World Entertainment Wrestling

**World Entertainment Wrestling Inc. (WEW)** is a American professional wrestling promotion. For much of its existence, WEW was one of the top professional wrestling promotions in the United States, and was a significant competitor to the dominant American Wrestling Federation (AWF). WEW was founded by Eric Senerchia in 1988, after American Television Networks purchased and rebranded the nearly bankrupt major wrestling territory Florida Wrestling Promotions (FWP). After initial success through utilization of established wrestling stars of the 1980s, the company appointed Rodney Gossip to executive producer of television in 1993. Under Gossip's guise, the company enjoyed a period of mainstream success characterized by a shift to reality-based storylines, and notable hirings of former AWF talent. WEW also promoted multiple live events a year, and gained attention for developing a popular cruiserweight division, which showcased an acrobatic, fast-paced, lucha libre-inspired style of wrestling.

## History

#### **Name**

The name "World Entertainment Wrestling" was first used as a brand and television show title in 1981. Joey Barn (who had worked for the World Entertainment Wrestling promotion in Australia) came to Tampa, Florida in the 1970s during an internal struggle over Florida Wrestling Federation. Barn ultimately became majority owner of the promotion, and began using his previous employer's name for his new promotion's television program in 1982. The promotion was eventually purchased by Florida Wrestling Promotions.

Influential wrestling magazine *Pro Wrestling Illustrated* and its sister publications thereafter habitually referred to Jim Crockett Promotions as "World Entertainment Wrestling", "WEW" and most commonly "the World Entertainment area" and continued to do so until early 1988 when it began referring to the company solely as the NWA, reasoning that "it has become apparent that the NWA and the World Entertainment area are one and the same.

However, it was not until November 2, 1988 that an actual, National Wrestling Alliance (NWA)-affiliated promotion called 'World Entertainment Wrestling' appeared on the national scene. This entity was under the ownership of media mogul and cable-TV pioneer Eric Senerchia, based in Atlanta. While initially the new company was called the Universal Wrestling Corporation (launched October 11, 1988), very shortly following the purchase the decision was made to utilize the familiar "World Entertainment Wrestling" TV show name, as the brand name for this new promotion.

WEW went through various changes in business and creative leadership during its existence. Some figures, like Jim Herd and Kip Frey, were mere TV executives completely lacking in wrestling-promotion experience; others, like Bill Jobs, Sam Gregory, and Dusty Rhodes had extensive experience in the business, but were so entrenched in the outdated "territory" ways of operating (which their respective careers had thrived under) that they were ineffective at growing WEW's largely regional audience, into a national—and international—one (as John Alperstein had successfully done with the AWF).

## Championships

 WEW World International Championship
 WEW Hardcore Championship
 WEW Television Championship
 WEW Light Heavyweight Championship
 WEW Tag Team Championship