NWA International: Spanning the Globe

Pro Wrestling has been celebrated across the globe in hundreds of wrestling promotions throughout the years.  The National Wrestling Alliance has firmly kept its international roots since its inception well over 60 years ago.  And although over time, the names and faces have changed, the NWA is very much a global wrestling sanctioning body, with offices all across the United States there are other offices that span the globe that include, Canada, Mexico, Scotland, France, Japan, Korea, and Australia.  Often times the coverage of non-North American Wrestling promotions go by the way side.  But here at Alliance-Wrestling we are working to provide coverage on all things NWA, even to our lesser known international promotions.

The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) had announced their newest project much to the chagrin of The Scottish Wrestling Alliance (SWA).  The SWA has been the most active NWA member in the UK and even developed a training/feeder promotion to produce talent for its SWA, title NXT: The Next Generation.  The owner of SWA and NXT released the following comment to the media regarding the WWE announcement.

Everyone at the Scottish Wrestling Alliance is honoured that WWE have decided to name their latest product after SWA’s feeder programme, NXT. We would like to assure our fans that the original NXT is still leading the way for trainees in Scotland and the shows on 6th February, Spittal Community Centre, Rutherglen, 19th February, Bargarran Community Centre, Erskine, March 6th, Viewpark Community Centre, Uddingston and March 19th, Links Community Centre, Cumbernauld are all still due to go ahead as advertised.”   After long and careful planning, SWA:NXT made it’s debut in January 2007 as a promotion designed to showcase up and coming talent within Scotland in conjunction with SWA’s Area 52 wrestling school. In 2009
NXT Wrestling split from the Scottish Wrestling Alliance to stand on it’s own two feet, taking it’s own creative direction in September 

The situation was resolved when PJ Murphy, owner of the SWA stated on the SWA Website that the “WWE was proactive in working with us to come to mutually agreeable terms on the release of the NXT trademark once it learned of the potential conflict. The timing was right for us as we were planning on renaming the NXT brand to SWA:Source to be closer aligned with the SWA parent brand”  Scottish Wrestling Alliance presents: Live Pro Wrestling in Erskine, Renfrewshire on Feb.19th 2010.  The NWA Scottish Heavyweight Champion is “The Butcher” Scott Renwick, The Laird of the Ring Champion is Damien O’Conor, and the SWA Tag Team Champions are the STI.

NWA France has completed a newly designed Website for their fans. They have already announced two live events for the month of March, with the first event being March 7th, featuring NWA European Women’s Champion Bulla Punk. International Catch Wrestling Alliance has the distinction of being the home promotion for both the NWA France championship: Greg Fury, the NWA European Championship: Fritz Hellmeister, and the NWA European Tag Team Champions: East Connection. The ICWA also recognizes its own champions in former WWE wrestler Joe. E. Legend as the Heavyweight Champion and Booster Rocket as the Extreme Champion.

The country of Australia might be heading towards a cooling off season, but the wrestling in Australia is anything but. There are two promotions representing the National Wrestling Alliance in the land down under. NWA Pro Wrestling Australia Perth, Western Australia. NWA Pro Australia has recently announced that they will be creating a new tag team division, the NWA Pro Tag League begins to crown the first Australian National Tag Team Champions at Zero Tolerance. Teams confirmed for the tournament so far: The Graham Brothers’ Greg and Joey, The Los Aztecas, Hartley Jackson & “Pitbull” Craig Cole and the Australian National Championship will be defended. Zero Tolerance will be taking place March 20th. EPW has started its second season on Loco TV with its Monday Night Wrestling program, becoming Friday Night Wrestling on Loco TV. The first episode features a hardcore match up between Kracker Jack and former NWA Pro Wrestling M1W Heavyweight Champion: Bobby Marshall. This match took place at EPW’s Evolution 2009 and was brutal. This was prior to Bobby Marshall being exiled from Australia after being suspended by EPW Officials. Marshall was recently exiled from the US after losing his M1W Heavyweight Championship, one has to believe that Marshall is set to take his revenge on Richter and the entire Darkest Hour. EPW’s next big event is entitled GOLD RUSH 3 which is set to take place on April 17th. at the Cyril Jackson Rec Centre, Fisher St, Bassendean.

