Global Wrestling Federation was a professional wrestling promotion based in Dallas, Texas. It started in June 1991 and folded in September 1994. At one time its shows were presented on the ESPN television network. On many weeks, the promotion provided programming five days a week airing at 4 PM Eastern with current matches. Dallas redirects here. ... For the video game, see Pro Wrestling (video game). ... Dallas redirects here. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... ESPN, formerly an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting and producing sports-related programming 24 hours a day. ...

The GWF was the last pro wrestling promotion to be seen on ESPN regularly. Beginning in the mid-1990s, the network would begin to emphasize talk shows in the mid-afternoon hours, supplanting pro wrestling. A talk show (U.S.) or chat show (Brit. ...

Brief history

Max Andrews & Joe Pedicino were the original GWF promoters. The organization was a mix of established names and newcomers, many of whom would launch their national careers after appearances on the daily ESPN show. The original stars included The Patriot (Del Wilkes, who was the Trooper in the AWA), Stan Lane, Scott Anthony (Raven of TNA), The Handsome Stranger (Marcus Bagwell of WCW) and Cactus Jack. In late 1991, "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert entered the promotion and took over much of the creative direction of the show introducing The Dark Patriot (his brother, Doug Gilbert) and "The Winner" Barry Horowitz (a character created by Gilbert and announcer Craig Johnson.) Del Wilkes (born December 21, 1961 in Columbia, South Carolina) was a masked professional wrestler best known as The Patriot. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Scott Anthony Levy (born September 8, 1964) better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler. ... Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) is an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and his father Jerry Jarrett in May 2002. ... Marcus Alexander Mark Bagwell (born January 10, 1970) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Buff Bagwell. ... Michael Francis Mick Foley, Sr. ... Thomas Edward (Eddie) Gilbert, Jr. ... Doug Gilbert is a professional wrestler from Memphis, Tennessee who wrestles the Independent circuit. ... Barry Horowitz (born March 24, 1960 in St. ...

The GWF began airing weekly shows in the local Dallas and Fort Worth metroplex television market from the Dallas Sportatorium, which was billed for a short time as The GlobalDome. The promotion's announcers were Craig Johnson, Scott Hudson, Steven Prazak (as "Steven DeTruth"), and Joe Pedicino, with Boni Blackstone as ringside interviewer. Scott Hudson left the announcer's table and in his place was "The Expert" Bruce Pritchard (Brother Love of WWF/WWE). In one of the stranger angles in wrestling, during a commercial break, Pritchard and Johnson argued in an expletive filled exchange only to reveal that Pritchard was orchestrating many of the nefarious activities of the heels. Dallas redirects here. ... Fort Worth is the sixth-largest city in the state of Texas, located about 30 miles west of Dallas on the West Fork Trinity River and forming part of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. ... The Dallas Sportatorium, as it looked in the mid-1990s The Sportatorium, located in downtown Dallas, Texas (not to be confused with the Hollywood Sportatorium in Hollywood, Florida or the Tampa Sportatorium in Tampa, Florida), was a barnlike arena used primarily for professional wrestling events. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...

The original GWF was notable for many of its wrestling broadcast innovations, most importantly, the acknowledgement of other promotions within the broadcast (including past promotions such as World Class Championship Wrestling). Competitors former titles were mentioned as well as departures of wrestlers to other promotions. Also included in the innovations were behind the scenes footage and news segments with features from around the sport.

Texas attorney Grey Pierson took over the promotion in summer 1992. Pierson is the son of Don Pierson, the founder of Wonderful Radio London, Swinging Radio England and Britain Radio and two freeport ventures, one in Haiti and the other in Dominica in which his son also participated. For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ... Donald Grey Pierson was born October 11, 1925 and died age 70 on March 30, 1996 at Eastland, Texas. ... Wonderful Radio Londons transmitter ship, the MV Galaxy Don Pierson in 1964 Wonderful Radio London also known as Big L, was a top 40 (in Londons case, the Fab 40) offshore commercial station that operated from 16 December 1964 to 14 August 1967, from a ship anchored in... Swinging Radio England (SRE) was a top 40 offshore commercial station billed as the Worlds Most Powerful that operated briefly from 3 May to 13 November of 1966 from a ship anchored in the North Sea, three and a half miles off Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, England. ... Freeport Tortuga was a freeport project by Dupont Caribbean Inc. ...

Following a massive cutback of budget, Pedicino and Johnson left the promotion, and shortly thereafter, so did Eddie Gilbert.

