Phoenix Championship Wrestling
Encyclopedia
Phoenix Championship Wrestling was a short-lived American
independent professional wrestling promotion
based in Toms River, New Jersey
. It was founded by twin brothers Don and Mike Bucci
in 2001 and promoted by Don Bucci until its close two years later. The promotion enjoyed a high degree of success during its existence and was home to many independent wrestlers in the Jersey Shore
and Mid-Atlantic region
later signed to both Total Non-Stop Action and World Wrestling Entertainment
.
Stars from both promotions made appearances for PCW such as TNA's Alexis Laree, Frankie Kazarian
, Amazing Red
and The S.A.T.
(Jose and Joel Maximo). The Wall and the Harris Brothers were also signed to TNA while competing for the promotion. From the World Wrestling Federation included former and then current superstars such as Jimmy Snuka
, Gillberg, Gangrel
, Eddie Guerrero
and Three Minute Warning
(Rosey
and Jamal
). A number of WWE developmental wrestlers from Ohio Valley Wrestling
spent time in the promotion including Kara Drew
, Charlie Haas
, Mike Kruel
, Tank Toland and the Basham Brothers
(Doug
and Danny Basham).
Mike Bucci, a mainstay of Extreme Championship Wrestling
, was also able to bring in many of its stars prior to and following the promotion's close in 2001. Among these included Prodigy, Chris Chetti
, Little Guido, Jerry Lynn
, Crowbar, Steve Corino
, Julio Dinero, Chris Hamrick
, Tommy Dreamer
, Raven
, Joey Matthews & Christian York
and the "heel" stable Triple Threat
("Franchise" Shane Douglas
, Chris Candido
and Bam Bam Bigelow). Both Bucci and Prodigy would win titles in the promotion, Prodigy being the first PCW Television Champion
.
Despite the fierce competitive environment among independent Mid-Atlantic promotions, the smaller PCW had working relationships with several of its rivals allowing appearances by Nicky Benz and Ric Blade
from Combat Zone Wrestling
, and Michael Shane
, "Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels
and Samoa Joe
from Ring of Honor
. PCW also featured many established independent wrestlers, not only in the Jersey Shore
and Mid-Atlantic region, but from throughout the United States and Canada. Interestingly, the mix of wrestlers would occasionally result in unofficial interpromotional matches that would not normally be seen in mainstream companies. The promotion also had a weekly Public-access television
cable TV series, Fire Bird TV, and many of its supercards and televised events were later released on vhs/dvd by Smart Mark Video
and RF Video.
by wrestling manager Don Bucci and his twin brother Mike Bucci
, then wrestling for Extreme Championship Wrestling
as Super Nova. Don Bucci, a 10-year veteran who had managed a number of wrestlers in the National Wrestling Alliance
during the 1990s, was the primary promoter for PCW and ran the day-to-day operations up until its close. He had originally decided to form PCW, according to a later interview, after "watching all the other bad indies out there, especially in this area. I was tired of seeing the people get ripped off." He was especially supportive of allowing more creative control
by wrestlers, providing fair pay and a safe working environment. Bucci claimed to have gotten the idea for the "Phoenix" name while driving behind a Firebird
and noticed the car's emblem.
Having had previous experience as a booker and promoter in the New York-New Jersey area for the National Wrestling Alliance and the World Wide Wrestling Alliance
, as well running occasional shows under Big Buc Productions in the Toms River area since 1999, Don Bucci was able to bring in independent stars he had previously worked with including Harley Lewis
, The Wall, Donnie Bon Jovi, Slayer, Father Ozzy, Matt Vandal, Mike Preston and Prodigy. Though his brother Mike, Frankie Kazarian
, Christopher Daniels
and Samoa Joe
also agreed to appearances for the promotion. Kazarain, who would have a successful stint in the promotion, later said in a November 2002 interview that PCW was one of his favorite places to work and "definitely one of the best Indy feds in the country."
The promotion's heavyweight title was introduced at its first card in Stanhope, New Jersey
on March 3, 2001, and won by Harley Lewis
in a singles match against Dr. Hurtz. This would be one of Hurtz's final wrestling matches before retiring several months later but would remain with PCW as a manager and later became the promotion's commissioner. Also at that event, The Backseat Boyz
(Trent Acid
and Johnny Kashmere
) were crowned the first tag team champions after defeating Combat Zone Wrestling
's Ric Blade
and Nicky Benz. They would eventually lose the titles to Evolution (Nova
and Frankie Kazarian
) in a 3-Way Dance with Joey Matthews & Christian York
in Monroeville, Pennsylvania
four months later. On August 9, the promotion held the "Battle of the Bay" supercard in Lavalette, New Jersey with The Wall in the main event. The following month, The Wall also joined Crowbar and Tommy Dreamer
for an event at Toms River High School East
on September 28, 2001.
