All Pro Wrestling Explained

All Pro Wrestling
Established:1991
Style:Professional wrestling
Location:Hayward, California
Founder:Roland Alexander
Formerly:Pacific Coast Sports
Website:AllProWrestling.com

All Pro Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion and training school, based in Hayward, California. The company was founded by Roland Alexander and managed by him until his death on November 5, 2013. It is located 45 miles southeast of San Francisco, 15 miles south of Oakland, and 35 miles north of San Jose.[1]

History

All Pro Wrestling opened in 1991 under the name, "Pacific Coast Sports". The school and its "Gym Wars" events maintained a strong local following throughout the 1990s, but it wasn't until professional wrestling's Attitude Era that APW gained national notoriety.

In 1999, All Pro Wrestling (APW) was featured as part of the documentary film, Beyond the Mat. Roland Alexander, along with wrestlers Tony Jones and Michael Modest appeared, as they were having a tryout match with the World Wrestling Federation. The spot in the film was said to have tremendously boosted the school's "Boot Camp" sign ups.

APW suffered a wrongful death lawsuit to the family of APW Boot Camp trainee, Brian Ong. On May 28, 2001, Ong was training with fellow trainee Dalip Singh, despite suffering from an earlier concussion. Singh delivered a flapjack to Ong twice, with his head striking the mat and worsening his concussion.[2] He was pronounced dead on arrival to a local hospital. Ong's family sued APW for reckless behavior. The case was filed in September 2002, and the trial was underway on June 10, 2005. After a three-week trial, on July 12, the jury voted unanimously in favor of the Ong family. APW was forced to pay $1.3 million to the Ong family.[3]

After a dispute with Roland Alexander in 2002, most of the APW roster, including trainers Michael Modest, Donovan Morgan, and Frank Murdoch left the company to start a training facility known as the Pro Wrestling IRON Tetsu Academy (now defunct). In April 2008, booker and promoter Gabriel Ramirez left the company to start his own promotion, Pro Wrestling Revolution. Former wrestling manager John LaRocca took over as head booker for the company.

In October 2005, future WWE champion Becky Lynch (using the ring name Rebecca Knox) appeared at the APW affiliated promotion ChickFight III.[4]

In December 2009, APW began televising taped shows All Pro Wrestling Gym Wars on Saturday mornings on Channel 50 / Cable 199 in the San Francisco Bay Area.[5]

On December 14, 2011, All Pro Wrestling and Vendetta Pro Wrestling announced the Vendetta Pro Tag Team Titles will now be booked in All Pro Wrestling as well. The title was renamed the APW-Vendetta Pro "Unified" Tag Team Championship and be defended on Vendetta Pro and APW events. At that time "Dos Perfectos" (Greg Hernandez and Jesse Jimenez) were the Vendetta Pro Tag Team Champions and were crowned the first APW/Vendetta Pro Unified Tag Team Champions.

Alexander died on November 5, 2013, following heart and diabetes issues, aged 59.[6]

The company is now run by head booker Markus Mac and is currently holding events at the Bayshore Community Center in Daly City, CA. After the closing of the APW Garage head trainer Jeckles opened his own school, the Puppet Masters Dojo, in Hayward, CA.[7]

Roster

Wrestlers

width=15%Ring namewidth=20%Notes
Adam ThornstoweAPW Tag Team Champion
Boyce LeGrande
Buddy Royal
Cheerleader Melissa
Chris Masters
Colt Cabana
Daniel Torch
Dalton Frost
Damien Grundy
Dave Dutra
Dylan Drake
Jacob Fatu
Jake AtlasAPW Universal Heavyweight Champion
JECKLES
Jeffrey Cobb
Joey Ryan
Jody Kristofferson
J. R. Kratos
Julio Pedroza
Jungle Boy
Karl Fredericks
Levi ShapiroAPW Worldwide Internet Champion
Luster the LegendAPW Tag Team Champion
Matt Carlos
Marcus Lewis
MVP
Omega
Rik Luxury
Steven TresarioAPW Junior Heavyweight Champion
Sione Finau
Timothy Thatcher
Tommy Drake
Vinnie Massaro
Virgil Flynn
Powerhouse Hobbs

Managers and valets

Staff

APW Championships/Accomplishments

Current championships

Championship Current champion(s) Reign Date won Days held Location Notes
APW Universal Heavyweight ChampionshipVacantVacated by Jake Atlas.
APW Worldwide Internet ChampionshipLevi Shapiro1June 15, 2019+Daly City, CADefeated Will Hobbs at Bay Area Bash.
APW Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipSteven Tresario1September 27, 2019+Daly City, CADefeated Lucas Riley, Manny Mars and Starboy Charlie to win the vacant title at War At The Shore 2019.
APW Tag Team ChampionshipWarbeast
1
October 11, 2019+San Francisco, CADefeated Reno Scum (Adam Thornstowe and Luster The Legend) and The One Percent (Jorel Nelson and Royce Isaacs) at West Coast Pro Nobody Does It Better.

APW Junior Heavyweight Championship

APW Junior Heavyweight Championship
Promotion:All Pro Wrestling
Currentholder:Steven Tresario
Created:October 12, 1996
Won:September 27, 2019
Firstchamp:Super Diablo
Longestreign:"Jungle Boy" Nate Coy (302 days)
Shortestreign:Erin O'Grady (49 days)
Oldest:Steven Tresario (30 years)
Youngest:"Jungle Boy" Nate Coy
Heaviest:Super Diablo (205 lbs)
Lightest:"Jungle Boy" Nate Coy (156 lbs)

Reigns

Defunct Championships

ChampionshipChampionPreviousDate WonDate Retired
APW Above The Law/Future Legends ChampionshipCheerleader MelissaMariko YoshidaMay 3, 2005Fall 2005
APW/Vendetta Pro Unified Tag Team ChampionshipOchoa Joshua Champions 2011 WWEPink Mink, Inc.
October 26, 2013January 2014

Tournaments/Special events

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About APW . allprowrestling.com . 2010-04-14.
  2. Web site: The Great Khali and Brian Ong . greatkhali.net . 2010-01-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091223035010/http://www.greatkhali.net/the_great_Khali_and_brian_ong.htm . December 23, 2009 . dead . mdy-all .
  3. News: Hayward Jury Slams All Pro Wrestling School: Awards in Excess of $1.3 Million to Parents of Young Man Who Died Because of Reckless Training . findarticles.com . 2010-01-17 . 2005.
  4. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Web site: Rebecca Knox (Becky lynch) vs Madison 2005 . YouTube.
  5. Web site: APW on TV Tomorrow Morning! . allprowrestling.com . 2010-01-17.
  6. Web site: Roland Alexander passes away. F4WOnline.com. 2013-11-06.
  7. https://www.facebook.com/ALLPRODOJO