Below is a full roster of wrestlers who worked in the state of Florida for Championship Wrestling of Florida in the 1960s based on the posters advertised in the Orlando, Tampa and Miami area venues.

Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it closed down. It is also referred to as Florida Championship Wrestling. When Mike Graham tried a return to promoting, the rights to the name had been acquired by an outside party, forcing him to use another name, Florida Championship Wrestling.

Founding

The original owner and promoter was “Cowboy” Clarence P. Luttrell, a former journeyman heel wrestler who once fought a widely publicized boxing match, resulting from a wrestling angle, with a forty-something Jack Dempsey. It was worked but Cowboy took a severe beating. Cowboy opened the office in 1949, and Eddie Graham bought into the promotion in 1961 and took over completely in 1971, some say forcing Cowboy out.

The office was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance during the entire CWF era, Eddie Graham serving two terms as National Wrestling Alliance president, and loosely aligned before that, with other ‘world’ champions sometimes defending their titles.
[edit] Notable stars/alumni

The promotion thrived with stars such as National Wrestling Alliance champions Lou Thesz and Gene Kiniski, Graham, Don Curtis, Sam Steamboat, the Great Malenko (Larry Simon), Johnny Valentine, Hiro Matsuda, Bob Orton Sr. and later Jr., Joe Scarpa (later Chief Jay Strongbow), Wahoo McDaniel, the Funks (Terry and Dory, Jr.), the Briscos (Jack and Jerry), Buddy Colt (Ron Read), Dusty Rhodes, Barry Windham, Mike Rotunda, Mike Graham (Eddie’s son), Kevin Sullivan – whose cult-like Army of Darkness got tremendous heat from the fans – and, in the words of the promotion’s legendary commentator and a star in his own right Gordon Solie, ‘a host of others’.
[edit] Life after Eddie Graham’s suicide

When Eddie Graham committed suicide on Super Bowl Sunday in January 1985, due to a combination of personal and business reverses, responsibility for the office went to Hiro Matsuda and Duke Keomuka, both of whom bought in the 1960s. The other remaining owners were Mike Graham, Eddie’s brother Skip Gossett, Dusty Rhodes and Buddy Colt. The promotion continued losing money and merged with Jim Crockett Promotions in February 1987.[1] Most of the stars had gone to Jim Crockett Promotions or the WWF by that point.
[edit] Television programs and tape library

CWF filmed and later taped its weekly television wrestling show at the famed Sportatorium at 106 N. Albany in Tampa, FL – really a small television studio with seating for a live audience of about 100 people (1/40th of the seating capacity of its Dallas counterpart), with the wrestling office and gym in the same building. Arena footage was always also used, and full arena show broadcasts began in the early ’80s. CWF Spin-off shows were Championship Wrestling Superstars, Global Wrestling, North Florida Championship Wrestling, United States Class Wrestling, American Championship Wrestling and Southern Professional Wrestling.

On March 2, 2006, it was announced that the CWF library was purchased by World Wrestling Entertainment (World Wrestling Entertainment ) for the DVD on Dusty Rhodes.

History

While working as the manager of a nightclub in Boston, Perry Satullo met bouncer George Caiazzo, who expressed an interest in becoming a wrestler. Satullo sent Caiazzo to Killer Kowalski’s school to train, and then offered to form a tag team with him.[1] Satullo took the name Saturn, after the Roman god of agriculture and the harvest, and Caiazzo took the name of Saturn’s Greek equivalent Cronus, with the spelling slightly altered as “Kronus”. Satullo proposed that the team be known as “The Harvesters of Sorrow” due to the significance of their ring names, but promoter Jerry Lawler advised Satullo that the significance would not be evident to many fans. The team then became known as “The Eliminators”.

United States Wrestling Association

The Eliminators wrestled their first match together at a United States Wrestling Association house show in 1993.[1] They were hired at a starting salary of $40 a week, and shared an apartment with Brendan Shanahan and James Lewis. After working with the USWA for a while, gaining experience as a team the two managed to negotiate a 100% pay rise. The team’s first brush with tag-team gold came when they made it all the way to the finals of a tournament to crown new USWA Tag Team Champions but lost in the finals to Brian Christopher and Saturn’s mentor “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert in April 1994. The team kept pursuing the titles and a few weeks later on May 2, 1994 Saturn and Kronus beat Christopher and Gilbert for the titles.