, Seaside Park
, Beachwood
, and Bayville areas
. Around this time, both Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling
had folded and a large number of its former stars were forced to work on the independent circuit. Bucci believed that with the abundance of talent and high quality television production of Fire Bird TV would help gain an edge over his other competitors. This formula, Bucci later claimed, was "borrowed" by other independent promotions. Eddy Guerrero, Jerry Lynn
, Gangrel
and Bam Bam Bigelow were among the first big stars to work for the company.
One of PCW's first major supercards, Winter Wonder Slam '02, was held at the Recreation Station in Toms River on January 11, 2002. the main event featured an interpromotional match between K-Kwik and Chris Hamrick
. At the time of the match, Hamrick was working for Total Non-Stop Action while K-Kwik was in World Wrestling Entertainment
. Also on the card, ECW's Prodigy beat "Ramblin'" Rich Myers to become the promotion's first television champion. Myers was then a mainstay of the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
. The next month in Toms River, Mike Bucci and Eddy Guerrero wrestled a match lasting 30 minutes. Guerrero addressed the audience after the match praising both Bucci and Phoenix Championship Wrestling. The event, according to Don Bucci, is his favorite moment and one of the most memorable in the promotion's history.
in a 6-man tag team match to defeat Cham Pain, Joey Matthews & Christian York
. At the end of the night, he gave a farewell speech and then he and Kazarian vacated the tag team titles. Kazarian would win the PCW Television Championship from Prodigy the following night. At that same event, Harley Lewis lost the PCW Heavyweight Championship to The Wall in a Tables, Ladders and Doors match. Lewis had held the title for over a year and set a 14-month record as its longest reigning champion. In addition, a match between The Prophet and "Jumbo" Joe Gunns resulted in over 500 people in the audience pelting the loser, The Prophet, with fresh produce as part of a pre-match stipulation. Bucci's departure from the company would be the first of many of the promotion's regular stars to sign contracts with TNA and WWE.
, brother and tag team partner of fellow WWE developmental wrestler Charlie Hass, to raise money for his family. The event, the Haas Memorial Tag Team Tournament, was held at Recreation Station in Toms River and featured a number of wrestlers from World Wrestling Entertainment. The tournament had a unique format with the first round matches being three-way matches with double elimination rules, as opposed to traditional single team matches, and included PCW Tag Team Champions The United Nations (Tiger Khan & Prophet), Steve Corino
& Amazing Red
, The S.A.T.
(Jose and Joel Maximo), Chris Divine & Quiet Storm, Malice & Seven
, Da Hit Squad
, Joey Matthews & Christian York
, Bo Dupp & Matt Vandal (substituting for Pete Gas), Lance Cade
& Nick Dinsmore
, and The Ballard Brothers. The tournament was eventually won by Charlie Haas
& Nova
defeating Doug Basham and Damaja in the finals. Jerry Lynn, Low Ki
and The Island Boys
(Jamal
and Rosie
) were also on the card. Both the tournament and non-tournament matches were billed as "first time ever" meetings by the promotion, most notably, Frankie Kazarian defending the PCW Television Championship against Low Ki. The show's undercard pitted Kid Knight, a disc jockey
and on-air personality for 98.5 FM
, against Little Ricky in a lumberjack match. This was the second memorial show held in memory of Russ Hass, Jersey All Pro Wrestling
had held a similar event several months before.
headlined a PCW fundraiser at a local middle school
in his hometown of Point Pleasant, New Jersey
, and participated in an autograph signing
afterwards. This was one of Page's first matches following his departure from WWE earlier that year.
Another major supercard, March Madness, was held in Lacey, New Jersey on March 22, 2003. After nearly a year as champion, Malace was stripped of the heavyweight title with only two months of breaking former champion Harley Lewis's record. Meanwhile, Kappa Tegga Kappa (Andy Jaxx and Curt Daniels) defeated The United Nations (The Prophet and Tiger Khan) for tag team titles. The titles had been vacant since the "Farewell to Nova" card the previous year. Two months later at Mayhem Massacre in Manchester, Matt Vandal won a tournament to win the vacant heavyweight title defeating Frankie Kazarian
in the finals.
On June 14, 2003, its last event was held at Toms River High School East
in Toms River. The Moxie Family (Romeo Roselli
, Damian Adams
and Rob Eckos) won the tag team titles from Kappa Tegga Kappa and Donnie Bon Jovi in a Three Way Elimination match against Frankie Kazarian and Mike Kruel
to win the heavyweight title. The company, which had been in decline since Mike Bucci signed with WWE, eventually closed at the end of the summer.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
independent 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...
based in Toms River, New Jersey
Toms River, New Jersey
Toms River is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Toms River Township and is the county seat of Ocean County, New Jersey. It is part of a larger Toms River Township...
