The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation was a Mid-Atlantic independent

professional wrestling promotion A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling that has little relationship to the rules of the amateur olympic form. "Promotion" also describes a role which entails man ...

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 Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW) was an independent wrestling promotion based in New Jersey, United States. History 1997 Jersey All Pro Wrestling was an independent wrestling promotion that was founded by "Fat" Frank Iadeavia and Angel Surita ...

and Maryland Championship Wrestling. Among its roster included Extreme Championship Wrestling regulars such as

Raven A raven is any of several larger-bodied bird species of the genus ''Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between "crows" and "ravens", common names which are assigned t ...

Stevie Richards Michael Stephen Manna (born October 9, 1971), better known by his ring name Stevie Richards, is an American professional wrestler. Over the course of his career, Richards has performed for major professional wrestling promotions including Easte ...

, The Blue Meanie, Damien Kane, Pit Bull #2, referee "Judge" Jeff Jones, and

The Bad Breed The Bad Breed was the professional wrestling tag team of Axl Rotten with his storyline brother/real life protégé Ian Rotten. The team achieved their greatest fame in the Philadelphia professional wrestling promotion Extreme Championship Wrestlin ...

(

Ian Ian or Iain is a name of Scottish Gaelic origin, derived from the Hebrew given name (Yohanan, ') and corresponding to the English name John. The spelling Ian is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic forename ''Iain''. It is a popular name in Sc ...

and Axl Rotten) as well as some of the leading independent wrestlers such as Cueball Carmichael,

Johnny Gunn Thomas Brandi (born July 9, 1966) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in the World Wrestling Federation from 1996 to 1998 under the ring name Salvatore Sincere. Brandi is also known for his appearances with ...

, Max Thrasher, Devon Storm, Morgus the Maniac, Boo Bradley, Jimmy Cicero, Hollywood Bob Starr, Ruckus, Dino Casanova, Corporal Punishment, The Bad Crew and Darkside ( Glen Osborne and Rockin' Rebel). Former World Wrestling Federation wrestlers such as Barry Horowitz, Road Warrior Hawk, Jim Neidhart, The Honky Tonk Man and The Headbangers as well as World Championship Wrestling veterans "Jumping" Joey Maggs and Disco Inferno also had short stints in the promotion.

History

Early history

Dennis Wippercht, after promoting several wrestling events during 1990, joined Tim Burke in establishing the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation holding its first card in

Pasadena, Maryland Pasadena is a census-designated place (CDP) in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 24,287 at the 2010 census. The areas of Lake Shore, Riviera Beach and Pasadena are collectively referred to as Pasadena by residents ...

on August 2, 1991; during the event, the Lords of Darkness (

Pain Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, ...

and Agony) would defeat Cream Team ( Dino Casanova and

Rip Sawyer Sidney F. Garrison (born January 26, 1965) is a retired American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Rip Sawyer. He competed in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit during the late 1980s and early 1990s. As one-half ...

) to become the first MEWF Tag Team champions. Three months later, the MEWF held a fundraiser for the

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Hampstead, Maryland Hampstead is a town in Carroll County in the U.S. state of Maryland. The population was 6,323 at the 2010 census. History Between 1736 and 1738, Robert Owings was assigned to "cut a new road as Christopher Gist had marked it" south from Conewago ...

to help purchase computer software for its business department. The card included stars such as "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert, A.C. Golden, Morgus the Maniac, Axl Rotten, The Cream Team ( Dino Casanova &

), female wrestlers Rusty "The Fox" Thomas and MEWF Women's Champion Heidi Lee Morgan, and midget wrestler

Haiti Kid Raymond Kessler is a Haitian retired professional wrestler, who has dwarfism, and wrestled under the name Haiti Kid in the World Wrestling Federation. Professional wrestling career He started his career in the WWWF as a babyface in 1971, teaming ...