Due to a pay dispute, "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert, along with his brother Doug Gilbert (working under a mask as the Dark Patriot) left the GWF in 1992. Eddie Gilbert took with him the GWF North American Heavyweight Championship belt. He made a few defenses of the title in the United States Wrestling Association as the GWF World Heavyweight champion, despite being stripped of the belt and not being recognized as such by the GWF. It was around this time that Grey Pierson and Joe Pedicino had their falling out, with Pierson taking over promoting duties for the GWF and cutting back to a roster featuring mostly Texas mainstays, and bringing in older Texas stars, mostly those from the World Class era. Eddie Gilbert refers to: Eddie Gilbert (1905-1978), Australian Aboriginal cricketer; Edward M. Eddie Gilbert (b. ... Doug Gilbert is a professional wrestler from Memphis, Tennessee who wrestles the Independent circuit. ... The GWF North American Heavyweight Championship was the major title in the Global Wrestling Federation in Texas. ... The United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotional organization based in Memphis, Tennessee. ...

By 1992, the GWF began promoting exclusively under Pierson, and many former World Class Championship Wrestling stars began appearing, including Chris Adams, Kerry Von Erich and Iceman Parsons, among others. Doyle King, David Webb and other guest announcers (including former World Class announcers Bill Mercer and Marc Lowrance) were brought introduced as the show became more of a theatrical presentation. Mercer, a veteran of Sportatorium wrestling since the 1950s, hosted a weekly segment on many memorable events that took place in the venerable Dallas arena. Not to be confused with World Championship Wrestling. ... Kerry Gene Adkisson (February 3, 1960 – February 18, 1993) was an American professional wrestler under the ring names Kerry Von Erich, The Modern Day Warrior, and The Texas Tornado and was part of the Von Erich family of professional wrestlers. ... David Webb can refer to: David Webb (footballer), an English football (soccer) player and manager. ... Bill Mercer is an American sportscaster, originally from Muskogee, Oklahoma, who now lives in Richardson, Texas. ... Marc Lowrance (born circa 1959) is a former sports anchor and professional wrestling announcer who is best known as one of the voices of World Class Championship Wrestling, a Dallas, Texas-based wrestling organization operated by Fritz Von Erich during the 1980s. ...

The local television shows boasted that it was also being aired over a fictitious global television network as Pierson persuaded many of his friends and associates to don the garb of equally fictitious and bizarre characters. In one of its more interesting angles, GWF hired a "psychiatrist" as a valet. The "psychiatrist" was actually Dr. Allan Saxe, a political science professor at the nearby University of Texas at Arlington. This article is about angles in geometry. ... For other uses, see Psychiatrist (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article, image, template or category should belong in one or more categories. ... The University of Texas at Arlington, usually referred to as UT Arlington or UTA, is a nationally recognized comprehensive doctoral/research university classified by Carnegie as Research University - High Activity [2]. The university is located in Arlington, Texas, USA. UT Arlington has a student population of nearly 25,000 and...

One strange angle at that time included a "Bungee" match in which Steven Dane wrestled against Chaz Taylor in a scaffold match outside the Sportatorium. After the match, "Maniac" Mike Davis attached himself to the bungee cord and jumped off of the scaffolding. When he landed back on the ground, he claimed he had launched himself to the Moon and had returned to Earth with a "moon rock." Another weird angle in which announcer David Webb, having "amnesia" following an attack by Manny Fernandez, believed that he was Elvis Presley (who performed at the Sportatorium in the late-1950s during the Big D Jamboree days). This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Elvis redirects here. ...

The shows were also presented in an abbreviated and more serious format for a brief time over the ESPN television network. ESPN, formerly an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting and producing sports-related programming 24 hours a day. ...

In 1992, the Global Wrestling Federation was sued by then World Wrestling Federation because they felt the use of the word "Global" was in the same definition as the word "World".*WWF sues GWF World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ...

