WWE's partnerships with other promotions over the years
Jan 4, 2019 19:39:45 GMT -5
Squirrel Master likes this
Post by Joe Neglia on Jan 4, 2019 19:39:45 GMT -5
I'm trying to create as accurate a list as possible of the various inter-promotional partnerships and relationships the WWE has had over the years with other promotions. This is mostly going to be focused on extended partnerships, so one-off deals for things like the Flair/Christian deal or getting use of ROH or TNA footage is not included. Promotions who were bought out by the WWE are also not considered (WCW, Stampede, Georgia). Also, extremely limited one-shot deals like Cena and McMahon appearing at that one indy a few years back, the whole entire week Punk "left" and visited indies, etc.
If anyone has any corrections or additions to add, please let me know.
NWA - 1971-1982 - After the WWF split from the NWA in 1963, Vince Sr quietly rejoined the NWA in 1971 and remained on their board until he sold his company to his son. As part of the Alliance, WWF champs worked NWA champs multiple times, several top territory workers got one-shots working the Garden and Andre the Giant - whom Vince Sr was the personal booker of - was booked out to all of the other territories. Vince K would cut ties with the NWA shortly after acquiring the company.
Andre's touring - 1982-1984 - Though Vince left the NWA, he continued to allow Andre to be booked in other promotions through April of '84, when he then stopped booking Andre outside the company and forced him to work only the WWF from then on. (NJPW excluded)
NJPW - 1978-1986 - Talent exchange that saw WWF workers make tours in Japan while New Japan talent was lent to the WWF, notably Tiger Mask and Cobra later on. Andre was also allowed to continue his bookings here longer than other promotions as well, though those ended when the partnership dissolved.
Maple Leaf Wrestling - 1983-1986 - The Tunneys, who had been hosting shows using a mix of local talent as well as workers brought in from JCP and the WWF, opted to start promoting strictly WWF shows after Crockett started sending less and less quality workers. MLW worked strictly as a local promoter for the WWF until closing shop when Vince decided to stop the televised show, replacing it with Superstars of Wrestling under the MLW name.
World Class - 1986 - There are still a lot of questions about exactly what was happening here. It appears to have been a failed attempt at working together that ended shortly after Ricky Steamboat was sent to work a World Class show. Others (Iron Sheik, JYD?) were advertised as coming in for matches soon after, but never appeared after the whole thing was dropped.
Houston Wrestling - 1987 - This partnership is an odd duck on the list. Upset that Watts sold UWF to Crockett, Paul Boesch (who had been booking his Houston cards utilizing Watts' roster) cut ties with the UWF and invited Vince to come invade Houston without a fight, handing him his TV spot and continuing to remain a localized promoter under McMahon until retiring the following year.
The WWF/NJPW/AJPW Summit - April 13, 1990 - A one-time event, this was a big Tokyo Dome show that saw all three promotions working the card.
SWS - 1990-1991 - In October of '90, the two companies formed a partnership that saw three shows put on at the Tokyo Dome the following year. This relationship led to Tenryu and Kitao on the Wrestlemania 7 card as well as the infamous Earthquake/Kitao shoot in Japan.
UWF (Japan) - 1991 - And after working with SWS, Vince then briefly worked with UWF Japan/Universal Lucha Libre, which saw the creation of WWF Intercontinental Tag Team titles that were quickly abandoned.
USWA - 1992-1997 - Talent exchange that was notable for Vince McMahon venturing to the Memphis territory and performing a prototype of the heel Mr. McMahon character in 1993. While the majority of the cooperation was seen in the first two years, there would still be elements of the two companies bleeding into one another through to the USWA's end in 1997, including the Nation and Truth Commission gimmicks as well as Doug Gilbert's '97 Rumble appearance.
Smokey Mountain - 1993-1995 - Similarly, a number of WWF workers were sent to work shows for Cornette (notably Undertaker and Savage) while WWF hosted SMW tag title matches on their PPVs.
AAA - 1997 - To help bolster his fledgling Lightweight division and to pad the Rumble, Vince brought in several AAA workers.
ECW - 1997-? - Since this partnership was somewhat silent, the exact length of this working relationship is in question. After bringing ECW workers onto Raw to help promote the first ECW ppv, more talent exchanges took place over the years, with Lawler and Cornette working ECW while several WWF contracted workers (Brakkus, Crash Holly, Al Snow) were sent over to help out and work on their training.
NWA - 1998 - The "NWA Invasion" angle saw McMahon work with the Alliance for the first time in 16 years, and while it wasn't a true interpromotional partnership, it's close enough to make the list.
Memphis Power Pro Wrestling - 1998-1999 - The first official developmental territory for the WWF, MPPW was born out of the remains of the USWA. WWF signees such as Brian Kendrick, Albert and Kurt Angle were sent there to train.
Ohio Valley Wrestling - 1999-2008 - WWF's second developmental and its most stable one for many years. Notable for getting Cena, Orton, Batista and others WWF-ready
Heartland Wrestling Association - 1998-2000 / 2001-2003 - The first set of dates reflects the annual Brian Pillman Memorial Shows held by HWA that saw WWF, WCW and ECW send workers to work, while the second set of dates reflects HWA's time as another developmental that existed in OVW's shadow.
Deep South Wrestling - 2005-2007 - The Assassin's promotion, and another attempt at a developmental.
FCW - 2007-2012 - Originally Steve Keirn's promotion that served as a developmental before WWE took full control and converted it into NXT.
