Heartland Wrestling Association

Pwcompanybox
name=Heartland Wrestling Association


acronym=HWA
established=1998
style=American Wrestling
location=Cincinnati, Ohio, United States (1998-current)
founder=Les Thatcher
owner=Chad Dellifield (1998-current)(Les Thatcher has severed all ties with HWA)
parent=
sister=
formerly=
website= [http://www.hwaonline.com/ HWAonline.com] |

The Heartland Wrestling Association is a Midwestern independent professional wrestling promotion based in Cincinnati, Ohio. A former developmental territory for both World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation during the 1990s, it was listed as one of the top independent promotions in the United States by "The Professional Wrestlers' Workout & Instructional Guide" by Harley Race, Ricky Steamboat and Les Thatcher in 2005. [Race, Harley, Ricky Steamboat and Les Thatcher. "The Professional Wrestlers' Workout & Instructional Guide". Champaigne, Illinois: Sports Publishing LLC, 2005. (pg. 6) ISBN 1-58261-947-6]

The HWA produces a one-hour weekly television series, "HWA Adrenaline", which is available on the America One and select CW networks.

History

The Heartland Wrestling Association was started in 1998 by Les Thatcher and Brady Laber, in association with his wrestling school Main Event Pro Wrestling Camp, and held the first annual Brian Pillman Memorial Show in 1998. [ cite web|url=http://www.lesthatcher.com/thatcherbio.shtml|title=Les Thatcher Bio|accessdate=2007-04-18|publisher=LesThatcher.com]

The promotion served as the developmental territory for both World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment whose former roster including wrestlers such as Mike Sanders, [ cite web|url= http://www.epwt.com/epwttestimonials.shtml|title=EPWT Training Camp Testimonials|accessdate=2007-04-18|author=Speer, Phil |date=2003-02-11|publisher=WWE.com] Shannon Moore, [Hardy, Matt and Jeff Hardy. "The Hardy Boyz: Exist 2 Inspire". New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2003. (pg. 7) ISBN 0-06-052154-6] Victoria [ cite web|url=http://www.owow.com/RingsideWith/Victoria/Interviews/02-11-03.htm|title=Much To Celebrate For Victoria On Her Birthday|accessdate=2007-04-18 ] the Hardy Boyz and brothers Charlie and Russ Haas as well as former WCW veterans Bill DeMott and Elix Skippercite web|url= http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2005/03/10/956560.html|title=Primetime has reached the big time|accessdate=2007-02-22| author=Lacroix, C.|date=2005-03-10|publisher=Canadian Online Explorer] Among the top independent wrestlers to have competed in the promotion include Nigel McGuinness, BJ Whitmer, Matt Stryker, Sharkboy, Cody Hawk and Chad Collyer. [ cite web|url=http://www.geocities.com/smokyrobmoore/jp022299.htm|title=View from the Rising Sun |accessdate=2007-04-18|author=Horie, Masanori|date=1999-02-22] .

Although WWE pulled out of the HWA to cut their budget, HWA continues to have a working relationship with the promotion. The HWA was once featured in an episode of MTV's True Life ("True Life: I'm A Professional Wrestler").

HWA airs a weekly TV program "Adrenaline" nationally on the America One television network. "Adrenaline" can also be viewed online on YouTube (keyword: hwaonline) via a link on the HWA website (see below).

As of early-2007, HWA has produced three online pay-per-view events: "CyberClash" from the HWA Arena in Evendale, Ohio, on March 17 2006, "Road to Destiny" from the Dayton Gym Club in Dayton, Ohio on June 10 2006, and "CyberClash 2.0" from the HWA Arena in Evendale, Ohio on March 10 2007.

In August 2007, the HWA seemed to be shut down, with Cody Hawk launching a new promotion called EGO Pro Wrestling. However, it wound up being a split, as the HWA found new investors and began running live events and producing new episodes of "HWA Adrenaline." The first "HWA Reborn" event occurred on November 9, 2007, with subsequent live events being announced through 2008. [ cite web|url= http://www.hwaonline.com/|title=Heartland Wrestling Association|accessdate=2007-12-10|author=HWA |date=2003-02-11|publisher=hwaonline.com]

After a year of no weekly shows, the Heartland Wrestling Association will return in full force. Their new home starting in September 2008 will be at The Sorg Opera House in Middletown, Ohio every Wednesday.

Male Roster

*B.J. Whitmer
*Chris Hero
*Dave Crist
*Jake Crist- HWA Heavyweight Champion
*"Sweet Sexy Sensation" Andre Heart- HWA Tag Team Champion
*"Deja Vu" Richard Phillips- HWA Tag Team Champion
*Jon Moxley
*"Astonishing" Aaron Williams
*"The Solution" Alan Wasylychyn
*Benjamin Kimera
*Jason Kimera
*The DR
*Virus
*"The New Horror" Sami Callihan
*Dustin Rayz
*Donovan Cain
*Jason Lyte
*Drake Younger
*"Diehard" Dustin Lee
*Scotty Vortekz
*The Madness
*Tweek Phoenix
*Dash Phoenix
*Johnny Gargano
*Gregory Iron
*Matthew Justice
*JT Stahr
*Chandler McClure
*Vincent Nothing
*Jay Taylor
*"Sweet" Lou Roberts
*Hobo Joe
*Matt Taylor
*Dylan Bostic

