Prairie Wrestling Alliance
{{Infobox wrestling promotion
|name=Prairie Wrestling Alliance
|image=Prairie Wrestling Alliance.jpg
|acronym=PWA
|folded= 2022
|style=American Wrestling
|location=Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
|founder=Kurt Sorochan
Tex Gaines
Hercules Ayala
|owner=Kurt Sorochan Nizar Watfa
|parent=
|sister=
|formerly=
|website= {{URL|http://www.pwawrestling.ca}}
}}
The Prairie Wrestling Alliance (PWA, formerly Prairie Wrestling Association){{cite web |url= http://www.cagematch.net/?id=8&nr=641|title=Prairie Wrestling Alliance (PWA)|publisher=cagematch.net}} was a independent wrestling promotion based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and founded 2001. The PWA was co-owned, operated, and promoted by Kurt Sorochan.{{Cite web|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2008/06/07/promoters-ponder-pros-and-cons-of-bringing-in-big-names/|title = Promoters ponder pros and cons of bringing in big names| date=7 June 2008 }} Lance Storm is a former booker with the promotion.
History
The PWA was established in March 2001 by Kurt Sorochan, Tex Gaines, and Hercules Ayala.{{Cite web|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2005/06/16/pwa-continuing-to-grow/|title=PWA continuing to grow|author=Clevett, Jason|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=2010-02-28|date=June 16, 2005}} Their first shows were outside of Edmonton due to the difficulty of getting a promoter's license. Their first show in Edmonton drew over 700 people.
In 2003, they put on monthly events, which got mostly good reviews. The following year in 2004, however, they put on fewer shows due to scheduling conflicts.{{cite web|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2004/10/12/bulldogs-ironmen-at-pwa-show/|title=Bulldogs Ironmen at PWA show|author=Clevett, Jason|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=2010-02-28|date=October 12, 2004}} The company relaunched its shows in October 2004 with Night of Champions.
The PWA currently runs shows monthly in Edmonton, AB at the Northgate Lions Senior Recreation Center & Calgary, AB at the Century Casino.{{cite web |url=http://www.pwawrestling.ca/ |title=Home |website=pwawrestling.ca}} On January 20, 2014, the PWA announced that they would start running shows in Red Deer, AB on May 22, 2014.{{Cite web|url=http://pwawrestling.ca/?p=1375|title=73 Wrestling Wallpapers for FREE}} On May 31, 2014, the PWA ran its first show in Lloydminster Sask/Ab.
The PWA closed down in 2022.
Alumni
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
- Michael Allen Richard Clark
- Shaun Moore
- "The Thickness" Reid Matthews
- Brandon Van Danielson
- "God's Gift to Wrestling" Michael Richard Blais
- Jack Pride
- "The Omen" Gabriel Lestat
- Mephisto
- Sheik Akbar Shabaz
- Chris Steele
- Kenneth Anthony
- Jeff Tyler
- Bobby Sharp
- Kenny Stryker
- Aiden Adams
- Colton Kelly
- "Kid Chocolate" Mo Jabari
- Nightmare
- The Titan
- "Spaceman" Beri Grayson
- Maxton Flexwell
- El Asesino
{{div col end}}
=Women=
- Kat Von Heez
- Zoë Sager
- Gigi Ray
- Taryn from Accounting
=Managers=
- Dr. Kyoto - Millennial Rebels
- Thaddeus Archer III - M.A.R.C & Andy Anderson
=Factions=
- The Western Lions: Michael Richard Blais/Brandon Van Danielson
- The Millennial Rebels: Kenneth Anthony/Colton Kelly/Dr. Kyoto
- The Above Average Joes: Kenny Stryker/Aiden Adams/Zoë Sager
Staff
=Referees=
- Michael "The Fitz" Fitzpatrick
- Robert Young
- Gregory Thomas
=Announcers=
- What About Ivan
- Big Bad Boris
=Commissioners=
- Edmonton: Thaddeus Archer III
- Calgary: Duke Durrango
Alumni
=Male wrestlers=
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
- Abdullah the Butcher
- Booker T
- Bully Ray
- Bushwacker Luke
- Colt Cabana
- Christian Cage
- Johnny Devine{{cite web|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2004/01/07/a-look-at-western-canadian-wrestling-in-2003/|title=A look at Western Canadian Wrestling in 2003|author=Clevett, Jason|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=2010-02-28|date=January 8, 2004}}