. It was founded by twin brothers Don and Mike Bucci
Mike Bucci
Michael "Mike" Bucci is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. Bucci is probably best known for his appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling as Nova, Super Nova, and "Hollywood" Nova and World Wrestling Entertainment as Simon Dean...
in 2001 and promoted by Don Bucci until its close two years later. The promotion enjoyed a high degree of success during its existence and was home to many independent wrestlers in the Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore is a term used to refer to both the Atlantic coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the adjacent resort and residential communities. . The New Jersey State Department of Tourism considers the Shore Region, Greater Atlantic City, and the Southern Shore to be distinct, each having...
and Mid-Atlantic region
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
later signed to both Total Non-Stop Action and World Wrestling Entertainment
World 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...
.
Stars from both promotions made appearances for PCW such as TNA's Alexis Laree, Frankie Kazarian
Frankie Kazarian
Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, Amazing Red
Amazing Red
Jonathan Figueroa is a professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Amazing Red, or simply Red for short. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a former three-time X Division Champion, while also working on the American independent circuit...
and The S.A.T.
The S.A.T.
The S.A.T. are a professional wrestling tag team mostly seen in independent promotions that consists of brothers Jose Maximo and Joel Maximo who were both born in Brooklyn, New York...
(Jose and Joel Maximo). The Wall and the Harris Brothers were also signed to TNA while competing for the promotion. From the World Wrestling Federation included former and then current superstars such as Jimmy Snuka
Jimmy Snuka
James William "Jimmy" Reiher is a semi-retired Fijian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Originally from the Fiji Islands, Snuka wrestled for several promotions in the 1970s and 1980s. Snuka is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having been a...
, Gillberg, Gangrel
David Heath (wrestler)
David William Heath is an American professional wrestler and pornographic film director. He is best known for his time in the World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Gangrel.-Beginning:...
, Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
and Three Minute Warning
Three Minute Warning
3-Minute Warning was a hoodlum-like professional wrestling tag team consisting of cousins Matt Anoa'i and Eddie Fatu, most notable for their time with WWE.-History:...
(Rosey
Matt Anoa'i
Matthew "Matt" Anoa'i is a professional wrestler, best known for his time on the independent circuit under numerous ring names, and his time in World Wrestling Entertainment , where he competed as Rosey....
and Jamal
Eddie Fatu
Edward Smith "Eki" Fatu was a Samoan-American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Umaga...
). A number of WWE developmental wrestlers from Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
spent time in the promotion including Kara Drew
Kara Drew
Kara Elizabeth Drew is a former American professional wrestler and valet, better known by her ring name Cherry. She is best known for working in World Wrestling Entertainment as the manager of former Tag Team Champions, Deuce 'n Domino, and as a performer for its SmackDown brand.After becoming...
, Charlie Haas
Charlie Haas
Charles "Charlie" Doyle Haas II is an American professional wrestler and former collegiate amateur wrestler. He competes on the independent circuit, and is signed to Ring of Honor , where he is one-half of the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champions with Shelton Benjamin...
, Mike Kruel
Mike Kruel
Michael "Mike" Mayo, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, better known under his ring name Mike Kruel. He began his career in the independent circuit, wrestling in Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling, Ring of Honor, East Coast Wrestling Association and USA Pro Wrestling, while occasionally making...
, Tank Toland and the Basham Brothers
Basham Brothers
The Basham Brothers, Doug and Danny , are a professional wrestling tag team, who formerly worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment .-History:...
(Doug
Doug Basham
This article is about the wrestler, for the talk show host see Doug Basham Lyle Douglas "Doug" Basham, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, He is best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment between 2002 and 2007, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name...
and Danny Basham).
Mike Bucci, a mainstay of 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...
, was also able to bring in many of its stars prior to and following the promotion's close in 2001. Among these included Prodigy, Chris Chetti
Chris Chetti
Christopher "Chris" Chetti is an American professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling between 1996 and 2000.-Extreme Championship Wrestling :...
, Little Guido, Jerry Lynn
Jerry Lynn
Jeremy "Jerry" Lynn is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, Crowbar, 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...
, Julio Dinero, Chris Hamrick
Chris Hamrick
Chris Hamrick is an American professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling throughout the early 2000s...
, Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
, Raven
Scott Levy
Scott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
, Joey Matthews & Christian York
Christian York
Jason Spence is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Christian York.-York and Matthews:...
and the "heel" stable Triple Threat
Triple Threat
The Triple Threat was a professional wrestling heel stable that existed in Extreme Championship Wrestling from 1995 to 1998. It was Shane Douglas's answer to Ric Flair's Four Horsemen...
("Franchise" Shane Douglas
Shane Douglas
Troy Alan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly...
, Chris Candido
Chris Candido
Christopher Raul Candito was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chris Candido...
and Bam Bam Bigelow). Both Bucci and Prodigy would win titles in the promotion, Prodigy being the first PCW Television Champion
PCW Television Championship
The PCW Television Championship was the secondary singles title in Phoenix Championship Wrestling. It was first won by Prodigy after defeating "Ramblin'" Rich Myers in Toms River, New Jersey on January 11, 2002...
.
Despite the fierce competitive environment among independent Mid-Atlantic promotions, the smaller PCW had working relationships with several of its rivals allowing appearances by Nicky Benz and Ric Blade
Ric Blade
Ric Blade is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in Combat Zone Wrestling, where he was a one time Junior Heavyweight Champion and a one time World Tag Team Champion with Nick Mondo. Blade has wrestled in such companies such as Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling, Big Japan...
from Combat Zone Wrestling
Combat Zone Wrestling
Combat Zone Wrestling is a independent wrestling promotion. In 1999, John Zandig and four of his students, Ric Blade, Lobo, Nick Gage and Justice Pain began to run backyard wrestling shows in New Jersey and Delaware, showcasing a brand of hardcore wrestling dubbed as "ultraviolence"...
, and Michael Shane
Matt Bentley
Matthew James "Matt" Bentley is an American professional wrestler best known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling by the ring name Michael Shane. He was trained by his cousin, former World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler Shawn Michaels, and he took the name Michael Shane as a play on...
, "Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels
Christopher Daniels
Daniel Christopher Covell is an American professional wrestler, best known in the United States by his ring name "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. He is also known for performing under the ring name Curry Man. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , while also...
and Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
from Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
. PCW also featured many established independent wrestlers, not only in the Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore is a term used to refer to both the Atlantic coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the adjacent resort and residential communities. . The New Jersey State Department of Tourism considers the Shore Region, Greater Atlantic City, and the Southern Shore to be distinct, each having...
and Mid-Atlantic region, but from throughout the United States and Canada. Interestingly, the mix of wrestlers would occasionally result in unofficial interpromotional matches that would not normally be seen in mainstream companies. The promotion also had a weekly Public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cable TV series, Fire Bird TV, and many of its supercards and televised events were later released on vhs/dvd by Smart Mark Video
Smart Mark Video
Smart Mark Video is an American video production and distribution house. It was founded in 1998 by Mike Burns and a group of friends involved in the operation of the now defunct Future Wrestling Alliance independent professional wrestling promotion...
and RF Video.
Early history
In 2001, Phoenix Championship Wrestling was established in Toms River, New JerseyToms River, New Jersey
Toms River is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Toms River Township and is the county seat of Ocean County, New Jersey. It is part of a larger Toms River Township...
by wrestling manager Don Bucci and his twin brother Mike Bucci
Mike Bucci
Michael "Mike" Bucci is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. Bucci is probably best known for his appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling as Nova, Super Nova, and "Hollywood" Nova and World Wrestling Entertainment as Simon Dean...
, then wrestling for 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...
as Super Nova. Don Bucci, a 10-year veteran who had managed a number of wrestlers in 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...
during the 1990s, was the primary promoter for PCW and ran the day-to-day operations up until its close. He had originally decided to form PCW, according to a later interview, after "watching all the other bad indies out there, especially in this area. I was tired of seeing the people get ripped off." He was especially supportive of allowing more creative control
Artistic control
Artistic control or Creative Control is a term commonly used in media production, such as movies, television, and music production. A person with artistic control has the authority to decide how the final product will appear. In movies, this commonly refers to the authority to decide on the final...
by wrestlers, providing fair pay and a safe working environment. Bucci claimed to have gotten the idea for the "Phoenix" name while driving behind a Firebird
Pontiac Firebird
The Pontiac Firebird was built by the Pontiac division of General Motors between 1967 and 2002. The Firebird was introduced the same year as the automaker's platform-sharing model, the Chevrolet Camaro...
and noticed the car's emblem.
Having had previous experience as a booker and promoter in the New York-New Jersey area for the National Wrestling Alliance and the World Wide Wrestling Alliance
World Wide Wrestling Alliance
The World Wide Wrestling Alliance , formerly known as NWA Ohio, is a defunct American professional wrestling promotion. However, NWA Ohio Owner & Promoter Dave Nelson's claim of owership of the WWWA name is disputed.-History:...
