History[]
One of the 'Big Three' of American wrestling, Total Championship Wrestling are known for producing an excellent in-ring product in which talented workers are allowed to go out and showcase their abilities without the need for elaborate storylines. This is an intentional move to position themselves as a more realistic alternative to the glitz and glamour of SWF and USPW.
TCW has traditionally suffered by being unable to match the financial resources of the other major promotions; long-time owner Tommy Cornell especially was severely handicapped by having to keep a tight budget for many years. In 2015 Cornell sold his stake in TCW to the American toy company BriCo, saving the company from near bankruptcy.
Hollyweird Grappling Company (HGC)[]
TCW was originally known as the Hollyweird Grappling Company. As HGC, it was originally intended as an attempt to take on American's most dominant promotion, the SWF, in a head-to-head war by closely mimmicking their patented "sports entertainment" style and using big names like the legendary Sam Strong to draw in viewers. Although the company did manage to establish itself as a thorn in the SWF's side, it never really looked like taking over as the undisputed number one promotion.
Signed to the original roster were stars Sam Strong, Rip Chord, and Larry and Bryan Vessey. They gave the new promotion immediate legitimacy, attracted by the big contracts offered by teenaged millionaire owner J.K. Stallings Jr. Some other notable workers who were with HGC from the start include Ricky Dale Johnson and Tyson Baine. Tommy Cornell would join in the later part of 1997.
One of HGC's most popular stables was Painful Procedure, a rock band made up of BJ Shearer (Drums), Jack Bruce (Vocals), Randall Hopkirk (Bassist) and Ronnie V. Pain (Guitarist).
2005[]
By the end of 2004 Tommy Cornell had led a team of investors to take over TCW from J.K. Stallings. The change in owner however, didn't see the company's bank balance change as dramatically as most people had foreseen. Cornell was quick to realise that fighting SWF at their own game was doomed to failure, so he started the process of rebuilding TCW. He put about a process of billing TCW as an updated Traditional Promotion, with values held on in ring performance over that of over the top story lines. Story lines they did have were kept simple and easy to follow, and only served to enhance the reason two wrestlers would be fighting.
Wrestlers[]
- Aaron Andrews
- American Buffalo
- Bart Biggins
- Benny Benson
- Bryan Vessey
- Brent Hill
- Chance Fortune
- Danny Fonzarelli
- Darryl Devine
- Dazzling Dave Diamond
- Edd Stone
- Eddie Chandler
- Eddie Peak
- Elliot Thomas
- Flying Jimmy Foxx
- Freddy Huggins
- Giant Tana
- Guide
- Human Arsenal
- Jay Chord
- Jeremie Courtney
- Joel Bryant
- Joshua Taylor
- Killer Shark
- Marc Speed
- Matt Hocking
- Mighty Mo
- Nate Johnson
- Ricky Dale Johnson
- Rocky Golden
- Sammy Bach
- Scout
- Titan
- Troy Tornado
- Wolf Hawkins
Managers[]
- Floyd Goldworthy
- Laura Catherine Huggins
- Vita
Announcers[]
- Jason Azaria
- Shawn Doakes
Commentators[]
- Kyle Rhodes
- Jasmine Saunders
Referees[]
- Charles Hapstander
- Ray Johnson
Road Agents[]
- Robert Oxford
- Warlord Pain
Tag Teams[]
- Devine Fortune - Darryl Devine and Chance Fortune
- The Behemoths - Titan and Killer Shark
- The Canadian Animals - Freddy Huggins and Edd Stone
- The Elite - Eddie Chandler and Nate Johnson
- The New Wave - Guide & Scout
Current title holders[]
| Championship | Current Champion | Date won |
|---|---|---|
| TCW World Heavyweight Championship | Aaron Andrews | Week 1, November, 2015 |
| TCW International Championship | Marc Speed | Week 1, December 2015 |
| TCW World Tag Team Championship | The Behemoths | November 2015 |
| TCW All Action Championship | Title Retired | |
| TCW Hardcore Championship | Title Retired | |
| TCW Cruiserweight Championship | Title Retired | |
| TCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship | Title Retired |
Events[]
- January - Malice In Wonderland
- February - The War To Settle The Score
- March - Just Another Day?
- April - Where Angels Fear To Tread
- May - Total Mayhem
- June - Excessive Force
- July - Summer Showdown
- August - Hotter Than Hell
- September - Destructive Energy
- October - Threatening Behavior
- November - A Little South Of Sanity
- December - Psycho Circus
TV Shows[]
- Tuesday - TCW Presents Total Wrestling
Gallery[]
