World Wrestling All-Stars

World Wrestling All-Stars
Company type	Private
Industry	Professional wrestling
Founded	2001
Founder	Andrew McManus
Defunct	2003
Fate	Ceased operations and merged championships with NWA and TNA
Headquarters	Australia
Area served	Australia, United Kingdom, Ireland, United States, New Zealand, Europe
Key people	Andrew McManus (Founder), Jeremy Borash (Booker and head of talent relations), Bret Hart (Commissioner), Sid Vicious (Commissioner), Mike Sanders (Commissioner)
Products	Professional wrestling events and pay-per-views
Owner	Andrew McManus

World Wrestling All-Stars (WWA) was a professional wrestling organization established by Australian concert promoter Andrew McManus in 2001. Managed by McManus' International Touring Company, WWA was created in the wake of the shutdowns of Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The promotion operated from October 2001 until May 2003.

History

WWA appointed former WCW ring announcer Jeremy Borash as both booker and head of talent relations, in addition to his duties as ring announcer and commentator. Borash joined the company upon the recommendation of Vince Russo, who had initially been slated to collaborate with WWA. The promotion concentrated on acquiring wrestlers who were not under contract with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) following its merger with WCW, aiming to fill the gap left by ECW and WCW and provide an alternative to WWF (later known as World Wrestling Entertainment).

The roster included prominent ex-WWF and WCW performers such as Jeff Jarrett, Road Dogg, Scott Steiner, Sting, Psicosis, Devon Storm, Juventud Guerrera, Rick Steiner, Jerry Lynn, Shane Douglas, Buff Bagwell, Lex Luger, Stevie Ray, Sabu, and Disco Inferno.

WWA also highlighted up-and-coming talent who later became notable figures in other promotions like TNA, including Low Ki, A.J. Styles, Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, Shark Boy, and Nathan Jones ("the Colossus of Boggo Road"). Although top-tier names such as Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Randy Savage were announced, they ultimately did not appear. Throughout its existence, WWA appointed three in-ring commissioners: Bret Hart, Sid Vicious, and Mike Sanders.

Initial Tour and Debut Pay-Per-View

WWA's inaugural tour commenced in October 2001 throughout Australia, where Road Dogg defeated Jeff Jarrett to become the first-ever WWA World Champion. The title was subsequently vacated to facilitate a tournament held at their debut pay-per-view event, Inception. This tournament featured quarterfinal bouts—including a battle royal—followed by semifinals and culminated in a steel cage final.

The event took place in a full-sized arena in Sydney with adequate production values but faced criticism due to its brief two-hour duration and shortened match lengths. Attempts to incorporate WCW-style comedic storylines, such as featuring Australian children’s television parodies The Fruits (a take on The Bananas in Pyjamas) and including former WCW comedic tag team Lenny Lane and Lodi, undermined WWA’s efforts to be perceived as a serious competitor against the WWF.

In the tournament final, Road Dogg battled Jeff Jarrett while commissioner Bret Hart intervened to prevent finishes involving the sharpshooter submission. Ultimately, Jarrett retained the championship by securing victory using his trademark guitar shot.

Tour of the UK and Ireland

In December 2001, WWA conducted a tour across the United Kingdom and Ireland, largely featuring the same talent seen at Inception, with additions such as former WCW World Heavyweight Champion Scott Steiner and ex-WWF tag team wrestler Brian Christopher. Although some shows drew several thousand attendees, consistently large audiences were not achieved. The main events typically centered around Jeff Jarrett defending his title against Road Dogg and Scott Steiner in triple threat matches, with Jarrett successfully retaining on each occasion.

Revolution PPV

On February 24, 2002, WWA hosted its second pay-per-view event, The Revolution, held at the Aladdin Casino in Las Vegas. This was the promotion’s sole show on American soil and took place in a relatively small venue, reflecting the modest nature of the event.

The initial advertising highlighted a potential reunion between Scott Hall and Kevin Nash; however, this did not materialize as both wrestlers had signed contracts with WWF. Likewise, Randy Savage was promoted for the main event against Jeff Jarrett but withdrew during the event weekend. His absence was only disclosed during the pre-show, with a "NOT APPEARING" graphic displayed over his promotional images. Road Dogg also failed to appear without any prior notification. WWA owner Andrew McManus addressed the audience at the start to confirm Savage’s no-show. Subsequently, Commissioner Bret Hart announced that Brian Christopher would replace Savage in the headline match.

