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|formerly =
|formerly =
|website =
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|split = [[All Japan Pro Wrestling]]
|successor = [[Wrestle Association R]]
}}
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'''Super World of Sports''', more commonly known as '''SWS''', was a [[Professional wrestling in Japan|Japanese professional wrestling]] promotion from 1990 to 1992. Its motto was "Straight and Strong".
'''Super World of Sports''', more commonly known as '''SWS''', was a [[Professional wrestling in Japan|Japanese professional wrestling]] promotion from 1990 to 1992. Its motto was "Straight and Strong".
Line 20: Line 22:
==History==
==History==
===Formation===
===Formation===
In April 1990, [[Genichiro Tenryu]], one of the top stars of [[All Japan Pro Wrestling]], left the company to become a spokesmodel for Megane Super, at the time one of the best-known makers of eyeglasses in Japan. But the company instead used him as the launching pad for a new pro-wrestling circuit, which Megane Super executive Hachiro Tanaka named Super World of Sports.
In April 1990, [[Genichiro Tenryu]], 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, [[Great Kabuki|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.
With his backing, Megane Super began throwing money offers around to build up their roster. [[Yoshiaki Yatsu]], [[Ashura Hara]], [[Shunji Takano]], [[Great Kabuki|The Great Kabuki]], [[Hiromichi Fuyuki]], [[Koki Kitahara|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===
===Working relationship with the WWF===
The SWS/WWF co-promotion produced several cards, including three shows at the [[Tokyo Dome]]. The events took place on March 30, 1991, and December 12, 1991<ref>{{cite book|title=WWE Encyclopedia|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|page=296|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley|DK]]|year=2009|isbn=978-0-7566-4190-0}}</ref> (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.
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<ref>{{cite book|title=WWE Encyclopedia|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|page=[https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/296 296]|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley|DK]]|year=2009|isbn=978-0-7566-4190-0|url=https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/296}}</ref> (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.
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.
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{{col begin}}
{{col begin}}
{{col-3}}
{{col-3}}

====Revolution====
====Revolution====
*[[Genichiro Tenryu]], leader
*[[Genichiro Tenryu]], leader
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*[[Yuji Yasuraoka]]
*[[Yuji Yasuraoka]]
{{col-3}}
{{col-3}}

====Geki Dojo====
====Geki Dojo====
*[[KY Wakamatsu]], leader
*[[KY Wakamatsu]], leader
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*[[Tetsuya Yamanaka]]
*[[Tetsuya Yamanaka]]
{{col-2}}
{{col-2}}

====Palaestra====
====Palaestra====
*[[George Takano]], leader
*[[George Takano]], leader
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{{col begin}}
{{col begin}}
{{col-3}}
{{col-3}}

====[[WWE|World Wrestling Federation]]====
====[[WWE|World Wrestling Federation]]====
*[[Randy Savage]]
*[[Randy Savage]]
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*[[Kamala (wrestler)|Giant Kimala]]
*[[Kamala (wrestler)|Giant Kimala]]
{{col-3}}
{{col-3}}

====Foreign freelancers====
====Foreign freelancers====
=====United States=====
=====United States=====
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*[[Bob Orton Jr.]]
*[[Bob Orton Jr.]]
*[[Joe D'Acquisto|Rochester Roadblock]]
*[[Joe D'Acquisto|Rochester Roadblock]]
*[[Chris Walker (American wrestler)|Chris Walker]]
*[[Chris Walker (wrestler)]]
*[[Jeff Wheeler]]
*[[Jeff Wheeler]]
*[[Snake Williams]]
*[[Snake Williams]]

=====Canada=====
=====Canada=====
*[[Robert Maillet|Giant Goliath]]
*[[Robert Maillet|Giant Goliath]]
*[[Dino Ventura]]
*[[Dino Ventura]]

=====Mexico=====
=====Mexico=====
*[[El Dandy]]
*[[El Dandy]]
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*[[El Satanico]]
*[[El Satanico]]
*[[Guerrero El Futuro]]
*[[Guerrero El Futuro]]
*[[Arkangel De La Muerte]]
*[[Arkangel de la Muerte]]

=====Other=====
=====Other=====
*[[Kato Kung Lee]] (Panama)
*[[Kato Kung Lee]] (Panama)
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*[[The Headshrinkers|The Samoan Swat Team]] ([[Sam Fatu|Samoan Savage]] and [[Rikishi (wrestler)|Fatu]]) (Samoa)
*[[The Headshrinkers|The Samoan Swat Team]] ([[Sam Fatu|Samoan Savage]] and [[Rikishi (wrestler)|Fatu]]) (Samoa)
{{col-3}}
{{col-3}}

