Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South

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IWA Mid-South
Details
Acronym IWA-MS
Established 1996
Style Hardcore wrestling
Technical wrestling
High-Flying Wrestling
Location Louisville, Kentucky
Founder(s) Ian Rotten
Owner(s) Ian Rotten
Sister IWA Deep South

IWA East Coast
IWA Texas

Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South (also known as IWA Mid-South, IWA-MS, and IWA Mid South Wrestling) is an independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky.

Contents

[edit] History

Independent Wrestling Association: Mid-South (IWA-MS) formed in 1996 in Louisville, Kentucky. The owner, Ian Rotten [1], is one of the first to bring hardcore style of wrestling to the United States with his violent feud with former tag team partner Axl Rotten and formed the promotion shortly after leaving Extreme Championship Wrestling in the mid-1990s [2]. IWA-MS first came on the scene on October 10, 1996 with the first, of what would become weekly shows in Louisville, Kentucky. On April 3, 1997 IWA Mid-South would crown its first Heavyweight Champion, Tower of Doom, when he won a three way dance in the finals of a tournament. [3]

In early 2000 IWA Mid-South would move its operations to Charlestown, Indiana. Many changes were made to IWA and its roster while in Charlestown. In late 2000 IWA started to make a slow shift to more technical based wrestlers, and matches. During that year Dave Prazak became a featured manager, ring announcer, commentator and he played a prominent role in bringing in Colt Cabana and CM Punk to join Chris Hero and others to get IWA Mid-South recognized for its technical matches as well as its hardcore. IWA:MS became known as a place to see the best up and coming Indy wrestlers in the Midwest, and many of its alumni now wrestle for WWE, TNA, and ROH. With this change brought the birth of the Ted Petty Invitational Tournament (TPI for short), then known as Sweet Science 16. The first TPI was held in 2000, named after former ECW, WCW, and WWE wrestler Rocco Rock, and won by Chris Hero. In the years after its birth the TPI has become one of the most respected tournaments in the wrestling world.

Along with the Ted Petty Invitational tournament their annual King of the Death Match Tournament is among their highest drawing shows.[citation needed]

In 2002 IWA Mid-South would once again move its base to Clarksville, Indiana following a disagreement with the landlord of the Charlestown building over rent. While in Clarksville IWA would introduce another tournament a Strong Style tournament. IWA Mid-South would again leave the Clarksville building, also known as the IWA Arena, after another disagreement with the landlord over rent.

IWA Mid-South currently runs shows in Indiana and Illinois, with their own arena about to open in Jeffersonville, Indiana, the Hartman Recreation Center in Joliet, Illinois and the Don Preston Recreation Center (also known as the "MidloDome") in Midlothian, Illinois being the three main buildings, with locations in Rock Island, Illinois being run on an inconsistent basis.

IWA Mid South has started a feud with stars from their sister company IWA Deep South. IWA: Mid-South returned home in Sellersburg, Indiana with Gory Days 3.

IWA Mid-South held their 11 Year Anniversary Show on October 13, 2007. Midway through the show, Ian Rotten came out and addressed the crowd, stating that due to mounting debts IWA Mid-South will most likely close after their 500th show on December 7. However, after a strong sell of DVDs the following week, most notably the Ted Petty Invitation which was released the day before the announcement, IWA made enough money to stay in business into 2008.

[edit] Championships

[edit] Current

Championship: Current holder: Won from: Date won: Location:
IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship Chuck Taylor Claudio Castagnoli (tournament final) May 3, 2008 Joliet, Illinois
IWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Championship Jason Hades Chuck Taylor April 12, 2008 Joliet, Illinois
IWA Mid-South Strong Style Championship Michael Elgin Drake Younger, Roderick Strong and Viking March 1, 2008 Joliet, Illinois
IWA Mid-South Tag Team Championship Up in Smoke
(Cheech and Cloudy)		 Mickie Knuckles and Devon Moore May 3, 2008 Joliet, Illinois
IWA Mid-South Deathmatch Championship Corporal Robinson Danny Havoc May 3, 2008 Joliet, Illinois
IWA Mid-South Women's Championship Daizee Haze Mickie Knuckles May 2, 2008 Joliet, Illinois
IWA Mid-South King of the Deathmatch Corporal Robinson Freakshow June 23, 2007 Plainfield, Indiana

[edit] Defunct

Championship: Final holder: Won from: Date won: Location:
IWA Mid-South Television Championship Shark Boy Chip Fairway April 2, 1998 Louisville, Kentucky
NWA Midwest Women's Championship
(formerly merged with IWA Mid-South Women's Championship)		 MsChif
(before June 11, 2005 split)		 Daizee Haze May 7, 2005 Streamwood, Illinois
IWA Mid-South Hardcore Championship
(now merged with IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship)		 2 Tuff Tony
def. Delilah Starr and Mad Man Pondo to unify titles		 Delilah Starr March 4, 2000 Charlestown, Indiana

[edit] Roster

[edit] Inactive roster

  • Flash Flanagan
  • Silas Young
  • Shane Storm
  • Chuck E. Smooth
  • Omega
  • Jake O'Neal
  • Eric Priest

[edit] Past Personalities

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Bell, Jason. Ian Rotten's Bio. Official Home of Ian Rotten. Retrieved on 2007-04-18.
  2. ^ Williams, Scott E. Hardcore History: The Extremely Unauthorized Story of the ECW. Champaign, Illinois: Sports Publishing L.L.C., 2006. (pg. 68) ISBN 1-59670-021-1
  3. ^ I.W.A. Mid-South Heavyweight Title. Puroresu Dojo (2003). Retrieved on 2007-04-18.

[edit] External links

Languages