon, Billy Hines, Kathy Starr and midget wrestler Little Brutus. Toured with fairs and carnivals throughout Canada and the United States. Van Fleet's wife, Violet Ray, was the promotion's women's champion.
Here are some examples of outlaw wrestling promotions:
- Also known as the Canadian Wrestling Association in select Canadian markets.
- Also known as International Wrestling in the Toledo, Ohio area.
- Split with the NWA's St. Louis office.
- Ran against the NWA Detroit office under Ed Farhat for control of northern Ohio.
- Ran against Georgia Championship Wrestling in the mid-1970s.
- Split from Southeastern Championship Wrestling following a dispute with Ron Fuller.
- Merged with the Knoxville, Tennessee-based All-Star Wrestling in September 1979.
- Originally known as Mid-South Wrestling from 1979 to 1986.
- Ran against the NWA's Dallas office under Norman Clark from 1952 to 1953. Originally known as NWA Big Time Wrestling from 1966 to 1982.
- Ran against the NWA's Los Angeles office under Joe Malewicz. Originally known as North American Wrestling Alliance from 1958 to 1961.
Joined the NWA as NWA New England in 1997.[4][6] He was the promoter there until his death in 1999. [4] Dick Caricofe was the promoter until 2020 when COVID-19 started and Chris Evans took over. Caricofe died on May 14, 2021. D. C. Robert J.
Table of Outlaw Wrestling Promoters
Read also: High-Flying Action and Controversy
| Promoter Name | Associated Promotion |
|---|---|
| Ed Farhat | NWA Detroit office |
| Ron Fuller | Southeastern Championship Wrestling |
| Norman Clark | NWA's Dallas office |
| Joe Malewicz | NWA's Los Angeles office |
| Dick Caricofe | NWA New England |
The history of TNA is always a delight to look into, and its beginnings is no exception. Allegedly using some of his pay-off money he got from Vince McMahon for a one-night extension to his WWF contract, Jeff Jarrett, with father Jerry, came up with TNA to fill the void left by WCW and ECW, licensing it with the NWA name so it would become the face of that association.
If you couldn’t get into the Fed, or had gotten in only to end up dumped out, Jeff Jarrett had a place for you on his show. It was a world where random, stupid crap could happen at any time due to the idiocy/egos of the people in charge, and the general incompetence of so many others.
We open with a sweet cheap explosion graphic and all-out pyro in the Civic Centre. How does TNA choose to open this brand new era of wrestling amazingness? Why with the entrance of its commentators of course, as we get introduced, one after the other, to Don West, Ed Ferrera (gone in three months due to cutbacks) and Mike Tenay (though Tenay, embarking on a quest to gain the sobriquet “long-suffering”, doesn’t get entrance music).
After Tenay spends way too long explaining how the later battle royal will work, we go to Jeremy Borash in the ring, with that amazing blonde dye job and fresh from being involved in the super-dodgy World Wrestling All-Stars promotion, to introduce the legends of NWA “because we respect the legends of wrestling”. Harley Race is out first, followed by Dory Funk Jr, Jackie Fargo, “Bullet” Bob Armstrong, Corsica Joe with Sarah Lee, NWA Vice-President Bill Behrins (who comes out too quickly and runs into the Joe and Lee), and Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat.
Anyway, Steamboat is here, with the vacant NWA World Championship, and does his best to hype it up as the ultimate goal for wrestlers everywhere. 20 wrestlers will compete tonight, and Steamboat will be the special ref for the final match.
Read also: Discover the story of Casey Swiderski
The screech of a guitar, and frosted-tips Jeff Jarrett is here . “What the hell is he doing here?!” screams Tenay, just missing “in the Impact Zone!?” for the full meme. Jeff’s intro to TNA involves him burying the chosen method of deciding a new title, because why try and get the crowd hyped for the main event?.
