Universal Wrestling Federation | |
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Abbreviation | UWF |
Established | 1998 |
Re-openings | 1999, 2006, 2008, January 4, 2011 |
Folded | March 30, 2008 |
Founder/Owner | JC Barr/Tom Sanders (Founders and Original Owners) Maximillion Pegasus, owner since January 4, 2011(As apart of National Wrestling Associations' development territory.) |
Style | Professional wrestling, sports entertainment |
Location | Louisville, Kentucky (WorldWide Reach) |
Weekly show(s) | Sunday Night Heat Wave |
Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) was an American-based professional wrestling promotion and e-federation. Originally opening in the summer of 1998 by JC Barr, it had existed in three separate iterations. It had resurrected in February 2008 and folded shortly in late March with Tom Sanders as owner.
History[]
The UWF was opened in the summer of 1998 under management of JC Barr. Its roster consisted mostly of wrestlers from the defunct Midnight Wrestling Federation. This era was highlighted with Gang Wars, the fierce rivalry between the Darkside Warriors, the Horsemen, and Team EGO, which culminated in a Graveyard Match. The Darkside Warriors were victorious over The Horsemen, resulting in The Horsemen leaving the UWF.
At the first PPV, Tomorrow Nevermore, the first Universal Champion was crowned, as The Slickster defeated Big Bruno Baxter in the finals of a lengthy tournament. The highly anticipated rematch was booked for the UWF's next PPV, SummerStorm '98; despite the underhanded tactics of The Slickster, Big Bruno Baxter was able to overcome and won the Universal Title. In the match, however, Baxter suffered a devastating knee injury and was forced to vacate the title.
The UWF then conceived the idea of a PPV event where every match would be held inside a steel cage. Cage-a-Rama was on, and the finals of a tournament were held to determine the new champion. Newcomer "Marvelous" Mark Sanders topped the odds-on-favorite, "The Intimidator" Rod Johnson, to pick up his first piece of gold. However, before the night was over, "The Franchise" Ed Jackson made his return and goaded the rookie into an impromptu title match. Utilizing a pair of brass knuckles, The Franchise put down Sanders to pick up his first Universal Title.
The closing moments of the event brought the announcement that the UWF had joined up with the Apex Wrestling Alliance; immediately afterwards, NeWA star Dynamite Kid attacked The Franchise and challenged him for the Universal Title at NeWA's weekly event, Whoop-ass Wednesday. The following evening, The Franchise accepted. JC Barr also announced that "Marvelous" Mark Sanders would use his rematch clause, resulting in a Triangle match for the Universal Title. Sanders debuts his new finisher, The Ace Driver, and defeats The Dynamite Kid to recapture the Universal Title. However, this proved to be the beginning of the end; financial difficulties, paired with the defection of several of UWF's stars, spelled the end for the UWF for the time being.
In 1999, Tom Sanders announced his intention to resurrect the UWF and pick up where it left off. SummerStorm was announced on June 18, 1999. Big Bruno Baxter made his long-awaited return to face off against his former partner, Sirus the Virus, for the Universal Champion. In a shocking moment, Big Bruno Baxter joined up with the returning Team EGO and the UWF Commissioner to steal the Universal Title; Baxter was declared the champion despite not winning the match.
On Wednesday Night War, President Sanders declared that Baxter was not the Universal Champion, stripping him of the title and scheduling a rematch the following month at Maximum Carnage. Despite the best efforts of Team EGO, assistance from the reformed Darkside Warriors led to the Lethal Injection from Sirus the Virus, as Sirus captured the Universal Title. Sirus would reign throughout the remainder of the year, turning back challengers such as "The Franchise" Ed Jackson, The Slickster, Stoney Jones, "Hollywood" Rip Boulder, and many others. However, shortly into the new year, President Sanders made the announcement that the UWF would disband.
