All Pro Wrestling

All Pro Wrestling
Founded 1991
Style Professional wrestling
Headquarters Hayward, California
Founder(s) Roland Alexander
Formerly Pacific Coast Sports
Website allprowrestling.com

All Pro Wrestling is an independent professional wrestling promotion and training school, based in Hayward, California, USA. The company was founded by Roland Alexander and managed by him until his death on November 5, 2013. It is located 45 miles southeast of San Francisco, 15 miles south of Oakland, and 35 miles north of San Jose.[1]

History

All Pro Wrestling opened in 1991 under the name, "Pacific Coast Sports". The school and its "Gym Wars" events maintained a strong local following throughout the 1990s, but it wasn't until professional wrestling's Attitude Era that APW gained national notoriety.

In 1999, All Pro Wrestling (APW) was featured as part of the documentary film, Beyond the Mat. Roland Alexander, along with wrestlers Tony Jones and Michael Modest appeared, as they were having a tryout match with the World Wrestling Federation. The spot in the film was said to have tremendously boosted the school's "Boot Camp" sign ups.

APW suffered a wrongful death lawsuit to the family of APW Boot Camp trainee, Brian Ong. On May 28, 2001, Ong was training with fellow trainee Dalip Singh, despite suffering from an earlier concussion. Singh delivered a flapjack to Ong twice, with his head striking the mat and worsening his concussion.[2] He was pronounced dead on arrival to a local hospital. Ong's family sued APW for reckless behavior. The case was filed in September 2002, and the trial was underway on June 10, 2005. After a three-week trial, on July 12, the jury voted unanimously in favor of the Ong family. APW was forced to pay $1.3 million to the Ong family.[3]

After a dispute with Roland Alexander in 2002, most of the APW roster, including trainers Michael Modest, Donovan Morgan, and Frank Murdoch left the company to start a training facility known as the Pro Wrestling IRON Tetsu Academy (now defunct). In April 2008, booker and promoter Gabriel Ramirez left the company to start his own promotion, Pro Wrestling Revolution. Former wrestling manager John LaRocca took over as head booker for the company.

In December 2009, APW began televising taped shows All Pro Wrestling Gym Wars on Saturday mornings on Channel 50 / Cable 199 in the San Francisco Bay Area.[4]

On Wednesday, December 14, 2011, All Pro Wrestling and Vendetta Pro Wrestling announced the Vendetta Pro Tag Team Titles will now be booked in All Pro Wrestling as well. The title was renamed the APW-Vendetta Pro "Unified" Tag Team Championship and be defended on Vendetta Pro and APW events. At that time "Dos Perfectos" (Greg Hernandez and Jesse Jimenez) were the Vendetta Pro Tag Team Champions and were crowned the first APW/Vendetta Pro Unified Tag Team Champions.

In March 2012 stars from Hawaii-based promotion AZW (Action Zone Wrestling)appeared on APW Gym Wars for their "Pacific Challenge". Joined by promoter Daryl Bonilla AZW was represented by Bobby Bolt, Mark Anarchy, Kaimana & "Mr. Athletic" Jeff Cobb while APW was represented by Jeckles, AJ Kirsch, Dylan Drake & Timothy Thatcher. A few months later Cobb returned to compete in APW's 2012 Young Lions Cup tournament while Dylan Drake appeared on AZW's event "Retribution".

Alexander died on November 5, 2013, following heart and diabetes issues, aged 59.[5]

The company is now run by head booker Markus Mac and is currently holding events at the Bayshore Community Center in Daly City, CA. After the closing of the APW Garage head trainer Jeckles opened his own school, the All Pro Dojo, in Union City, CA.[6]

Roster

Wrestlers

Ring name Notes
Adam Thornstowe APW Tag Team Champion
Boyce LeGrande
Buddy Royal
Cheerleader Melissa
Chris Hero
Chris Masters
Colt Cabana
Daniel Torch
Dalton Frost
Damien Grundy
Dave Dutra
Dylan Drake
Idris Jackson
JECKLES
Jeffrey Cobb
JINXX
Joey Ryan
Jodi Kristofferson
Jonny Yen Inactive/Injured
JR Kratos APW Universal Heavyweight Champion
Julio Pedroza
Kevin Michael Johnson
Levi Shapiro
Luster the Legend APW Tag Team Champion
Matt Carlos
Marcus Lewis
Rik Luxury
Ryan McQueen
Steven Kelly
Sione Finau
Timothy Thatcher
Truex
Vinnie Massaro
Virgil Flynn
Will Cuevas APW Worldwide Internet Champion
Will Rood

Managers and valets

Staff

APW Championships/Accomplishments

Current Championships

Championship Champion Previous Held since Location
APW Universal
Heavyweight Championship
Jody Kristofferson JR Kratos February 27, 2016 San Francisco, California
APW Worldwide
Internet Championship
"Money Maker" Will Cuevas "Bad Boy" Boyce LeGrande September 11, 2015 San Francisco, California
APW Tag Team
Championships
"Mad Tongan" Sione Finau &
"Iron Idol" Idris Jackson
The Classic Connection
Buddy Royal &
Levi Shapiro
December 19, 2014 San Francisco, California
APW/Vendetta Pro Unified
Tag Team Championship
Parental Discretion
(Mario Banks & Mike Menace)
Pink Mink Inc
("Magnificent" Matt Carlos &
"Wrestling Personified" Rik Luxury)
September 13, 2014

Defunct Championships

Championship Champion Previous Date Won Date Retired
APW Junior
Heavyweight Championship
Chris Cole Erin O'Grady May 10, 1997 October 3, 1997
APW Above The Law /
Future Legends Championship
Cheerleader Melissa Mariko Yoshida May 3, 2005 Fall 2005

Tournaments/Special Events

List of All Pro Wrestling Tournaments.

References

  1. "About APW". allprowrestling.com. Retrieved 2010-04-14.
  2. "The Great Khali and Brian Ong". greatkhali.net. Archived from the original on December 23, 2009. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
  3. "Hayward Jury Slams All Pro Wresting School: Awards in Excess of $1.3 Million to Parents of Young Man Who Died Because of Reckless Training". findarticles.com. 2005. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
  4. "APW on TV Tomorrow Morning!". allprowrestling.com. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
  5. "Roland Alexander passes away". F4WOnline.com. Retrieved 2013-11-06.
  6. https://www.facebook.com/ALLPRODOJO

External links

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