Super World of Sports, more commonly known as SWS, was a

Japanese professional wrestling Professional wrestling in Japan has existed for many years. The first Japanese to involve himself in catch wrestling, the basis of traditional professional wrestling, was former sumo wrestler Sorakichi Matsuda. There were subsequent attempts before ...

promotion from 1990 to 1992. Its motto was "Straight and Strong".

History

Formation

In April 1990,

Genichiro Tenryu , better known as is a retired Japanese professional wrestler and professional wrestling promoter. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling. "Tenryu" was his ...

, one of the top stars of All Japan Pro Wrestling, left the company to become a spokesmodel for Megane Super, whom were one of the best-known makers of eyeglasses in Japan at the time. However, the company decided to instead used him as the launching pad for a new pro-wrestling circuit, which Megane Super executive Hachiro Tanaka named Super World of Sports. With his backing, Megane Super began throwing money offers around to build up their roster. Yoshiaki Yatsu, Ashura Hara,

Shunji Takano Shunji Takano (高野俊二 ''Takano Shunji'') (born February 16, 1964) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. Early life Takano was born on February 16, 1964. His father was a black American Marine who belonged to the Iwakuni base, and ha ...

, The Great Kabuki, Hiromichi Fuyuki, Tatsumi "Koki" Kitahara, Masao Orihara, Isao Takagi (the future Arashi), and referee Hiroyuki Umino joined in from All-Japan. But SWS would attract New Japan Pro-Wrestling talent as well, including George Takano (the former Cobra), Naoki Sano, Hisakatsu Oya, Akira Katayama, former superstar yokozuna (sumo), yokozuna (grand champion in sumo wrestling) Koji Kitao, and Stampede Wrestling powerhouse Dino Ventura (605 lb bench press) who had extraordinary MMA and technical wrestling skills. Because of this, fans, wrestlers, and administrators of other Japanese promotions criticized SWS as being a "money puroresu" (Megane Super being the Glossary of professional wrestling terms#money mark, money mark) because of the way wrestlers flocked to it. The feeling was compounded when in October, SWS signed a working relationship contract with Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Entertainment, World Wrestling Federation, for interpromotional purposes.

Working relationship with the WWF

The SWS/WWF co-promotion produced several cards, including two shows at the Tokyo Dome. The events took place on March 30, 1991, and December 12, 1991 (The March show saw a near-shoot (professional wrestling), shoot between former sumos Kitao and John Tenta, Earthquake; Kitao was fired for subsequently cutting a shoot promo exposing the business afterwards). SWS also had a small agreement with two smaller Japanese federations, Gran Hamada's Universal Lucha Libre and Yoshiaki Fujiwara's Fujiwara Gumi (shoot wrestling#Shoot-style, shoot-style wrestling), which provided alternative matches and opponents to the cards. SWS's peak coincided with the Japanese asset price bubble, general Japanese economic downturn of the early 1990s. As Megane Super began withdrawing its support, the company began running fewer cards, and in May 1992 Yatsu withdrew. On June 19 1992, SWS held its final card at Nagasaki International Gym. The promotion's talent split into the following federations: Yatsu's SPWF; Tenryu's new promotion, WAR (wrestling promotion), WAR, including Hara, Fuyuki, Kitahara; NOW (professional wrestling), NOW, including Kendo Nagasaki, and Pro Wrestling Crusaders, PWC, including the Takano brothers and Takagi.

Wrestlers

Main roster

Unlike many wrestling promotions, SWS had a wrestling roster that was divided into three stables, reminiscent of the sumo Heya (sumo), heya system. Revolution was mostly AJPW alumni, Palaestra was mostly NJPW alumni, and Geki Dojo were neutrals led by a heel manager, KY Wakamatsu.

