International Wrestling Association was a professional wrestling promotion based in Cleveland, Ohio from 1975 to 1978. Former employees in the IWA consisted of professional wrestlers, managers, play-by-play and color commentators, announcers, interviewers and referees.
Birth name: | Ring name(s): | Tenure: | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Ángel Acevedo | The Cuban Assassin | 1977 | |
Louis Acocella | Gino Brito | 1975 | [1] |
Alberto Amessa | Tony Romano | 1975 | |
Afa Anoaʻi | Afa | 1975–1976 | |
Sika Anoaʻi | Sika | 1975–1976 | |
Douglas Baker † | Ox Baker | 1975 | [2] [3] |
Levi Banks | Levi Banks / Sweet Daddy Banks | 1975–1976 | |
George Becker † | George Becker | 1975 | |
Mike Boyette † | The California Hippie / Mike Boyette | 1976 | |
Adolfo Bresciano † | Dino Bravo | 1975–1976 | [1] |
Pedro Columbo | Chief White Cloud | 1976 | |
Nelson Combs † | Nelson Royal | 1975–1976 | |
Giacomo Costa † | Al Costello | 1975 | |
Pablo Crispín † | Great Goliath | 1975 | |
George Dahmer † | Chief White Owl | 1975–1976 | |
Nicholas DeCarlo | Nick DeCarlo | 1976–1977 | |
Vincente Denigris † | Vittorio Apollo | 1975 | |
Bill Eadie | Bobo Mongol | 1975 | [1] [2] [4] |
Robert Ellis | Cowboy Bob Ellis | 1975 | [2] |
Johnny Evans † | Reginald Love | 1975 | [1] |
Harvey Evers † | Rip Hawk | 1975 | |
Hipolito Figueroa † | Paul Figueroa | 1975 | |
Buck Forrester † | Buck Forrest | 1975–1976 | |
Jean Gagné † | Pierre Martel | 1975 | |
Richard Garza † | Mighty Igor | 1975–1976 | [5] [6] |
Richard Gland † | Bulldog Brower | 1975–1977 | [1] [2] [3] |
Carlos González | Carlos Colón | 1975 | |
William Goodman † | Big Bad John | 1977 | |
Ib Solvang Hansen † | Eric the Red | 1975–1976 | [1] [2] |
Larry Heiniemi | Lars Anderson / Larry Heiniemi | 1975 | |
Ron Hill | Ron Hill / The Golden Gladiator | 1975–1976 | |
Wes Hutchings | Hartford Love | 1975–1976 | [1] |
Don Johnson † | Danny Sharpe | 1975 | |
Francis Julian † | Frank Marconi | 1975 | |
Don Kalt † | Don Fargo / Don Fonzo Fargo | 1976–1977 | |
Ernie Ladd † | Ernie Ladd | 1975 | [2] [7] |
Jerry Lawler | Jerry Lawler | 1975 | [2] |
Luis Martinez † | Louis Martinez / Luis Martinez | 1975–1977 | [2] |
George McArthur † | George "Cry Baby" Cannon | 1975 | [1] |
Benny McCrary † | Benny McGuire | 1976 | |
Billy McCrary † | Billy McGuire | 1976 | |
Frank McKenzie † | Tex McKenzie | 1975 | [1] [2] |
Hugh Meador † | Tiny Bell | 1975–1976 | |
Oscar Mollinar | Ali Baba | 1975 | |
George Momberg † | Killer Karl Krupp | 1976 | |
Steve Musulin | Stonewall Jackson | 1977 | |
Joseph Novo † | Butcher Brannigan | 1976 | |
Walter Nurnberg † | Karl Von Stroheim | 1976–1977 | |
Juan Onaindia † | Juan Sebastian | 1977 | |
Claude Patterson | Thunderbolt Patterson | 1975 | [2] |
José Miguel Pérez † | Miguel Pérez | 1975 | |
Oreal Perras † | Ivan Koloff | 1975 | [1] [2] [8] |
Ron Pope | The Magnificent Zulu | 1977 | |
Buddy Porter † | Buddy Porter | 1975–1976 | |
Phil Potts | Phil Watson / Whipper Watson Jr. | 1975–1976 | |
Sylvester Ritter † | Sylvester Ritter | 1976–1977 | |
Aaron Rodríguez | Mil Máscaras | 1975–1976 | [1] [2] [7] [8] |
Tomás Marín Rodríguez | Tomás Marín | 1975 | |
Willi Rutkowsky † | Kurt Von Stroheim | 1976 | |
Tony Silipini † | Tony Marino | 1975 | |
Frank Stanley | Frank Stanley | 1977 | |
Richard Steinborn † | Dick Steinborn | 1975 | |
Edward Strevel † | Dale Starr | 1975 | |
Jerry Summers | Ed Fury / Jerry Summers | 1976–1977 | |
Bruce Swayze | Beautiful Bruce / Bruce Swayze | 1975–1976 | |
Newton Tattrie † | Geto Mongol | 1975 | [1] [2] [4] |
Bill Terry † | Kurt Von Hess | 1975–1977 | |
Troy Thompson † | Troy Graham | 1975 | |
Lajos Tiza † | Lou Thesz | 1975 | [2] |
