Nexus Pro-Wrestling (NPW)

Nexus Pro-Wrestling's Logo

Nexus Pro-Wrestling, LLC, Nexus Pro-Wrestling (NPW) is an American CAW professional wrestling promotion based in Chicago, Illinois.

Formerly known as the Extreme Wrestling Federation (EWF) from 1993 to 2020, NPW was founded by Kido The Crowe (known as Meckrocz3451 on this site and as Crowe-sama97 on PSN) around 2007 while creating custom superstars and championships on WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2007 with friends. NPW holds internet tapings and CPV events primarily in the United States and occasionally internationally. All NPW full shows and matches are broadcast on YouTube.

## Promotion History

#### **Early Years**

NPW was founded in 1993 as Ultimate Championship Wrestling (UCW) by Garfield Rayne Jr. UCW would tape its weekly shows on Monday nights and would allow wrestlers from the independent circuit to appear in matches that were acclaimed by fans and critics alike. While having a decent reputation and financial balance, the promotion was still unable to directly compete in the Monday Night Wars along with professional wrestling superpowers, World Wrestling Federation (WWF/E), and the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling (WCW).

In early 1994, UCW formed a partnership with the hardcore wrestling promotion Ballistic. Loco. Opportunistic. Wrestling (B.L.O.W). The two promotions allowed their talent to appear on each other's shows which gave them huge popularity throughout the independent scene in the '90s. In 1998, UCW and B.L.O.W merged and rebranded themselves as Extreme Wrestling Federation (EWF), a promotion that would host two shows every week. Monday Night UCW followed a technical and hard-hitting style, but maintained its traditional pro wrestling rules and regulations, while Friday Night B.L.O.W retained its brutal hardcore roots. Despite its vast improvements and growing popularity, EWF would lose its TV deal due to low ratings as WWF/E, WCW, and ECW were dominating the world of pro wrestling.

In early 2000, EWF formed a partnership with WWF/E and for the next eleven years, EWF talent would appear in dark matches on Monday Night RAW, Smackdown, Heat, Velocity, and other shows for the promotion. EWF wrestlers mainly served as talent enhancement for upcoming stars like John Cena, Randy Orton, CM Punk, and others much to the ire of EWF management. However, EWF was not the only promotion to suffer such a fate. When ECW and WCW were bought out by WWE in 2001, they effectively owned all contracts of their former competitor's talent. Those wrestlers were also booked poorly by WWE creative.

#### **Emancipation from WWE**

In 2011, EWF veteran and Executive Vice President of the promotion Bloodpain announced that EWF had garnered enough profit from their partnership with WWE to sever ties with the company and start anew. Later that year, Garfield Rayne Jr. announced that he would be stepping down from his position as EWF President and that his son John would replace him. In 2012, EWF hosted live events from much bigger venues than before but still didn't have a TV deal. Following her first retirement, wrestler Nu 13 along with the help of commissioner and former wrestler Cleo Stone founded the Sakura's Division, a weekly show exclusively showcasing the EWF's female talent which helped wrestlers like Nina, Yuri Meticulous, Tia Metal, and Pristine The Queen rise to mega-stardom.

In 2014, the EWF began taping shows and posting them on the YouTube channel, Critical Gaming Channel. After posting a few CPVs for two years, EWF had been off the YouTube radar and continued with their live events. On June 30, 2018, EWF Wrestling had posted the very first episode of EWF Saturday Nights taped in Chicago Illinois, officially returning to YouTube. The promotion announced the launch of its official channel a week later.

#### **Name change to Nexus Pro-Wrestling**

On March 13, 2020, EWF President John Rayne announced that board meetings regarding a possible name change for the promotion are underway. On March 15, 2020, Rayne announced that the promotion's new name will be Nexus Pro-Wrestling (NPW).

Following the promotion's name change, management announced that their Monday night show would switch to Tuesdays while Sakura's Division and Saturday Nights will continue to air on Wednesdays and Saturdays respectively. Plans include the continuation of allowing freelancers and talent from other CAW promotions to compete on NPW shows and vice versa.

## Programming

 *NPW Saturday Nights* | November 3, 2018–present | YouTube | Features NPW's established and rising stars, as well as the top independent wrestlers.

### Events

Main article: List of Nexus Pro-Wrestling click-per-view events