Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance
Encyclopedia
The Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance (IPWA, sometimes shortened to the Independent Pro Wrestling Alliance) was an American
independent
professional wrestling promotion
that held events in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States
, especially in the Carolinas and Virginia, from October 1995 to February 2001, when it was run by Cueball Carmichael
and Kevin Carson. The promotion was based in Chincoteague Island, Virginia, with offices in Alexandria
and Fairfax, Virginia
.
It was the first successful independent promotion in the region, along with W.D. Woody's Ultimate Championship Wrestling, rivaling long-running territory-era promoters Mike and Denny Million (All-American Wrestling), Bob Ross (American Championship Wrestling), and James Wells (North American Wrestling Alliance) during the mid-to late 1990s.
The promotion featured a number of independent stars during its six years in operation including Johnny Gunn
, Jimmy Cicero
, Lance Diamond
, Corporal Punishment
, Julio Sanchez, Steve Corino
, Adam Flash
, and Death & Destruction (Frank Parker & Roger Anderson). One-time NWA regional star Buddy Landel
and The Headbangers
(Headbanger Mosh & Headbanger Thrasher) from the World Wrestling Federation were also regulars during the IPWA's early years. In addition, its wrestling school, run by Carmichael and Jimmy Cicero, was responsible for training Jacey North, Otto Schwanz, and The Bad Street Boys
(Joey Matthews and Christian York
).
and Kevin Carson in the fall of 1995. Its first show was held on October 9, 1995, at the National Guard Armory
in Manassas, Virginia
where Carmichael won a battle royal
to become the promotion's first heavyweight champion; Death & Destruction (Frank Parker & Roger Anderson) also defeated American Patriot and Kevin Dillon to become the first IPWA Tag Team Champions. The promotion crowned its first light heavyweight champion nine months later when Mark "The Shark" Shrader
defeated Quinn Nash (substituting for Earl the Pearl) in a tournament final in Alexandria
on June 7, 1996.
Carmichael, who would go on to win the IPWA Heavyewight Championship a record 4-times, engaged in a long-running feud with Johnny Gunn over the belt for much of the promotion's history. Their rivalry started during Carmichael's first title reign when, on March 9, 1996, Gunn attacked the champion with a steel chair shortly after a successful title defense against The Iron Sheik. Their match a month later saw Gunn beat Carmichael following a 32 minute bout; sometime during the match, 22-year-old fan Danelle Evans stole the heavyweight title but it was later recovered by local police.
. Though there were a number of short-lived promotions both prior to and during this period, it was these two organizations which were the biggest rivals of longtime territory-era promotions Bob Ross' American Championship Wrestling (1978-), James Wells' North American Wrestling Alliance (1980-2000), and Mike and Denny Million's All-American Wrestling (1988-1996) throughout the decade.
The IPWA was primarily based in Chincoteague Island and northeastern Virginia, with offices in Alexandria
and Fairfax
, during its six-year history. It eventually ran shows in areas of the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States
formerly promoted by the National Wrestling Alliance
; among the cities and towns it visited included Richmond
and Woodbridge, Virginia
, Goldsboro
, Kinston
, Lenoir
and Pikeville, North Carolina
, and Washington, Pennsylvania
.
and Kevin Carson, were able to bring in many independent and regional stars. Its close proximity to other promotions farther up the East Coast allowed the IPWA to feature stars from Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
, Steel City Wrestling, and to a certain extent Extreme Championship Wrestling
. Among its mainstays included Johnny Gunn
, Jimmy Cicero
, Lance Diamond
, Corporal Punishment
, Adam Flash
, C.W. Anderson
, Jason Knight
, Stevie Richards
, Axl Rotten
, Frank Stalletto
, The Bad Street Boys
(Joey Matthews and Christian York
), Darkside (Glen Osbourne
and Rockin' Rebel
), and Death & Destruction (Frank Parker & Roger Anderson). Dan Severn
, a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion
, wrestled occasional shows.
Older stars from the NWA and World Wrestling Federation also made frequent appearances including Tully Blanchard
, Demolition Ax, King Kong Bundy
, Jim "The Anvil" Niedhart, The Iron Sheik, Virgil
, Nikolai Volkoff
, and Buddy Landel
, the latter holding the IPWA Heavyweight Championship. Bam Bam Bigelow, Disco Inferno, Doink the Clown
and The Headbangers
(Headbanger Mosh & Headbanger Thrasher) also made frequent appearances during the mid-to late 1990s. Its wrestling school, founded in 1998, was run by Carmichael, Jimmy Cicero, and Christian York; among Carmichael's former students included York, Joey Mercury, Jacey North, Otto Schwanz, and "American" Mike Brown. Carmichael and Carson were later featured with one of their proteges, U.S. Marine
Matt Griffin, by The Free Lance–Star
.
