Eastern Wrestling Alliance

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Eastern Wrestling Alliance
Acronym EWA
Founded 1998
Style American Pro Wrestling
Headquarters Massachusetts
Founder(s) James St. Jean
Bob Staples
Owner(s) Jeremy Barron
Scott Despres
Sister Front Row Wrestling

The Eastern Wrestling Alliance (EWA) is an American professional wrestling promotion currently based in Massachusetts and founded in 1998 by James St. Jean and Bob Staples. The EWA has been a prominent professional wrestling company in the New England area since the early 2000s beginning most notably in 2001 with the kick off of their long run of monthly shows in Portland, Maine. Currently the promotion operates in the Springfield, Massachusetts area, mainly at the Springfield Turnverein in Feeding Hills, MA.

History

1997–2000

The Eastern Wrestling Alliance was created in 1997 by physical therapist James St. Jean, who served as owner and president, and Bob Staples, who served as vice president, both legit and as a character. After running two shows in May 1997 in which Tony Rumble served as booker, St. Jean offered the position to Tony Atlas.

Atlas served as booker for about a year, during which time the EWA began filming a weekly TV show, seen throughout central Maine. These live shows, unless they were at a county fair or college, were generally poorly promoted and lost money. In early 1999, Joshua Shea was brought on board to help Staples with some administrative duties and contribute booking ideas.

With Atlas' connections in the industry, he was able to bring experienced indy talent from all over the northeast, going as far west as Ohio and as far south as Virginia. He also was able to bring in many former WWF stars that otherwise may not have performed at shows as small as the EWA was putting on.

In 1999 MTV used the EWA as one of the primary focuses for their documentary-style show True Life: I'm A Professional Wrestler.[1][2] This one-hour broadcast followed Tony Atlas in his post-WWF career as an independent wrestler and booker for the EWA.[2] During the filming of the documentary the EWA owner–promoter James St. Jean and Tony Atlas had a falling-out, leading to the EWA show scheduled to be run during the filming of the MTV documentary to be canceled by James St. Jean,[1][2] only to then see Tony Atlas fight his hardest to make the show go on.[2]

The fallout of the MTV fiasco had Atlas leaving the company while Shea and Dan Mason, a color commentator, took over booking for a period of time. Staples, who suffered a heart attack shortly after the MTV show was filmed, also stepped away from the business. St. Jean stopped producing a TV show a few months after Atlas was dismissed. Upon Mason leaving the company for professional opportunities outside wrestling, wrestlers Scott King and Steve Rand took over booking duties.

In early 2000, James St. Jean sold the promotion to equal shareholders Rand, King and Shea.

2000 - 2003

When the new owners took over the EWA they switched their primary market place to the Portland, ME. area[3] and expanded their road schedule to include shows in New Hampshire[4] and with help of business partner and co-promoter Jeremy Barron in Massachusetts as well.[4] Steve Rand and Scott King booked the shows while the third owner operated in a promoter capacity hanging fliers and such until late 2001, when he left the company. Rand and King then offered that share to Brian Mailhot.

With Steve Rand and Scott King booking the shows business went up for the company. They went from running shows with typical attendance averaging around 100 or so to running shows with attendances reaching 400+ in their primary venue the Steven's Avenue Armory in Portland, ME. This was also in part due to the quality of wrestler that Rand and King brought in to the EWA including many notable independent wrestling names such as John Walters, Antonio Thomas, Romeo Roselli, Brian Black, Adam Booker, Dr. Heresy, Chi Chi Cruz(Luis Rubet), Kid Krazy and former WCW star[5] Rick Fuller; all of which went on to work for the WWE and/or TNA in various capacities.

These shows were filmed for local public-access television cable TV for the greater Portland area.[6] The EWA was also featured in another documentary filmed by two college students in 2002 titled "Don't Stop Believing". The documentary followed Frankie Armadillo and Adam Booker primarily as they lived locally. Dr. Heresy, Brian Black, Steve Ramsey, Alexander Worthington III and others from the EWA were also featured. This documentary did not receive any sort of syndication but was sold by the EWA at their live events.

In early 2003 as a result of the attacks on the World Trade Centers and The Pentagon on September 11th, 2001 the EWA lost their primary venue in the armory in Portland, ME. as the army determined it would not rent out its armories anymore. This led to a venue change to The Strive Center in South Portland, ME. Not too long after the venue change owner/promoter/booker Steve Rand decided to move across the country leading to the sale of the EWA to their business partner Jeremy Barron.

2003 - present

With the sale of the EWA to their Massachusetts promoter and business partner the EWA re-located its primary market to Massachusetts, most notably in Southbridge and Ludlow, MA.[7][8] It was not long before fellow independent wrestler Scott Despres got involved and became equal partner as promoter and booker for the EWA. Typical attendance did drop to the more average area of 150+ for the Massachusetts shows though as the Maine fan base that had been built up over the prior 3–4 years largely did not make the 2-3 hour commute for shows in the new EWA market place. The EWA ran just in Massachusetts, usually in Orange, MA, and as of late 2008, the village of Three Rivers in Palmer, MA. EWA also worked in tandem with their newer sister promotion Front Row Wrestling based in New Hampshire. The two companies allow title defenses on each other's shows and on occasion run joint promoted shows.