Female Roster

*Neveah
*Ashley Lane
*Hardcore Heather Owens
*Mary Elizabeth Monroe

tables/Tag-Teams

*The Irish Airborne- Dave and Jake Crist
*The G.P. Code- Andre Hart and Richard Phillips
*Messiahs of a New Age- Lou Roberts and Dustin Rayz
*Murder City Inc.- Benjamin and Jason Kimera
*The Naptown Dragons- Drake Younger, Dustin Lee, and Scotty Vortekz
*The Phoenix Twins- Dash and Tweek Phoenix
*The Hybrids- Donovan Cain and Jason Lyte
*Zero Gravity- CJ Esparza and Brett Gakiya
*The Entourage- JT Stahr, The Madness, and V-Rad
*Nevaeh and Ashley Lane

Other On-Air Talent

*Chris "The Brain" Kurtis- Play-by-play commentator
*Tucker Carson- Play-by-play commentator
*Doug Devore- Ring Announcer
*Tim Tatum- President of Operations
*Nikki
*V-Rad- Manager of JT Stahr

Referees

*Senior Official Joe Kopasz
*Skeeter Muldoon
*Shawn Matthews
*John McCafferty

Friends of the HWA

*" Buffalo Bad Boy" Brian Jennings
*Brock Guffman
*Eddie Kingston
*The Metal Master
*O.D.B. (Jessica Kresa)
*"Pure Dynamite" Billy Roc
*Nigel McGuinness
*"Hot Shot" Danny Duggan
*"The Canadian Crazyhorse" Michael Elgin
*The Osirian Portal- Ophidian and Amasis
*Vin Gerard
*Hydra
*Tim Donst
*Chuck Taylor (wrestler)
*Ricochet (wrestler)
*Bob Mascaras
*Shane Hollister
*Trik Davis
*Bobby Beverly
*Lightning Tim Lutz
*Nikita Allanov
*Dr. Bonez
*"Omega" Aaron Draven
*Evan Steele
*Matt Riot
*Brett Gakiya
*CJ Esparza
*Brad "Hooks" Nicholas

Championships

*Current
**HWA Heavyweight Championship — Jake Crist
**HWA Tag Team Championship — The GP Code
**HWA Cruiserweight Championship — Aaron Williams

Results

HWA Reborn

*Chris Hero defeated B.J Whitmer
*Chuck Taylor defeated Ricochet
*"Buffalo Bad Boy" Brian Jennings defeated Dick Rick - HWA Heavyweight Title Match
*Metal Master vs. Jon Moxley ended in a 60 minute time-limit draw
*Irish Airborne defeated Virus & "Omega" Aaron Draven
*The GP Code defeated The Mavericks - HWA Tag Team Title Match
*Sami Callihan defeated Hydra and Tim Donst - Three Way Dance

HWA Outbreak

*BJ Whitmer defeated "Buffalo Bad Boy" Brian Jennings - HWA Heavyweight Title Match
*Alan Wasylychyn defeated Aaron Williams
*Chris Hero defeated Eddie Kingston
*The GP Code defeated The Hybrids, and Kimera & Dick Rick - A Three Way Dance for the HWA Tag Team Titles
*ODB defeated Mary Elizabeth Monroe
*Billy Roc defeated Virus, Sami Callihan, Dustin Rayz, Hydra, and Amasis - Six Pack Elimination Match
*Nikita Allanov defeated Lightning Tim Lutz

HWA Cyberclash 3.0

*B.J Whitmer defeated Nigel McGuinness - HWA Heavyweight Title Match
*The GP Code defeatec The Naptown Dragons, and The Osirian Portal - HWA Tag Team Title Match
*Chris Hero defeated Jon Moxley
*Aaron Williams won the Pick Your Poison Battle Royal.
*Nevaeh defeated Ashley Lane, and Mary Elizabeth Monroe - Three Way Dance
*Virus defeated Vin Gerard

HWA Uprising

*Kimera defeated "Die Hard" Dustin Lee - Hardcor Match
*Nigel McGuinness defeated Chris Hero
*The GP Code defeated The Hybrids - HWA Tag Team Title
*Scotty Vortekz defeated Shane Hollister, Trik Davis, Vin Gerard, Aaron Williams and Dustin Rayz - Six Pack Elimination Match
*Jon Moxley defeated Drake Younger
*The Phoenix Twins defeated The Osirian Portal.
*Jake Crist defeated Chandler McClure
*The Madness destroyed Bob Mascaras

HWA Unbreakable

*Jake Crist defeated Jon Moxley - HWA Heavyweight Championship.
*Dick Rick defeated Bobby Beverly
*Gregory Iron defeated JT Stahr
*The GP Code defeated The Hybrids, and The Naptown Dragons - Tag Team Tornado Match - HWA Tag Team Title
*Dustin Rayz defeated Sami Callihan
*The Madness destroyed Hobo Joe.
*Aaron Williams and Johnny Gargano battled to a double count out.

HWA Road to Destiny

*Aaron Williams defeated Johnny Gargano, Dave Crist, The Solution, and Dustin Rayz - HWA Cruiserweight Title
*Jake Crist defeated Vincent Nothing and JT Stahr - HWA Heavyweight Title
*The Hybrids defeated Zero Gravity
*Murder City Inc. defeated Lightning Tim Lutz and Hobo Joe
*JT Stahr defeated Gregory Iron - Advanced to Heavyweight Titlt Match
*Vincent Nothing defeated The Madness - Advanced to Heavyweight Title Match
*The GP Code defeated The Crew - HWA Tag Team Titles

References

External links

* [http://www.hwaonline.com/ Official Heartland Wrestling Association website]