Ultimate Pro Wrestling

Last updated
Ultimate Pro Wrestling
AcronymUPW
Founded1999
Defunct2007
Headquarters California
Founder(s) Rick Bassman
Owner(s)Rick Bassman

Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW) was a California-based independent pro wrestling company owned and operated by Rick Bassman, [1] that operated from 1999 to 2007.

Contents

The company had working relationships with Pro Wrestling Zero1 and World Wrestling Entertainment. It served as a developmental company for WWE, where they would scout wrestlers and send others for training, from 2006 to 2007. [2] Some of the major names to go on to stardom are, John Cena, Samoa Joe, The Miz and Christopher Daniels. The promotion was featured on a Discovery Channel special called Inside Pro Wrestling School.

Notable alumni

Deceased individuals are indicated with a dagger (†).

Tag Teams:

Championships

UPW Heavyweight Championship

The UPW Heavyweight Championship was a championship contested for by Heavyweight wrestlers in Ultimate Pro Wrestling. [3] [4]

Wrestler#DateLocationNotes
Sylvester Terkay 1February 1, 1999 Mission Viejo, California Won a Battle royal to become first champion
Aaron Baker 11999 Santa Ana, California
Mike Bell 2November 1999 Santa Ana, California
VacantN/AJanuary 9, 2000N/AMike Bell was stripped of the title.
Bad Boy Basil1January 27, 2000 Santa Ana, California Defeated J. D. Dempsey in a tournament final.
Smelly1March 29, 2000 Santa Ana, California
The Prototype 1April 27, 2000 San Diego, California
Smelly1May 24, 2000 Santa Ana, California
Staz 1August 23, 2000 Santa Ana, California
Christopher Daniels 1October 12, 2000 Costa Mesa, California
Samoa Joe 1March 14, 2001 Santa Ana, California
Mikey Henderson 1November 27, 2001 Hollywood, California
VacantN/ANovember 27, 2001N/Astripped for no-show
Christopher Daniels 2March 13, 2002 Santa Ana, California Defeats Samoa Joe and Frankie Kazarian in a 3-way match.
Tom Howard 2May 8, 2002 Santa Ana, California Defeated Christopher Daniels in a tournament final, stripped of the title on June 3.
VacantN/AJune 3, 2002N/A
Adam Pearce 1July 11, 2003 Anaheim, California Defeated Chris Mordetzsky in a tournament final.
Tom Howard 1October 22, 2003 Santa Ana, California
InactiveN/A2007N/A

UPW Lightweight Championship

The UPW Lightweight Championship was a championship contested for by Cruiserweight wrestlers in Ultimate Pro Wrestling. [5] [6]

Wrestler#DateLocationNotes
Prodigy1January 27, 2000 Santa Ana, California Won a Battle royal to become first champion
Rick Bassman 1January 27, 2000 Santa Ana, California Bassman [who was the company's owner] stole the title belt and named himself champion.
Prodigy2February 23, 2000 Santa Ana, California
The Enterprise1March 15, 2000Hollywood, CaliforniaTitle might be vacant later in the month.
Savvy1March 28, 2000 Santa Ana, California Won a Battle royal. Might have been for a vacant belt.
The Enterprise2March 29, 2000 San Diego, California Won a Battle royal. Stripped of the title on May 24, 2000, for being over the title's weight limit.
Stretch1May 24, 2000 Santa Ana, California Won a Battle royal for the vacant title.
B-Boy 1June 2000 San Diego, California
Stretch2June 10, 2000 Santa Ana, California
Drunk Irishman1July 20, 2000 Huntington Beach, California Later had to vacate the title due to injury.
Stretch3July 29, 2000 Huntington Beach, California Won a tournament for the vacant title.
Mikey Henderson 1August 23, 2000 Santa Ana, California Vacates the title on October 12, 2000, to create the Ultimate Pro Wrestling Southern California title.
Prodigy3November 8, 2000 Santa Ana, California Won a Battle royal for the vacant title
B-Boy 2May 30, 2001 Santa Ana, California
Frankie Kazarian 1August 15, 2002 Santa Ana, California This was a 2 out of 3 falls Triple Threat Match also involving Spanky. The first fall was for Spanky's Zero1 International Junior Heavyweight Championship and the second fall was for B-Boy's UPW Lightweight title.
Lil Nate 1February 23, 2005 Santa Ana, California

UPW Tag Team Championship

The UPW Tag Team Championship was a secondary title contested for in Ultimate Pro Wrestling. [7] [8]