The Eliminators held the gold for about 6 weeks until they came up against PG-13 on June 13, 1994 who beat them for the titles. The Eliminators stuck around the USWA for the remainder of 1994 working both as a tag-team and in individual competition.

In 1995, Saturn and Kronus branched out and traveled to Japan to work for the Japanese promotion WAR. On one WAR card they tangled with wrestling legends Mil Máscaras, Bob Backlund and Jimmy Snuka.
[edit] Extreme Championship Wrestling

During their tour of Japan the compactly-built and heavily-tattooed Saturn and the high-flying Kronus caught the attention of booker Paul Heyman. Heyman signed the two with Extreme Championship Wrestling when they were originally brought in to job to the Steiner Brothers when he thought they were staying with the company for a lengthy period, however they would later defeat The Steiner Brothers and Taz at Gangstas Paridise on September 16, 1995.[2] Heyman initially planned on giving the Eliminators a sadomasochism gimmick and but soon changed his mind and presented the duo as an unstoppable force ala the Road Warriors. He also gave them a manager, Jason Knight,[1] to compensate for their weak interview skills.

The Eliminators started a violent feud with The Pitbulls whom they clashed with repeatedly between October 1995 and April 1996 losing to them at the supercard November To Remember ’95[3] although they would defeat them in rematches at December to Dismember[4] and Holiday Hell.[5]

During their feud, the teams clashed in both in regular tag-team competition such as during December To Dismember when teaming with Raven, Stevie Richards and The Heavenly Bodies in an Ultimate Jeopardy Steel Cage match against the Pitbulls, Public Enemy and Tommy Dreamer on December 9, 1995. After The Pitbulls’ manager Francine cut Saturn’s hair, he shaved his head completely in a homage to Mickey Knox, the character depicted by Woody Harrelson in Natural Born Killers (in reality, Saturn was beginning to go bald).

On February 2, 1996 the Eliminators beat Cactus Jack and Mikey Whipwreck to win the ECW World Tag Team Championship at a house show in Queens, New York.[6] After disposing of the longtime rivals the Pitbulls at Big Ass Extreme Bash on March 8[7] (although the team defeated the Pitbulls in later house shows), the Eliminators were targeted by The Gangstas setting off a bloody feud between the two teams facing them in a 6-man tag team match with Brian Lee against The Gangstas and Tommy Dreamer at A Matter of Respect[8] and later faced them in title defences at Fight The Power[9] and Hardcore Heaven ’96,[10] the latter a resulting in a no contest.

On August 13, 1996 the Gangstas beat the Eliminators for the tag-team titles in a four corners elimination match with the Bruise Brothers and the Samoan Gangsta Party at the supercard The Doctor Is In[11] and, although defeated in subsequent rematches, The Gangstas managed to hold on to the gold until the Eliminators regained the titles at a house show in Middletown, New York on December 20, 1996.[12]

As the Eliminators/Gangstas feud continued into 1997, another team entered the fray making it a three way between the Eliminators, the Gangstas and the Dudley Boyz. After defenses against teams such as Axl Rotten and D-Von Dudley and Sabu and Rob Van Dam, the Dudley Boys won the tag-team titles from the Eliminators at Hostile City Showdown on March 15, 1997[13] only to lose them back to the Eliminators at ECW’s first PPV Barely Legal on April 13, 1997.[14]

On May 31, 1997 in Trenton, New Jersey, during a three way dance with the Dudley Boyz and PG-13, Saturn tore his ACL when he landed on a crutch while executing a kick on Big Dick Dudley.[15] Despite the injury, Saturn continued to compete and defeated the Dudley Boyz at Wrestlepalooza ’97[16] and Kronus continued defending the title in handicap matches against the F.B.I before Saturn competed in a match that saw the Eliminators drop the tag-team titles back to the Dudley Boyz at a house show in Waltham, Massachusetts on June 20, 1997.[17]

After intense reconstructive surgery, Saturn was given a recovery time of as much as a year. He began rehabilitating after two months and returned to action in August although in a diminished capacity due to his knee problems. Saturn had become impatient with what he regarded as Kronus’ lack of motivation and dedication, and refused to reform the Eliminators.[1] Paul Heyman offered to release him from his contract if he could find alternate employment. Saturn entered into negotiations with World Championship Wrestling (World Championship Wrestling) and signed a contract with them while not being 100% recovered from his knee injury.