, as well running occasional shows under Big Buc Productions in the Toms River area since 1999, Don Bucci was able to bring in independent stars he had previously worked with including Harley Lewis
Harley Lewis
Harley Lewis is an American professional wrestler and shoot fighter who competes for independent promorions in both the United States and Canada. He has had successful stints in International World Class Championship Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance, Phoenix Championship Wrestling and...
, The Wall, Donnie Bon Jovi, Slayer, Father Ozzy, Matt Vandal, Mike Preston and Prodigy. Though his brother Mike, Frankie Kazarian
Frankie Kazarian
Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, Christopher Daniels
Christopher Daniels
Daniel Christopher Covell is an American professional wrestler, best known in the United States by his ring name "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. He is also known for performing under the ring name Curry Man. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , while also...
and Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
also agreed to appearances for the promotion. Kazarain, who would have a successful stint in the promotion, later said in a November 2002 interview that PCW was one of his favorite places to work and "definitely one of the best Indy feds in the country."
The promotion's heavyweight title was introduced at its first card in Stanhope, New Jersey
Stanhope, New Jersey
-Transportation:Route 183 is the main access road that serves the borough. U.S. Route 206 also passes through in the western section and is partially a limited access road which connects to I-80 in neighboring Mount Olive.-Demographics:...
on March 3, 2001, and won by Harley Lewis
Harley Lewis
Harley Lewis is an American professional wrestler and shoot fighter who competes for independent promorions in both the United States and Canada. He has had successful stints in International World Class Championship Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance, Phoenix Championship Wrestling and...
in a singles match against Dr. Hurtz. This would be one of Hurtz's final wrestling matches before retiring several months later but would remain with PCW as a manager and later became the promotion's commissioner. Also at that event, The Backseat Boyz
The Backseat Boyz
The Backseat Boyz were a professional wrestling tag team that consisted of Johnny Kashmere and Trent Acid who competed in Ring of Honor, Pro Wrestling Unplugged, Combat Zone Wrestling, Assault Championship Wrestling, the Premier Wrestling Federation, Jersey All Pro Wrestling, and Japan together...
(Trent Acid
Trent Acid
Michael Verdi was an American professional wrestler best known by his ring name Trent Acid. Verdi had worked as a tag team wrestler for most of his career, primarily as part of The Backseat Boyz with Johnny Kashmere, in several independent promotions in America, including Combat Zone Wrestling,...
and Johnny Kashmere
Johnny Kashmere
Johnny Kashmere is an American professional wrestler, best known as one half of The Backseat Boyz, along with the late Trent Acid...
) were crowned the first tag team champions after defeating Combat Zone Wrestling
Combat Zone Wrestling
Combat Zone Wrestling is a independent wrestling promotion. In 1999, John Zandig and four of his students, Ric Blade, Lobo, Nick Gage and Justice Pain began to run backyard wrestling shows in New Jersey and Delaware, showcasing a brand of hardcore wrestling dubbed as "ultraviolence"...
's Ric Blade
Ric Blade
Ric Blade is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in Combat Zone Wrestling, where he was a one time Junior Heavyweight Champion and a one time World Tag Team Champion with Nick Mondo. Blade has wrestled in such companies such as Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling, Big Japan...
and Nicky Benz. They would eventually lose the titles to Evolution (Nova
Mike Bucci
Michael "Mike" Bucci is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. Bucci is probably best known for his appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling as Nova, Super Nova, and "Hollywood" Nova and World Wrestling Entertainment as Simon Dean...
and Frankie Kazarian
Frankie Kazarian
Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
) in a 3-Way Dance with Joey Matthews & Christian York
Christian York
Jason Spence is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Christian York.-York and Matthews:...
in Monroeville, Pennsylvania
Monroeville, Pennsylvania
Monroeville is a home rule municipality in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located about east of the city of Pittsburgh, Monroeville is a bustling suburb with mixed residential and commercial developments...
four months later. On August 9, the promotion held the "Battle of the Bay" supercard in Lavalette, New Jersey with The Wall in the main event. The following month, The Wall also joined Crowbar and Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
for an event at Toms River High School East
Toms River High School East
Toms River High School East is a comprehensive four-year public high school, the third high school built in Toms River, New Jersey, as part of the Toms River Regional Schools. It was built in 1979, after the first and second high schools; Toms River High School South and Toms River High School...
on September 28, 2001.
Fire Bird TV
The promotion soon began a weekly Public-access television series on Comcast Cable-affiliate Channel 21, Fire Bird TV, which aired in Toms River as well as the Seaside HeightsSeaside Heights, New Jersey
Seaside Heights is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 2,887. Seaside Heights is situated on the Barnegat Peninsula, a long, narrow barrier peninsula that separates Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean...