Its light heavyweight division
, in particular, counted Mark Shrader
, Duane Gill
, Julio Sanchez, Steve Corino
, Jacey North, and both members of The Bad Street Boys. It was while feuding with York that Joey Matthews won the IPWA Light Heavyweight Championship from his tag team partner on January 9, 1999. The promotion also had a small but modest women's division mostly consisting of its own female wrestlers but also included Brandi Wine, Debbie Combs, and Malia Hosaka
.
in Fairfax County, Virginia
was abruptly cancelled by the school district following a complaint by Andy Shallal of the Fairfax County's diversity training program
. Shallal, then head of the Board of Education's human relations advisory committee, initially became aware of the show after receiving a promotional flier
from a parent at the school. Upon viewing the flier, which featured photos of Salvatore Sincere, "Wiseguy" Jimmy Cicero
, and Doink the Clown
, he objected to the show on the grounds of "ethnic stereotyping". Shallal, himself an Arab-American and member of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
(ADC), specifically pointed to the show's main event which featured WWF Hall of Famer The Iron Sheik in a handicap match against two midget wrestlers. A day before the show, only 27 hours to bell time, co-owner Kevin Carson received a fax
ed letter from the school's assistant principal Tammy Turner that "the [Fairfax] school system will not permit this event to take place on school system property."
The event was intended to have been a class project and school fundraiser for marketing students at Chantilly High, then having won local and state competitions, with the proceeds being used to fund student travel expenses for a Distributive Education Clubs of America
(DECA) leadership conference in Anaheim, California
. The students were involved in advertising the event, which included designing and selling the fliers in question, and were to have worked at the show. Shallal defended his actions maintaining that those attending the event should not be exposed to negative stereotypes and expressed the view that "[the students have] been sensitized to the issue of multi-culturalism and diversity
". The school official had planned to lead a protest at the event if it had gone ahead. In a later interview with the Washington Post, Shallal stated that he was "pleased by the cancellation" adding that he was "sorry it had to take this long to come to what should have been an obvious solution."
The promotion responded by filing a lawsuit
on behalf of the IPWA against the Fairfax County School Board
and Chantilly High School
Principal Dale Rumberger in September 1997. Both Carmichael and Kevin Carson claimed that the IPWA had lost $15,000 as a result of a breach of contract
by school officials and sought compensation; the last-minute cancellation forced the two promoters to cancel talent, travel plans, equipment and lodging for local and out-of-state performers. They claimed to have attempted to accommodate the school's initial complaint with The Iron Sheik's involvement, which Shallal claimed promoted anti-Arab
and anti-Iranian sentiment
s, by dropping the wrestler from the show. A second complaint filed by Shallal and the ADC over midget wrestling, however, caused the school to cancel both the fundraiser and a second future show at Fairfax High School
. As part of its lawsuit, the promotion cited that it had previously attracted an audience of 950 at Fairfax High in December 1995.
in Maryland
. Its use of MEWF talent sometimes saw feuds and storylines carry over into the Virginia promotion. It not only acknowledged MEWF champions but could also effect the IPWA's champions as well. For example, the inaugural IPWA Light Heavyweight Champion Mark Shrader was forced to surrender the belt after winning the MEWF Heavyweight Championship
from Axl Rotten
on September 13, 1996. Earlier that year, MEWF Tag Team Champions
Darkside (Glen Osbourne
and Rockin' Rebel
) defeated IPWA Tag Team Champions Death & Destruction (Frank Parker and Roger Anderson) in a "champions vs. champions" match to win both titles. On October 26, 1996, an IPWA/MEWF interpromotional show was held at its home arena, the Secret Cove, in Alexandria, Virginia
, which saw Joey Matthews wrestle then MEWF Light Heavyweight Champion Steve Corino and MEWF Heavyweight Champion Mark Shrader defeat Corporal Punishment
. Also on the card, Lucifer
and "Hollywood" Bob Starr
fought each other in a taped-fist match.
Two years later, on May 15, 1999, the IPWA participated in the Break the Barrier
supercard
at Philadelphia's ECW Arena in what was one of the largest interpromotional events ever held in the United States; representing the promotion, IPWA Heavyweight Champion Cueball Carmichael successfully defended his title against Julio Sanchez.
. The promotion had run regular shows there for nearly three years. It was unexpectedly dropped in favor of what turned out to be a one-time event held by the MEWF in November 1996 followed by a nine-month run by its rival Ultimate Championship Wrestling. Returning to the Secret Cove in the fall of 1997, a decision was eventually made to leave in favor of a bigger venue in northern Virginia though it continued to use a 700-seat facility in Chincoteague. Declining business, however, would force the IPWA's eventual close, along with many other local independents, by the spring of 2001. A few years later, on March 22, 2008, the IPWA held a reunion show in Sewell, New Jersey
featuring many of its former stars, most notably, including Buddy Landell and King Kong Bundy
.