The NWA continues to span the globe and at Alliance-Wrestling.com, we plan to follow it. 

Scottish Wrestling Alliance presents: Live Pro Wrestling in Erskine, Renfrewshire

Our last trip to Erskine provided a night of unforgettable family entertainment showcasing the young up and comers of Source!

SWA Laird of the Ring Championship

CJ Hunter challenges Damien O’Conor for the title

The lightning fast cruiserweight sensation CJ Hunter returns to Erskine to make a huge challenge for the SWA Laird of the Ring Championship.

Standing atop the Laird division is Damien O’Conor, a strong and confident champion who has proven himself time and again, but can Hunter, a man who has held several championship across the UK, knock him off his pedestal and bring home the gold?

Also on the card…

SWA Tag Team Championship

‘The Professional’ Jackie Polo & ‘The Legitimate Athlete’ Joe Coffey challenge STI for the title.

The young challengers get a shot at William Grange and Dicky Divers as they make a bid for the tag team titles.

NWA Scottish Heavyweight Champion Scott Renwick & Joseph Kerr versus Mark Sweeney & T-Division Champion Private First Class Ricky Gibson

With a champion on each team, this is sure to be an explosive tag team match!

BT Gunn versus Andy Anderson

After losing his challenge for the T-Division title, former Scottish Champion BT Gunn locks in on a new target, but will the plucky young rookie Anderson be able to score abother victory?

‘Paisley Wrecking Machine’ Adam Shame versus ‘The Lowland Superstar’ Glen Dunbar

The baddest man north of Carlisle has battled Dunbar before in Dunbar’s specialty match, now he’s got a chance on even ground but can he stop the highland superstars momentum?

Black Samurai Jr versus Nikki Storm

An international, inter-gender match up as the man from Cobra Island takes on the fast paced Nikki Storm?

Credit: SWA Online

NWA British Commonwealth Championship Legacy

NWA BRITISH COMMONWEALTH CHAMPIONSHIP

2nd Champion Dru Onyx

Update on ICWA: NWA France?!?

Although no official word has been announced from the NWA Website, according to the ICWA website, the promotion isn’t just co-promoting with the NWA, but has joined the National Wrestling Alliance. This would be the 3rd NWA Promotion in Europe, joining NWA UK, NWA Ireland, and now NWA France. The International Catch Wrestling Alliance also marks the 2nd International Wrestling Promotion to join the Alliance this year, with the 1st being New Japan Pro Wrestling.

An Interview with the Bajan Bomber

A dark building flutters with flashes. A dazed man climbs to his feet only to be crushed with a spear from Dru Onyx. A scene that plays out over and over for the opponents of “Godz Fav’rit Weapon.” A man known through the Alliance as a belt collector shares his thoughts on his time at the Inoki Dojo, the British Common Wealth Championship, his tenure as North American Champion and his future.

JAY CAL: Your accolades speak for themselves… you’ve held the International Wrestling Syndicate’s version of the World Title, formerly one Half of the IWS Tag Team Champions, the NWA UK Heavyweight Championship, 2 times Québec Heavyweight Championship, the North American Heavyweight Championship, and are currently a three time British Common Wealth Champion… how great is it to be Dru Onyx?

DRU ONYX: It a exhilarating feeling I think both genders of the human race should at least one time in their life, gain an additional 100 pounds shave their head bald, get a dark tan and find some black and purple to put on.

JAY CAL: First off, let’s go back two years ago. Dru Onyx defends his British Common Wealth Heavyweight Championship against Fergal Devitt. David Marquez witnesses the match and you are invited to come out to train at the Inoki Dojo with Devitt, Karl Anderson, and with some of the other NWA Pro regulars like TJ Perkins, and Rocky Romero how did this match and eventual time spent at the dojo impact your career?

DRU ONYX: All of my matches with Fergal Devitt have been highlights of my career. We have feuded in both single and tag-team competing for 3 years straight on two continents and four Counties (Ireland, England, U.S., & Wales)For Mr. Marquez to invite me let me It’s also an acknowledgment that you’re a level above others in talent, there were more then 50 wrestlers worldwide from all over the alliance and less then 10 were invited to California.

JAY CAL: What did you take back in your style of wrestling and when you train wrestlers at the Torture Chamber?