, Seaside Park
Seaside Park, New Jersey
Seaside Park is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 1,579. Seaside Park is situated on the Barnegat Peninsula, a long, narrow barrier peninsula that separates Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean.The first inhabitants...
, Beachwood
Beachwood, New Jersey
Beachwood is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population increased to a record high of 11,045....
, and Bayville areas
Bayville, New Jersey
Located at the Northernmost section of the Pine Barrens, and at exit '80' on the Garden State Parkway, Bayville is an unincorporated area within Berkeley Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 08721. As of the United States...
. Around this time, both Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
had folded and a large number of its former stars were forced to work on the independent circuit. Bucci believed that with the abundance of talent and high quality television production of Fire Bird TV would help gain an edge over his other competitors. This formula, Bucci later claimed, was "borrowed" by other independent promotions. Eddy Guerrero, Jerry Lynn
Jerry Lynn
Jeremy "Jerry" Lynn is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, Gangrel
David Heath (wrestler)
David William Heath is an American professional wrestler and pornographic film director. He is best known for his time in the World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Gangrel.-Beginning:...
and Bam Bam Bigelow were among the first big stars to work for the company.
One of PCW's first major supercards, Winter Wonder Slam '02, was held at the Recreation Station in Toms River on January 11, 2002. the main event featured an interpromotional match between K-Kwik and Chris Hamrick
Chris Hamrick
Chris Hamrick is an American professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling throughout the early 2000s...
. At the time of the match, Hamrick was working for Total Non-Stop Action while K-Kwik was in World Wrestling Entertainment
World 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...
. Also on the card, ECW's Prodigy beat "Ramblin'" Rich Myers to become the promotion's first television champion. Myers was then a mainstay of the 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...
. The next month in Toms River, Mike Bucci and Eddy Guerrero wrestled a match lasting 30 minutes. Guerrero addressed the audience after the match praising both Bucci and Phoenix Championship Wrestling. The event, according to Don Bucci, is his favorite moment and one of the most memorable in the promotion's history.
Farewell to Nova
In May 2002, Mike Bucci announced he had signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment. Later that month, the promotion held a special event in Toms River, Farewell to Nova, which would see Mucci wrestle his last match in PCW before making his WWE debut as "Simon Dean". Bucci teamed with Frankie Kazarian and Chris ChettiChris Chetti
Christopher "Chris" Chetti is an American professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling between 1996 and 2000.-Extreme Championship Wrestling :...
in a 6-man tag team match to defeat Cham Pain, Joey Matthews & Christian York
Christian York
Jason Spence is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Christian York.-York and Matthews:...
. At the end of the night, he gave a farewell speech and then he and Kazarian vacated the tag team titles. Kazarian would win the PCW Television Championship from Prodigy the following night. At that same event, Harley Lewis lost the PCW Heavyweight Championship to The Wall in a Tables, Ladders and Doors match. Lewis had held the title for over a year and set a 14-month record as its longest reigning champion. In addition, a match between The Prophet and "Jumbo" Joe Gunns resulted in over 500 people in the audience pelting the loser, The Prophet, with fresh produce as part of a pre-match stipulation. Bucci's departure from the company would be the first of many of the promotion's regular stars to sign contracts with TNA and WWE.
Russ Haas Memorial Tag Team Tournament
On August 31, 2002, Phoenix Championship Wrestling held a special tribute show for Russ HaasRuss Haas
Thomas Russell "Russ" Haas was a professional wrestler. He is best known for his work alongside his brother Charlie in Memphis Championship Wrestling and Jersey All Pro Wrestling....
, brother and tag team partner of fellow WWE developmental wrestler Charlie Hass, to raise money for his family. The event, the Haas Memorial Tag Team Tournament, was held at Recreation Station in Toms River and featured a number of wrestlers from World Wrestling Entertainment. The tournament had a unique format with the first round matches being three-way matches with double elimination rules, as opposed to traditional single team matches, and included PCW Tag Team Champions The United Nations (Tiger Khan & Prophet), 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...
& Amazing Red
Amazing Red
Jonathan Figueroa is a professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Amazing Red, or simply Red for short. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a former three-time X Division Champion, while also working on the American independent circuit...
, The S.A.T.
The S.A.T.
The S.A.T. are a professional wrestling tag team mostly seen in independent promotions that consists of brothers Jose Maximo and Joel Maximo who were both born in Brooklyn, New York...
(Jose and Joel Maximo), Chris Divine & Quiet Storm, Malice & Seven
Kevin Fertig
Kevin Matthew Fertig is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for working with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring names Mordecai and Kevin Thorn....