Ken Sideburns, I mean Shamrock is next out. He agrees that the battle royal idea “sucks” - what is with this line of thought from everyone? - but insists that he’ll beat Jarrett. Slower guitars, and the party can get started now because Scott Hall is here, coming through the crowd.
At least TNA are starting with one of their best in Styles, though they are also starting with a stupid comedy faction as his opponent. LOLTNA (4). They’ll be crowning the first X Division Champion in the next show, for which these guys will be competing. Styles won as I recall.
Lynn with a tornado DDT out of the corner, and Don West loses his mind. Lo-Ki, having graced us with his presence on this occasion, is in and man all these guys can go, bumping so well and with no wasted motion. Siaki hits a backbreaker, and Ki sells like he’s been impaled. Sweet springboard, split-legged moonsault from Estrda, and Ki as the face-in-peril is working really well because he’s happy to throw himself around.
Styles with a cool springboard inverted DDT, before a spinning heel kick almost takes his head off again. Estrada gets thrown to the outside so hard he shoves the barricade back a bit.
Verdict: This was great stuff. Crazy fast paced and hard-hitting, and the perfect opener. I would be dying to see more if I was watching this in 2002.
TNA of course, prefers the more inflammatory “midgets” term, because, you guessed it, LOLTNA (5). Crazy, dangerous stuff from the off with these two, like a botched piledriver spot ten seconds in. Hollywood with a top-rope splash for a two count.
The future Mickie James is in there as “Alexis Laree”, Francine from ECW, Daffnee from WCW as “Shannon”, a former Nitro Girl, and a few nobodys.
Backstage, Goldy Locks is with English schoolboy “Mortimer Plumtree”, whose tag team is in action next. If you were waiting for a penis joke, well here you are, with the Johnsons out wearing flesh-coloured body suits. A very well-deserved LOLTNA (6).
Stupid suits aside, the Johnsons are decent monster heels, or at least Psicosis is good at getting chucked around. Cool double team where a Johnson jumps over a prone Psicosis and into a missile drop kick from Storm. Storm in with the hot tag for some slightly awkward offence, before stereo neckhold belly-to-bellies from the Johnsons.
Throughout the match they ran an angle where the ref was getting distracted by “Aleesha”, aka Ryan Shamrock, watching from the entrance ramp. When the match was done he got harangued briefly by her, then gave her some money. What the hell was that about?
Backstage, Goldy Locks is with the “the Dupps”, your latest hillbilly tag team, this one fresh from the streets of ECW. They both have the same girlfriend! Her name is Fluff Dupp, so she’s also related to them or something? Inbred hicks, amiright? LOLTNA (7).
Behrins gives out to them for drinking in the locker room.
Borash introduces some celebrities: Sterling Marlin and Hermie Sadler, both NASCAR drivers. Tenay has to bend over backwards to explain that Marlin is the NASCAR equivalent of a NWA World Champion.
Some members of the crowd are big into this, the rest really don’t care. Marlin gives the worlds most bland sports interview, and then out comes K-Krush, aka K-Kwik, aka Ron Killings, aka R-Truth,who was a major player in early TNA as I recall. He’s certainly in awesome shape.
Krush is annoyed about Marlin being called an athlete when all he does is sit in a car and turn left (true). Sadler steps up and really treads the line by saying Krush can’t be taken seriously because of “how he looks”. Suddenly it’s Brian Christopher (full-on identified as “Grand Master Sexay from the WWF” by Tenay) to make the save!
Joey Matthews is the future Joey Mercury, Stan Dupp is the future Trevor Murdoch. Dupps on offence early, before York floors both with a duel dropkick. Bo is the heavy hitter of the Dupps, but ruins it a bit with a whiffed big boot. Matthews the face-in-peril for all of 30 seconds before York comes in on the hot tag. Real obvious whiff of a punch during his rampage.
Some fast-paced back-and-forth, before Matthews gives Stan a Cactus Clothesline over the rope where Stan looks like he hits the apron head first on the way down.