====Guests from other Japanese promotions====
====Guests from other Japanese promotions====
=====[[Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi]]=====
=====[[Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi]]=====
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===SWS Junior Heavyweight Championship===
===SWS Junior Heavyweight Championship===
{{Professional wrestling title history top|active=no}}
{| class="wikitable" width=100%
{{PWtitlereign
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=20%|Wrestler:
|number = 1
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=5% |Times:
|champion = [[Naoki Sano]]
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=17%|Date:
|reign = 1
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=15%|Location:
|date = {{dts|December 12, 1991}}
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=43%|Notes:
|days = {{age in days|December 12, 1991|June 19, 1992}}
|-
|location = [[Tokyo|Tokyo, Japan]]
|[[Naoki Sano]]
|event = SWS/WWF SuperWrestle
|1
|notes = Won a tournament to become the SWS/Japanese representative and then defeated [[World Wrestling Federation|WWF]] representative [[Rick Martel]] to become the inaugural champion.
|December 12, 1991
|ref = <ref name="JuniorTitle">{{Cite web |title=Super World Sports Junior Heavyweight Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/sws/sws-j.html |access-date=December 28, 2022 |website=wrestling-titles.com}}</ref>
|[[Tokyo|Tokyo, Japan]]
}}{{PWtitlereign
|<small>Won a tournament to become the SWS/Japanese representative and then defeated WWF representative [[Rick Martel]] to become the first champion.
|sort number = 1.5
|-
|type = deactivated
|colspan=2|Title retired
|June 19, 1992
|date = {{dts|June 19, 1992}}
|notes = Title retired when SWS closed.
|
|ref = <ref name="JuniorTitle" />
|<small>Title retired when SWS closed.
}}
|-
{{BundleEnd}}
|}


===SWS Tag Team Championship===
===SWS Tag Team Championship===
{{Professional wrestling title history top|active=no|team=yes}}
{| class="wikitable" width=100%
{{PWtitlereign
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=25%|Wrestlers:
|number = 1
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=5% |Times:
|champion = [[Yoshiaki Yatsu]] and [[Uliuli Fifita|King Haku]]
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=17%|Date:
|reign = 1
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=15%|Location:
|date = {{dts|February 14, 1992}}
!style="background: #e3e3e3;" width=38%|Notes:
|days = {{age in days|February 14, 1992|April 16, 1992}}
|-
|location = [[Kyoto|Kyoto, Japan]]
|[[Uliuli Fifita|King Haku]] and [[Yoshiaki Yatsu]]
|event = [[House show|Live event]]
|1
|notes = Defeated [[Genichiro Tenryu]] and [[Ashura Hara]] in a tournament final to become the first champions.
|February 14, 1992
|ref = <ref name="TagTitle">{{Cite web |title=Super World Sports Tag Team Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/sws/sws-t.html |access-date=December 28, 2022 |website=wrestling-titles.com}}</ref>
|[[Kyoto|Kyoto, Japan]]
}}{{PWtitlereign
|<small>Defeated Ashura Hara and [[Genichiro Tenryu]] in a tournament final to become the first champions.
|number = 2
|-
|[[George Takano|George]] and Shunji Takano
|champion = [[George Takano]] and [[Shunji Takano]]
|reign = 1
|1
|April 16, 1992
|date = {{dts|April 16, 1992}}
|days = {{age in days|April 16, 1992|April 17, 1992}}
|<small>[[Minamiashigara, Kanagawa|Minamiashigara, Japan]]
|location = [[Minamiashigara, Kanagawa|Minamiashigara, Japan]]
|-
|event = [[House show|Live event]]
|[[The Natural Disasters]]<br/>([[John Tenta|Earthquake]] and [[Fred Ottman|Typhoon]])
|notes =
|1
|ref = <ref name="TagTitle" />
|April 17, 1992
}}{{PWtitlereign
|[[Yokohama|Yokohama, Japan]]
|number = 3
|-
|champion = [[The Natural Disasters]]<br/>{{small|([[John Tenta|Earthquake John Tenta]] and [[Fred Ottman|Typhoon]])}}
|King Haku and Yoshiaki Yatsu
|reign = 1
|2
|April 18, 1992
|date = {{dts|April 17, 1992}}
|days = {{age in days|April 17, 1992|April 18, 1992}}
|[[Tokyo|Tokyo, Japan]]
|location = [[Yokohama|Yokohama, Japan]]
|-
|event = [[House show|Live event]]
|colspan=2|Title retired
|notes =
|June 19, 1992
|ref = <ref name="TagTitle" /><ref name=F4WApril17>{{cite web | url=https://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/daily-pro-wrestling-history-0417-wcw-spring-stampede-1994-309086 | title=Daily pro wrestling (04/17): WCW Spring Stampede 1994 | date=April 17, 2020 | access-date=April 17, 2020 | work=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]] | first=Brian | last=Hoops}}</ref>
|
}}{{PWtitlereign
|<small>Title retired when SWS closed.
|number = 4
|-
|champion = [[Yoshiaki Yatsu]] and [[Uliuli Fifita|King Haku]]
|}
|reign = 2
|date = {{dts|April 18, 1992}}
|days = {{age in days|April 18, 1992|June 19, 1992}}
|location = [[Tokyo|Tokyo, Japan]]
|event = [[House show|Live event]]
|notes =
|ref = <ref name="TagTitle" />
}}{{PWtitlereign
|sort number = 4.5
|type = deactivated
|date = {{dts|June 19, 1992}}
|notes = Title retired when SWS closed.
|ref = <ref name="TagTitle" />
}}
{{BundleEnd}}