After Saturn left, Kronus began teaming with various wrestlers, including former enemy New Jack to form The Gangstanators but never achieved the same success as he did together with Saturn.

Professional wrestling career

Curtis decided to become a professional wrestling in 1951, after working out with Lou Thesz.[2] During his early career, he worked in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.[2]

Beginning in 1958, he teamed with Mark Lewin, after promoter Eddie Graham put them together.[2] Curtis and Lewin held the National Wrestling Alliance United States Tag Team Championship (Northeast version) twice in 1958, trading it with Graham and his “brother” Jerry.[2] They were also the first holders of the championship, defeating Hans Schmidt and Dick the Bruiser.

Curtis teamed with Graham in May 1960 to win the National Wrestling Alliance Southern Tag Team Championship (Florida version). He also held the title with Bob Ellis in March 1964 and Jose Lothario in March 1967.

In 1962, Curtis moved to Florida.[2] In 1962, he teamed with Joe Scarpa to win the National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship (Florida version) from Kurt and Karl Von Brauner.[3] In January 1963, he won the title with Lewin from The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello and Roy Heffernan).[2][3] After vacating the title, Curtis and Lewin regained it in December from the Assassins (Assassin 1 and 2).[3] Lewin left the promotion the following month, and the title was once again vacated.[3] In May 1964, Curtis teamed with Abe Jacobs to hold the title for the last time.[3] In Jacksonville, Florida, Curtis promoted shows and managed the coliseum.[2]

After wrestling Curtis was inducted into the U.B. Athletic Hall of Fame for wrestling and football in 1980, as well as managing the Jacksonville Coliseum.[2][4] In 2009, he was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum with Mark Lewin under the “Tag Team” category.[2]
[edit] Personal life

Curtis attended the University of Buffalo, where he was an amateur wrestler.[2] He was the team captain during 1949 and 1950.[2]

After retiring from professional wrestling, Curtis worked in real estate.[2] On February 26, 2008, Curtis suffered a “massive stroke”, with his wife Dotty releasing a statement noting that it was “due to a blood clot breaking loose and hitting the left side of his brain.” Curtis was admitted into the Mayo Clinic Hospice facility that day, and died on March 6, 2008 at the age of 80.[4]

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For people making posters and things, here is an image of Romeo Razel Quevedo.

Check out this classic wrestling article about Dino Brave and Greg Valentine from the 80s.

Check out this cool article that we just scanned for you from 1988. (Click it to enlarge.)

Owen Hart 1988

The event included Kennedy Kendrick, the seven foot Titan, Tough Enough Michael Zaki, and wrestling legend Cuban Assassin.

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Brianna Monique Garcia[4] and Nicole Stephanie Garcia[1][5] (born on November 21, 1983)[1] are American twin models and professional wrestlers. The twins are a professional wrestling tag team under the ring names Brie Bella and Nikki Bella, collectively referred to as The Bella Twins, and work for World Wrestling Entertainment on the Raw brand.[6]

Before being promoted to the main World Wrestling Entertainment roster, The Bella Twins wrestled with Florida Championship Wrestling, where they were trained by Tom Prichard, and mainly competed in tag team competition. Brie made her debut on SmackDown in August 2008; she debuted first, and as part of her in-ring persona, would disappear under the ring during matches, emerging revived. Eventually, however, it was discovered she was switching places with her twin, Nikki, under the ring in order to gain an advantage. They then competed in tag team matches. Beginning in November 2008, an angle was written in which The Bella Twins developed an on-screen relationship with The Colóns (Carlito and Primo). They were later involved in storyline romances with John Morrison (John Hennigan) and The Miz in early 2009 and Daniel Bryan (Brian Danielson) in 2010. In April 2011, Brie won the World Wrestling Entertainment Divas Championship.

World Wrestling Entertainment / World Wrestling Entertainment

On July 24, 2006 Hutter appeared at the Heat tapings prior to Raw, where he teamed with Chris Cronus in a loss to Viscera and Charlie Haas.^[1] While competing on NXT, he appeared in pre-taped vignette on Raw as a scientist with the “Bateman Institute” advertising a fictional Mark Henry cologne.