, Da Hit Squad
Da Hit Squad
Da Hit Squad was a professional wrestling tag team in Ring of Honor, Jersey All Pro Wrestling and many other independent promotions. The members were Monsta Mack and Mafia. They were known as the Hardest Hitting tag team in ROH. This duo of Repeat Offenders brutalized their opponents with...
, Joey Matthews & Christian York
Christian York
Jason Spence is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Christian York.-York and Matthews:...
, Bo Dupp & Matt Vandal (substituting for Pete Gas), Lance Cade
Lance Cade
Lance Kurtis McNaught was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment where he performed under the ring names Garrison Cade and Lance Cade....
& Nick Dinsmore
Nick Dinsmore
Nicholas "Nick" Dinsmore , better known by his ring names Eugene and U-Gene, is an American professional wrestler...
, and The Ballard Brothers. The tournament was eventually won by Charlie Haas
Charlie Haas
Charles "Charlie" Doyle Haas II is an American professional wrestler and former collegiate amateur wrestler. He competes on the independent circuit, and is signed to Ring of Honor , where he is one-half of the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champions with Shelton Benjamin...
& Nova
Mike Bucci
Michael "Mike" Bucci is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. Bucci is probably best known for his appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling as Nova, Super Nova, and "Hollywood" Nova and World Wrestling Entertainment as Simon Dean...
defeating Doug Basham and Damaja in the finals. Jerry Lynn, Low Ki
Low Ki
Brandon Silvestry is an American professional wrestler. He is best known under his ring names Low Ki, Senshi in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and Kaval in World Wrestling Entertainment. He is a former one-time PWG World Champion and a former ROH Champion...
and The Island Boys
Three Minute Warning
3-Minute Warning was a hoodlum-like professional wrestling tag team consisting of cousins Matt Anoa'i and Eddie Fatu, most notable for their time with WWE.-History:...
(Jamal
Matt Anoa'i
Matthew "Matt" Anoa'i is a professional wrestler, best known for his time on the independent circuit under numerous ring names, and his time in World Wrestling Entertainment , where he competed as Rosey....
and Rosie
Eddie Fatu
Edward Smith "Eki" Fatu was a Samoan-American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Umaga...
) were also on the card. Both the tournament and non-tournament matches were billed as "first time ever" meetings by the promotion, most notably, Frankie Kazarian defending the PCW Television Championship against Low Ki. The show's undercard pitted Kid Knight, a disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
and on-air personality for 98.5 FM
WKMK
WKMK and WTHJ are two radio stations simulcasting a country music format. The stations are licensed to Eatontown and Bass River Township, New Jersey, respectively. The station is owned by Press Communications. WKMK's transmitter is located at exit 105 of the Garden State Parkway in Tinton Falls...
, against Little Ricky in a lumberjack match. This was the second memorial show held in memory of Russ Hass, Jersey All Pro Wrestling
Jersey All Pro Wrestling
Jersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion based in New Jersey.-1997:Jersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion that was founded by "Fat" Frank Iadeavia on April 19, 1997. This promotion was born out of a dream of "Fat" Frank. He wanted to take the promotion...
had held a similar event several months before.
Later years
On November 2, 2002, Diamond Dallas PageDiamond Dallas Page
Dallas Page , better known by his ring name "Diamond" Dallas Page , is an American retired professional wrestler, fitness instructor and actor...
headlined a PCW fundraiser at a local middle school
Point Pleasant School District
The Point Pleasant School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade from Point Pleasant, in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States....
in his hometown of Point Pleasant, New Jersey
Point Pleasant, New Jersey
Point Pleasant is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 18,392...
, and participated in an autograph signing
Autograph
An autograph is a document transcribed entirely in the handwriting of its author, as opposed to a typeset document or one written by an amanuensis or a copyist; the meaning overlaps with that of the word holograph.Autograph also refers to a person's artistic signature...
afterwards. This was one of Page's first matches following his departure from WWE earlier that year.
Another major supercard, March Madness, was held in Lacey, New Jersey on March 22, 2003. After nearly a year as champion, Malace was stripped of the heavyweight title with only two months of breaking former champion Harley Lewis's record. Meanwhile, Kappa Tegga Kappa (Andy Jaxx and Curt Daniels) defeated The United Nations (The Prophet and Tiger Khan) for tag team titles. The titles had been vacant since the "Farewell to Nova" card the previous year. Two months later at Mayhem Massacre in Manchester, Matt Vandal won a tournament to win the vacant heavyweight title defeating Frankie Kazarian
Frankie Kazarian
Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
in the finals.
