Super World of Sports
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Super World of Sports, more commonly known as SWS, was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion from 1990 to 1992.
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[edit] Formation
In April 1990, Genichiro Tenryu, one of the top stars of All Japan Pro Wrestling, left the company to become a spokesmodel for Megane Super, at the time one of the best-known makers of eyeglasses in Japan. But the company instead used him as the launching pad for a new pro-wrestling circuit, which Megane Super executive Hachiro Tanaka named Super World of Sports.
With his backing, Megane Super began throwing money offers around to build up their roster. Yoshiaki Yatsu, Ashura Hara, Shunji Takano, The Great Kabuki, Hiromichi Fuyuki, Tatsumi (Koki) Kitahara, Masao Orihara, Isao Takagi (the future Arashi), and referee Hiroyuki Unno joined in from All-Japan. But SWS would attract New Japan Pro Wrestling talent as well, including George Takano (the former Cobra), Naoki Sano, Hisakatsu Oya, Akira Katayama, and former yokozuna (grand champion in sumo wrestling) Koji Kitao. Because of this, fans, wrestlers, and administrators of other Japanese promotions criticized SWS as being a "money puroresu" because of the way wrestlers flocked to it. The feeling was compounded when in October, SWS signed a working relationship contract with Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation, for interpromotional purposes.
[edit] Working relationship with the WWF
The SWS/WWF co-promotion produced several cards, including two shows at the Tokyo Dome, one in March 1991 and the other in December of the same year (One of these shows saw a near-shoot between former sumos Kitao and John Tenta). SWS also had a small agreement with two smaller Japanese federations, Gran Hamada's Universal Lucha Libre and Yoshiaki Fujiwara's Fujiwara Gumi (shoot-style wrestling), which provided alternative matches to the cards.
Unfortunately, SWS's peak coincided with the general Japanese economic downturn of the early 1990s. As Megane Super began withdrawing its support, the company began running less cards, and in May 1992 Yatsu withdrew. In June 1992, SWS held its final card at Nagasaki International Gym. The promotion's talent split into the following federations: Yatsu's SPWF; Tenryu's new promotion, WAR, including Hara, Fuyuki, Kitahara; NOW, including Kendo Nagasaki, and PWC, including the Takano brothers and Takagi.
[edit] SWS championships
[edit] SWS Light Heavyweight Championship
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Location: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naoki Sano | 1 | December 12, 1991 | Tokyo, Japan | Won a tournament to become the SWS/Japanese representative and then defeated WWF representative Rick Martel to become the first champion. |
| Title retired | June 16, 1992 | Title retired when SWS closed. | ||
[edit] SWS Tag Team Championship
| Wrestlers: | Times: | Date: | Location: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King Haku and Yoshiaki Yatsu | 1 | February 14, 1992 | Kyoto, Japan | Defeated Ashura Hara and Genichiro Tenryu in a tournament final to become the first champions. |
| George and Shunji Takano | 1 | April 16, 1992 | Minamiashigara, Japan | |
| The Natural Disasters (Earthquake and Typhoon) |
1 | April 17, 1992 | Yokohama, Japan | |
| King Haku and Yoshiaki Yatsu | 2 | April 18, 1992 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Title retired | June 16, 1992 | Title retired when SWS closed. | ||
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| Global Professional Wrestling Alliance | ||
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