EVOLVE, PROGRESS, numerous others - 2016-2018? - In a move to gain a foothold in the UK, WWE started working closely with some of the local promotions and less closely with others, letting UK-based workers under contract work certain UK promotions.
NOAH - 2018-? - I know very little about this outside of Itami/KENTA working one match for NOAH.
If anyone has any corrections or additions to add, please let me know.
NWA - 1971-1982 - After the WWF split from the NWA in 1963, Vince Sr quietly rejoined the NWA in 1971 and remained on their board until he sold his company to his son. As part of the Alliance, WWF champs worked NWA champs multiple times, several top territory workers got one-shots working the Garden and Andre the Giant - whom Vince Sr was the personal booker of - was booked out to all of the other territories. Vince K would cut ties with the NWA shortly after acquiring the company.
Andre's touring - 1982-1984 - Though Vince left the NWA, he continued to allow Andre to be booked in other promotions through April of '84, when he then stopped booking Andre outside the company and forced him to work only the WWF from then on. (NJPW excluded)
NJPW - 1978-1986 - Talent exchange that saw WWF workers make tours in Japan while New Japan talent was lent to the WWF, notably Tiger Mask and Cobra later on. Andre was also allowed to continue his bookings here longer than other promotions as well, though those ended when the partnership dissolved.
Maple Leaf Wrestling - 1983-1986 - The Tunneys, who had been hosting shows using a mix of local talent as well as workers brought in from JCP and the WWF, opted to start promoting strictly WWF shows after Crockett started sending less and less quality workers. MLW worked strictly as a local promoter for the WWF until closing shop when Vince decided to stop the televised show, replacing it with Superstars of Wrestling under the MLW name.
World Class - 1986 - There are still a lot of questions about exactly what was happening here. It appears to have been a failed attempt at working together that ended shortly after Ricky Steamboat was sent to work a World Class show. Others (Iron Sheik, JYD?) were advertised as coming in for matches soon after, but never appeared after the whole thing was dropped.
Houston Wrestling - 1987 - This partnership is an odd duck on the list. Upset that Watts sold UWF to Crockett, Paul Boesch (who had been booking his Houston cards utilizing Watts' roster) cut ties with the UWF and invited Vince to come invade Houston without a fight, handing him his TV spot and continuing to remain a localized promoter under McMahon until retiring the following year.
The WWF/NJPW/AJPW Summit - April 13, 1990 - A one-time event, this was a big Tokyo Dome show that saw all three promotions working the card.
SWS - 1990-1991 - In October of '90, the two companies formed a partnership that saw three shows put on at the Tokyo Dome the following year. This relationship led to Tenryu and Kitao on the Wrestlemania 7 card as well as the infamous Earthquake/Kitao shoot in Japan.
UWF (Japan) - 1991 - And after working with SWS, Vince then briefly worked with UWF Japan/Universal Lucha Libre, which saw the creation of WWF Intercontinental Tag Team titles that were quickly abandoned.
USWA - 1992-1997 - Talent exchange that was notable for Vince McMahon venturing to the Memphis territory and performing a prototype of the heel Mr. McMahon character in 1993. While the majority of the cooperation was seen in the first two years, there would still be elements of the two companies bleeding into one another through to the USWA's end in 1997, including the Nation and Truth Commission gimmicks as well as Doug Gilbert's '97 Rumble appearance.
Smokey Mountain - 1993-1995 - Similarly, a number of WWF workers were sent to work shows for Cornette (notably Undertaker and Savage) while WWF hosted SMW tag title matches on their PPVs.
AAA - 1997 - To help bolster his fledgling Lightweight division and to pad the Rumble, Vince brought in several AAA workers.
ECW - 1997-? - Since this partnership was somewhat silent, the exact length of this working relationship is in question. After bringing ECW workers onto Raw to help promote the first ECW ppv, more talent exchanges took place over the years, with Lawler and Cornette working ECW while several WWF contracted workers (Brakkus, Crash Holly, Al Snow) were sent over to help out and work on their training.
NWA - 1998 - The "NWA Invasion" angle saw McMahon work with the Alliance for the first time in 16 years, and while it wasn't a true interpromotional partnership, it's close enough to make the list.
Memphis Power Pro Wrestling - 1998-1999 - The first official developmental territory for the WWF, MPPW was born out of the remains of the USWA. WWF signees such as Brian Kendrick, Albert and Kurt Angle were sent there to train.
Ohio Valley Wrestling - 1999-2008 - WWF's second developmental and its most stable one for many years. Notable for getting Cena, Orton, Batista and others WWF-ready
Heartland Wrestling Association - 1998-2000 / 2001-2003 - The first set of dates reflects the annual Brian Pillman Memorial Shows held by HWA that saw WWF, WCW and ECW send workers to work, while the second set of dates reflects HWA's time as another developmental that existed in OVW's shadow.
Deep South Wrestling - 2005-2007 - The Assassin's promotion, and another attempt at a developmental.
FCW - 2007-2012 - Originally Steve Keirn's promotion that served as a developmental before WWE took full control and converted it into NXT.
EVOLVE, PROGRESS, numerous others - 2016-2018? - In a move to gain a foothold in the UK, WWE started working closely with some of the local promotions and less closely with others, letting UK-based workers under contract work certain UK promotions.
NOAH - 2018-? - I know very little about this outside of Itami/KENTA working one match for NOAH.
