Background
The Crockett Cup is a tag team tournament first held in April 1986. [1] National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) member Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP), headed by Jim Crockett Jr., hosted the Crockett Cup, held in honor of Crockett's father, JCP founder Jim Crockett Sr. and saw participation of teams from various NWA territories. JCP held the tournament again in 1987 [2] and 1988, [3] before JCP was sold to Ted Turner later that year. [4] In July 2017, the Crockett Foundation, with Classic Pro Wrestling, held the "Crockett Foundation Cup Tag Team Tournament" in New Kent, Virginia, which was not affiliated with the NWA. Bobby Fulton, The Barbarian, and The Rock 'n' Roll Express, all former Crockett Cup participants, took part in the event as a link to the original tournaments. [5]
The original concept of the Crockett Cup was a single elimination tag team tournament, with the storyline prize of $1,000,000.00 given to the winning team along with a large trophy. [6] The 1986 and 1987 tournaments featured 24 teams, [1] [2] while the 1988 version had 22 teams competing. [3] Each tournament was split over two shows to encompass all 23 tournament matches as well as non-tournament matches; in 1986, JCP held a show in the afternoon and another in the evening, [1] while the 1987 and 1988, the tournament was spread out over two days instead. [2] [3]
On March 4, 2025, it was announced that the Crockett Cup would return and would be held in on May 18, at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [7] [8]
Storylines
The event will feature a number professional wrestling matches with different wrestlers involved in pre-existing scripted feuds, plots, and storylines. Wrestlers are portrayed as either heels (those that portray the "bad guys"), faces (the "good guy" characters), or tweeners (characters that are neither clearly a heel or a face) as they follow a series of tension-building events, which culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches as determined by the promotion. Storylines were played out on the twenty-third season of the NWA's weekly series, Powerrr . [9]
Upon the announcement of the annual event, it was confirmed that WWE's Natalya would compete at the Crockett Cup. [7] [8] The NWA would later announce that Natalya would be facing Kenzie Paige for the NWA World Women's Championship. [10] Originally, the NWA announced that wrestling legend Gail Kim, who was previously announced for an autograph signing at the event, would also serve as the special guest referee for this match, but had to pull out of the event due to illness. [11]
At Hard Times V, Thom Latimer successfully defended the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship against Carson Bartholomew Drake. As he was celebrating, however, the lights went out; when they came back on, former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Rhino appeared in the ring. Rhino attacked Drake and allies The Slimeballz (Sage Chantz and Tommy Rant) before confronting Latimer. [12] The NWA would later announce that Rhino would challenge Latimer for the world title at the Crockett Cup, which was taking place at the 2300 Arena, the main venue of Rhino's former home promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). [13] [14] However, on May 15, the NWA announced that Philadelphia native Colby Corino, who won the Dane Memorial Heavyweight Tournament at Hard Times V to earn a world title shot, would invoke his opportunity at the Crockett Cup, officially making the world title bout a three-way match. [15]