Female wrestlers
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
independent
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
professional wrestling promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
that held events in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
, especially in the Carolinas and Virginia, from October 1995 to February 2001, when it was run by Cueball Carmichael
Cueball Carmichael
Chris Jackson is an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter, known by his ringname Cueball Carmichael, who competes in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit...
and Kevin Carson. The promotion was based in Chincoteague Island, Virginia, with offices in Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
and Fairfax, Virginia
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
.
It was the first successful independent promotion in the region, along with W.D. Woody's Ultimate Championship Wrestling, rivaling long-running territory-era promoters Mike and Denny Million (All-American Wrestling), Bob Ross (American Championship Wrestling), and James Wells (North American Wrestling Alliance) during the mid-to late 1990s.
The promotion featured a number of independent stars during its six years in operation including Johnny Gunn
Tom Brandi
Tom Brandi is a professional wrestler known for his work in World Wrestling Federation as Salvatore Sincere. He is also known for his current work as The Patriot, working for such companies as Pro-Wrestling WORLD-1, National Wrestling Superstars, and other independent promotions on the East...
, Jimmy Cicero
Jimmy Cicero
Matt Bowman, best known by his ring name "Wiseguy" Jimmy Cicero, is an American professional wrestler who has competed in several promotions on the independent circuit. He had also competed for the United States Wrestling Association, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation...
, Lance Diamond
Lance Diamond
Lance Diamond is an American lounge singer and radio personality based in Buffalo, New York. He can be heard on Saturday nights at the Elmwood Lounge, located in Buffalo on Elmwood Avenue. Mr. Diamond has performed at , on Sunday evenings during the Summer also on Elmwood.Diamond, together with...
, Corporal Punishment
Corporal Punishment (wrestler)
Daniel "Dan" McDevitt , best known by his ring name Corporal Punishment, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter...
, Julio Sanchez, Steve Corino
Steve Corino
Steven Eugene "Steve" Corino is a Canadian professional wrestler, who currently works for Pro Wrestling Zero1, Ring of Honor and numerous other independent promotions. Corino is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and ECW World Heavyweight Champion.-Early years :Corino began wrestling in 1994...
, Adam Flash
Adam Flash
Douglas Adam Becker in York, Pennsylvania is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Adam Flash. Over his career, he has worked for various independent promotions, including Maryland Championship Wrestling, Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, and Combat Zone...
, and Death & Destruction (Frank Parker & Roger Anderson). One-time NWA regional star Buddy Landel
Buddy Landel
William Ansor is a professional wrestler better knownas "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel.-Career:Buddy Landel started his career in 1979 as a young talented athlete in ICW. He left high school even though he had received letters of intent to play baseball and football at the University of Tennessee...
and The Headbangers
The Headbangers
The Headbangers is a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Mosh and Thrasher, best known for their work in the World Wrestling Federation...
(Headbanger Mosh & Headbanger Thrasher) from the World Wrestling Federation were also regulars during the IPWA's early years. In addition, its wrestling school, run by Carmichael and Jimmy Cicero, was responsible for training Jacey North, Otto Schwanz, and The Bad Street Boys
The Bad Street Boys
Bad Street Boys was a professional wrestling tag team in the independent circuit. It was initially formed as a stable, consisting of Gregory Helms, Shannon Moore, Joey Matthews and Christian York...
(Joey Matthews and Christian York
Christian York
Jason Spence is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Christian York.-York and Matthews:...
).
Formation
The Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance was founded by independent wrestlers Cueball CarmichaelCueball Carmichael
Chris Jackson is an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter, known by his ringname Cueball Carmichael, who competes in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit...
and Kevin Carson in the fall of 1995. Its first show was held on October 9, 1995, at the National Guard Armory
Virginia National Guard
The Virginia National Guard consists of the Virginia Army National Guard and the Virginia Air National Guard. It is part of the Government of Virginia though the National Guard across the United States is mostly funded by federal monies. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges...
in Manassas, Virginia
Manassas, Virginia
The City of Manassas is an independent city surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the county seat for Prince William County but that county...
where Carmichael won a battle royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
to become the promotion's first heavyweight champion; Death & Destruction (Frank Parker & Roger Anderson) also defeated American Patriot and Kevin Dillon to become the first IPWA Tag Team Champions. The promotion crowned its first light heavyweight champion nine months later when Mark "The Shark" Shrader
Mark Shrader
Mark "The Shark" Shrader is a retired American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter who competed in numerous independent promotions throughout the United States during the 1990s and early 2000s...
defeated Quinn Nash (substituting for Earl the Pearl) in a tournament final in Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
on June 7, 1996.
Carmichael, who would go on to win the IPWA Heavyewight Championship a record 4-times, engaged in a long-running feud with Johnny Gunn over the belt for much of the promotion's history. Their rivalry started during Carmichael's first title reign when, on March 9, 1996, Gunn attacked the champion with a steel chair shortly after a successful title defense against The Iron Sheik. Their match a month later saw Gunn beat Carmichael following a 32 minute bout; sometime during the match, 22-year-old fan Danelle Evans stole the heavyweight title but it was later recovered by local police.