- Devon
- Mick Foley
- Teddy Hart
- Homicide
- Frankie Kazarian
- Jay Lethal
- Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart
- Samoa Joe
- Tiger Singh(Jinder Mahal){{cite web|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2010/02/23/tiger-raj-singh-ready-for-wwe-experience/|title=Tiger Raj Singh ready for WWE experience|author=Oliver, Greg|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=2010-02-28|date=February 23, 2010}}
- Harry Smith
- Al Snow
- A.J. Styles
- TJ Wilson
- Apoc
- Mattias Wild
- Lance Storm
- Ravenous Randy
- Rohan Raja
- Amir Jordan
- Brett Morgan
{{div col end}}
=Female wrestlers=
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
- Nattie Neidhart
- Velvet Sky
- Angelina Love
- Maria Kanellis
- Mickie James
- KC Cassidy
- Krysta Lynn Scott
- Rachael Ellering
- Gisele Shaw
{{div col end}}
PWA Hall of Fame
The PWA Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame maintained by the Prairie Wrestling Alliance. It was established in 2008 to honor select wrestling personalities, mostly alumni of the Edmonton-based promotion. The induction ceremony for the Class of 2008, the inaugural inductees into the Hall of Fame, took place at the PWA's "Night of Champions VI" held at the NAIT Gymnasium on June 20, 2008. Duke Durango, a longtime "journeyman" wrestler and former PWA Champion, led the class, which included Stampede Wrestling mainstays Hercules Ayala, The Cuban Assassin, The Great Gama and Gerry Morrow.{{cite web |url=http://www.pwawrestling.ca/main.html |title=Christian Cage and Al Snow set to headline Night of Champions! Great Gama, Cuban Assassin, Gerry Morrow and Hercules Ayala to join PWA Hall of Fame! Friday, June 20! |author= |date=June 2008 |website=PWAWrestling.ca |publisher=Prairie Wrestling Alliance |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080615124746/http://www.pwawrestling.ca/main.html |archive-date=June 15, 2008}}
| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 100%"
! width="1%"|# ! width="1%"|Year ! width="15%"|Ring name ! width="10%"|Inducted by ! width="10%"|Inducted for ! class="unsortable"| Notes{{Ref label|Notes|b|b}} |
| align="center"|{{sort|01|1}}
| align="center"|2008 | {{sort|Durango, Duke|Duke Durango}}{{cite AV media | people=Sorochan, Kurt (Host) | date=September 17, 2013 | title=2013 PWA Hall of Fame Ceremony | url = https://youtube.com/watch?v=QJTNDIwRHZg | medium=DVD | location=Edmonton, Alberta | publisher=YouTube}} | 2008 | Won the PWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time) |
| align="center"|{{sort|02|2}}
| align="center"|2008 | {{sort|Ayala, Hercules|Hercules Ayala}} | | Co-founder of the Prairie Wrestling Alliance; longtime mainstay of Stampede Wrestling{{cite web |url=http://wincolumnsports.ca/stampede-wrestling-legend-hercules-ayala-passes-away-at-69/ |title=Stampede Wrestling Legend Hercules Ayala Passes Away at 69 |last=Love |first=Spencer |date=January 23, 2020 |website=Win Column Sports Network }} |
| align="center"|{{sort|03|3}}
| align="center"|2008 | {{sort|Great Gama, The|The Great Gama}} | | |
| align="center"|{{sort|04|4}}
| align="center"|2008 | {{sortname|Gerry|Morrow}} | | |
| align="center"|{{sort|05|5}}
| align="center"|2008 | {{sort|Cuban Assassin, The|The Cuban Assassin}} | | |
| align="center"|{{sort|06|6}}
| align="center"|2009 | {{sort|Thunder, Red|Red Thunder}}{{cite web |url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2009/07/07/rain-doesnt-dampen-edmonton-supershow/ |title=Rain doesn't dampen Edmonton supershow |last=Clevett |first=Jason |date=July 7, 2009 |website=Canadian Online Explorer |publisher=SLAM! Wrestling }} | | Won the PWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (1 time) |
| align="center"|{{sort|07|7}}
| align="center"|2009 | {{sortname|Johnny|Devine}} | | Won the PWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (1 time) |
| align="center"|{{sort|08|8}}