William Vaughn † | Rip Tyler | 1976–1977 | |
Michel Vigneault † | Michel Martel | 1975 | |
Dennis Waters | Johnny Powers | 1975–1977 | |
Jacky Weicz | Andre Carpentier | 1975 | |
Pez Whatley † | Pez Whatley / Pistol Pronto | 1975–1977 | |
Jim Wilson | Jim Wilson | 1975 | |
Jonathan Wisniski | Greg Valentine | 1976 | |
Owen Yow † | Billy Hines | 1976 | |
Unknown | Abdul Zaatar | 1976 | |
Unknown | Ati Tago | 1976 | |
Unknown | Bad News Beach | 1975 | |
Unknown | Bill Williams | 1975 | |
Unknown | Bull Gregory | 1975 | |
Unknown † | Buzz Tyler | 1976–1977 | |
Unknown | The Cuban Assassin #2 | 1977 | |
Unknown | Joe Turco | 1975, 1977 | |
Unknown † | Johnny Hunter | 1975 | |
Unknown | Johnny Ringo | 1976 | |
Unknown | L.D. Lewis | 1976 | |
Unknown | Marshall Lewis | 1975 | |
Unknown | Mike Freeman | 1976 | |
Unknown | Sonny King | 1976 | |
Unknown | Victor Rivera | 1975 |
Birth name: | Ring name(s): | Tenure: | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Ramona Isbell † | Ramona Isbell | 1975 | |
Evelina Molina | Estelle Morino | 1975 | [3] |
Natasha Rahme | Natasha | 1976 | |
Cora Svonsteckik † | Cora Combs | 1953 | [9] |
Beverly Wenhold | Beverly Shade | 1975 | |
Marva Wingo † | Marva Scott | 1975 | |
Unknown † | Barbara Owens | 1975 | |
Unknown | Daisy Mae | 1975–1977 | |
Unknown | Mary DeLeon | 1975 | |
Unknown | Sandra Partlowe | 1976–1977 |
Birth name: | Ring name(s): | Tenure: | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Jonathan Adams † | Little John | 1975, 1977–1978 | |
Marcel Gauthier † | Sky Low Low | 1975 | |
Jean Jacques Girard † | Little Brutus | 1975 | |
Stanley Littlejohn † | Little Coco | 1975 | |
Roger Tomlin † | Little Boy Blue | 1975 | |
Pierre Villeneuve † | Farmer Pete | 1975–1975 | |
Unknown | Pee Wee Lopez | 1975–1976 |
Tag team/Stable(s) | Members | Tenure(s) |
---|---|---|
The Islanders | Afa Anoaʻi and Sika Anoaʻi | 1975–1976 |
The Italian Connection | Gino Brito and Dino Bravo † | 1975 |
The Love Brothers | Hartford Love and Reginald Love | 1975 |
The McGuire Twins † | Benny McGuire and Billy McGuire | 1976 |
The Mongols | Geeto Mongol † and Bolo Mongol | 1975 |
The Puerto Rican Playboys | Miguel Perez † and Carlos Colon | 1975 |
The Soul Patrol | Ernie Ladd † and Thunderbolt Patterson | 1975 |
Birth name: | Ring name(s): | Tenure: | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Edward Bogucki † | Ivan Kalmikoff | 1975 | |
Giacomo Costa † | Al Costello | 1975 | |
George McCarther † | Crybaby Cannon | 1975 |
Birth name: | Ring name(s): | Tenure: | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Ron Martinez † | Rick Martin | 1975–1978 | Ring announcer [2] [10] |
Frank McKenzie | Tex McKenzie | 1975 | |
Joseph Rizzo † | Jack Reynolds | 1975 | [2] [11] |
Unknown | Rick Gattone | 1975 | Ring announcer |
Unknown | Doug Weathers | 1975 | Ring announcer |
Birth name: | Ring name(s): | Tenure: | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Thomas Machlay | Tommy Young | 1975 | [12] |
Unknown | Billy Osborne | 1975 | |
Unknown | Charlie Babb | 1975 | Timekeeper |
Unknown † | Charlie Smith | 1975 |
Al Mandell (referee and later commissioner)
Birth name: | Ring name(s): | Tenure: | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Eddie Einhorn † | Eddie Einhorn | 1975 | Promoter [2] |
Pedro Martinez † | Pedro Martinez | 1975–1977 | Promoter [2] |
Dennis Waters | Johnny Powers | 1977–1978 | Promoter [2] |
Unknown | Robert F. Hatch | 1975–1976 | IWA President [2] |
Oreal Donald Perras was a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by the ring name "the Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff. He was the third wrestler to hold the WWWF Championship.
