Ladies Professional Wrestling Association

Updated on Jan 01, 2024

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Acronym LPWA Defunct 1998		Founded 1989 Founder(s) Tor Berg

Style Women's professional wrestling Headquarters Laughlin, Nevada (1989–1992)

The Ladies Professional Wrestling Association (LPWA) was an women's professional wrestling promotion which operated in the early 1990s (ca. 1989–1992). It was considered a successor to such women's promotions as Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW), but it differed in that, while GLOW slanted more toward WWF-style sports entertainment (with wrestling playing a secondary role to music video clips and comedy skits), the LPWA treated its product seriously and put its primary emphasis on in-ring athletics.

History

Thurston John "Tor" Berg (1938-2011) founded the company ca. 1989. An incident occurred in March 1991, where Berg promised Jumping Bomb Angels member Noriyo Tateno that he would give her a permanent job in the new company if she retired in Japan and moved to the United States. Berg, however, later backed out on the deal, and Sherri Martel made the incident public.

The LPWA produced two television series, The Super Ladies of Wrestling and Ladies Championship Wrestling from 1990-1992. Many of their matches were also distributed and sold on VHS tapes. They held their first and only pay-per-view, Super Ladies Showdown, on February 23, 1992 before closing down operations shortly after.

Berg planned on promoting a second Super Ladies pay-per-view event in 2000, but the event was canceled. The pay-per-view was scheduled to feature women from around the world, including American wrestlers Debbie Malenko, Sherri Martel, Sweet Destiny and Missy Hyatt; Japanese wrestlers Chikako Shiratori, AKINO, Chapparita Asari and Ayako Hamada; and Australian wrestlers Amy Action, Raya Riot, and former LPWA Champion Susan Sexton.

Super Ladies Showdown

LPWA Super Ladies Showdown was a professional wrestling pay-per-view from the LPWA. It took place on February 23, 1992 from the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, Minnesota. It was the only PPV from the LPWA, which folded shortly after the event. The main event was a match for the LPWA Singles Championship, in which Terri Powers defeated Lady X to win the belt. The event also featured a tournament for the LPWA Japanese Championship. Harley Saito was victorious in the tournament final and became the first holder of the title.

LPWA Championship

The LPWA Championship was a professional wrestling title created in early-1990.

LPWA Japanese Championship

The LPWA Japanese Championship was a professional wrestling title created in 1992. The inaugural (and only) champion was Harley Saito, who won an eight-woman tournament held during the Super Ladies Showdown pay-per-view event.

LPWA Tag Team Championship

The LPWA Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team title created in early-1990.

LPWA Mixed Tag Team Championship

The LPWA Tag Team Championship was an existing professional wrestling tag team title recognized in early-mid 1990. In 1973, Adrian Street and Miss Linda won the World Mixed Tag Team Championship by defeating Don Kovaks and Suzie Parker in Germany. Street and Linda were still undefeated as champions when they joined the LPWA in 1990 and continued to defend the championships in the promotion.