International Wrestling Syndicate

IWS
Acronym International Wrestling Syndicate
Founded 1998
Style Pro Wrestling
Hardcore Wrestling
Headquarters Montreal, Canada
Founder(s) SeXXXy Eddy
Manny Eleftheriou
Owner(s) Manny Eleftheriou
Formerly Dawson Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Syndicate
Internet Wrestling Syndicate
Website iwswrestling.com

International Wrestling Syndicate is a professional wrestling promotion based out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was formerly known as the Internet Wrestling Syndicate and before that as World Wrestling Syndicate.

IWS is renowned as being one of the continent's longest running promotions, and one of hardcore wrestling's staunchest standouts; while priding itself as the only truly innovative, sexually appealing, and realistically violent show in the country.[1][2] The promotion gained global exposure during the late '90s & early 2000s wrestling boom, by streaming video on demand on a monthly show entitled Bloodstream, and has been featured on Playboy TV, Fight Network & Viewer's Choice Canada on pay-per-view.[3][4][5] Their shows are currently jointly promoted with entertainment event promoter Evenko, distributed through Smart Mark Video, and available on direct MPEG-4 download from their website.

IWS has been home to many notable independent wrestlers, such as Kevin Steen, El Generico, Pierre Carl Ouellet, Franky The Mobster, LuFisto, Beef Wellington, the Super Smash Brothers (Player Uno & Stupefied), 2.0 (Scott "Jagged" Parker & Shane Matthews), Max Boyer & SeXXXy Eddy.

History

Dawson Wrestling Federation

In April 1998 SeXXXy Eddy organized the Dawson Wrestling Federation to perform on the grounds of Dawson College in Montreal. He became the promotion’s first champion. After the show on April 23, 1999 wrestling was banned from being performed on Dawson College property.

World Wrestling Syndicate

Eddy joined with Manny Elefthriou and Nic Paterson to form the World Wrestling Syndicate. The WWS had their first show Blood, Sweat & Beers 1999 at Wally's on June 17, 1999. The last WWS show was Praise the Violence on April 8, 2000.

Internet Wrestling Syndicate

In 2000, Manny entered into a partnership with Wild Rose Productions, a Montreal-based Internet adult entertainment company owned by Carol Cox.[6] The company was renamed Internet Wrestling Syndicate. The first show was Change at the Just For Laughs Cabaret on November 10, 2000. In the main event, PCP Crazy F'N Manny wrestled Danny Dallas in the first of only three No-Rope Barbed Wire matches in IWS history.

IWS held its first seasonal Medley show, Praise the Violence on March 31, 2001 in Montreal. On May 25, 2001 the IWS also began promoting shows at Le Skratch in Laval, becoming its primary venue for the next two years. Two months later IWS held Un F'N Sanctioned, featuring the its first Fans Bring the Weapons Match, with the Hardcore Ninjaz facing PCP Crazy F'N Manny & Green Phantom. On November 10, 2001 at Born to Bleed, Justice Pain defeated Hardcore Ninja #1 and Hardcore Ninja #2, retaining his CZW World Heavyweight Championship in a Triple Threat Match.

In Spring 2002, IWS held the Extreme Dream Tag Team Tournament, inaugurating the IWS Tag Team Championship. The tournament was won by the unlikely team of Maxx Fury & Hardcore Ninja #1, on March 16, 2002 at Extreme Dream Part 2. At Scarred For Life on July 14, 2002 in the main event, SeXXXy Eddy successfully defended his IWS Heavyweight Championship against The Arsenal, while "The Generic Luchador" El Generico made his wrestling debut in a count out victory.[7]

On August 16, 2003, Pierre Carl Ouellet and Kevin Steen made their IWS debuts at Born to Bleed. Pierre Carl Ouellet defeated El Generico and Kevin Steen at Blood, Sweat and Beers, in a Triple Threat Match on October 18, 2003. The last show at Le Skratch was Season's Beatings held on December 13, 2003.