==See also==
==See also==
{{Portal|Professional wrestling|Japan}}
{{Portal|Japan}}
*[[Professional wrestling in Japan]]
*[[Professional wrestling in Japan]]
*[[List of professional wrestling promotions in Japan]]
*[[List of professional wrestling promotions in Japan]]

Latest revision as of 20:59, 3 March 2024

Super World of Sports
AcronymSWS
FoundedApril 1990
Defunct1992
HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
Split fromAll Japan Pro Wrestling
SuccessorWrestle Association R

Super World of Sports, more commonly known as SWS, was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion from 1990 to 1992. Its motto was "Straight and Strong".

History[edit]

Formation[edit]

In April 1990, Genichiro Tenryu, 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, 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 (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 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 Federation, for interpromotional purposes.

Working relationship with the WWF[edit]

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[1] (The March show saw a near-shoot between former sumos Kitao and 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-style wrestling), which provided alternative matches and opponents to the cards.

SWS's peak coincided with the 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, including Hara, Fuyuki, Kitahara; NOW, including Kendo Nagasaki, and PWC, including the Takano brothers and Takagi.

Wrestlers[edit]

Main roster[edit]

Unlike many wrestling promotions, SWS had a wrestling roster that was divided into three stables, reminiscent of the 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.

Visiting wrestlers[edit]

SWS championships[edit]

SWS never had a Heavyweight Championship.

SWS Junior Heavyweight Championship[edit]

Key
No. Overall reign number
Reign Reign number for the specific champion
Days Number of days held
No. Champion Championship change Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign Days
1 Naoki Sano December 12, 1991 SWS/WWF SuperWrestle Tokyo, Japan 1 190 Won a tournament to become the SWS/Japanese representative and then defeated WWF representative Rick Martel to become the inaugural champion. [2]
— Deactivated June 19, 1992 — — — — Title retired when SWS closed. [2]

SWS Tag Team Championship[edit]

Key
No. Overall reign number
Reign Reign number for the specific team—reign numbers for the individuals are in parentheses, if different
Days Number of days held
No. Champion Championship change Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign Days
1 Yoshiaki Yatsu and King Haku February 14, 1992 Live event Kyoto, Japan 1 62 Defeated Genichiro Tenryu and Ashura Hara in a tournament final to become the first champions. [3]
2 George Takano and Shunji Takano April 16, 1992 Live event Minamiashigara, Japan 1 1 [3]
3 The Natural Disasters
(Earthquake John Tenta and Typhoon) 		April 17, 1992 Live event Yokohama, Japan 1 1 [3][4]
4 Yoshiaki Yatsu and King Haku April 18, 1992 Live event Tokyo, Japan 2 62 [3]
— Deactivated June 19, 1992 — — — — Title retired when SWS closed. [3]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Shields, Brian; Sullivan, Kevin (2009). WWE Encyclopedia. DK. p. 296. ISBN 978-0-7566-4190-0.
  2. ^ a b "Super World Sports Junior Heavyweight Title". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Super World Sports Tag Team Title". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  4. ^ Hoops, Brian (April 17, 2020). "Daily pro wrestling (04/17): WCW Spring Stampede 1994". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved April 17, 2020.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Super_World_of_Sports&oldid=1211677926"