Kerry Von Erich

In 1993, a memorial wrestling card was held in memory of Kerry Von Erich, who committed suicide on February 18th. Von Erich previously was to have faced the Angel of Death that day. Instead, a memorial service was held at the Sportatorium prior to the matches, with former World Class announcer Marc Lowrance making a special appearance to pay his tributes to Kerry (Lowrance was the ring announcer who called Von Erich's NWA World title victory over Ric Flair in 1984). The following April, a memorial tribute card was held at the Dallas Sportatorium, featuring many former World Class wrestlers, referees and other officials. In that card, the main event was the official last match between the Freebirds and the Von Erichs. Kevin Von Erich and Chris Adams faced Michael Hayes and Buddy Roberts, with Skandor Akbar in Hayes and Roberts' corner, and Fritz Von Erich in Chris and Kevin's corner (his last appearance in a professional wrestling match). The match ended with Kevin applying the claw on Roberts for the win, while Fritz applied the iron claw on Skandor Akbar. Adams meanwhile was ganged up by Hayes and Rod Price when The Angel of Death came in to save Adams. Sid Vicious and Booker T also competed on the memorial card. The Ultimate Warrior was scheduled to wrestle, but no-showed. Kerry Gene Adkisson (February 3, 1960 – February 18, 1993) was an American professional wrestler under the ring names Kerry Von Erich, The Modern Day Warrior, and The Texas Tornado and was part of the Von Erich family of professional wrestlers. ... Marc Lowrance (born circa 1959) is a former sports anchor and professional wrestling announcer who is best known as one of the voices of World Class Championship Wrestling, a Dallas, Texas-based wrestling organization operated by Fritz Von Erich during the 1980s. ... He was on WWE Homecoming last night, on USA Kevin Ross Adkisson was a professional wrestler. ... Christopher Adams (also known as Christopher Loofboro) (February 10, 1955 – October 7, 2001) was a professional wrestler, wrestling promoter, trainer and judoka. ... Michael Seitz (born March 29, 1959) is an American retired professional wrestler. ... Buddy Jack Roberts Dale Hey was a professional wrestler better known as Buddy Roberts. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Fritz Von Erich Jack Barton Adkisson was a professional wrestler under the name Fritz Von Erich, better known today as a wrestling promoter and the patriarch of the tragically famous Von Erich wrestling family. ... For the bassist of the Sex Pistols, see Sid Vicious. ... A number of people named Booker T have been well-known throughout history: Booker T. Washington, author Booker T Jones, musician and frontman of Booker T. & the M.G.s In the novel Stranger in a Strange Land, by Robert A. Heinlein, Mr. ... James Brian Hellwig (born 16 June 1962), is an American professional wrestler known by many as The Ultimate Warrior, who legally changed his name to Warrior in 1991. ...

Bill Mercer, Marc Lowrance, David Manning and Bronco Lubich were among the many WCCW officials and personalities whom appeared on the memorial card. Manning officiated Kerry's 1984 NWA World title-clinching match against Ric Flair at Texas Stadium nearly 9 years earlier. Bill Mercer is an American sportscaster, originally from Muskogee, Oklahoma, who now lives in Richardson, Texas. ... Texas Stadium is the home field of the National Football Leagues Dallas Cowboys. ...

Proceeds of this card went to a trust fund established for Kerry's daughters Hollie Adkisson and Lacey Adkisson (who is now an up-and-coming model under the name Lacey Von Erich and recently signed a developmental deal with WWE). In 1994, the GWF paid tribute to Kerry again in a month-long series of past matches Kerry was involved in, including some from World Class.

Afterwards, the federation centered mostly on Adams, who again ran his wrestling school and was working a feud with both Price and Iceman Parsons. During one match, Adams accidentally tore the hair weave off the hair of Price, resulting in stitches on his head. Chris' former second wife Toni Adams was also involved, siding with Price and Parsons; and during one match, she attempted to rub Freebird Hair Cream into Chris' eyes. The former couple also was wrestling in Memphis' USWA promotion, where Toni was billed as Nanny Simpson. Toni Adams is a retired American professional wrestling manager and valet who appeared in several North American regional promotions during the 1980s including the Universal Wrestling Federation and the United States Wrestling Association, although she is best known as the manager of her late ex-husbund Chris Adams while in... The United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotional organization based in Memphis, Tennessee. ...

A renewed feud between Adams and Jimmy Garvin took place, but the closing of the GWF on September 21, 1994, ended any prospects of a long angle between the two former rivals. Jimmy Garvin (born James Williams on September 25, 1952 in Tampa, Florida) is a former professional wrestler. ...

After the GWF folded, promoter Jim Crockett brought the NWA back to the Sportatorium for a tenure lasting less than a year. After several other attempts to keep wrestling going, the Sportatorium was demolished in 2003. Jim Crockett was a professional wrestling promoter sometimes known as Jim Crockett, Sr. ...