| align="center"|2009 | {{sort|Fitzpatrick, Michael|Michael Fitzpatrick}} | | |
| align="center"|{{sort|09|9}}
| align="center"|2010 | {{sort|Taylor, Phoenix|Phoenix Taylor}}{{cite web |url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2010/06/20/championship-calibre-matches-make-pwa-supercard/ |title=Championship calibre matches make PWA Supercard |last=Clevett |first=Jason |date=June 20, 2010 |website=Canadian Online Explorer |publisher=SLAM! Wrestling |access-date= January 16, 2018}} | | Won the PWA Championship (1 time), PWA Commonwealth Championship (1 time) and PWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) |
| align="center"|{{sort|10|10}}
| align="center"|2010 | {{sort|Steele, Chris|Chris Steele}} | | Won the PWA Championship (3 times) and PWA Tag Team Championship (2 times) |
| align="center"|{{sort|11|11}}
| align="center"|2010 | {{sort|Hart family|Hart family}}{{cite web |url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2010/06/16/booker-t-enjoying-life-away-from-the-spotlight/ |title=Booker T enjoying life away from the spotlight |last=Clevett |first=Jason |date=June 16, 2010 |website=Canadian Online Explorer |publisher=SLAM! Wrestling |access-date=January 16, 2018}} | | |
| align="center"|{{sort|12|12}}
| align="center"|2011 | {{sort|Mark, Marky|Marky Mark}}{{cite web |url=http://heat.rentathugcomics.com/2011/04/19/pwa-hysteria-show-review-2/ |title=PWA Hysteria Show Review |last=Martin |first=Jeff |date=April 19, 2011 |website=RentAThugComics.com |publisher=Heat: The Space Age of Pro Wrestling }} | | Won the PWA Mayhem Championship (1 time), PWA Cruiserweight Championship (1 time) and PWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (2 times) |
| align="center"|{{sort|13|13}}
| align="center"|2011 | {{sort|Gaines, Tex|Tex Gaines}} | | Co-founder of the Prairie Wrestling Alliance |
| align="center"|{{sort|14|14}}
| align="center"|2011 | {{sort|Sorochan, Kurt|Kurt Sorochan}} | | Co-founder of the Prairie Wrestling Alliance |
| align="center"|{{sort|0|N/A}}
| align="center"|N/A | {{sortname|Samoa|Joe}} | | |
| align="center"|{{sort|0|N/A}}
| align="center"|N/A | {{sort|Sorochan, Jeanette|Jeanette Sorochan}} | | | |
| align="center"|{{sort|0|N/A}}
| align="center"|N/A | {{sort|Roznicki, Janie|Janie Roznicki}} | | | |
| align="center"|{{sort|15|15}}
| align="center"|2013 | {{sort|Sgt. Hazard|Sgt. Hazard}} | Kurt Sorochan | Co-founder of the Prairie Wrestling Alliance |
| align="center"|{{sort|16|16}}
| align="center"|2013 | {{sort|Boris, Big Bad|Big Bad Boris}} | Kurt Sorochan | Promoting and Television Production | Longtime head of production for the Prairie Wrestling Alliance |
| align="center"|{{sort|17|17}}
| align="center"|2013 | {{sort|Adonis, Dusty|Dusty Adonis}} | Kurt Sorochan | Won the PWA Cruiserweight Championship (3 times) |
- {{note label|birthname|a|a}} – Entries without a birth name indicates that the inductee did not perform under a ring name.
- {{note label|Notes|b|b}} – This section mainly lists the major accomplishments of each inductee in the promotion.
=Defunct championships=
| class="wikitable"
!Championship !Final Champion(s) !Previous !Event !Date Won !Location |
| PWA Championship
|Chris Steele |Michael Allen Richard Clark |PWA Battle at the Dome 2 |March 5, 2022 |Calgary, AB |
| PWA Commonwealth Title
|Shaun Moore |PWA Night of Champions |June 22, 2019 |Edmonton, AB |
| PWA Canadian Tag Team Titles
|The Above Average Joes (Kenny Stryker & Aiden Adams) |The League (Davey O'Doyle & Brayden Parsons) |PWA Night of Champions |June 22, 2019 |Edmonton, AB |
| PWA Mayhem Title
|"The Thickness" Reid Matthews |Kenneth Anthony |PWA Fruition |February 23, 2019 |Edmonton, AB |
| PWA Women's Title
|Zoe Sager |GiGi Rey |PWA Battle at the Dome 2 |March 5, 2022 |Calgary, AB |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://pwawrestling.ca/ PWA Official Website]
{{Professional wrestling in Canada}}
Category:2001 establishments in Alberta