Tag Team#DateLocationNotes
The Ballard Brothers
(Shane & Shannon)		1December 2, 1999 Hollywood, California Won a Battle royal to become first champions.
Team Hardcore
(Justin Sane & Hardkore Kidd)		1March 2000 Santa Ana, California
The Ballard Brothers
(Shane & Shannon)		2March 28, 2000 Santa Ana, California
Jobbers-R-Us
(Billy Kim & Troubled Youth)		1April 19, 2000 Santa Ana, California
Los Cubanitos
(Ricky Reyes & Rocky Romero)		1April 27, 2000 San Diego, California
The Ballard Brothers
(Shane & Shannon)		3May 24, 2000 Santa Ana, California
Team Hardcore
(Justin Sane & Hardkore Kidd)		2July 1, 2000 Huntington Beach, California This was a phantom title change meaning it never actually took place.
The Ballard Brothers
(Shane & Shannon)		4July 15, 2000 Huntington Beach, California Phantom title change. Stripped on January 31, 2001.
Evolution
(Frankie Kazarian & Nova)		1May 30, 2001 Santa Ana, California Won a tournament for the vacant titles. [9]
The Ballard Brothers
(Shane & Shannon)		5May 8, 2002 Santa Ana, California
Funky Billy Kim (2) & B-Boy 1January 8, 2003 Santa Ana, California
The Ballard Brothers
(Shane & Shannon)		6March 15, 2003 Laughlin, Nevada
Hardkore Inc.
(Hardkore Kidd (3) & Al Katrazz)		1April 25, 2003 Anaheim, California
The Ballard Brothers
(Shane & Shannon)		7February 20, 2004 Anaheim, California

UPW Southern California Heavyweight Championship

The UPW Southern California Heavyweight Championship was a secondary title contested for in Ultimate Pro Wrestling. [10]

Champion#DateLocationNotes
Mikey Henderson 1October 12, 2000 Santa Ana, California Henderson was the Ultimate Pro Wrestling Lightweight Champion when he vacated that title to create the UPW Southern California title. Was stripped for too many no shows.
Tony Jones 1January 30, 2001 Santa Ana, California Was awarded the title after winning a six-man tag match.
Tom Howard 1June 26, 2001 Santa Ana, California The title is renamed the UPW Shoot Championship on August 22, 2001. Unified with the UPW Heavyweight Championship When Howard beats Christopher Daniels for the Heavyweight title on May 8, 2002

UPW No Holds Barred Championship

The UPW No Holds Barred Championship was a secondary title contested for in Ultimate Pro Wrestling. [11]

Champion#DateLocationNotes
J.D. Dempsey 1March 28, 2000 Santa Ana, California Defeated Samoan Joe to become the first champion.
Samoa Joe 1March 29, 2000 San Diego, California
Smooth Billy D 1April 19, 2000 Santa Ana, California
Shane Ballard 1April 27, 2000 San Diego, California

UPW Internet Championship

The UPW Internet Championship was a secondary title contested for in Ultimate Pro Wrestling. [12]

Championship#DateLocationNotes
Navajo Warrior1November 8, 2000 Santa Ana, California Won a Battle royal.
The Blue Meanie 1March 14, 2001 Santa Ana, California

UPW Women's Championship

Champion#DateLocationNotes
Erica Porter1April 25, 2003 Anaheim, CA Beat Savvy to become champion.

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Harris, Keith (6 September 2011). "Bill Goldberg still hates Vince McMahon, may wrestle soon in Africa" . Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  2. ↑ "WrestlingClassics.com Message Board: UPW becomes new WWE developmental territory". wrestlingclassics.com.
  3. ↑ "UPW Heavyweight Title (California)". Wrestling-Titles.com.
  4. ↑ "Solie's Title Histories: UPW". www.solie.org.
  5. ↑ "UPW Lightweight Title (California)". Wrestling-Titles.com.
  6. ↑ "Solie's Title Histories: UPW". www.solie.org.
  7. ↑ "UPW Tag Team Title (California)". Wrestling-Titles.com.
  8. ↑ "Solie's Title Histories: UPW". www.solie.org.
  9. ↑ Hoops, Brian (May 30, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (May 30): Inoki beats Andre to win MSG league, Garea & calhoun win WWWF Tag titles, Gagne vs. Funk Jr., UFC booker wins title". Wrestling Observer Newsletter . Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  10. ↑ "UPW Southern California Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles.com.
  11. ↑ "UPW No Holds Barred Title (California)". Wrestling-Titles.com.
  12. ↑ "UPW Internet Title (California)". Wrestling-Titles.com.
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