GWF Wrestlers and Personalities

Kerry Gene Adkisson (February 3, 1960 – February 18, 1993) was an American professional wrestler under the ring names Kerry Von Erich, The Modern Day Warrior, and The Texas Tornado and was part of the Von Erich family of professional wrestlers. ... Del Wilkes (born December 21, 1961 in Columbia, South Carolina) was a masked professional wrestler best known as The Patriot. ... Al Perez Al Perez was a professional wrestler. ... Thomas Edward (Eddie) Gilbert, Jr. ... Doug Gilbert is a professional wrestler from Memphis, Tennessee who wrestles the Independent circuit. ... Scott Anthony Levy (born September 8, 1964) better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler. ... Michael Francis Mick Foley, Sr. ... Sean Michael Waltman (born July 13, 1972) is an American professional wrestler. ... Jeremy Jerry Lynn (born June 12, 1963) is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). ... Barry Horowitz (born March 24, 1960 in St. ... Christopher Adams (also known as Christopher Loofboro) (February 10, 1955 – October 7, 2001) was a professional wrestler, wrestling promoter, trainer and judoka. ... Hustler Rip Rogers Rip Rogers was a professional wrestler and was a trainer for Ohio Valley Wrestling. ... Charles Wright[1] (born May 16, 1961) is an American businessman and retired professional wrestler. ... This article is about the professional wrestler. ... Robert Booker Tio Huffman[2] (born March 1, 1965)[2], better known by his wrestling personas Booker T and King Booker, is an American professional wrestler. ... Lane Steven Huffman, (born August 22, 1958 in Houston, Texas), is a retired American professional wrestler who is better known as Stevie Ray. ... Brian Knighton (born April 21, 1971 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Axl Rotten. ... John Williams is a professional wrestler better known as Ian Rotten. ... Thomas Davis (born January 11, 1959), American School Teacher and Independent Composer An aspiring jazz composer from the idyllic Finger Lakes region in upstate New York, Tom Davis teaches music at a public high school while tending to a family of four. ... Steve Davis OBE (born August 22, 1957) is an English professional snooker player who was born in London and lives in Brentwood, Essex with his wife and two sons. ... Steve Simpson Steve Cohen was a professional wrestler from South Africa better known as Steve Simpson. ... Iceman King Parsons Iceman Parsons (born King Parsons) was a professional wrestler that sometimes went by Iceman King Parsons. ... Michael Seitz (born March 29, 1959) is an American retired professional wrestler. ... Jimmy Garvin (born James Williams on September 25, 1952 in Tampa, Florida) is a former professional wrestler. ... Terry Gordy (April 23, 1961 - July 16, 2001) was a professional wrestler who was most famous for being a member of the Fabulous Freebirds. ... Marcus Alexander Bagwell, also known as Buff Bagwell, is an American professional wrestler best known for his nine year career with World Championship Wrestling. ... Wild Bill Irwin is a professional wrestler best known as Bill Irwin. ... Black Bart Rick Harris was a professional wrestler better known as Black Bart. ... John Tatum was a British scientist and philosopher in the 19th century . ... Jeff Gaylord is a former professional wrestler. ... Brian Adias was a professional wrestler best known for his time in World Class Championship Wrestling. ... Bobby Duncum, Jr. ... “John Hawk” redirects here. ... Manny Fernandez is the name of at least five people: Manny Fernandez (wrestler) - A former professional wrestler, also an American football player for the Kansas City Chiefs. ... Sam Houston Sam Houston was a professional wrestler in the 1980s. ... Osamu Nishimura is a Japanese professional wrestler who formerly worked for New Japan Pro Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Osamu Nishimura. ... Anthony (Tony) Norris (born June 6, 1970) is a former American professional wrestler known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as Ahmed Johnson, where he was the first African-American to hold the WWF Intercontinental Championship. ... Scott Bednarski, better known by his ring name Scott Putski, is an American professional wrestler best known for his work with Texas independent promotions. ... Ben Jordan: Paranormal Investigator is the main title of a planned series of 8 amateur adventure games made with freeware adventure game engine Adventure Game Studio by Francisco Grundislav Gonzalez. ...

GWF Titles

• GWF North American Heavyweight Championship
• GWF Television Championship
• GWF Texas Heavyweight Championship
• GWF Brass Knuckles Championship
• GWF Light Heavyweight Championship
• GWF Tag Team Championship

The GWF North American Heavyweight Championship was the major title in the Global Wrestling Federation in Texas. ... The GWF Television Championship was a secondary title in the Global Wrestling Federation in Texas. ... The NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship is a title that has existed since the 1930s and has had several different names. ... The GWF brass Knucles title as a title simalar to the WWF Hardcore title (in that it was defended only in hardcore matches) in the Global Wrestling Federation [edit] Title history ... The GWF Light Heavyweight Championship was secondary title in the Global Wrestling Federation in Texas. ... The GWF Tag Team Championship was the tag team title in the Global Wrestling Federation in Texas. ...

External links

• GWF Title Histories
• Solie.org GWF Title Histories
• WWF's trademark decision against GWF
• Regional Territories: GWF