DRU ONYX: The Inoki Dojo was a positive experience; you can never learn enough about pro wrestling, my time there taught me the importance of conditioning and the emphasis of psychology in a wrestling match both these aspects have taken back with me to the Chamber.

JAY CAL: You reached your highest level of success in the NWA on April 22, 2006. In Altamonte Springs, Florida, three Men walk into the ring, one walks out as champion. Dru, you took on and defeated Tommy Marr and Chasyn Rance in 3-way match and walked away with at the time, the highest-ranking title in the NWA, what did this night mean to you? What did the NWA North American Championship? do for you in terms of your career?

DRU ONYX: It allowed some exposure showing my skills in U.S. rings prior to that; I wrestled mainly in Canada and Europe. In addition, to be in the history books with all the greats who held that championship was an honor for me. It also let the NWA top brass see the that I can be a major layer NWA. It also opened up some doors for corporate sponsorship for both my wrestling school and me.

JAY CAL: As the North American Champion you raised the status of the title from the past champions by having defenses all over the East Coast of Canada and the United States. You showed true class by carrying yourself and the NWA in the highest regard, even defending the title on a TNA house-show. However, you were not invited to participate in the crowning of the Worlds Heavyweight Championship Tournament. In addition, you have yet to receive a title shot, what are your feelings on this?

DRU ONYX: No bad feelings, I think tenure as N.A. Champ was more beneficial to me then being in tournament. Maybe at the time they didn’t view me as a top competitor, and it took me defending the title to do so. Also With the World title being decided I felt I had to carry the load and rep the Alliance as their premier champ. Everything happens for a reason, truth be told even if they ask me I couldn’t have participated at the time. In December 2006 I was seriously hospitalized for Kidney failure and almost had the risk of having my feet amputated only to recover from that, and three months later have to go through an emergency pneumothorax surgery due to a botched biopsy procedure that almost left me for dead. One month after that I was back in the ring defending the title in Virginia, to say the least I had my hands full at the time.

JAY CAL: Wow, it appears you overcame even more obstacles than anyone really knew about. You recently regained the “other worlds” Championship recently from NWA Irelands’ Paul Tracey. This title has been made famous by a handful of individuals. The title is in fact a non-B.O.D Controlled Title, however travels more than any other championship. What does it mean for you, to regain this title you helped to make famous?

DRU ONYX: Your right this title is a non-B.O.D title and it was created by Andre Baker & Ernie Todd. It was to be major title to be defended in both the U.K. and Canada, they believed if a Commonwealth title was created, it could include all the countries that were or still under the British Commonwealth. With so many countries under that banner, they can promote the NWA within countries that may not be a part of the NWA or also places where the World title may not have a chance to visit just yet. It was not nor ever intended to replace the World title but an alternative. The NWA World title is one of the most prestigious and recognized title in pro wrestling and for a few years being associated with TNA it really couldn’t travel much. There are a few reasons why people are noticing it now. Good solid booking, putting the title on credible workers who are traveling and most important no egos between the promoters working with the title. The belt is used and recognized by NWA U.K. Hammerlock, NWA Ireland, NWA Quebec, NWA Pro, NWA ECCW with the understanding that the emphasis is to promote the NWA and share talent.

For me to have the title means to follow the tradition of former champions
of the NWA back in the old days, To go out and represent the alliance and cultivate and elevate the talent I have to wrestle. It means constantly conduct myself as a professional at all times, to challenge myself to on having the best match possible.

My first run was less then a week, my second run was a year, and I put some serious mileage on the championship with the amount of defenses I made. I was the first to have it defended and promoted in different countries, and help set the bar for this championship. I wouldn’t say I was the best wrestler to hold the title that accolade would have to be given to Devitt, but I can say I was the greatest champion to hold the belt

JAY CAL: Where do you look to defend this title first?

DRU ONYX: First place I would like to defend it would be the west coast of Canada in NWA ECCW, the Canadian Champion gets a mandatory title shot, and the title has never been defended there.

JAY CAL: Speaking of the British Common Wealth Heavyweight Championship, one of the previous holders had less then savory remarks about that title. The Machine Gun, a champion during the Santa Monica’s tenure, mentioned the belt was lucky to be held by the likes of Alex Koslov, Devitt, and himself. How do you feel about these comments and are they justified?