Territorial reach
Within a few short years, the IPWA had established itself as the states' first successful independent promotion along with rival W.D. Woody and Ultimate Championship Wrestling based in Hillsville, VirginiaHillsville, Virginia
Hillsville is a town in Carroll County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,607 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carroll County.-Geography:Hillsville is located at ....
. Though there were a number of short-lived promotions both prior to and during this period, it was these two organizations which were the biggest rivals of longtime territory-era promotions Bob Ross' American Championship Wrestling (1978-), James Wells' North American Wrestling Alliance (1980-2000), and Mike and Denny Million's All-American Wrestling (1988-1996) throughout the decade.
The IPWA was primarily based in Chincoteague Island and northeastern Virginia, with offices in Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
and Fairfax
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
, during its six-year history. It eventually ran shows in areas of the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
formerly promoted by the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
; among the cities and towns it visited included Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and Woodbridge, Virginia
Woodbridge, Virginia
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 31,941 people, 10,687 households, and 7,769 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3,047.8 people per square mile . There were 11,026 housing units at an average density of 1,052.1/sq mi...
, Goldsboro
Goldsboro, North Carolina
Goldsboro is a city in Wayne County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 37,597 at the 2008 census estimate. It is the principal city of and is included in the Goldsboro, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The nearby town of Waynesboro was founded in 1787 and Goldsboro was...
, Kinston
Kinston, North Carolina
Kinston is a city in Lenoir County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 23,688 at the 2000 census. The population was estimated at 22,360 in 2008. It has been the county seat of Lenoir County since its formation in 1791 . Kinston is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks...
, Lenoir
Lenoir, North Carolina
Lenoir is a city in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 18,228 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Caldwell County. Lenoir is located in the Blue Ridge foothills. The city also contains the Brushy Mountains, a spur of the Blue Ridge Mountains...
and Pikeville, North Carolina
Pikeville, North Carolina
Pikeville is a town in Wayne County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 704 at the 2008 census. It is included in the Goldsboro, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is notable as being the home of Collier Motors, an automobile sales and service business established in...
, and Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
.
Notable talent
The promotion's owners, Cueball CarmichaelCueball Carmichael
Chris Jackson is an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter, known by his ringname Cueball Carmichael, who competes in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit...
and Kevin Carson, were able to bring in many independent and regional stars. Its close proximity to other promotions farther up the East Coast allowed the IPWA to feature stars from Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation was a Mid-Atlantic independent professional wrestling promotion based in Essex, Maryland. Founded by promoter Dennis Wippercht and wrestler Tim "Lucifer" Burke in 1991, the MEWF was one of the leading independent promotions on the East Coast during the 1990s...
, Steel City Wrestling, and to a certain extent Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
. Among its mainstays included Johnny Gunn
Tom Brandi
Tom Brandi is a professional wrestler known for his work in World Wrestling Federation as Salvatore Sincere. He is also known for his current work as The Patriot, working for such companies as Pro-Wrestling WORLD-1, National Wrestling Superstars, and other independent promotions on the East...
, Jimmy Cicero
Jimmy Cicero
Matt Bowman, best known by his ring name "Wiseguy" Jimmy Cicero, is an American professional wrestler who has competed in several promotions on the independent circuit. He had also competed for the United States Wrestling Association, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation...
, Lance Diamond
Lance Diamond
Lance Diamond is an American lounge singer and radio personality based in Buffalo, New York. He can be heard on Saturday nights at the Elmwood Lounge, located in Buffalo on Elmwood Avenue. Mr. Diamond has performed at , on Sunday evenings during the Summer also on Elmwood.Diamond, together with...
, Corporal Punishment
Corporal Punishment (wrestler)
Daniel "Dan" McDevitt , best known by his ring name Corporal Punishment, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter...
, Adam Flash
Adam Flash
Douglas Adam Becker in York, Pennsylvania is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Adam Flash. Over his career, he has worked for various independent promotions, including Maryland Championship Wrestling, Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, and Combat Zone...
, C.W. Anderson
C.W. Anderson
Chris Wright is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name, C.W. Anderson. He is best known for his time with Extreme Championship Wrestling.-Early life:...
, Jason Knight
Jason Knight
Ronald Jason Knight is an American professional wrestler and manager. He is best known for his stints in Eastern / Extreme Championship Wrestling, where he was a one time World Television Champion.-World Wrestling Federation :...
, Stevie Richards
Stevie Richards
Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr...
, Axl Rotten
Axl Rotten
Brian Knighton is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Axl Rotten.-Early years:After watching a professional wrestling match on television, Knighton decided to become a wrestler...
, Frank Stalletto
Frank Stalletto
Frank Stalletto is an American professional wrestler. He was a mainstay of the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent circuit for much of the 1990s and early 2000s....