IWS held its 5th anniversary show "V" on June 15, 2004 at Le SPAG, where Sid Vicious made his in-ring return from having suffered his near career-ending injury in 2001 during a WCW pay-per-view, in a Four Corners match for the WCW Championship in Indianapolis.[8] During the event, El Generico defeated PCO in an IWS Title Match for his first IWS Heavyweight Championship, only to have Kevin Steen reclaim his #1 contendership won earlier that night against eXceSs 69. Kevin Steen defeated El Generico, also winning his first IWS Heavyweight Championship.

Kevin Steen's first title reign in 2004, marked a pivotal milestone in the history of the promotion when he became the first IWS Heavyweight Champion to internationally defend the title, defeating Excess on September 18th & Roderick Strong on October 30th in Rahway, New Jersey for JAPW.[9][10]

International Wrestling Syndicate

On March 26, 2005 at Un F'N Sanctioned, The Green Phantom defeated Chris Hero, and Beef Wellington beat Super Dragon. IWS was invited to perform at the Viking Hall, in Philadelphia putting on Freedom to Fight on July 9, 2005. IWS held on July 23, 2005 the preliminary matches for Extreme Dream Tournament II, inaugurating the IWS Canadian Championship. On August 20, 2005 at Extreme Dream II, Chris Bishop defeated El Generico in the Extreme Dream Tournament Final Match, becoming the first IWS Canadian Champion.

On June 3, 2006 at Un F’N Sanctioned, Sabu worked his (then) last independent match teaming with PCO defeating The Green Phantom and Dru Onyx, 48 hours prior to debuting on WWE Raw.[11] On August 8, 2006 at Breakout, Viking defeated Excess in a IWS World Heavyweight Title vs. Career Match. Viking currently holds the record as the longest consecutive IWS World Heavyweight Championship title holder, at 441 days.[12]

On March 24, 2007 at Un F’N Sanctioned, Christian Cage & Max Boyer defeated Pierre Carl Ouellet & Jake Matthews. On September 22, 2007 at Blood, Sweat & Beers, The Dudley Boyz (renouncing to being billed as Team 3D during the event) and Franky the Mobster beat Pierre Carl Ouellet, Paranoid Jake Matthews and Brick Crawford.[13]

In May 2008, Kevin Steen became the first person to ever hold two IWS titles simultaneously when he defeated Max Boyer to win the IWS Canadian Championship, while retaining the IWS World Heavyweight Championship. On September 27, 2008 at Un F'N Sanctioned, Excess beat Shayne Hawke for the vacant IWS Canadian Championship in the Extreme Dream Tournament Final Match, while Kevin Steen retained the IWS World Heavyweight Championship against Joey Mercury.

On January 10, 2009 at Seasons Beatings, The Green Phantom defeated "Big Rig" Brodie Lee in a Christmas Tree Deathmatch. IWS celebrated its 10th anniversary "X" on May 30, 2009 at the Medley in downtown Montreal, where former WWE, WCW and TNA Wrestling superstar Kevin Nash made his return to Montreal in a losing effort against Pierre Carl Ouellet in a Grudge Match, concluding a rivalry originating from a WWE match in Quebec City, in 1995.[14]

IWS held its (then) final show on October 9, 2010. The main event featured SeXXXy Eddy, PCP Crazy FN' Manny, The Arsenal and The Green Phantom all battling for the IWS World Heavyweight Championship in a Fans Bring the Weapons Deathmatch. The result was that IWS World Heavyweight Champion, The Green Phantom retained.[6]

In early 2014, it was announced that IWS would make its return in May at the Plaza Theatre. IWS held Praise the Violence on May 10th, where The Green Phantom retained the IWS World Heavyweight Championship against "Dirty" Buxx Belmar in an IWS Deathmatch, and "Superstar" Shayne Hawke won the vacant IWS Canadian Championship in a 4-Way Match. On August 23rd, IWS celebrated its 15th anniversary with XV:15 FKN Years, which featured in the main event former WWE and ECW superstar Tommy Dreamer. At Scarred 4 Life on September 20th 2014, "Speedball" Mike Bailey won the IWS World Heavyweight Championship against The Green Phantom, in an IWS Title Match. On November 15th at Freedom To Fight, IWS World Heavyweight Champion Mike Bailey defeated SeXXXy Eddy in an IWS Title Match, while The Green Phantom faced Alex Silva in a Glass Match.