In 2006, rumors were swirling that Steve Andrews was planning to resurrect the UWF. The rumors proved to be true, as UWF Tidal Wave hit in August, featuring a one-night tournament to crown the new UWF Universal Champion. In order to shake things up, Steve Andrews announced at the event the stipulations to each match. The opening round consisted of a chain match, an electric pool match, a street fight, and a ladder match. The semi-finals were contested in death pit matches, with the finals a two-out-of-three-falls finishers match. UWF originals "Bodacious" Brandon and "Hollywood" Rip Boulder were among the participants, but in the end, Mark Fletcher walked away the new Universal Champion.
It was also decided that the UWF Hardcore Title would not be making a comeback; instead, the UWF Extreme Title was born. The Extreme Title took things a step further; every title defense is contested in a different specialty match. Streets Wilson won an Extreme Battle Royal in order to become the first Extreme Champion; he held the title from August until December. To date, only three people have ever held the UWF Extreme Title. Futhermore, In February 2007, personal problems led Tom Sanders to disbanding the UWF once again.
2008 Resurrection[]
On February 19, 2008, UWF Online announced that it would be reopening its doors once again which would mark the forth effort. The action started with UWF Tidal Wave, where a one-night tournament would crown the UWF Universal Champion, just as it did in 2006 and featured a Scaffold from Hell match to crown a new UWF Extreme Champion which Al Smash prevailed the victor of as subsequent that night did Bobby Bishop become the UWF Universal Champion. UWF held their three weekly events entitled Sunday Night Heat Wave before it went under on March 30, 2008.
Previous Roster[]
- Streets Wilson
- Rick "The Dick" Stevens
- Bobby "The Beast" Bishop
- "The Franchise" Ed Jackson
- Al Smash
- "Primetime" Paul Roberts
- "God Of War" Alistair Creed Jr.
- Cade Foster
- "The Player" Mickey Avalon
- Goldeneye
- Damian Hunter
- Renegade
Championships[]
Retired:
- UWF Extreme Title - replaced by UWF Hardcore Title
- UWF Welterweight Title
- UWF United States Heavyweight Championship
- UWF Television Title
Unique Features[]
UWF Extreme Title[]
The UWF Extreme Title replaces the Hardcore Title. The major difference is that the Extreme Title is contested exclusively in specialty matches. To date, the Extreme Title has been defended in an Elevated Platform Cage Match, a Basement Blood Match, a Texas Death Match, a Circus Top High Tower Death Match, a Japanese Barb Wire Match, and an Extreme Submission Match, among others. It is defended at least once every 30 days, and at every PPV event. To date, three people have held the Extreme Title: Streets Wilson, Mark Fletcher, and Strangler.
Elevated Platform Cage Match[]
The Elevated Platform Cage Match is a UWF original match. A cage is constructed on a steel platform; weapons are littered throughout the cage. Once the participants are inside, the cage is locked and suspended fifteen feet into the air. Victory is achieved by pinfall, submission, or escaping the cage.
Announcers[]
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UWF Announcers Fred Johnson [right] and Poppa Boner [left] |
- Fred Johnson - play-by-play
- Poppa Boner - color commentator
Fred Johnson and Poppa Boner have worked for the UWF in all three iterations. Fred Johnson is your typical play-by-play announcer; Poppa Boner however seems like he's mostly in it to annoy Fred Johnson. Despite the fact that they work with each other, they cannot stand one another; in fact, in the history of the UWF they've actually had two wrestling matches, with Fred Johnson easily defeating Boner.
- Jon Hermstead
- Myles Daily
Jon Hermstead and Myles Daily are normally seen as backstage interviewers, but have been seen to do play-by-play anytime Poppa Boner gets taken out, either by Fred Johnson or by another wrestler. For instance, Jon Hermstead had to finish a UWF event after Poppa Boner was piledrove for chastising a wrestler. Myles Daily has proven himself so annoying that Fred was actually glad to see Boner come back out after giving him a beating.