Union of Independent Professional Wrestlers
The Union of Independent Professional Wrestlers is a Canadian independent professional wrestling promotion operating out of Toronto, Ontario. The Union, as it is often referred to, is run by retired professional wrestler Anthony Kingdom James.
In the spring of 2003, Kingdom launched the Union when he began holding events under the UIPW banner in Erie, PA. At the time, Kingdom was working as ring announcer for the now-defunct XPW. XPW, as part of its attempt to expand nationally, had planned to run its own shows once every six weeks at the Beaver County Community College's Golden Dome facility, just north of Pittsburgh. Kingdom planned to run Union shows in Erie every six weeks on the night before XPW's Pittsburgh shows. XPW, for its part, agreed to fly certain of its wrestlers into Pittsburgh a day early so that they would be available to Kingdom for UIPW shows. XPW's first Pittsburgh event turned out to be its last-ever show, however and UIPW was forced to move forward with XPW's participation or appearances by any of XPW's West Coast talent.
Kingdom continued the project and between April 2003 and April 2004 the Union roster would go on to include such established names as Matt "MDogg20" Cross, Chris Hamrick, Josh Prohibition, "Wonderkid" Jonny Storm, "Mr. Insanity" Toby Klein, and former ECW World/TNA X Division champion Jerry Lynn. It would also feature such up-and-coming talents as current WWE Women's World champion Beth Phoenix, Sterling James Keenan, "Fabulous" John McChesney and Raymond Rowe.
After a three-plus year hiatus, UIPW was revived in September 2007, this time based in Toronto. UIPW now stages shows on a monthly basis at Royal Canadian Legion Hall #101 in Etobicoke, Ontario.
Roster
ACTIVE Roster
- Asylum
- Blob
- Brodie Lee
- Colin Olsen
- Eddie Osbourne
- Eddie Venom
- HENTAI
- Jimmy Olsen
- Joey Valentyne
- John McChesney
- Josh ALexander
- Kevin Grace
- Matt Burns
- Pepper Parks
- Reggie Marley
- Ricky Landell
- Ricky Reyes
- Rip Impact
- RJ City
- Robin Knightwing
- Sebastian Dark
- Shiima Xion
- Sterling James Keenan
- Steve Corino
Active tag teams and stables
- The All-Knighters - Robin Knightwing, Kevin Grace, Joey Knight
- BloodDeathSexMagic - Sterling James Keenan, Sebastian Dark
- The Flatliners - Asylum and Matt Burns
- Jones Omnisport Corporation - Jessy Jones, Brodie Lee
- The Olsen Twins - Colin Olsen, Jimmy Jam Olsen
- Wild Stallions - RJ City, Joey Valentyne
Alumni
- Adam Cage
- AERO!
- Al B. Damm
- "Bad Boy" Brian Anthony
- Beth Phoenix
- Big Hungry Chuck
- Big Thirsty Jake
- Carlton Kaz
- Chris Hamrick
- Chris Kole
- Devil Bhudakahn
- Glenn Spectre
- Jerry Lynn
- Jonny Storm
- Josh Prohibition
- Kid Cupid
- Marc Mandrake
- MDogg 20
- Nikita Allanov
- "Omega" Aaron Draven
- Randy Walker
- Raymond Rowe
- Rocky Reynolds
- Shirley Doe
- Toby Kline
Referees
- CJ Sensation
- David Linton
Championships
Current champions
Title: |
Champion(s): |
Date Won: |
Defeated: |
Location: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
UIPW Union Heavyweight Championship |
Steve Corino |
November 3, 2007 |
John McChesney* |
Etobicoke, Ontario |
UIPW Northern Lights Championship |
vacant |
tbd January 12, 2008 |
- |
Etobicoke, Ontario |
UIPW Union Tag Team Championship |
vacant |
tbd Spring, 2008 |
- |
tbd |
- - This was a tournament final. Corino had defeated Eddie Osbourne and Pepper Parks in the first and second round. McChesney had defested Rip Impact and Ricky Reyes in his first and second round matches.
UIPW Union Heavyweight Championship
The Union Heavyweight Championship is UIPW's top title.
Wrestler: |
Defeated: |
Date: |
Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|
Sebastian Dark |
Shirley Doe |
May 23, 2003 |
This was a tournament final for the newly created title. |
Chris Hamrick |
Sebastian Dark |
August 23, 2003 |
|
Hamrick was stripped of the title on June 12, 2003 |
|||
MDogg 20 |
Jerry Lynn |
June 12, 2004 |
|
The title was declared vacant on April 1, 2004 |
|||
John McChesney |
Rocky Reynolds |
April ??, 2004 |
This was a tournament final for the vacant title. |
UIPW ceased operations in mid-2004. |
|||
Steve Corino |
John McChesney |
November 3, 2007 |
This was a tournament final for the vacant title. |