, The Bad Street Boys
The Bad Street Boys
Bad Street Boys was a professional wrestling tag team in the independent circuit. It was initially formed as a stable, consisting of Gregory Helms, Shannon Moore, Joey Matthews and Christian York...
(Joey Matthews and Christian York
Christian York
Jason Spence is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Christian York.-York and Matthews:...
), Darkside (Glen Osbourne
Glen Osbourne
Glen Osbourne is an American professional wrestler, perhaps best known for his appearances with Eastern Championship Wrestling in the early 1990s, where he was the youngest holder of the ECW World Television Championship...
and Rockin' Rebel
Rockin' Rebel
Chuck Williams is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Rockin' Rebel. He is best known for his appearances on the U.S...
), and Death & Destruction (Frank Parker & Roger Anderson). Dan Severn
Dan Severn
Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the...
, a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
, wrestled occasional shows.
Older stars from the NWA and World Wrestling Federation also made frequent appearances including Tully Blanchard
Tully Blanchard
Tully Arthur Blanchard is a semi-retired second generation American professional wrestler. He is best known as an original member of the Four Horsemen....
, Demolition Ax, King Kong Bundy
King Kong Bundy
Christopher Alan "Chris" Pallies is an American professional wrestler, stand-up comedian and actor, better known by his ring name, King Kong Bundy.-Personal:...
, Jim "The Anvil" Niedhart, The Iron Sheik, Virgil
Mike Jones (wrestler)
Mike Jones is an American professional wrestler, who most recently performed for World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Virgil, where he appeared on its Raw brand as Ted DiBiase, Jr.'s personal assistant...
, Nikolai Volkoff
Nikolai Volkoff
Josip Nikolai Peruzović , better known by his ring name of Nikolai Volkoff, is a professional wrestler who is best known for his performances for the World Wrestling Federation...
, and Buddy Landel
Buddy Landel
William Ansor is a professional wrestler better knownas "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel.-Career:Buddy Landel started his career in 1979 as a young talented athlete in ICW. He left high school even though he had received letters of intent to play baseball and football at the University of Tennessee...
, the latter holding the IPWA Heavyweight Championship. Bam Bam Bigelow, Disco Inferno, Doink the Clown
Doink the Clown
Doink the Clown is a professional wrestling gimmick, originally used by Matt Osborne in the World Wrestling Federation from 1993 to 1995. Since Osborne's departure from the WWF, the character has been played by several wrestlers, primarily on the independent circuit, as well as in sporadic special...
and The Headbangers
The Headbangers
The Headbangers is a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Mosh and Thrasher, best known for their work in the World Wrestling Federation...
(Headbanger Mosh & Headbanger Thrasher) also made frequent appearances during the mid-to late 1990s. Its wrestling school, founded in 1998, was run by Carmichael, Jimmy Cicero, and Christian York; among Carmichael's former students included York, Joey Mercury, Jacey North, Otto Schwanz, and "American" Mike Brown. Carmichael and Carson were later featured with one of their proteges, U.S. Marine
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
Matt Griffin, by The Free Lance–Star
The Free Lance–Star
The Free Lance–Star is the principal daily newspaper distributed throughout Fredericksburg, Virginia, with a circulation area including the city of Fredericksburg and all or parts of the counties of Spotsylvania, Stafford, King George, Caroline, Culpeper, Fauquier, Louisa, Orange, Prince William...
.
Its light heavyweight division
Cruiserweight (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a cruiserweight is a wrestler weighing 220 lb and less, sometimes 215. The older term junior heavyweight, which was used to describe the division, is more favored in Japan, where many titles for lighter-weight competitors are called junior heavyweight titles...
, in particular, counted Mark Shrader
Mark Shrader
Mark "The Shark" Shrader is a retired American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter who competed in numerous independent promotions throughout the United States during the 1990s and early 2000s...
, Duane Gill
Duane Gill
Duane Gill is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation as Gillberg, a parody of then-rival promotion World Championship Wrestling's top star Goldberg. During his tenure in the WWF, Gill became a one time Light Heavyweight Champion...
, Julio Sanchez, Steve Corino
Steve Corino
Steven Eugene "Steve" Corino is a Canadian professional wrestler, who currently works for Pro Wrestling Zero1, Ring of Honor and numerous other independent promotions. Corino is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and ECW World Heavyweight Champion.-Early years :Corino began wrestling in 1994...
, Jacey North, and both members of The Bad Street Boys. It was while feuding with York that Joey Matthews won the IPWA Light Heavyweight Championship from his tag team partner on January 9, 1999. The promotion also had a small but modest women's division mostly consisting of its own female wrestlers but also included Brandi Wine, Debbie Combs, and Malia Hosaka
Malia Hosaka
Malia Hosaka is an American professional wrestler. She is a former NWA World Women's Champion.-Career:Malia Hosaka was trained by Killer Kowalski at the wrestling training camp run by Misty Blue Simmes...