On June 11, 2008, the EWA was one of several New England independent promotions which participated in a special benefit show for Brandon Cusick, a 5-year-old child diagnosed with leukemia, at the Bank Street Armory in Fall River, Massachusetts.[9][10]

EWA began running full-time again starting September 11, 2010. They are currently running monthly shows at the Springfield Turnverein in Feeding Hills, MA and Christ Community Center in Chicopee, MA.

Championships

Championship Current Champion(s) Held Since Previous Champion(s)
EWA Heavyweight Championship Alex Cypher May 12, 2012 "Golden" Sean Burke
EWA Tag Team Championship The Monarchy ("Royalty" William King and Zachary Pierre Beaulieu) October 6, 2012 Punk & Prep United (Dirt Dawg and Brad Hollister)

Inactive Championships

Championship Last Champion(s) Inactive Since
EWA New England Championship[11][12] "The Promise" Antonio Thomas 2004
EWA Hardcore Championship [11][12] Chris Venom 2002
EWA Light Heavyweight Championship [11][12] "Kidd USA" Jay Jilette 2000
EWA Women's Championship [11][12] Violet Flame Late 1999

Roster

Singles

  • Aaron Morrison
  • Adrian Vine
  • Alex Cypher
  • Andd Bivians
  • Antonio Thomas
  • Bobby Ocean
  • Brad Hollister
  • Chi Chi Cruz*
  • Chris Students
  • Dalton Castle
  • Dan De Man
  • Dirt Dawg
  • Dynamite Doug Summers
  • Dr. Reginald Heresy
  • Golden Sean Burke
  • I.M. Valor
  • "The Egomaniac" Jonny Idol
  • Justin Tunis
  • Kasey Ray
  • Ken Combs
  • The Mac
  • Marshall McNeil
  • Matt Taven
  • Scotty Slade
  • Tapu
  • "Royalty" William King
  • Zachary Pierre Beaulieu

Tag Teams

  • "The Purists" Justin "The Hammer" Tunis & Aaron "The Starmaker" Morrison
  • "Punk & Prep United" Dirt Dawg & Brad Hollister
  • "Team Shazam" Dan De Man & Andy Bivians
  • "The Monarchy" "Royalty" William King & Zachary Pierre Bealieu
  • "Capital Punishment" Rob Coleman & Foxx Vinyer
  • Antonio Thomas & "Golden" Sean Burke

Stables

  • The Diamonds
    • Dr. Reginald Heresy
    • Johnny Idol
    • Marshall McNeil
    • Zachary Pierre Bealieu
    • "Royalty" William King
    • Tapu
  • Officials
  • Referee Mike Crockett
  • Announcers
  • Tommy D

Alumni

  • Adam Booker
  • Alexander Worthington III
  • Antonio Thomas
  • "Intellectual" Arch Kincaid
  • Billy Kryptonite
  • Brian Black
  • Brian Milonas
  • Damian Houston
  • The Damned - Mad Dog and Draven
  • Dave Vicious
  • Dudley D.L. Dawson
  • "Die Hard" Eddie Edwards
  • Evan Markopoulos
  • Frankie Arion
  • "Fragile" Frankie Armadillo
  • Handsome Johnny a.k.a. "The Duke of Elegance" Don Chesterfield
  • Guido Torpedo
  • JT Fox
  • Johnny Curtis
  • "Hurricane" John Walters
  • Ken Phoenix
  • Kevin Landry
  • "Pristine" Kristine
  • Larry Huntley
  • "The Logan Brothers" Matt & Bryan Logan
  • "Latin Fury" Luis Ortiz
  • Lukas Sharp
  • Makua
  • Max Bauer
  • Mercedes KV
  • Michael Stain
  • Mikaze
  • Mike Steel
  • Moondog Barron
  • Panther Martin
  • Psycho
  • "Big" Rick Fuller
  • Romeo Roselli
  • Maverick Wild
  • "The City" Sebastian Reese
  • Shane Marvel
  • Shane Sharpe
  • "Strutting" Sonny Goodspeed
  • Steven Marriott
  • Steve Ramsey
  • Taeler Hendrix
  • Tim Walker
  • Tommaso Ciampa
  • Tony Atlas
  • Tony Omega
  • Valkyrie
  • Vinny Marseglia

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Storm, Amanda, 2000 .Blakwidow:My First Year As A Professional Wrestler. Pages 190-196. ECW Press
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "True Life:I'm A Professional Wrestler". MTV Productions. 1999
  3. ↑ Eastern Wrestling Alliance Handhelds 2001
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Eastern Wrestling Alliance Handhelds 2002
  5. ↑ Rick Fuller - Biography
  6. ↑ Burket, Harry et al.. London Publishing Co. 2002. Wrestle America. The 2002 Guide to Professional Wrestling Page 46.
  7. ↑ Cornell, Tanya. EWA Southbridge, MA.: 27 June 2003 2723. TCTapes 2003
  8. ↑ Cornell, Tanya. EWA Southbridge, MA.: 18 October 2003 2901. TCTapes 2003
  9. ↑ "Benefit for Brandon." DOIwrestling.com. Ed. Sean McCaffrey. N.p., July 2008. Web. 8 July 2010. <www.declarationofindependents.net/doi/pages/ben711r.html>
  10. ↑ O'Domski, Shawn (July 2008). "Independent Wrestling Results - July 2008". Miscellaneous Independent Results. OnlineWorldofWrestling.com. Retrieved 8 July 2010. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Wrestling Information Archive - Eastern Wrestling Alliance Title Histories
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Solie's Title Histories

References

External links

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