IndependentWrestling.tv (IWTV) continues to build IWTV into the absolute first stop for fans of independent wrestling with the news that Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW), one of the early US indies in the early 2000s indie revolution boom, would be added to their online archives, starting on Thursday, November 26. IWTV is the home to many of the top indie promotions around the world, including Game Changer Wrestling (GCW), Beyond Wrestling, Black Label Pro, Pro Wrestling FREEDOMS, Sendai Girls, and more, and had previously added another hugely influential early US indie promotion, NWA Wildside, earlier this year.
https://twitter.com/indiewrestling/status/1331660385255034886
Founded in 1997 by “Fat” Frank Iadeavia and Angel Surita, JAPW was one of the early US indie promotions to help change the game for pro wrestlers in the United States, particularly those who weren’t deemed to be useful to the network promotions like WWF and WCW. This island of misfit toys was built on the hardcore ethics of ECW, but also showcased the smaller high-flyers that would have been “too small” for national television. This rogue outfit was much different than most independents of the day, a place where wrestlers of all types and styles were booked, and its influence on the indie revolution of the early 2000s can not be overstated. Many ECW stars were the original building blocks of JAPW, such as Pitbull #2, D-Von Dudley (then wrestling as A-Train), Big Dick Dudley (then Alexander the Great), 911, Little Guido, and more. It also brought in young stars who were being ignored by the TV companies, such as Homicide, Trent Acid, Ace Darling, and Reckless Youth.
Following the demise of WCW and ECW in 2001, JAPW gained more prominence, as avenues diminished outside of WWE, growing alongside upstart new promotions like Ring of Honor, Total Nonstop Action (TNA/IMPACT Wrestling), CHIKARA, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG), and others. Many future stars for ROH, TNA/IMPACT and even WWE and AEW, cut their teeth in JAPW in the 2000s, including name like Daniel Bryan, CM Punk, AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson), Low-Ki, Jay Lethal, Amazing Red, Brodie Lee, Mercedes Martinez, The Briscoes (Jay & Mark Briscoe), Dan Maff, Ruckus, The Haas Brothers (Charlie & Russ Haas), Matt Cross, Samoa Joe, Davey Boy Smith Jr., Chris Hero, Frankie Kazarian, Sara Del Rey, Nick Gage, Chris Dickinson, WARHORSE, Private Party (Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy), Sami Callihan, Santana & Ortiz, KTB, and Joey Janela are just the tip of the iceberg as to the names that competed in JAPW prior to bigger things in their careers (many returned in between stints as well). In 2004, even JAPW co-ran an event alongside ROH called JAPW/ROH Collison Course.
JAPW ran shows constantly until 2011, until a hiatus put them on the shelf for a year. Following a return in 2012, the shows became less frequent, with none in 2013, only one in 2014, and a couple each year until February 2018’s JAPW Redemption, which has thus far proven to be the company’s last show. With such a huge history as a breeding ground for future US indie superstars – a refuge for former ECW stars with no home following ECW’s own closure – the addition of JAPW’s vault of events to IWTV will be a treasure trove of great wrestling from the 1990s through the 2010s, ideal viewing for fans and wrestlers alike.
JAPW coming to @indiewrestling what a treat for old school and new school indie fans alike! Maybe I can hit up IWTV and we can watch a few live together! That would be sick https://t.co/mBQQ0jsiVs
— “The Bad Boy” Joey Janela (@JANELABABY) November 25, 2020
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