.
Controversy
On April 12, 1997, a scheduled IPWA benefit show for the Chantilly High SchoolChantilly High School
Chantilly High School is a high school located in the Chantilly CDP in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. It is part of the Fairfax County Public Schools system.-Overview:...
in Fairfax County, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
was abruptly cancelled by the school district following a complaint by Andy Shallal of the Fairfax County's diversity training program
Diversity training
Diversity training is training for the purpose of increasing participants' cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills, which is based on the assumption that the training will benefit an organization by protecting against civil rights violations, increasing the inclusion of different identity groups,...
. Shallal, then head of the Board of Education's human relations advisory committee, initially became aware of the show after receiving a promotional flier
Flyer (pamphlet)
__notoc__A flyer or flier, also called a circular, handbill or leaflet, is a form of paper advertisement intended for wide distribution and typically posted or distributed in public place....
from a parent at the school. Upon viewing the flier, which featured photos of Salvatore Sincere, "Wiseguy" Jimmy Cicero
Jimmy Cicero
Matt Bowman, best known by his ring name "Wiseguy" Jimmy Cicero, is an American professional wrestler who has competed in several promotions on the independent circuit. He had also competed for the United States Wrestling Association, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation...
, and Doink the Clown
Doink the Clown
Doink the Clown is a professional wrestling gimmick, originally used by Matt Osborne in the World Wrestling Federation from 1993 to 1995. Since Osborne's departure from the WWF, the character has been played by several wrestlers, primarily on the independent circuit, as well as in sporadic special...
, he objected to the show on the grounds of "ethnic stereotyping". Shallal, himself an Arab-American and member of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee states that it is the largest Arab American grassroots civil rights organization in the United States. According to its web page it is open to people of all backgrounds, faiths and ethnicities and has over 40 chapters in 24 states and members in all...
(ADC), specifically pointed to the show's main event which featured WWF Hall of Famer The Iron Sheik in a handicap match against two midget wrestlers. A day before the show, only 27 hours to bell time, co-owner Kevin Carson received a fax
Fax
Fax , sometimes called telecopying, is the telephonic transmission of scanned printed material , normally to a telephone number connected to a printer or other output device...
ed letter from the school's assistant principal Tammy Turner that "the [Fairfax] school system will not permit this event to take place on school system property."
The event was intended to have been a class project and school fundraiser for marketing students at Chantilly High, then having won local and state competitions, with the proceeds being used to fund student travel expenses for a Distributive Education Clubs of America
DECA (organization)
DECA, also known as Collegiate DECA on the college level) is an international association of students and teachers of marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality, and marketing sales and service . DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing,...
(DECA) leadership conference in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
. The students were involved in advertising the event, which included designing and selling the fliers in question, and were to have worked at the show. Shallal defended his actions maintaining that those attending the event should not be exposed to negative stereotypes and expressed the view that "[the students have] been sensitized to the issue of multi-culturalism and diversity
Diversity
-Science and technology:*Biodiversity, the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet.*Diversity Index, a statistic intended to assess the diversity of any population in which each member belongs to a unique group, type or species.*Diversity scheme, a...
". The school official had planned to lead a protest at the event if it had gone ahead. In a later interview with the Washington Post, Shallal stated that he was "pleased by the cancellation" adding that he was "sorry it had to take this long to come to what should have been an obvious solution."
The promotion responded by filing a lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
on behalf of the IPWA against the Fairfax County School Board
Fairfax County Public Schools
The Fairfax County Public Schools system is a branch of the Fairfax County government which administers public schools in Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax...
and Chantilly High School
Chantilly High School
Chantilly High School is a high school located in the Chantilly CDP in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. It is part of the Fairfax County Public Schools system.-Overview:...
Principal Dale Rumberger in September 1997. Both Carmichael and Kevin Carson claimed that the IPWA had lost $15,000 as a result of a breach of contract
Breach of contract
Breach of contract is a legal cause of action in which a binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with the other party's performance....
by school officials and sought compensation; the last-minute cancellation forced the two promoters to cancel talent, travel plans, equipment and lodging for local and out-of-state performers. They claimed to have attempted to accommodate the school's initial complaint with The Iron Sheik's involvement, which Shallal claimed promoted anti-Arab
Anti-Arabism
Anti-Arabism or Arabophobia is consistent advocacy of discrimination, extermination, prejudice, hostility, hatred, or genocide toward Arabs.-Arab definition:...
and anti-Iranian sentiment
Anti-Iranian sentiment
Anti-Iranian sentiment is feelings and expression of hostility, hatred, discrimination, or prejudice towards Iran and its culture, and towards persons based on their association with Iran and Iranian culture...
s, by dropping the wrestler from the show. A second complaint filed by Shallal and the ADC over midget wrestling, however, caused the school to cancel both the fundraiser and a second future show at Fairfax High School
Fairfax High School (Fairfax, Virginia)
Fairfax High School is a public high school in Fairfax, Virginia. The school is owned by the City of Fairfax, but is operated by Fairfax County Public Schools, as part of a contractual agreement....
