Independent Championship Wrestling (commonly known as ICW Miami) owned by Jorge E. Portuondo (Skorpio) was a promotion that had a great reputation throughout South Florida. From its beginning in 2008, ICW had live events from marketplaces, country clubs, high school gyms and had their own arena inside the Polish American Club located at 1250 NW 22nd Street near the Little Havana. ICW also had a working relationship with another Miami indy: Uknow Pro Wrestling. Their events garnered the love and respect of fans in the Miami-Dade County area. Stars who were a part of ICW Miami's 11 year history included Lucha World Order members Mecha Wolf 450, Jon Cruz (Serpentico) and Lince Dorado. former WWE NXT superstar Samuel Shaw, Angel Rose (Diamante in AEW and Impact Wrestling), KyLinn King, The Guadalupe Brothers, Julian Kelevera, Barrington Hughes, Santana Garrett, Kaci Lennox, Brandi Lauren, WWE Attitude Era Legend Gangrel, Anna Diaz, Rocky Radley and two stars who are no longer with us, "Ram Man" Johnny Evans (who fought in WWC Puerto Rico from 1996-1997) and Hack Myers (a former ECW star who appeared in IWA Puerto Rico in 2003 as a part of "El Boricua Mayor" Savio Vega's company. Championships defended were from the ICW World Championship, ICW Women's Championship, ICW United States Tag Team Championships, ICW Pure X Championship and both the now defunct ICW Latin American and YouTube Championships. ICW Miami went out of business in 2019. For those who remember the promotion fondly, ICW Miami was more the modern version of the old NWA Championship Wrestling from Florida and Georgia Championship Wrestling for today's fans.
Johnny Vazquez, was a well known pro wrestler from Lajas, Puerto Rico. Vasquez started wrestling in 1980 as El Mongol throughout the West and Southwest coast of the Island. In the winter of 1985. Vasquez met Tito Velazquez, who was well known throughout Puerto Rico as La Muerte Vengadora. The two of them went to compete in the now defunct Iman Latin wrestling promotion in Isabela until July 1987, when Vasquez had the Idea of creating a summer event as well as renting a wrestling ring. That is where John Wrestling Promotion was born, with various indy pro wrestlers throughout the West Coast area of the Island coming together to make the first big event a success. Even though Vazquez didn't have the money to purchase his own wrestling ring, a friend of his was willing to help make the design and put a ring together. Though Vasquez would no longer wrestle in any local promotion, JWP took off like a rocket having regular live events throughout the West Coast of the Island as far as up to San German, Sabana Grande, Lares, and Hormigueros. It was a lot of work, blood, sweat and tears throughout the late 1980s all the way through the decade of the 1990s until 2004 when the Puerto Rican Department of Boxing and Wrestling Athletic Commission hit Vazquez and JWP fines to pay and paperwork to sign to become a professionally licensed wrestling promotion. Since that time, JWP has had their live events in mini arenas and Canchas at urban residences, plus special fundraising events for people and loyal friends who supported them over the years to help with medical expenses. When New Revolution Wrestling went out of business in 2016, JWP picked up their television deal with WOLE TV Channel 12.2 in the Mayaguez-Aguadilla region, airing Saturday morning and Wednesday night. During JWP's 35 years in existence, wrestlers that were part of their legacy include the late Paul Santiago (who was JWP's answer to ECW original Balls Mahoney in hardcore matches). El Mariachi, El Bandido, Angel Caraballo, Seguridad Maxima, "The Aguadilla Legend" Black Trebol and Bad Trebol, "El Papa de los Pollitos" Zafiro, "The King of Chaos" Ricky Cruz, Richard Ramos and Alex Delta, The New Kingdom (Gangsta and Yankee), El Pequeño Enel, Latin Rose, Aiden Grimm, Stryder, Vassago,Los Primos Melendez,The Owners of Time (Nick Mercer and Leinord White with Ashur Valentine), women wrestlers from "La Guerrera" Amazona, "La Chica de la Actitud" Roxxy, "The Dreamcatcher" Kayla Joine, Lady Zafiro, Princess Ashanty and La Varoneza, Plus stars from Queens, New York's NEW Promotion, owner Robert Saint, Supa Nitro, Mantis, Frakie Flow, "El Guapo" Lou Nova, Hamlet Hurtssue and The Memphis Kings, Florida's Alex Todd and the retired Bobby V. San German's native son, "El Rudo de los Rudos" Axel Cruz did the announcing for their live events. JWP had a working relationship with Comerio's CWA and Charity Wrestling Organization through live fundraising events .Championships defended were the JWP World, World Tag Team, Women's Puerto Rican. Hardcore and Latin American titles. Due to the COVID crisis lasting almost two years on the Island, the passing of Vazquez's parents, the politics and financial losses, John Wrestling Promotion closed its doors in 2021. JWP gave their fans something to remember.
