Жапон Күрес Ассоциациясы R: WAR тарихы

Japanese professional wrestling promotion

Wrestle Association R (formerly known as Wrestle and Romance and abbreviated as WAR) was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded and run by Genichiro Tenryu as the successor to Super World of Sports, and which lasted from 1992 to 2000. The promotion initially established as Wrestle and Romance in 1992 and had very few regular contracted workers; instead most of the workers were either freelance or employed in other promotions. Because of this WAR ran many all star cards. It had inter promotional feuds against New Japan Pro Wrestling, Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling, the new Tokyo Pro Wrestling, and UWF International. WAR also continued, albeit in a loose fashion, SWS's old working agreement with the World Wrestling Federation, when they backed the WWF's first Japanese tour, in 1994. On July 28, 1995, WAR was renamed "Wrestle Association R" at a show held in the Korakuen Hall. In 1998, WAR cancelled contracts to the roster and began running fewer and fewer events due to Tenryu's comeback in New Japan, and in July 2000, it promoted a farewell show that served as the prelude to Tenryu's return to All Japan Pro Wrestling (many wrestlers from WAR also joined AJPW to fill the void by those who joined Mitsuharu Misawa in forming Pro Wrestling Noah). The WAR name was kept for the use of a stable led by Tenryu during brief angles in All Japan and FMW in 2001. On July 27, 2006, WAR staged a reunion show at Tokyo Korakuen Hall. The show was supported by various Japanese wrestling promotions including New Japan, All Japan Pro Wrestling and Dragon Gate. This was also the final card promoted under the WAR banner. WAR was the first promotion to create a steady junior heavyweight tag team title long before New Japan Pro Wrestling, WCW, and Pro Wrestling Noah hit upon the idea. In 2010 the Tenryu Project was organised and is somewhat of a successor to WAR.

These are not exhaustive lists. Guest Japanese wrestlers from other promotions, such as Nobuhiko Takada from UWF International and The Great Sasuke from Michinoku Pro Wrestling, are not listed. Birth name:Ring name(s):Tenure:Genichiro ShimadaGenichiro Tenryu1992–20002006Masao OriharaMasao Orihara1992–19992006Susumu HaraAshura Hara1992–1994Takashi IshikawaTakashi Ishikawa1992–19941996–1997Hiromichi FuyukiHiromichi Fuyuki1992–1996Keiji TakayamaGedo1994–1996Shoji AkiyoshiJado1994–1996Heigo HamaguchiAnimal Hamaguchi1994–1995Yoshihiro AsaiUltimo Dragon1992–1997Kōji KitaoKōji Kitao1994–1998Isao TakagiArashi1995–1999Tatsumi KitaharaKoki Kitahara1992–20002006Nobutaka ArayaNobutaka Araya1995–2000Nobukazu HiraiNobukazu Hirai1992–2000Osamu KawaharaOsamu Tachihikari1994–2000Tomohiro IshiiTomohiro Ishii1996–20002006Masaaki MochizukiMasaaki Mochizuki1994–20002006Koji IibashiKoji Ishinriki1993–19942006Yuji YasuraokaYuji Yasuraoka1992–1999Chris IrvineLionheart / Lion Do1994–1996Scott BigelowCrusher Bam Bam Bigelow19941996Rick BognarBig Titan / Ti Do1995–1996Rick WilsonRio, Lord of the Jungle1993–1994Lance EversLance Storm1995–1998Robert BacklundBob Backlund1994–1995James BernardskiScott Putski1994Terry SzopinskiThe Warlord1993–1994Terry GordyTerry Gordy1998Oscar GutierrezRey Misterio, Jr.1995–1996Lawrence ShreveAbdullah the Butcher1997–1998John TentaJohn Tenta1993–1996Dionicio TorresPsicosis1995–1996Tonga FifitaKing Haku1992–1994

An inter promotional show between WAR and the World Wrestling Federation was held on September 15, 1992, at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.

WAR Anniversary Show was the flagship event of WAR which was used to celebrate the anniversary of the promotion. The event was held between 1993 and 2000, when the promotion was discontinued.

An inter promotional event featuring talent from WAR and Ladies Legend Pro Wrestling was held on November 28, 1993, at the Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

Revolution was a special event held on December 15, 1993, at the Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

Revolution Rumble '94 In Ryogoku Kokugikan was a special event held on March 2, 1994, at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan. The event was notable for an inter promotional tag team main event match in which Genichiro Tenryu and Ashura Hara represented WAR against Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling's Atsushi Onita and Tarzan Goto. Onita pinned Tenryu and the match set up a major main event between Tenryu and Onita for FMW's 5th Anniversary Show at the Kawasaki Stadium on May 5, 1994.

Super J Cup is a professional wrestling tournament featuring junior heavyweight wrestlers from all over the world. The tournament was originally conceived by Japanese wrestler Jushin Thunder Liger as a showcase for junior heavyweights from promotions from Asia and North America on a national level. WAR hosted the second edition of the tournament on December 13, 1995, at the Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

An inter promotional event featuring wrestlers from WAR and UWFI, among other promotions as well. The event took place a day after the 4th Anniversary Show on July 21, 1996, at the Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

Final Reborn to Future was a reunion event of WAR after the promotion had closed down in 2000 and marked the final event ever in WAR history. The event took place on July 27, 2006, at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. The event aired via tape delay on Gaora TV on August 17. The event featured a title defense of the WAR International Junior Heavyweight Championship which had been in possession of Masaaki Mochizuki since WAR closed in 2000 and the main event was an eight man tag team match, in which WAR wrestlers took on Heisei Ishingun.