Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts
Encyclopedia
The Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts, also known as OMEGA, is an independent
professional wrestling
promotion based in central North Carolina
.
It featured and helped launch the careers of both Hardys
, Kid Dynamo
, Joey Matthews
, Christian York
, Venom
, C.W. Anderson
, Shane Helms
, and others.
and Jeff Hardy
with help from Thomas Simpson. They began the promotion because, at the time, there weren't many places to wrestle, nor did they know anyone who could help. Both Matt and Jeff Hardy took apart the ring and put it back together at every event they had, while Matt Hardy sewed all the costumes worn in OMEGA. Compared to other contemporary independent federations, OMEGA stood out because it incorporated high-flying wrestling, hardcore matches and gimmick matches into its shows.
, leaving the other wrestlers to make careers for themselves, with many moving onto NWA Wildside
.
In 2007, Highspots.com produced a two-disc DVD
set entitled OMEGA: Uncommon Passion, chronicling the history of the promotion, including matches and interviews with many OMEGA wrestlers.
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
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
promotion based in central North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
It featured and helped launch the careers of both Hardys
Hardy Boyz
The Hardy Boyz are a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of real-life brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy...
, Kid Dynamo
Shannon Moore
Shannon Moore is an American professional wrestler, who is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . He is best known for his work with World Championship Wrestling between 1999 and 2001 and with World Wrestling Entertainment for several years in the 2000s.Moore befriended Matt and Jeff Hardy...
, Joey Matthews
Adam Birch
Adam Birch is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his tenure with World Wrestling Entertainment , and training in WWE's developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling, as Joey Mercury...
, Christian York
Christian York
Jason Spence is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Christian York.-York and Matthews:...
, Venom
Jason Arhndt
Jason Ahrndt is a professional wrestler best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation as part of the three man team known as the Mean Street Posse, where he was known as Joey Abs...
, 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:...
, Shane Helms
Gregory Helms
Gregory Shane Helms is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment where he wrestled as The Hurricane and Gregory Helms. He is also known for his time with World Championship Wrestling where he wrestled as "Sugar" Shane Helms...
, and others.
History
The company was established in 1997, OMEGA was run and created by MattMatt Hardy
Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
with help from Thomas Simpson. They began the promotion because, at the time, there weren't many places to wrestle, nor did they know anyone who could help. Both Matt and Jeff Hardy took apart the ring and put it back together at every event they had, while Matt Hardy sewed all the costumes worn in OMEGA. Compared to other contemporary independent federations, OMEGA stood out because it incorporated high-flying wrestling, hardcore matches and gimmick matches into its shows.
Closure
The promotion folded in October 1999, after both Matt and Jeff Hardy had signed with the World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
, leaving the other wrestlers to make careers for themselves, with many moving onto NWA Wildside
NWA Wildside
NWA Wildside was an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Cornelia, Georgia, with an office in Atlanta, Georgia, operating between September 1999 and April 2005....
.
In 2007, Highspots.com produced a two-disc DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
set entitled OMEGA: Uncommon Passion, chronicling the history of the promotion, including matches and interviews with many OMEGA wrestlers.
Revival
In June 2011, on Matt's YouTube and Twitter account, Matt Hardy announced that OMEGA will make a return because both Hardys are taking time off from TNA (eventually Matt was released due to arrest, then possibly retired due to injuries)Current
| Championship | Current champion(s) | Previous champion(s) | Date won | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OMEGA Heavyweight Champion OMEGA Heavyweight Championship The OMEGA Heavyweight Championship was the top singles title in the Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts independent professional wrestling promotion. The title lasted from 1997 to 2000.... |
Vacant | 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... |
December 1, 2000 | Southern Pines, North Carolina Southern Pines, North Carolina Southern Pines is a town in Moore County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 10,918 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Southern Pines is located at .... |
| OMEGA Enigmatic Champion | Vacant | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Defunct
| Championship | Final champion(s) | Previous champion(s) | Date won | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OMEGA New Frontiers Champion OMEGA New Frontiers Championship The OMEGA New Frontiers Championship was a secondary title in the Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts independent professional wrestling promotion. The title lasted from 1997 to 1999.-Title history:... |
Cham Pain Marty Garner Marty Garner is an American professional wrestler most noted for his appearances for World Wrestling Entertainment and his time in Extreme Championship Wrestling... |