[edit] Florida Championship Wrestling (2009–present)

Hutter made his Florida Championship Wrestling (Florida Championship Wrestling) debut on February 9, 2009, as ‘Mike Hutter’, when he lost to Drew McIntyre (Andrew Galloway).^[8] On February 19, he changed his ring name to ‘Derrick Bateman’, and gained Abraham Washington as a Manager as he teamed with Lennox McEnroe in a loss to Scotty Goldman and DJ Gabriel.^[8] At the February 26 television tapings, Hutter, Washington, and Tristan Delta lost a dark match to Brett DiBiase, Maverick Darsow, and Tank Mulligan.^[8] In March, he and Dylan Klein lost to Kafu and Sweet Papi Sanchez. In April, he became known as ‘Agent D.’, as part of Washington’s Secret Service stable alongside Agent T. and Agent J.^[8] He reverted to his ‘Derrick Bateman’ name in June, in a loss to DJ Gabriel.^[8]

After a hiatus, Bateman returned to Florida Championship Wrestling in 2010, teaming with Adam Henderson in a loss to The Rotundo Brothers (Bo and Duke).^[9] In March, he lost to Richie Steamboat and Joe Hennig in singles competition, and to Johnny Prime, Orlando Colón, and Incognito as part of a six-man tag team match, before defeating Rudy Parker.^[9] He went on to lose to Skip Sheffield, Percy Watson, Mason Ryan, Wes Brisco, and Eli Cottonwood over the next several months.^[9] In mid-2010, he formed a tag team known as The Handsome Man’s Express with Leo Kruger, and the pair unsuccessfully challenged Los Aviadores (Hunico and Epico) for the Florida Championship Wrestling Florida Tag Team Championship on July 2.^[9] The Handsome Man’s Express disbanded as a team shortly afterward, with Kruger defeating Bateman in a singles match on July 29.^[9] On August 12, 2010, Hutter teamed with Johnny Curtis to win the Florida Championship Wrestling Florida Tag Team Championship by defeating the team of Donny Marlow and Brodus Clay and the defending champions, Los Aviadores in a three-way tag team match.^[10] They went on to successfully defend the championship against Los Aviadores, Clay and Marlow, and The Dudebusters (Caylen Croft and Trent Barretta).^[9] After a near three month reign, Bateman and Curtis lost the championship to Wes Brisco and Xavier Woods on November 4.^[11]

Rod Zapata began his career as a World Wrestling Entertainment official in 2010. The Las Veas native joined World Wrestling Entertainment after working for Florida Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment ’s developmental promotion.

Rod Zapata began his career as a World Wrestling Entertainment official in 2010. The Las Veas native joined World Wrestling Entertainment after working for Florida Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment ’s developmental promotion.

In October 2008, Quinn debuted in Florida Championship Wrestling (Florida Championship Wrestling), her first appearance was at the October 21 television tapings, where she teamed with Miss Angela, in a losing effort to Roucka and Alicia Fox (Christina Crawford) with Wesley Holiday as the special guest referee. The following week, she competed in the Florida Championship Wrestling Diva Halloween Costume Contest, which also included Holiday, Roucka, Fox, and Angela. Since then, Quinn has competed in tag team matches with Angela, Eve Torres and Tiffany against Fox, Roucka and Holiday. She also competed in the Queen of Florida Championship Wrestling tournament, but lost to Alicia Fox (Christina Crawford) in the opening round. The next week a new segment was debuted entitled Florida Championship Wrestling News and Gossip with Jenny Cash. This soon became a weekly segment. In May 2009, she changed her name to Fifi, and started managing Le French Men, a tag team consisting of Trent Beretta and Caylen Croft. As part of the gimmick, Fifi wears a French maid costume to the ring. She suffered a torn Anterior cruciate ligament in late May 2009. She was released from her contract in February 2010.

Victor Ceron (born on August 27, 1978) is a Brazilian professional wrestler, better known under his ring name, Kafu. Kafu has worked for All Pro Wrestling (APW), Inoki Dojo, International Wrestling Association, Big Time Wrestling, LLX (Mexico) World 1, PCW, National Wrestling Alliance Pro, Portugal Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Entertainment development territory Florida Championship Wrestling. He has wrestled many well-known wrestlers, including Steve Corino, Jim Neidhart, Raven, Savio Vega and The Sandman.