Eugene Avon Anderson was an American professional wrestler and professional wrestling manager. He is best known for being one-half of the tag team the Minnesota Wrecking Crew, first with Lars Anderson, then with Ole Anderson.
Newton Tattrie was a Canadian professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Geeto Mongol.
Carey L. Lloyd, also known by his ring name Rufus R. "Freight Train" Jones, was an American professional wrestler. He competed in the Central States, St. Louis and Mid-Atlantic regional promotions of the National Wrestling Alliance as well as the American Wrestling Association and All Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1970s and 1980s.
William M. Miller was an American professional wrestler. He was a one time American Wrestling Association world champion and also wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance, the World Wrestling Association and the World Wide Wrestling Federation.
The St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame in St. Louis, United States. After several years of debating the idea of creating the Hall of Fame, former owner and promoter of the St. Louis Wrestling Club Larry Matysik opened it in 2007. He was joined in this effort by SBAC Member Tony Casta, sports journalist Keith Schildroth, collector Mitch Hartsey, and longtime fan Nick Ridenour. Although these directors oversee the selection process, the St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame is unique because it is the only wrestling hall of fame that allows fans to vote for potential inductees.
Harvey Maurice Evers was an American professional wrestler best known by his ring name, Rip Hawk. He began his wrestling career in the Mid-Western United States before joining Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) in the early 1960s. In the company, he teamed with fellow wrestler Swede Hanson as the "Blond Bombers," and the duo held several championships. In the 1970s, he worked as a booker in JCP.
John Joseph Murphy was a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Skull Murphy. He began his career wrestling in Canada and later worked at Jim Crockett Promotions and Georgia Championship Wrestling in the United States. In the 1960s, he teamed with Brute Bernard in the World Wide Wrestling Federation and won championships in several professional wrestling promotions. In his later career, he worked primarily in Australia.
The Blond Bombers is a name used by several tag teams in professional wrestling. The first team to use the name was the combination of Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson. It was later used by Pat Patterson and Ray Stevens, who began teaming in 1965. Larry Latham and Wayne Farris used the name in the late 1970s in the Continental Wrestling Association and, from 1979 to 1980, Stanley Lane and Bryan St. John competed as the Blonde Bombers while wrestling in Championship Wrestling from Florida. In the early 2000s, the team of Tank and Chad Toland appeared as the Blond Bombers in Ohio Valley Wrestling before changing their team name upon entering World Wrestling Entertainment. Each incarnation held title belts together at least once. Patterson and Stevens were inducted as a team into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006.
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Wrestling Legends Hall of Heroes is a professional wrestling hall of fame that honors people who have competed or played other major roles in the NWA. Organized by wrestling promoter Greg Price, the hall is separate from the NWA Hall of Fame and is not officially endorsed by the company, but the NWA has given permission for the use of its name. An induction ceremony takes place at the annual NWA Legends Fanfest Weekend. In 2007, there were seven inductees in the inaugural class. Seven more honorees were added the following year, and another eight were added to the Hall of Heroes in 2009. The 2009 induction ceremony took place on August 7 and was hosted by Jim Cornette.
Robert Eugene Bruggers was an American professional football player and professional wrestler. Bruggers played as a linebacker for five seasons for the Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL).
The International Wrestling Association (IWA) was a professional wrestling promotion based in Cleveland, Ohio, in the 1970s. It was founded by Eddie Einhorn and Pedro Martinez in 1975. The company descended from the National Wrestling Federation. It was originally intended to be the first national wrestling promotion, but stayed primarily in the Mid-Atlantic region. Einhorn offered his wrestlers more money and benefits than competing promotions, helping to lure big names such as Mil Mascaras. Einhorn left the promotion later that year, and Johnny Powers took over as booker. The company scaled down and stayed in Virginia and North Carolina. After losing an antitrust lawsuit against the rival Jim Crockett Promotions, the IWA closed in 1978.
Frank Hugh McKenzie was an American professional wrestler. During his career, he appeared in the American Wrestling Association, IWA Australia, National Wrestling Federation and Maple Leaf Wrestling.