Several prominent wrestlers were featured briefly or underutilized: former WCW Tag Team Champions KroniK swiftly defeated a lesser-known Native American-themed team; Scott Steiner, ex-WCW World Heavyweight Champion, appeared for a short promo before dispatching Disco Inferno in under two minutes. Eddie Guerrero captured the WWA International Cruiserweight Championship by overcoming Juventud Guerrera and Psicosis. The event also included an unexpected appearance by Jerry Lynn, former ECW World Heavyweight Champion recently released from WWF. Rick Steiner and Ernest Miller quickly defeated Lenny and Lodi in a match lasting less than a minute. Larry Zbyszko cut a promo challenging Vince McMahon and ridiculing then-WWF Champion Chris Jericho for allegedly appropriating his "Living Legend" nickname.

In the main event, Jeff Jarrett successfully defended the WWA Heavyweight Championship against Brian Christopher.

Eruption PPV and Australian Tour

In April, WWA returned to Australia for a tour that included filming its third pay-per-view event, The Eruption. During this tour, Nathan Jones secured the WWA Heavyweight Championship by winning a four corners match against Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner, and Brian Christopher.

The Eruption took place at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena. The show began with Jeff Jarrett being escorted out of the venue, signifying his exit from WWA. Following Eddie Guerrero’s departure to WWE, a new Cruiserweight Champion was crowned when A.J. Styles defeated Jerry Lynn in the tournament final. Among other notable matches was a cage bout where Sabu triumphed over Devon Storm. The main event saw Scott Steiner defeat Nathan Jones to claim the championship; however, Steiner vacated the title shortly thereafter upon signing with WWE.

A UK and European tour was scheduled after this event but was postponed from May to November 2002. Officially, the delay was attributed to injuries sustained by key performers; nonetheless, it was widely believed that weak ticket sales were the underlying cause.

Retribution PPV and European Tour

In December 2002, WWA conducted a UK tour culminating in filming The Retribution pay-per-view in Glasgow. The WWA Heavyweight Championship remained vacant during much of the tour, with plans to determine the titleholder at the PPV. Mike Sanders acted as commissioner throughout and engaged in a nightly rivalry with Joe E. Legend. A highlight of the tour included a three-way hardcore match featuring Sabu, Perry Saturn, and Simon Diamond.

Broadcast in February 2003, Retribution showcased nine matches including two championship contests but lasted only 1 hour and 45 minutes—shorter than an earlier house show that featured fewer bouts. The tour faced challenges involving Lex Luger, who missed several shows due to illness and limited his wrestling appearances despite being positioned as a main event star. At the PPV, Luger captured the vacant WWA title by defeating Sting with interference from Jeff Jarrett; however, he lost the championship back to Sting days later in Zurich.

Final Tour and The Reckoning Pay-Per-View

In May 2003, WWA embarked on its concluding tour across Australia and New Zealand, culminating with The Reckoning pay-per-view event held in Auckland before an enthusiastic audience. This show marked the debut of replay sequences and split-screen visuals. Ahead of the PPV, the organization's leadership resolved to cease WWA operations and merge its championships with those of NWA and TNA. Chris Sabin emerged victorious in a four-way cruiserweight contest, unifying the TNA X Division and WWA Cruiserweight titles. The headline match saw Jeff Jarrett overcome Sting to consolidate the NWA and WWA World Heavyweight Championships.

Championships

WWA World Heavyweight Championship – final champion was Jeff Jarrett; merged with Jarrett's NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship
WWA International Cruiserweight Championship – last held by Chris Sabin; unified with Sabin's TNA X Division Championship
WWA Hardcore Championship – claimed by Devon Storm in a tables match on October 25, 2001, in Wollongong, Australia; title later discontinued.

Male

Female

Adara James
Luna Vachon
Midajah
Queen Bea
The Nitro Girls
Violet Terossi

Others

Bill Alfonso – Manager for Sabu
Bret Hart – Inaugural WWA Commissioner
[Hiroyoshi Tenzan]] – Featured at WWA Revolution pay-per-view
[Larry Zbyszko]] – Opponent of Vince McMahon at WWA Revolution
[Sid Eudy|Sid Vicious]] – Second individual to serve as WWA Commissioner

Broadcast team

[David Penzer]] – Ring announcer
[Mark Madden]] – Color commentator
[Jeremy Borash]] – Play-by-Play commentator and booking agent
[Jerry Lawler]] – Color commentator and occasional in-ring competitor
[Rove McManus]] – Interview host

External links

Wrestling Information Archive: World Wrestling All-Stars