A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling that has little relationship to the rules of the olympic form. "Promotion" also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event. Within the convention of the show, the company is a sports governing body which sanctions wrestling matches and gives authority to the championships and is responsible for maintaining the divisions and their rankings. In truth, the company serves as a touring theatre troupe, as well as event promotion body for its own events.
Most promotions are self-contained, organized around one or more championships and do not acknowledge or recognize the legitimacy of other promotions' titles unless they share a working agreement. Governing bodies, such as the CyberFight, United Wrestling Network, WWNLive, Allied Independent Wrestling Federations, Union of European Wrestling Alliances, Pro Wrestling International and, previously, the National Wrestling Alliance, act as an umbrella organization which governs titles that are shared among multiple promotions. During the 1950s, the National Wrestling Alliance oversaw many wrestling territories such as Mid-Atlantic Wrestling and NWA San Francisco, in a business model known as the "territory system".
This is a list of the most notable past and present professional wrestling promotions.
Australia and New Zealand
Active
Australasian Wrestling Federation
Explosive Pro Wrestling
Impact Pro Wrestling
International Wrestling Australia
Melbourne City Wrestling
New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling
Riot City Wrestling
Southern Pro Wrestling
World Series Wrestling
Defunct
Dominion Wrestling Union
I-Generation Superstars of Wrestling
Pro Wrestling Women's Alliance
World Championship Wrestling
World Wrestling All-Stars
Canada
Active
Border City Wrestling
Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling
Great Canadian Wrestling
High Impact Wrestling Canada
International Wrestling Syndicate
Northern Championship Wrestling
nCw Femmes Fatales
Prairie Wrestling Alliance
Real Canadian Wrestling
Defunct
BSE Pro
Eastern Sports Association
Hart Legacy Wrestling
International Wrestling Alliance
Lutte Internationale
Maple Leaf Wrestling
Maximum Pro Wrestling
NWA: All-Star Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling
Japan
Active
Defunct
Mexico
Active
Alianza Universal De Lucha Libre
Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (Triple A)
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
International Wrestling Revolution Group
The Crash Lucha Libre
Toryumon Mexico
Defunct
International Wrestling League
Los Perros del Mal
Lucha Libre Elite
Nación Lucha Libre
Promo Azteca
Universal Wrestling Association
World Wrestling Association
Xtreme Latin American Wrestling
United Kingdom & Ireland
Active
Defunct
5 Star Wrestling
Frontier Wrestling Alliance
Joint Promotions
NXT UK (WWE)
Pro Wrestling Elite
Pro Wrestling Pride
World of Sport Wrestling
X Wrestling Alliance
United States
Active
Defunct (Modern-era)
Defunct (Territory-era)
Other
Active
Africa Wrestling Alliance
Brazilian Wrestling Federation
Continental Wrestling Entertainment
Fédération Française de Catch Professionnel
Gatoh Move Pro Wrestling
International Catch Wrestling Alliance
Irish Whip Wrestling
Israeli Pro Wrestling Association
IWA Puerto Rico
La Liga Wrestling
Manila Wrestling Federation
Oriental Wrestling Entertainment
Singapore Pro Wrestling
Soft Ground Wrestling
Westside Xtreme Wrestling
WWC
World Wrestling Professionals
Defunct
Catch Wrestling Association
Ring Ka King
Israeli Wrestling League
Ultimate Wrestling Israel
Philippine Wrestling Revolution
Verband der Berufsringer
See also
List of professional wrestling rosters
List of women's wrestling promotions
References
External links
List of All Promotions at Cagematch.net
Promotions at OWW.com
Wrestlingdata.com
The Internet Wrestling Database
List of professional wrestling promotions at Curlie