Kid Dynamo Shannon Moore Shannon Moore is an American professional wrestler, who is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . He is best known for his work with World Championship Wrestling between 1999 and 2001 and with World Wrestling Entertainment for several years in the 2000s.Moore befriended Matt and Jeff Hardy... |
January 29, 1999 | Wendell, North Carolina Wendell, North Carolina Wendell is a town in Wake County, North Carolina United States. It is a satellite town of Raleigh, the state capital. The population was 4,247 at the 2000 census-History:... |
| OMEGA Tag Team Champions OMEGA Tag Team Championship The OMEGA Tag Team Championship was the top tag team title in the Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts independent professional wrestling promotion. The title lasted from 1997 to 1999.-Title history:-See also:... |
Mike Maverick and Otto Schwanz | Shane Helms Gregory Helms Gregory Shane Helms is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment where he wrestled as The Hurricane and Gregory Helms. He is also known for his time with World Championship Wrestling where he wrestled as "Sugar" Shane Helms... and Mike Maverick |
July 31, 1999 | Beulaville, North Carolina Beulaville, North Carolina Beulaville is a town in Duplin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,067 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Beulaville is located at .... |
| OMEGA Light Heavyweight Champion OMEGA Light Heavyweight Championship The OMEGA Light Heavyweight Championship was the top light heavyweight title in the Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts independent professional wrestling promotion. The title lasted from 1997 to 1999.-Title history:-See also:... |
Joey Matthews Adam Birch Adam Birch is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his tenure with World Wrestling Entertainment , and training in WWE's developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling, as Joey Mercury... |
Christian York Christian York Jason Spence is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Christian York.-York and Matthews:... |
January 29, 1999 | Wendell, North Carolina |
Roster
- Jeff HardyJeff HardyJeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
- Matt HardyMatt HardyMatthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
- Shane HelmsGregory HelmsGregory Shane Helms is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment where he wrestled as The Hurricane and Gregory Helms. He is also known for his time with World Championship Wrestling where he wrestled as "Sugar" Shane Helms...
Alumni
- C.W. AndersonC.W. AndersonChris 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:...
- Caprice ColemanCaprice ColemanCaprice Coleman is an American professional wrestler who competes in Mid-Atlantic and Southern independent promotions including Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, NWA Wildside, Ring of Honor and, in recent years, Live Action Wrestling and the Christian Wrestling Federation...
- Cham PainMarty GarnerMarty Garner is an American professional wrestler most noted for his appearances for World Wrestling Entertainment and his time in Extreme Championship Wrestling...
- Christian YorkChristian YorkJason Spence is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Christian York.-York and Matthews:...
- Joey MatthewsAdam BirchAdam Birch is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his tenure with World Wrestling Entertainment , and training in WWE's developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling, as Joey Mercury...
- Kid DynamoShannon MooreShannon Moore is an American professional wrestler, who is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . He is best known for his work with World Championship Wrestling between 1999 and 2001 and with World Wrestling Entertainment for several years in the 2000s.Moore befriended Matt and Jeff Hardy...
- Krazy KKirby MackKirby Mack is an American professional wrestler. He currently wrestles on the independent circuit. He has also wrestled for mainstream promotions such as World Wrestling Entertainment, Ring of Honor and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
- LitaAmy DumasAmy Christine Dumas , known by her primary stage name Lita, is the lead singer for the band The Luchagors as well as a retired professional wrestler and WWE Diva active from 1999 to 2006....
- Mike Maverick
- Otto Schwanz
- Rick MichaelsRick MichaelsRaymond Rawls is an American professional wrestler, best known under his ring name Rick Michaels.-National Championship Wrestling / NWA Wildside :...
- Steve CorinoSteve CorinoSteven 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...
- Sweet Dreamz
- TC Brimstone
- VenomJason ArhndtJason Ahrndt is a professional wrestler best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation as part of the three man team known as the Mean Street Posse, where he was known as Joey Abs...
Further reading
- Dumas, AmyAmy DumasAmy Christine Dumas , known by her primary stage name Lita, is the lead singer for the band The Luchagors as well as a retired professional wrestler and WWE Diva active from 1999 to 2006....
and Michael Krugman. Lita: A Less Traveled R.O.A.D.--The Reality of Amy Dumas. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003. ISBN 0-7434-7399-X - Hardy, Matt and JeffHardy BoyzThe Hardy Boyz are a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of real-life brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy...
. The Hardy Boyz: Exist 2 Inspire. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2003. ISBN 0-06-052154-6 - Keith, Scott. Wrestling's One Ring Circus: The Death of the World Wrestling Federation. New York: Citadel Press, 2004. ISBN 0-8065-2619-X