We get an extended look at the latest single from country-western singer Toby Keith, because someone had to pay for the pyro. And guess who is here to sing in person? You know the Jarrett’s are in charge when this stuff is getting so many minutes.
Keith sings for a long time, until Jeff Jarrett finally comes out to steal his guitar and run him down (thank God). And the crowd is furious, thus making Keith the most over guy in the building it would seem. Anyway, Jeff Jarrett demands that Keith go away and that the main event start.
This is a staggered battle royal with 90 seconds between entries, that continues until two men are left, who then have a normal match. An actual clock on-screen, so no WWE-style creative time-keeping.
Jeff Jarrett in first, and your #2 is Buff “the Stuff” Bagwell, who is in like a house on fire. Maybe something to prove after his disastrous WWE run the previous year. #3 is Lash LeRoux, once of WCW. Jarrett dumps him through the ropes and into he barricades. Back in, the Stroke, and over the top he goes.
#4 is Norman Smiley! Ah hell yes. Jarrett dominates him easily enough at first, but Smiley gets a big reaction with a body slam. Double J ruins it with a low-blow, and out he goes.
#5 is Apolo, a Puerto Rican veteran. Has the upper hand on Jarrett, hits a neckbreaker, and nearly has Jarrett out. Crowd dying for Jarrett to be out, so I guess it’s good heat. Jarrett goes through the middle ropes, but holds on anyway.
#6 is K-Krush, and Apolo awkwardly holds Jarrett in a press position way too long waiting for Krush to come in and make the save. Why he makes the save is another question entirely. Krush and Jarrett able to double-team Apolo.
#7 is Slash who they say worked for WWF but I’ve never heard of him. Things slow down a bit now as the ring fills. Apolo is about to press-slam Slash out, but Jarrett stops him, confusing the commentators.
#8 is Del Rios, a bodybuilding champion. Slash bites the forehead of Del Rios because he’s a crazy occultist, or something. Del Rios leans into the Scott Steiner imitation with a belly-to-belly suplex.
#9 is Justice, the future Abyss. Takes a few down with a big boot, but looks gassed very quickly. Still able to give a “side slam” - aka the Black Hole Slam - to Del Rios.
#10 is Konnan, who gets a huge reaction. No eliminations for a while.
#11 is late out, and it’s…Bruce?. Introduced with a poem. Very confused by this one, he’s from the “Rainbow Express”? Comes out arm-in-arm with another guy? Is this a gay joke? Gotta be a LOLTNA (8).
#12 is Rick Steiner. I think his brother was still on that awful WWE run at this time? Steiner drops Slash out, and follows that up with Justice, before knocking Jarrett down.
#13 is Malice, better known as The Wall (Brother!) from WCW. He’s another from James Mitchell’s creepy church. He lays out a few with chokeslams, and chucks Bruce, then Krush, then Del Rios, though the last one takes a few seconds to get over the rope.
#14 is Scott Hall, wearing “Kliq” trunks. Apolo nails Malice with a sweet super-kick. Hall tying up with Jarrett, and hits the Razor’s Edge to a big reaction.
#15 is Toby Keith? He gives Jarrett a suplex to a huge reaction. Looked safe too, so fair play to him. And Jarrett is tossed out by Hall, and the crowd goes wild, while Ferrara is raging on commentary. Keith leaves the ring to stalk Jarrett, so I guess he’s out too? Or was never a competitor to begin with. Commentary doesn’t even bother trying to explain this, so LOLTNA (9).
Hall and Apolo teaming up to take on Malice. The real #15 is Chris Harris, and #16 is out straightaway too, the Vampire Warrior, aka Gangrel.
#17 is Devon Storm, aka Crowbar. I’m not just giving these guys their old names for the craic, Mike Tenay is outlining them just in case you need a reason to care. Hall chilling out on the top rope.
tags: #midget #wrestling #huntsville #al