Harley Race's Wrestling Academy
Encyclopedia
Harley Race's Wrestling Academy is a professional wrestling school located in Eldon, Missouri
. It was established in 1999 by former World Heavyweight Champion
, Harley Race
. Students of the school are incorporated into the professional wrestling promotion
World League Wrestling.
. It provides training programs for those looking to enter the professional wrestling
industry. The objective of the program is to Teach safe wrestling technique, draw on Harley Race's experience and to give students tools to succeed in professional wrestling
. Programs include both courses to become a professional wrestler; which requires anywhere between 300–500 hours of training, or professional wrestling referee
training, which entails 60 hours of training.
The school itself incorporates a wrestling ring and weight room. The school is attended by mostly men, but occasionally women join it, as well.
The school initially put on local wrestling events that raised money for local charities in Missouri. The wrestling school later began a running partnership with Pro Wrestling Noah
that includes many of the program's talent touring with the Japanese-based wrestling promotion.
professional wrestling promotion
that integrates current and past students of the Harley Race Wrestling Academy. At first they did television for the America One Television Network, and added their show to the weekly line-up of a different wrestling promotion every night at 11:00 p.m. eastern time. After they lost their TV, they changed their name to World League Wrestling, and continued promoting in the Missouri area. World League Wrestling is based out of Eldon, Missouri, and puts on approximately 60 shows a year. The slogan for the company is Shut up and wrestle, which expresses its theme of more old-school wrestling and less "showboating". The promotion is family-style professional wrestling entertainment that excludes nudity and swearing. The shows also sometimes features guest wrestlers.
Eldon, Missouri
Eldon is a city in Miller County, Missouri, United States. It is thirty miles southwest from Jefferson City. The population was 4,895 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Eldon is located at...
. It was established in 1999 by former World Heavyweight Champion
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
, Harley Race
Harley Race
Harley Leland Race is a retired American professional wrestler and current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 7 times...
. Students of the school are incorporated into the professional wrestling promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
World League Wrestling.
School
The Harley Race Wrestling Academy is operated by Harley RaceHarley Race
Harley Leland Race is a retired American professional wrestler and current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 7 times...
. It provides training programs for those looking to enter the professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
industry. The objective of the program is to Teach safe wrestling technique, draw on Harley Race's experience and to give students tools to succeed in professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
. Programs include both courses to become a professional wrestler; which requires anywhere between 300–500 hours of training, or professional wrestling referee
Referee (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling referee is the official figure that makes sure that wrestling matches move smoothly in an attempt to maintain kayfabe. The referee also has the ultimate power in the ring...
training, which entails 60 hours of training.
The school itself incorporates a wrestling ring and weight room. The school is attended by mostly men, but occasionally women join it, as well.
The school initially put on local wrestling events that raised money for local charities in Missouri. The wrestling school later began a running partnership with Pro Wrestling Noah
Pro Wrestling Noah
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
that includes many of the program's talent touring with the Japanese-based wrestling promotion.
History of World League Wrestling
In 1999, Race began World Legion Wrestling, (WLW), an independentIndependent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
professional wrestling promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
that integrates current and past students of the Harley Race Wrestling Academy. At first they did television for the America One Television Network, and added their show to the weekly line-up of a different wrestling promotion every night at 11:00 p.m. eastern time. After they lost their TV, they changed their name to World League Wrestling, and continued promoting in the Missouri area. World League Wrestling is based out of Eldon, Missouri, and puts on approximately 60 shows a year. The slogan for the company is Shut up and wrestle, which expresses its theme of more old-school wrestling and less "showboating". The promotion is family-style professional wrestling entertainment that excludes nudity and swearing. The shows also sometimes features guest wrestlers.
Current champions
| Championship | Champion(s) | Defeated | Date Won | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WLW Heavyweight Championship WLW Heavyweight Championship The World League Wrestling Heavyweight Championship, is the top title contested for the independent professional wrestling promotion World League Wrestling. The current champion is Trevor Murdoch, who in his fourth reign... |
Trevor Murdoch | Trent Stone | April 23, 2010 | Richmond, MO |
| WLW Tag Team Championship WLW Tag Team Championship The World League Wrestling Tag Team Championship, is the top tag team title contested for the independent professional wrestling promotion World League Wrestling.... |
Ethan Wright and The Cancun Kid | Superstar Steve Fender and Mark Sterling | March 12, 2011 | Eldon, MO |
| WLW Ladies Championship WLW Ladies Championship The World League Wrestling Ladies Championship, is the top title contested for female wrestlers in the independent professional wrestling promotion World League Wrestling.-Current champion:... |
Amy Hennig | Lucy Mendez | March 13, 2010 | Summersville, MO |