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| Acronym | EWF |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1996 |
| Headquarters | Southern California |
| Founder(s) | Bill Anderson and Jesse Hernandez |
| Owner(s) | Jesse Hernandez |
The Empire Wrestling Federation (EWF) is an independent wrestling promotion based in San Bernardino, California. It is owned and operated by Jesse Lizarraga. The EWF is also tied to Hernandez's wrestling school, The School Of Hard Knocks. The EWF is the longest running promotion in Southern California, running continuously from 1996. The EWF is also an affiliate of the National Wrestling Alliance.
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History
EWF was founded in 1996 by Bill Anderson and Jesse Hernandez. it saw its first show in May 1996 at the Boys and Girls Club of San Bernardino as Bobby Bradley defeated Tom "Zuma" Howard to become the first EWF Heavyweight Champion. In 1999 Bill Anderson left the EWF and formed his own promotion and wrestling school, the International Wrestling Council in Riverside, California. In June 1996 a tribute to "Superstar" Billy Graham was held.
Several EWF wrestlers from the past have gone on to national fame, including Rico Constantino, Louie Spicolli, Frankie Kazarian, Christopher Daniels, Shelly Martinez and Melina Perez. In 1997 Chris Jericho and Lee Marshall of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) mentioned EWF on WCW broadcasts and Marshall attended a show in Hemet, California. Other pro wrestling stars have made appearance at EWF shows including Mando Guerrero, Peter Maivia, Ludvig Borga, The Honky Tonk Man, Tony Atlas and Tom Brandi. Many EWF wrestlers appear as jobbers on World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) broadcasts, and at the 1999 Royal Rumble the orderlies sent to apprehend Kane were performed by the EWF roster, including then owners Bill Anderson and Jesse Hernandez.
School of Hard Knocks
The EWF School of Hard Knocks is owned and operated by Jesse Hernandez and is currently located at the American Sports University, 399 North "D" Street in San Bernardino, CA. The School of Hard Knocks became the Official Traning Facility of the National Wrestling Alliance in 2007 and has trained countless students from such countries as Canada, France, Australia, India, Great Britain, Russia, Mexico and others, in addition to those students who come to the school from all regions of the United States. The EWF's School of Hard Knocks has sent several wrestlers to the WWE, TNA, NWA, ROH and other prominent promotions across the globe including Melina (WWE), Rico Constantino (WWE), Frankie Kazarian (TNA, WWE), Awesome Kong (TNA, AJW), Rocky Romero (NWA, ROH, NJPW), Ricky Reyes (ROH), Alex Koslov (CMLL) and Shelly Martinez (WWE, TNA). The School of Hard Knocks also has served as the training area for Chris Jericho (WWE), Layla (WWE), Eve Torres (WWE), Rhaka Khan (TNA), Lena Yada (WWE) and others, who looked to brush up on the in-ring skills.
Current champions
| Championship: | Current champion(s): | Date Won: | Won From: | Location: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EWF Heavyweight Championship | Ryan Taylor | October 30, 2009 | Brandon Gatson | Covina, California |
| EWF American Championship | Liger Rivera | May 15, 2009 | Ryan Taylor | Covina, California |
| EWF Tag Team Championship | The A-List (Jeremy Jaeger and Roger Ruiz) |
June 26, 2009 | The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) |
Covina, California |
| EWF Cruiserweight Championship | Brandon Parker | October 30, 2009 | Chris Kadillak | Covina, California |
Annual events
The Empire Wrestling Federation currently holds two annual events, the Great Goliath Memorial Battle Royal and the Inland Title Series. The Great Goliath Memorial Battle Royal, held in honor of the wrestler who trained Jesse Hernandez, the EWF's owner and promoter, has been held during the EWF's Anniversary Show in May since 2006. The winner is awarded a trophy or plaque and is granted a shot at the EWF Heavyweight Championship.
Great Goliath Battle Royal
| Won By: | Year Won: | Location: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Red | 2006 | Covina, CA | Gave the trophy to Great Goliath's daughter, Paloma, and forfeited his right to a title match. |
| Dan "The Man" Kobrick | 2007 | Covina, CA | Used his title shot at The Covina Classic, losing to then champion, Joey Harder. |
| Ryan Taylor | 2008 | Covina, CA | Used his title shot at The Covina Classic, losing to then champion, Scorpio Sky. |
| Devon Willis | 2009 | Covina, CA |
The Inland Title Series is a round robin style tournament, held at the end of the year. The winner of the ITS is granted a shot at the EWF Heavyweight Championship.
Inland Title Series
2008
| Participant: | Record: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|
| Matt Jackson | 2-1-1 | Finished tied for 1st. Chose to stay tied and compete for the EWF Tag Title |
| Nick Jackson | 2-1-1 | Finished tied for 1st. Chose to stay tied and compete for the EWF Tag Title |
| Johnny Paradise | 1-2 | |
| "Top Shelf" Jeremy Jaeger | 1-2 |
2007
| Participant: | Record: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|
| Brandon "Nitro" Gatson | 3-1-0 | Defeated Scorpio Sky in a tie breaker match to win the ITS. |
| Scorpio Sky | 2-2-0 | Lost to Brandon "Nitro" Gatson in an ITS tie breaker match. |
| Ryan Taylor | 1-2-0 | |
| JT Blackstar | 1-2-0 |
2006
| Participant: | Record: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|
| Joey Harder | 3-0-1 | Defeated T.J. Perkins in a tie breaker match to win the ITS. |
| TJ Perkins | 2-1-1 | Lost to Joey Harder in an ITS tie breaker match. |
| Hook Bomberry | 1-2-0 | |
| Jason King | 0-3-0 |
Roster
Wrestlers
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Tag Teams and Stables
Managers and Valets
Referees
Commentators
Ring Announcers
AgentsCommissioner
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References
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This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (September 2009) |
- 1998 "Secrets of Pro Wrestling" Discovery Channel documentary that toured EWF facilities
- Newspaper article on EWF
- EWF newspaper article 2
- Nacho Libre presented by EWF and Krikorian Theatres
- EWF Newspaper article 3
- EWF & Walmart unite
- EWF at HollywoodReporter.com
External links
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