Revolution

, leader *The Great Kabuki *Koji Kitao * Ashura Hara *Takashi Ishikawa *Hiromichi Fuyuki, Samson Fuyuki *Koki Kitahara, Tatsumi Kitahara *Masao Orihara *Nobukazu Hirai *Toshiyuki Nakahara *Yuji Yasuraoka

Geki Dojo

*KY Wakamatsu, leader *Kazuo Sakurada, Kendo Nagasaki * Yoshiaki Yatsu *Goro Tsurumi *Shinichi Nakano *Isao Takagi *Koji Ishinriki *Hiroshi Hatanaka *Hikaru Kawabata *Tetsuya Yamanaka

Palaestra

*George Takano, leader *

*Naoki Sano *Hisakatsu Oya, Kenichi Oya *Apollo Sugawara *Fumihiro Niikura *Akira Katayama *Don Arakawa

Visiting wrestlers

WWE, World Wrestling Federation

*Randy Savage *Steve Lombardi, The Brooklyn Brawler *The Bushwhackers (Luke Williams (wrestler), Luke and Butch Miller (wrestler), Butch) *The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers (Jacques Rougeau Jr., Jacques and Raymond Rougeau, Raymond) *Greg Valentine *Ted DiBiase *The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) *Boris Zhukov *Koko B. Ware *Haku (wrestler), King Haku *Tito Santana *Jimmy Snuka *The Warlord (wrestler), The Warlord *The Barbarian (wrestler), The Barbarian *The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) *John Tenta, Earthquake *Demolition (professional wrestling), Demolition (Barry Darsow, Smash and Brian Adams (wrestler), Crush) *Jim Duggan, Hacksaw Jim Duggan *The Ultimate Warrior *Sgt. Slaughter *Kerry Von Erich, The Texas Tornado *Curt Hennig, Mr. Perfect *The Road Warriors *Hulk Hogan *Fred Ottman, Tugboat / Typhoon *Power and Glory (Paul Roma and Hercules (wrestler), Hercules) *Paul Diamond *Pat Tanaka *Rick Martel *Davey Boy Smith, The British Bulldog *John Nord, The Berzerker *The Undertaker *The Beverly Brothers (Wayne Bloom, Beau and Mike Enos, Blake) *Ric Flair *Jim Powers *Kamala (wrestler), Giant Kimala

Foreign freelancers

=United States

= *Killer Tim Brooks *Chavo Guerrero Sr. *Jeff Jarrett *Kenny The Striker *Bob Orton Jr. *Joe D'Acquisto, Rochester Roadblock *Chris Walker (wrestler) *Jeff Wheeler *Snake Williams

=Canada

= *Robert Maillet, Giant Goliath *Dino Ventura

=Mexico

= *El Dandy *Atlantis (wrestler), Atlantis *Bestia Salvaje *Emilio Charles Jr. *Jerry Estrada *Comando Ruso *Blue Panther *El Satanico *Guerrero El Futuro *Arkangel de la Muerte

=Other

= *Kato Kung Lee (Panama) *Chris Adams (wrestler), Chris Adams (England) *Gerry Morrow (Martinique) *The Headshrinkers, The Samoan Swat Team (Sam Fatu, Samoan Savage and Rikishi (wrestler), Fatu) (Samoa)

Guests from other Japanese promotions

=Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi

= *Masakatsu Funaki *Yoshiaki Fujiwara *Minoru Suzuki *Wellington Wilkins Jr. *Jerry Flynn

=Universal Lucha Libre, Universal Lucha Libre/Federación Universal de Lucha Libre

= *Gran Hamada *Ultimo Dragon, Yoshihiro Asai/Ultimo Dragon *Shoji Akiyoshi, Punish/Coolie S.Z. *Keiji Takayama, Crush/Bulldog K.T.

SWS championships

SWS never had a Heavyweight Championship.

SWS Junior Heavyweight Championship

SWS Tag Team Championship

References

External links

Wrestling-Titles.com: Super World Sports
{{WWE Japanese professional wrestling promotions Entertainment companies established in 1990 1990 establishments in Japan Entertainment companies disestablished in 1992 1992 disestablishments in Japan