. As part of its lawsuit, the promotion cited that it had previously attracted an audience of 950 at Fairfax High in December 1995.
Cross-promotional shows
IPW enjoyed a close working relationship with other regional promotions on the East Coast, most especially, Mid-Eastern Wrestling FederationMid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation was a Mid-Atlantic independent professional wrestling promotion based in Essex, Maryland. Founded by promoter Dennis Wippercht and wrestler Tim "Lucifer" Burke in 1991, the MEWF was one of the leading independent promotions on the East Coast during the 1990s...
in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. Its use of MEWF talent sometimes saw feuds and storylines carry over into the Virginia promotion. It not only acknowledged MEWF champions but could also effect the IPWA's champions as well. For example, the inaugural IPWA Light Heavyweight Champion Mark Shrader was forced to surrender the belt after winning the MEWF Heavyweight Championship
MEWF Heavyweight Championship
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship is the highest ranking singles title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, one of three in the promotion....
from Axl Rotten
Axl Rotten
Brian Knighton is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Axl Rotten.-Early years:After watching a professional wrestling match on television, Knighton decided to become a wrestler...
on September 13, 1996. Earlier that year, MEWF Tag Team Champions
MEWF Tag Team Championship
This is a chronological list of MEWF tag team champions. The MEWF Tag Team Championship is the oldest championship title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation having been established when the Lords of Darkness defeated Cream Team at the MEWF's first show in Pasadena, Maryland on August 2, 1991...
Darkside (Glen Osbourne
Glen Osbourne
Glen Osbourne is an American professional wrestler, perhaps best known for his appearances with Eastern Championship Wrestling in the early 1990s, where he was the youngest holder of the ECW World Television Championship...
and Rockin' Rebel
Rockin' Rebel
Chuck Williams is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Rockin' Rebel. He is best known for his appearances on the U.S...
) defeated IPWA Tag Team Champions Death & Destruction (Frank Parker and Roger Anderson) in a "champions vs. champions" match to win both titles. On October 26, 1996, an IPWA/MEWF interpromotional show was held at its home arena, the Secret Cove, in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, which saw Joey Matthews wrestle then MEWF Light Heavyweight Champion Steve Corino and MEWF Heavyweight Champion Mark Shrader defeat Corporal Punishment
Corporal Punishment (wrestler)
Daniel "Dan" McDevitt , best known by his ring name Corporal Punishment, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter...
. Also on the card, Lucifer
Tim Burke (wrestler)
Timothy James "Tim" Burke , known by his ring name Lucifer, was an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter who competed in numerous East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent promotions during the 1990s and early 2000s; among the promotions he appeared in included the Atlantic Wrestling...
and "Hollywood" Bob Starr
Bob Starr (wrestler)
Robert A. "Bob" Starr is a semi-retired American professional wrestler, trainer and manager who has competed in numerous independent promotions throughout the United States since his debut in 1988...
fought each other in a taped-fist match.
Two years later, on May 15, 1999, the IPWA participated in the Break the Barrier
Break The Barrier
Break The Barrier was a professional wrestling supercard held at Viking Hall, better known as the ECW Arena, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 15, 1999. The event was organized by the founders of Scoopswrestling.com, Al Isaacs, Remy Arteaga and Barbi Bistrowitz, and brought together some of the...
supercard
SuperCard
SuperCard is a high-level development environment that runs on Macintosh computers, under OS 8 and 9, and OS X. It is inspired by HyperCard, but includes a richer language, a full GUI toolkit, and native color .The programming language used by SuperCard is called SuperTalk, and is largely based on...
at Philadelphia's ECW Arena in what was one of the largest interpromotional events ever held in the United States; representing the promotion, IPWA Heavyweight Champion Cueball Carmichael successfully defended his title against Julio Sanchez.
Final years
In August 1998, the IPWA left their longtime home arena, the Secret Cove, in Alexandria, VirginiaAlexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
. The promotion had run regular shows there for nearly three years. It was unexpectedly dropped in favor of what turned out to be a one-time event held by the MEWF in November 1996 followed by a nine-month run by its rival Ultimate Championship Wrestling. Returning to the Secret Cove in the fall of 1997, a decision was eventually made to leave in favor of a bigger venue in northern Virginia though it continued to use a 700-seat facility in Chincoteague. Declining business, however, would force the IPWA's eventual close, along with many other local independents, by the spring of 2001. A few years later, on March 22, 2008, the IPWA held a reunion show in Sewell, New Jersey
Sewell, New Jersey
Sewell is an unincorporated area within Mantua Township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. Sewell also refers to part of Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey, which is not part of Mantua Township. Locals refer to the Sewell part of Mantua as Old Sewell...
featuring many of its former stars, most notably, including Buddy Landell and King Kong Bundy
King Kong Bundy
Christopher Alan "Chris" Pallies is an American professional wrestler, stand-up comedian and actor, better known by his ring name, King Kong Bundy.-Personal:...