. Max Thrasher wrestled The Honky Tonk Man in the main event. During its early years, the promotion featured such wrestlers as Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, Road Warrior Hawk and Jake "The Snake" Roberts, however, their cruiserweight division gained a considerable following with The Lightning Kid and Jimmy Jannetty feuding over the Light Heavyweight Championship during early 1993. On July 8, 1995, the promotion held an event at the National Guard Armory in

Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

which featured Corporal Punishment, Axl Rotten, Mad Dog O'Malley and the debut of Pat Patterson, Jr. (the kayfabe "son" of Pat Patterson); the card was the first professional wrestling event ever held in Annapolis. Expanding outside the Baltimore-area, the promotion regularly appeared at the ''Secret Cove'', a popular restaurant and bar in southern Fairfax County, Virginia. During the next several years, some of the top lightheavyweight wrestlers appeared in televised matches for the promotion including Mark "the Shark" Shrader, Earl the Pearl, Steve Corino, Danny Doring,

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, Adam Flash and Joey Mercury, with whom Christian York feuded with The Hardy Boyz, as well as participated in the ECWA's

Super 8 Tournament The Super 8 Tournament is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by the East Coast Wrestling Association. The tournament is contested by eight wrestlers in a one-night single-elimination format. History The ECWA Super 8 Tournament was ...

during the late 1990s.

Rivalry with Maryland Championship Wrestling

In 1998, following a dispute with MEWF management and wrestlers over creative control and payment disagreements, Corporal Punishment and Mark Shrader left the promotion taking half of its roster with them to form Maryland Championship Wrestling. After a nearly 5-year rivalry, the two promotions began working together in October 2002 and eventually co-hosted Maryland Championship Wrestling's final event at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, Maryland on July 16, 2003. During this interpromotional card, the MCW Championship titles were merged with Mid-Eastern Championship Wrestling most notably the Christian York winning the

Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup MCW Pro Wrestling (formerly known as Maryland Championship Wrestling) is a regional independent wrestling promotion based in Joppa, Maryland. It has regularly run events in the Mid-Atlantic region since the late 1990s. History Maryland Champions ...

as well as the MCW/MEWF Cruiserweight Championship defeating Joey Matthews, Reckless Youth, Qenaan Creed, Jay Briscoe and Crash Holly in a six-way elimination match. The event also featured Headbanger Thrasher, Gillberg and Van Hammer.

Later years

In early 2002, Tim's wife, Donna Burke took over day-to-day running began promoting shows twice a month at Dundalk's North Point Flea Market and held a memorial show for Dino Casanova on June 20, 2002. The following year, Burke promoted a show with

Ring of Honor Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was so ...

in Glen Burnie, Maryland on January 29 and World Wrestling Entertainment in

Fair Hill, Maryland Fair Hill is an unincorporated community in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. Fair Hill is located at the intersection of Maryland routes 213 and 273 __NOTOC__ Year 273 ( CCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will disp ...

on July 31. The promotion was unable to keep the fanbase of Maryland Championship Wrestling, however, and, within several months, the promotion became inactive after its last card at ''Hunter's Sail Barn'' in

Rising Sun, Maryland Rising Sun is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,781 at the 2010 census. History The town which became known as Rising Sun was located in the disputed “Nottingham Lots” along the border between colonial Pen ...

on October 30, 2004; this was the first wrestling event ever held in the building.

Former personnel

Championships

* MEWF Heavyweight Championship * MEWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship * MEWF Cruiserweight Championship *

MEWF Light Heavyweight Championship The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation (MEWF) Cruiserweight Championship was the primary Cruiserweight singles title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation. The title was created when Ricky Blues defeated Adrian Hall at an event held in Pasaden ...

* MEWF Tag Team Championship

References

External links

Wrestling-Titles.com: Mid-Eastern Championship WrestlingCageMatch.de - Mid-Eastern Championship Wrestling
{{Professional wrestling in the United States American independent professional wrestling promotions based in Maryland Essex, Maryland