DRU ONYX: Everyone’s is allowed his or her own opinion, his is just a lit bit wayward, his claim was that the title didn’t “make him” or “give him the rub” but then again he may not care or knew the significance of that title, The title is put on a worker who can wrestle and put over his competition so they look strong after the champion leaves that particular area, also it’s put on champion who TRAVELS thus allowing BOTH the title and the champion exposure, experience, allowing prestige to the title and name recognition to the worker.

Not a shot at Karl, but he never left L.A. to defend this British title, so how would that belt help him? He doesn’t know how serious people view that title in the U.K. or Canada. Every champion who ever held that belt traveled to another country to defend it, with the exception of Koslov, but at least he traveled to the east coast Defending the title and he carried himself like a true champion. The person who holds it also defines the Championship’s value.

Another Analogy would be like, no matter how nice or fast a beautiful sport car is, you’ll never be able see how fast or how far it can go, cause you have it sitting in your driveway and complaining it’s a piece of crap. And before this misconstrued as me hating on him, I think Anderson is one of the bright futures of the NWA he’s a great worker and worthy of his current tenure as one half of the world tag teams champion, and hopefully that particular title does something for him.

JAY CAL: You are somewhat of a Globetrotter Dru, What Country, States/Providences, Cities have you wrestled?

DRU ONYX: I think it would be a little tedious to name all the cities so here are
just few, Canadian provinces Quebec, Ontario, Winnipeg, Vancouver, U.S. recently I’ve wrestled New York, Massachusetts, California, Tennessee, and Nevada. European countries: Four tours of Ireland, 2 tours of Wales, 2 tours of England.

JAY CAL: The Dru Onyx videos featured on You Tube earlier this year to a lot of notoriety. What do you think of this form of promotion? Do you think it has helped you in your attempts of getting more attention, title shots, fame, and notoriety?

DRU ONYX: I think it the best form inexpensive promotion, definitely a tool I believe and would endorse. One of the strongest talents I have is the gift of gab. Therefore, this medium gives me a vehicle to let the masses know about me whereas they may not have had a chance to before. I can tell any promoter to look me up. It’s great also for building interest for upcoming matches. I had a great build up with NWA Virginia’s Pharaoh on line; I intend to be even more outrageous in my next few promos.

JAY CAL: As head trainer of the Torture Chamber in Quebec, what do you feel is the greatest tools a young wrestler can have before attempting to train for wrestling?

DRU ONYX: A willingness to learn, to remove any preconceptions of what they perceive as pro wrestling to be. Study your craft learn the past, present and where the direction of the business is going. In addition, It is imperative that they know that IT IS A BUSINESS! To get in the gym and prepared to work hard to achieve whatever goals they may have. Sounds cliché but to get a Education to fall back is sounds advice.

JAY CAL: What’s next for Dru Onyx? You’ve conquered the British Common Wealth Heavyweight Championship; you’ve held World Titles in other promotions, what are your career goals?

DRU ONYX: Game plan is to train hard for the next six months get in the best possible wrestling shape. . So many people talk about they want to be a world champ, but truth of the matter is so many are in delusional concerning their abilities and what it would take to carry this company as champion. So whether I’m solo or tagging with the 2006 NWA rookie of the year Justin White the quest is to be in the best shape in order to be put in the position for a realistic shot as World Champion. I’ll be defending this British title, in the U.K. for some mandatory defenses in England, Wales. U.K in April. The game plan is to also defend the title in Australia. I want to at some point in the near future, perform in Japan & Mexico. My objective is to bust my ass and see what upward movement I can attain in the next year’ If I’m in the same place career wise 2008, and then I’ll be hanging up the boots in 2009.

JAY CAL: I for one hope that 2008 with a higher level of success so that we continue to see you perfect your craft. Finally Dru, what would you like to tell the restling fans out there who are reading this?

DRU ONYX: I would like to tell the wrestling fans that I happy to be alive and I’m blessed to be able to follow a childhood dream and those who’ve seen and enjoyed my antics I’m nothing without you guys, you as fans are saluted.

Please Check Out: Dru Onyx’s Torture Chamber and NWA Quebec

And you can buy the Dru Onyx Shirt by clicking here