Monday, August 27, 2012 marked the 45th Anniversary of the East Coast Wrestling Association (ECWA). The ECWA, established in 1967 by founder and promoter of many years Jim Kettner, is the oldest independent professional wrestling company in the United States today! The ECWA was acquired by Michael Tartaglia, the current owner and promoter, in August 2010. At the time Tartaglia was the owner and promoter of the revived Tri-State Wrestling Alliance (TWA) in NJ and PA. Since that time the TWA has been absorbed by ECWA with the tag team championships having been unified and the heavyweight championship scheduled to be on Sept 15, 2012.
The ECWA has spent these 45 years presenting top quality professional wrestling events for the entire family. During that time, the ECWA has seen many other promotions come and go yet ECWA remains constant as one of the most respected, reliable and reputable independent pro wrestling companies today.
The ECWA is the home of …
– the ECWA Heavyweight Championship, the oldest independent pro wrestling heavyweight championship in the United States which has been held by national and international stars before they became famous such as “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels, Christian and Amazing Red. The current champion is “GREEK GOD” Papadon.
– the Annual ECWA Super 8 Tournament, which was established in 1997. The tournament is the oldest and first of its kind in independent pro wrestling in the United States and has been imitated by many other promotions over the years. The tournament gave many of today’s greats their first big break and exposure on the East Coast, as the tournament is covered in-depth annually by Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) magazine and its sister publications. Some of the many stars to have passed through and emerged from the Super 8 are Low Ki (2001 winner), Christopher Daniels (2000 & 2004 winner), Austin Aries, Daniel Bryan (fka Bryan Danielson, America Dragon), AJ Styles, Bobby Roode, Davey Richards (2006 winner) and countless others. The 2012 Super 8 winner was “GREEK GOD” Papadon.
– the ECWA Annual K-CUP (Kangaroo Cup) Tag Team Tournament, which was established in 2011. The tournament was created as a celebration of tag team wrestling and a tribute to one of the earliest and most influential tag teams in the history of pro wrestling in the United States, the Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello with a variety of different partners through his career, but arguably the most notable was Roy Hefferan). The inaugral tournament was won by the “Midnight Sensations” Chris Rockwell & Sam Shields. Other teams that competed were FUSION DS, the Logan Brothers, The Flatliners, Bandido Jr & Azrieal, Danny E & Kenny Royal, Johnny Silver & Alex Reynolds and All Money I$ Legal.
With its home base in Newark, Delaware, and now expanding to other venues in New Jersey, ECWA has presented 7 events in 2012 and plans on presenting another 6 events the remainder of the year.
In 2013, the ECWA plans on presenting 15-20 events.
The ECWA is the home of some of the best free agent professional wrestlers in the United States…
ECWA Heavyweight Champion “GREEK GOD” Papadon is UNDEFEATED in ECWA at 20-0. Today marks Papadon’s 541st day as ECWA Champion and he has been the most dominate ECWA Champion in history. At the time of his next title defense on Sept 15, 2012, he will have been champion for 560 days! Papadon was also the winner of the prestigious 2012 16th Annual ECWA Super 8 Tournament, 2011 ECWA Wrestler of the Year Award as chosen by the fans of ECWA, a former ECWA Mid-Atlantic Champion and was inducted into the ECWA Hall of Fame in 2012.
TWA Heavyweight Champion “Heart Killer” Chris Wylde has just completed his 4th month as champion. He was a semi-finalist in the 2010 ECWA Super 8 and he held the ECWA Mid-Atlantic Championship for 11 months from Dec 2010 – Nov 2011.
ECWA Mid-Atlantic Champion Mr. Ooh La La w/ Coach Jim Shorts has been a part of ECWA for 22 YEARS!!! He was inducted into the ECWA Hall of Fame in 1996. Recently, he began hearing the cheers of the fans for the first time in his storied ECWA career when he stood up to the evil owner of the ECWA “the BOSS” Mike Tartaglia, whom he is now embroiled in a feud with. Regardless of whether he was a villain or a hero, Mr. Ooh La La is truly one of a kind and a beloved member of the ECWA roster by the fans, the locker room and management. Mr. Ooh La La won the Mid-Atlantic Championship in June 2012 and is the ONLY person to ever receive an ECWA Lifetime Achievement Award for all his contributions and achievements over the course of his 20+ year career.
ECWA/TWA Unified Tag Team Champions “FUSION DS” Damian Dragon & Matt Saigon are currently enjoying their third reign as tag team champions. FUSION defeated “Best Around” Bruce Maxwell & TJ Cannon for the TWA Tag Team Titles in Jan 2011. In May 2011, they won and unified the vacant ECWA Tag Team Titles with the TWA Tag Team Titles in a match with the “Midnight Sensations” Chris Rockwell & Sam Shields. Since that time they have traded the tag team titles with the Midnight Sensations several times and have held the tag team title for 16 out of the 21 months between Jan 2011 to present. FUSION also recently won the 2012 Samoan Cup Tag Team Tournament and were ranked the 10th best team in wrestling by PWI magazine several times.
You can find the rest of the talented roster that makes up the ECWA here:
http://ecwaprowrestling.com/ecwa/roster/
And there are several new members making their debut in the coming months including Tony Mamaluke, Napalm Bomb, The SONS of BLACKHEART and many more!!!
On Saturday, Sept 15, 2012 the ECWA will celebrate its 45th Anniversary with the event “CHAMPIONS COLLIDE” at Greater Newark Boys & Girls Club in Newark, Delaware. Doors will open at 6PM.
The MAIN EVENT is the Heavyweight Title Unification Match between ECWA Heavyweight Champion “GREEK GOD” Papadon (20-0) vs. TWA Heavyweight Champion “Heart Killer” Chris Wylde (15-6).
Other scheduled matches…
– ECWA Tag Title Match: FUSION DS (c) vs. SONS of BLACKHEART w/ Joel Blackhart
– Lumberjack Match with FANS as Lumberjacks: Mr. Ooh La La (ECWA Mid-Atlantic Champion) w/ Coach Jim Shorts & Cole Callaway vs. “The BOSS” Mike Tartaglia & Ricky “The Model” Martinez w/ Magnum & Gus Grand
– Aden Chambers vs. Bobby Shields w/ Joel Blackhart
– Tony Mamaluke vs. Josh Daniels w/ Joel Blackhart
– Kekoa the Flyin Hawaiian vs. Danny E w/ Magnum and Gus Grand
– Napalm Bomb vs. CUJO the Hellhound
PLUS a special farewell to Corey Blaze as he retires from the sport!
And, the winner of WIN A DATE with your favorite ECWA star will be chosen!