On January 24th 2015, IWS held Blood, Sweat and Beers which featured wrestlers from CZW, including "The Lariat" DJ Hyde, "Bulldozer" Matt Tremont & Joe Gacy. As "Speedball" Mike Bailey retained the IWS World Heavyweight Championship versus Tremont in an IWS Title Match, The Green Phantom & SeXXXy Eddy faced "Dirty" Buxx Belmar & Alex Silva to determine an IWS World Heavyweight Championship No. 1 Contender. IWS announced a deal with entertainment event promoter Evenko, with the first event of the promotional partnership being Un F’N Sanctioned.

Un F'N Sanctioned was held on March 28th at the Corona Theatre, where IWS World Heavyweight Champion "Speedball" Mike Bailey defeated Hallowicked & Jesse Neal in a Triple Threat IWS Title Match, while PCP Crazy F'N Manny, The Green Phantom & SeXXXy Eddy faced Alex Silva, Buxx Belmar & Matt Tremont in a Fans Bring the Weapons Match. IWS will present Praise the Violence on May 22, 2015 at the Théâtre Plaza.

Shows

  • "Season's Beatings"
  • "Know Your Enemies"
  • "Scarred 4 Life"
  • "Un F'N Sanctioned"
  • "Hardcore Heat"
  • "Breakout"
  • "Summer Slaughter"
  • "Bodycount"
  • "Freedom to Fight"
  • "Blood, Sweat and Beers"
  • "Born to Bleed"
  • "Praise the Violence"

Current champions

Championship: Champion(s): Previous: Date won: Location:
IWS World Heavyweight Championship "Speedball" Mike Bailey The Green Phantom September 20, 2014 Montréal, Québec, Canada
IWS Canadian Championship Shayne Hawke Max Boyer (vacated) May 10, 2014 Montréal, Québec, Canada
IWS Tag Team Championship The Rock N' Roid Express
(Twiggy and Franky The Mobster)		 The Untouchables 2.0
(Dan Paysan & Jagged) 		March 6, 2010 Laval, Québec, Canada

References

  1. ↑ Joe Babinsack (2009-02-25) "Joe Babinsack looks at the IWS in Montreal", Wrestling Observer, Retrieved on February 25, 2009.
  2. ↑ Gollner, Adam Leith (2004-03-12) "Vive la Lutte Libre: Extreme wrestling and the theatre of Quebec nationalism", Maisonneuve, Retrieved on March 12, 2004.
  3. ↑ Jaffer, Dave (2006-06-01) "Live underground extreme wrestling: Fight club", Hour, Retrieved on June 01, 2006.
  4. ↑ Baines, Tim (2006-05-07) "Clash of Styles ... wrestling not enough", SLAM! Wrestling, Retrieved on May 07, 2006.
  5. ↑ Leroux, Yves (2004-03-30) "IWS tapes PPV matches", SLAM! Wrestling, Retrieved on March 30, 2004.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Leroux, Yves; Laprade, Patric (2010-10-11). "Final IWS show filled with blood, nostalgia and great wrestling". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2010-10-11.
  7. ↑ Laprade, Patric (2013-01-30) "El Generico bound for NXT", SLAM! Wrestling, Retrieved on January 30, 2013.
  8. ↑ Leroux, Yves. "Sid Vicious brings chaos to IWS anniversary", SLAM! Wrestling, June 14, 2004. Retrieved on June 14, 2004.
  9. ↑ "Kevin Steen", Luttemedia, Retrieved on March 25, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Jersey All Pro Wrestling 2004 Results", JAPW, Retrieved on March 25, 2015.
  11. ↑ Keller, Wade. (2006-06-05) "Keller's WWE RAW Report 6/5", Pro Wrestling Torch, Retrieved on June 5, 2006.
  12. ↑ "IWS World Heavyweight Championship", CAGEMATCH, Retrieved on March 25, 2015.
  13. ↑ Laprade, Patric. (2007-09-23) "Dudleys deliver, Grenier surprises at IWS in Montreal", SLAM! Wrestling, Retrieved on September 23, 2007.
  14. ↑ Laprade, Patric. "Ouellet makes Nash tap out in grudge match", SLAM! Wrestling, June 1, 2009. Retrieved on June 1, 2009.

External links