On Sunday July 3rd, National Organization Wrestling will have their Second event called Verano Brutal (Brutal Summer) from the Cancha Bajo Techo de Barrio Jacanas, Yauco, Puerto Rico. Bell time at 6:00 PM. the event will be dedicated to Vazquez, for his hard work. Those who were a part of JWP pay tribute to their friend, mentor and former owner of the promotion. So on behalf of Georgia Wrestling History News and Notes, thanks to Johnny Vazquez, El Mongol and El Vikingo for giving wrestling fans on the West Coast of Puerto Rico and the Boricua community throughout the Southeastern US, all the great memories.
Continental Wrestling Federation, formerly an NWA member based in both Knoxville and Dothan, Alabama, has had a long history dating back when Nashville promoter Roy Welch and his son Buddy Fuller bought out Leroy McGuirk's Tri State Wrestling's Mobile-Pensacola territory from 1954-1959, Because Welch was busy promoting in Nashville, Fuller not only booked the Mobile-Pensacola region but had expanded to Mississippi and Louisiana as well. He even ran in Tampa and Atlanta. Everything started to unravel. When Fuller failed to make the payments, his cousin, Lee Fields bought out both Welch and Fuller in 1960. Fields ran the promotion as NWA Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling for 18 Years until 1978 when he sold it to cousin Ron Fuller, who also bought NWA Southeastern Championship Wrestling from Joe Cazana in 1974. In 1979, the Infamous 5 (Ron Wright, Ronnie Garvin, Bob Orton,Jr., Boris Malenko and Bob Roop) formed the rival All-Star Championship Wrestling in Knoxville due to a financial dispute until they merged with Angelo Poffo's ICW Promotion the next year. Fuller sold his Knoxville promotion to Georgia Championship Wrestling and Jim Crockett Promotions and continued to operate the Birmingham version of NWA Southeastern until 1985. Fuller not only bought back Knoxville, he also expanded the Southern Alabama and Northern Florida territory as well renaming it Continental Championship Wrestling. During the next three years, CCW ran events and attempted a national expansion. Like Memphis, Pacific Northwest and World Class, CWA was no longer a member of the NWA. In a failed attempt to expand to a national level under new owner David Woods, the now renamed Continental Wrestling Federation joined forces with those three promotions and the AWA to put on Superclash from the UIC Pavillion in Chicago on December 13,1988. in 1989, Continental Wrestling Federation closed their doors for good. However, the legacy of the promotion included some great shows and how it served as a launching pad for future legends such as The Armstrong family (the late Bullet Bob and Brad Armstrong with brothers Steve and former WWE referee Scott Armstrong), Paul Heyman, Missy Hyatt, The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael "P.S." Hayes, Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts) and featured stars such as Adrian Street, Eddie Gilbert, Robert Fuller and Jimmy Golden (Colonel Robert Parker and Bunkhouse Buck in WCW), and those who have passed on like Pez Whatley, Tracy Smothers, Don Fargo, Mike Boyette, Arn Anderson, Gordon Solie, Doug Furnas, and many others made NWA Southeastern/Continental Wrestling Federation though a lost member of the NWA, a legendary territory ahead of its time. Along with their major championships like the NWA Gulf Coast and Southeastern, the promotion had regional titles. though short lived such as the Southeastern Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and the NWA Panama City Championships throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
The Continental Wrestling Reunion event will be held this Saturday, July 2 at the Big Creek in Dothan with Robert and Ron Fuller, Golden, Wendell Cooley, Bob Orton Jr and more.
IWA Florida will have their upcoming event called Sangre (Blood) at the IWA Florida Arena, 1723 Bruton Blvd in Orlando on Sunday July 24th. Bu the order of IWA Florida management, there will be a special tag team match where: "El Leon" Apolo and his son, Apolo Jr will square off against the reunited Bouncers (Bouncer Bob and Bouncer Bruno). If the father and son team wins, Apolo will take on Bouncer Bruno for the IWA Florida World Championship; The stars of both Pride of Wrestling and IWA Florida will be appearing. Bell time at 4:00 PM.
Pro Wrestling Caribbean Georgia presents Verano Extremo from Club La Estacion 920 Main Street in Gainsville, Georgia. Two matches have been announced. "The Mexican Rockstar" Vary Morales will defend the PWC Heavyweight Championship against LAWE Superstar and La Anexion member: ""The White Shadow" Mark Davidson and The Bad Squad (Richard Ramos and Alex Delta) defend the PWC World Tag Team Championships against State of Emergency (managed by PWC General Manager Kenneth Becker). Bell time at 6:00 PM.
To end this special 4th of July edition, Here are special episodes of ICW Miami, John Wrestling Promotion and NWA Southeastern/Continental Wrestling Federation. Plus all new episodes of WWC, AEW Dark Elevation and Dark, IWA Puerto Rico and MLW Fusion.