On June 14, 2003, its last event was held at Toms River High School East
Toms River High School East
Toms River High School East is a comprehensive four-year public high school, the third high school built in Toms River, New Jersey, as part of the Toms River Regional Schools. It was built in 1979, after the first and second high schools; Toms River High School South and Toms River High School...
in Toms River. The Moxie Family (Romeo Roselli
Romeo Roselli
Giovanni Roselli best known as Romeo Roselli is a professional wrestler and actor best known for his stint with World Wrestling Entertainment on the Raw brand as one half of the "Heart Throbs" and is not to be confused with another wrestler by the name of Kid Romeo.-Career:Roselli began wrestling...
, Damian Adams
Damian Adams
Luis Almodovar is a U.S. professional wrestler who has appeared in numerous independent wrestling promotions and in the World Wrestling Entertainment by his stage name Damian Adams.-IWF and Independent Circuit:...
and Rob Eckos) won the tag team titles from Kappa Tegga Kappa and Donnie Bon Jovi in a Three Way Elimination match against Frankie Kazarian and Mike Kruel
Mike Kruel
Michael "Mike" Mayo, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, better known under his ring name Mike Kruel. He began his career in the independent circuit, wrestling in Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling, Ring of Honor, East Coast Wrestling Association and USA Pro Wrestling, while occasionally making...
to win the heavyweight title. The company, which had been in decline since Mike Bucci signed with WWE, eventually closed at the end of the summer.
Singles roster
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Matt Bentley Matthew James "Matt" Bentley is an American professional wrestler best known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling by the ring name Michael Shane. He was trained by his cousin, former World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler Shawn Michaels, and he took the name Michael Shane as a play on... Ric Blade Ric Blade is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in Combat Zone Wrestling, where he was a one time Junior Heavyweight Champion and a one time World Tag Team Champion with Nick Mondo. Blade has wrestled in such companies such as Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling, Big Japan... |
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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... |
Tag team roster
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Romeo Roselli Giovanni Roselli best known as Romeo Roselli is a professional wrestler and actor best known for his stint with World Wrestling Entertainment on the Raw brand as one half of the "Heart Throbs" and is not to be confused with another wrestler by the name of Kid Romeo.-Career:Roselli began wrestling... , Damian Adams Damian Adams Luis Almodovar is a U.S. professional wrestler who has appeared in numerous independent wrestling promotions and in the World Wrestling Entertainment by his stage name Damian Adams.-IWF and Independent Circuit:... and Rob Eckos) |
Alumni
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Tommy Dreamer Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment... Scott Levy Scott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other... Christopher Daniels Daniel Christopher Covell is an American professional wrestler, best known in the United States by his ring name "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. He is also known for performing under the ring name Curry Man. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , while also... Samoa Joe Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.... |
Jimmy Snuka James William "Jimmy" Reiher is a semi-retired Fijian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Originally from the Fiji Islands, Snuka wrestled for several promotions in the 1970s and 1980s. Snuka is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having been a... David Heath (wrestler) David William Heath is an American professional wrestler and pornographic film director. He is best known for his time in the World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Gangrel.-Beginning:... Eddie Guerrero Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions... Charlie Haas Charles "Charlie" Doyle Haas II is an American professional wrestler and former collegiate amateur wrestler. He competes on the independent circuit, and is signed to Ring of Honor , where he is one-half of the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champions with Shelton Benjamin... Three Minute Warning 3-Minute Warning was a hoodlum-like professional wrestling tag team consisting of cousins Matt Anoa'i and Eddie Fatu, most notable for their time with WWE.-History:... |
Doug Basham This article is about the wrestler, for the talk show host see Doug Basham Lyle Douglas "Doug" Basham, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, He is best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment between 2002 and 2007, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name... |
Championships
- PCW Heavyweight ChampionshipPCW Heavyweight ChampionshipThe PCW Heavyweight Championship was the primary singles championship title in Phoenix Championship Wrestling. It was first won by Harley Lewis who defeated Dr. Hurtz at PCW's first event in Stanhope, New Jersey on March 3, 2001. The title was defended throughout New Jersey for the next two years,...
- PCW Television ChampionshipPCW Television ChampionshipThe PCW Television Championship was the secondary singles title in Phoenix Championship Wrestling. It was first won by Prodigy after defeating "Ramblin'" Rich Myers in Toms River, New Jersey on January 11, 2002...
- PCW Tag Team ChampionshipPCW Tag Team ChampionshipThe PCW Tag Team Championship was the primary tag team title for Phoenix Championship Wrestling. It was the second championship introduced by the promotion and first won by The Backseat Boyz from Combat Zone Wrestling's Ric Blade & Nicky Benz in Stanhope, New Jersey on March 3, 2001...