LPWA History

LPWA logo

From its inception in 1989 to 1992, the Ladies Professional Wrestling Association (LPWA), presented the finest women’s sports entertainment available. During its tenure, it was the only all-female professional wrestling organization in the United States. Its wrestlers were enlisted from around the world. The roster featured wrestlers from the United States, South Africa, Canada, Mexico, Italy, United Kingdom, Russia, Iraq, South Korea, and Japan.

The LPWA produced both a one-hour Super Ladies of Wrestling and a half-hour Ladies Championship Wrestling program on a weekly basis for a two year period. The programming was broadcast on all regional sports networks including Madison Square Garden Network, Prime Ticket, Home Sports, New England Sports Network, and Sunshine Network.

The Super Ladies of Wrestling and Ladies Championship Wrestling were the first programs to showcase female professional wrestlers as athletes and not as mud, oil, or strip wrestlers. In addition to the regional sports networks, LPWA was broadcast on dozens of additional stations throughout the United States. The majority of the programs were shot in Laughlin, Nevada and were attended by avid wrestling fans who were visiting the resort community, and also residents of Laughlin and Bullhead City, Arizona. LPWA enjoyed a full house of super fans at every event.

In addition to the many awesome wrestlers who appeared in the LPWA, Mr. Tor Berg, founder and President of LPWA, a great believer in experience, contracted with the legendary professional wrestling and boxing promoter, Wally Karbo, to be the Commissioner of the LPWA. Mr. Karbo had over fifty years of experience in his field and brought a wealth of knowledge to the LPWA. The LPWA Head Trainer was the former Olympic athlete and coach, Brad Rheingans, who is world-renowned as a coach and trainer of professional wrestlers. The best female wrestlers in the world under the direction of experienced, knowledgeable promoters made the LPWA a major factor in the business during its presence in sports entertainment.

The Ladies Professional Wrestling Association aired its last production on February 23, 1992. It was a Pay-Per-View broadcast live from the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, Minnesota.

Prior to and subsequent to this event, LPWA edited and produced 104 one-hour and 104 half-hour program episodes which were licensed worldwide from 1990-1999. Countries covered by these licensing agreements included Japan, South Korea, Spain (Valencia), Thailand, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Taiwan, India, Australia, Honduras, France, United Kingdom, New Zealand, and the Pacific Rim. The last of these license rights expired March 2001.

Madusa Miceli

In conjunction with the broadcast programs, the Home Video Collectors Series was created, consisting of 24 ninety-minute episodes which were marketed and sold through professional wrestling magazine ads and the LPWA web site during the 1990’s. These were only available on VHS tapes and were ordered and distributed by mail order.

The company, including the entire broadcast and home video master programs, as well as all original source material shot and edited on 1-inch masters was sold to a private party soon following 9/11/2001. The current owner of LPWA, Inc. executed a two-year license agreement with a broadcast company in Brazil with term from January 2008 through January 2010.

In addition to offering term licenses to broadcast distributors country by country, LPWA, Inc. elected to pursue an all-inclusive web site to take advantage of this vast form of exposure. This site, AllWomenWrestling.com, was launched in May 2010.

Media

Here are some surviving scans of original magazine coverage of the promotion.

The Collectors Series

23 titles, 1.5 hours each. Own them all. Click here to learn more.