History
The United Wrestling Coalition was formed on March 21, 1998 in Browns Mills, New Jersey, with Derik Starr winning the first match in UWC history, a battle royal, to win the UWC Heavyweight Championship. The UWC was started by Dave and Lois Thomas as a means to bring family-friendly wrestling to the South Jersey area. [1] For the first two years, the UWC ran regular events all over the Burlington County area, with area wrestlers such as Derik Starr, Warhead, Wacky Wayne Woo, Orphan, Tommy Force, and Dom Devito, and several indy wrestlers who had made a reputation in the Northeast such as Reckless Youth, Twiggy Ramirez, and Don Montoya. One notable event took place on December 5, 1998, as UWC ran their first Toys for Tots benefit show in Pemberton, New Jersey, which has become a yearly tradition since. [1] [2]
From 2001 to 2009, UWC began running fewer events, cutting back to three events per year; a yearly event as part of the Spring Fun Fest event at Burlington County College in Pemberton, New Jersey, a yearly benefit show at New Lisbon Developmental Center in New Lisbon, New Jersey, and their yearly Toys for Tots benefit show at Burlington County College in Pemberton. The yearly Toys for Tots events saw stars such as Steve Corino [3] and Raven [4] make appearances on behalf of the promotion. [1] In addition, several future wrestling stars such as Chris Hero, [5] Jay Lethal, [5] and Robert Stone [6] made appearances in UWC during this time period as they became bigger stars on the independent wrestling scene.
Beginning in 2010, UWC once again ran frequent events, with monthly shows at the Browns Mills Fire House in Browns Mills, New Jersey in addition to other charity benefit shows in the Burlington County area. [7] [8] UWC saw the return of Reckless Youth to pro wrestling in October, with Youth competing in the main event of the 13th annual Toys for Tots fundraiser event at Burlington County College in December. [1] [9] On February 21, 2011, UWC began airing a weekly half-hour wrestling program on YouTube called UWC Championship Wrestling, featuring matches from their monthly UWC events in Browns Mills. [10] Since 2015, UWC has run monthly events at Kelly's Bar and Banquet Hall in Wrightstown, New Jersey.
Pemberton is a borough in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States Census, the borough’s population was 1,371, reflecting a decrease of 38 (-2.7%) from the 1,409 enumerated at the 2010 United States Census, in turn an increase of 199 (+16.4%) from the 1,210 counted in the 2000 Census.
Pemberton Township is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 26,903, a decrease of 1,009 (−3.6%) from the 2010 census count of 27,912, which in turn reflected a decline of 779 (−2.7%) from the 28,691 total in the 2000 census.
Browns Mills is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located in Pemberton Township, in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 11,223.
Chikara was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company took both its name and logo from the Japanese kanji meaning strength. It was founded in 2002 by professional wrestlers Mike Quackenbush and Reckless Youth, who also served as trainers and in-ring performers.
Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC) is a public community college in Burlington County, New Jersey. Main facilities are located in Mount Laurel with other campuses in Mount Holly, Willingboro and Joint Base.
Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW) was an independent wrestling promotion based in New Jersey, United States.
County Route 530 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends 31.21 miles from US 206 and Route 38 in Southampton Township to Water Street in Toms River Township.
Pemberton Township High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from Pemberton Township, in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States, operating as the lone secondary school of the Pemberton Township School District. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 2012 as part of the first district in the state to receive accreditation for all of its schools.
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation was a Mid-Atlantic independent professional wrestling promotion based in Essex, Maryland. Founded by promoter Dennis Wippercht and wrestler Tim "Lucifer" Burke in 1991, the MEWF was one of the leading independent promotions on the East Coast during the 1990s rivaling promotions such as East Coast Wrestling Association, Jersey All Pro Wrestling and Maryland Championship Wrestling.
Alleen Mae Beller, also known as Sally Starr was a prominent 1950s and 1960s celebrity television personality. Using a cowgirl persona, she appealed to local TV audiences of several generations of children through American radio, Broadway stage, movies and as a recording artist for more than sixty years. Fans remained loyal in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, and embraced her cowgirl personality as part of their own family identity, and sometimes referred to her as "Aunt Sally" or "Our Gal Sal."
Thomas Carter is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Reckless Youth. He has competed in numerous North American independent promotions including the East Coast Wrestling Association, Combat Zone Wrestling and Chikara, where he was one of the original founders alongside Mike Quackenbush. In January 1998, Pro Wrestling Illustrated senior editor Bill Apter called Reckless Youth "one of the most recognizable independent stars" in the United States.
Antonio Berdiel is an independent professional wrestler who uses the ring name Tommy Force.
Doug Yasinsky is an American retired professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "Dashing" Doug Flex, who competed in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit during the late 1980s and 1990s. He frequently teamed with Brick Bronsky throughout his career and, along with manager G.Q. Bronsky, were together known as The Brat Pack.
The United Wrestling Coalition (UWC) Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship in the American independent professional wrestling promotion United Wrestling Coalition. Being a professional wrestling championship, it is not won via direct competition; it is instead won via a predetermined ending to a match or awarded to a wrestler because of a wrestling angle. It became an official title on March 21, 1998 when Derik Starr became the first champion. The championship is held by Tony Chini, who is in his first reign as champion. There have been 33 reigns by 27 wrestlers and five vacancies.
The UWC Tag Team Championship is a tag team championship in the United Wrestling Coalition promotion. Being a professional wrestling championship, it is not won via direct competition; it is instead won via a predetermined ending to a match or awarded to a wrestler because of a wrestling angle. It became official title on March 21, 1998 when Mr. Meaner and The Menace were awarded the titles. The championships are currently held by the Perfect Hooligans, who are in their first reign as champions. There have been 42 reigns by 33 teams and 55 wrestlers with four vacancies.
Nicholas Podsvirow is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Biggie Biggs. He currently competes on the north-eastern and mid-Atlantic independent wrestling scene.
Power League Wrestling (PLW) was an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. It was founded in Swansea, Massachusetts by Bob Evans and Mark Amaral in 1991, and later taken over by Amaral, Carlos Arenas, Paul Lauzon, and Tommy Degnan. It was the first and longest-running "indy" promotion in the state of Rhode Island and one of the few successful groups outside the Greater Boston Area.
Browns Mills Junction is an unincorporated community located within Pemberton Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. The site, located about 1.6 miles (2.6 km) southwest of downtown Browns Mills, is located at the crossing of Junction Road and the Philadelphia and Long Branch Railway, later a part of the Pennsylvania Railroad. It was the site of a train station named Browns Mills in-the-Pines where a short branch connected the main line to Browns Mills. The settlement features a few houses along Junction Road and Mount Misery Road but is otherwise very forested as a part of the New Jersey Pine Barrens.