.
Alumni
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Lance Diamond Lance Diamond is an American lounge singer and radio personality based in Buffalo, New York. He can be heard on Saturday nights at the Elmwood Lounge, located in Buffalo on Elmwood Avenue. Mr. Diamond has performed at , on Sunday evenings during the Summer also on Elmwood.Diamond, together with... Doink the Clown Doink the Clown is a professional wrestling gimmick, originally used by Matt Osborne in the World Wrestling Federation from 1993 to 1995. Since Osborne's departure from the WWF, the character has been played by several wrestlers, primarily on the independent circuit, as well as in sporadic special... Adam Flash Douglas Adam Becker in York, Pennsylvania is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Adam Flash. Over his career, he has worked for various independent promotions, including Maryland Championship Wrestling, Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, and Combat Zone... Duane Gill Duane Gill is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation as Gillberg, a parody of then-rival promotion World Championship Wrestling's top star Goldberg. During his tenure in the WWF, Gill became a one time Light Heavyweight Champion... Tom Brandi Tom Brandi is a professional wrestler known for his work in World Wrestling Federation as Salvatore Sincere. He is also known for his current work as The Patriot, working for such companies as Pro-Wrestling WORLD-1, National Wrestling Superstars, and other independent promotions on the East... Buddy Landel William Ansor is a professional wrestler better knownas "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel.-Career:Buddy Landel started his career in 1979 as a young talented athlete in ICW. He left high school even though he had received letters of intent to play baseball and football at the University of Tennessee... King Kong Bundy Christopher Alan "Chris" Pallies is an American professional wrestler, stand-up comedian and actor, better known by his ring name, King Kong Bundy.-Personal:... Mike Khoury Mike Khoury is a retired American professional wrestler who competed in East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent promotions during the early-to mid 1990s... |
Jason Knight Ronald Jason Knight is an American professional wrestler and manager. He is best known for his stints in Eastern / Extreme Championship Wrestling, where he was a one time World Television Champion.-World Wrestling Federation :... Lester Speight Lester Rasta Speight is a former American football player who has had subsequent careers as a professional wrestler and then actor... Stevie Richards Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr... Axl Rotten Brian Knighton is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Axl Rotten.-Early years:After watching a professional wrestling match on television, Knighton decided to become a wrestler... |
Scott Putski James Scott Bednarski is an American former professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Scott Putski. Putski is a second generation wrestler, being the son of Ivan Putski, with whom he has wrestled alongside on several occasions.-Global Wrestling Federation :After attending college at... Dan Severn Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the... Shane Shamrock Brian Stephen Howser was an American professional wrestler best known for wrestling in Maryland Championship Wrestling. In the promotion, he was the first and only wrestler to win the Light Heavyweight Championship and was nicknamed "The Lifetime MCW Light Heavyweight Champion" in tribute to his... Mark Shrader Mark "The Shark" Shrader is a retired American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter who competed in numerous independent promotions throughout the United States during the 1990s and early 2000s... Frank Stalletto Frank Stalletto is an American professional wrestler. He was a mainstay of the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent circuit for much of the 1990s and early 2000s.... Mike Jones (wrestler) Mike Jones is an American professional wrestler, who most recently performed for World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Virgil, where he appeared on its Raw brand as Ted DiBiase, Jr.'s personal assistant... Nikolai Volkoff Josip Nikolai Peruzović , better known by his ring name of Nikolai Volkoff, is a professional wrestler who is best known for his performances for the World Wrestling Federation... |
Female wrestlers
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Malia Hosaka Malia Hosaka is an American professional wrestler. She is a former NWA World Women's Champion.-Career:Malia Hosaka was trained by Killer Kowalski at the wrestling training camp run by Misty Blue Simmes... |
Tag Teams
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Managers
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Missy Hyatt Melissa Ann Hiatt is an American professional wrestling valet, better known by her ring name, Missy Hyatt. She gained the majority of her fame while working for World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling.... |
Championships
| Championship | Notes |
|---|---|
| IPWA Heavyweight Championship IPWA Heavyweight Championship The IPWA Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling heavyweight championship in the Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance . The inaugural champion was Cueball Carmichael, who defeated Justin St... |
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| IPWA Tag Team Championship IPWA Tag Team Championship The IPWA Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team championship in the Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance . The inaugural champions were Death & Destruction , who defeated the American Patriot and Kevin Dillon in Manassas, Virginia on October 10, 1995 to become the first... |
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| IPWA Light Heavyweight Championship IPWA Light Heavyweight Championship The IPWA Light Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling light heavyweight championship in Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance... |
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| IPWA Ladies Championship |