GCW

Global Championship Wrestling
Type	Wrestling / Sports Entertainment
Founded	2001
Headquarters	Dallas, Texas
Key people	Steven Caldera, President Christian Zenith, Commissioner
Programming	WorldWide, Broadcast live on X:TV
Employees	50+ (as of 1st January 2010)
Website	Official Site

Global Championship Wrestling is an active federation that is part of the Primetime Community. It is owned and operated by Caldera Enterprises, Incorporated, headed by GCW Founder and President Steven Caldera. GCW was started in 2001 and has run on and off since then.

Pre-History: 2000

The first elements of GCW's foundation were cast early in the year 2000. A young up-and-coming wrestler by the name of Steven Caldera got his first break when he was plucked off the independent circuit by Mr. Danger and brought to the ACWF. Mr. Danger's startup was poorly funded but enjoyed moderate success over its two-month run. Despite its relatively short lifespan, the American Championship Wrestling Federation featured some of the best new talent in wrestling at the start of the millennium.

Most popular among these stars was Caldera, who rapidly became influential among the roster. Mr. Danger identified Caldera's potential and helped him gain the first and only ACWF World Championship reign. Shortly after Caldera's win the ACWF lost its funding and the company shut down.

However, Caldera and friends Danger, The Jhub, Mike Hardy, Gaius Octavianus and Khan struck out to find success elsewhere. Though Caldera had grown into the leader of the group, a devastating knee injury suffered during his title win had seemingly derailed Caldera's career. Intent to continue his rapid ascent somehow, Caldera found a job on the staff of the Cyber Wrestling Union, and signed his former ACWF compatriots to join him.

Caldera was named Commissioner of the ACWF early in his tenure, and again his power grew. Despite his domineering management style, Caldera became immensely popular with the CWU roster. The CWU experienced rapid growth under Caldera's management as the young star developed into one of the most talked-about promoters in wrestling. As Caldera's influence grew, however, so did his ego, and battles with CWU management resulted in a split in the company. Caldera departed in January of 2001, and quickly began making arrangements to open his own promotion.

With most of the ACWF and CWU rosters ready to follow, Caldera had a strong foundation of new and exciting talent to bring to the national stage. Forced to invest every penny he had to bring his new promotion to the World, Caldera gambled that the experience he had garnered in one short year was enough to propel the company to success.

On Feburary 11th 2001, Global Championship Wrestling officially began with the airing of Meltdown on the USA Network.

History of GCW: 2001-2002

Global Championship Wrestling opened to a tremendous reaction. Earning high marks from industry pundits and receiving strong ratings in its early months, GCW burst onto the scene as one of the nation's best new franchises. With an intensely loyal roster consisting of Octavian, Rich 'The Renegade' Rollins, Khan, The Jhub, Toxic, Toad, John Reed and others, GCW seemed to be equipped to challenge the biggest names in wrestling.

Octavian was crowned the company's first champion after the inaugural Warpath tournament in March of 2001. Around this time, Caldera began to target the promotions of Primetime Central as GCW's main competitors, with PCW in the center of the crosshairs. GCW lacked the financial resources to mount a serious threat, but the open challenge posted by the company drew interest from PTC.

By November of 2001, when GCW aired its most ambitious event to date, NC-17, GCW was universally recognized as the fastest rising promotion in North America. GCW's financial coffers began to expand as advertising revenue and merchandising took off, and the company began to grow new stars. Supplemented by Badger Benandanti, Jason Dread, Jason O'Neil and Tristain Mayhem, GCW's popular roster fueled it to a new peak. This led GCW to join the ranks of PTC, partnering GCW with PCW while simultaneously placing them in direct conflict.

This conflict led to a short tenure for GCW in PTC. The company severed ties with the organization as GCW fled to PTC's main competitor, FedWars. GCW became the flagship promotion of FedWars as Caldera sought to increase his clout in the industry beyond his own borders. During this time in early 2002, GCW had hit its stride, quickly developing a large and enthusiastic fanbase.

During this initial run from 2001 to 2002, President Steven Caldera succeeded in growing his own career, but his iron-fisted reign over GCW with The Establishment group led to serious internal conflict. Most damaging of these conflicts was the personal rivalry between Caldera and Jason O'Neil, who was bent on the destruction of Caldera's company. Despite his success, Caldera was so deeply affected by the personal and violent war with O'Neil that he could not continue at the head of the company. GCW made a surprise announcement in May of 2002, closing its doors and departing the national scene.

History of GCW: X-Wrestling

Behind the scenes, however, Caldera was regrouping. The always loyal GCW roster waited for new plans to be announced, and very few wrestlers accepted contracts elsewhere. In July of 2002, GCW staged a one-night only event, an edition of its immensely popular Dangerous Games match. Featuring 20 wrestlers battling for the GCW World Title, the match was highly successful, and received high marks as it saw fan favorite Twizzy score the shocking win.

The success of the event prompted new plans. GCW was not to return; instead, Caldera created a new promotion with a new approach, and X-Wrestling was born. Launched in August of 2002, X-Wrestling was intended to feature more risque, hardcore action. Caldera had hoped that the shock factor would garner huge ratings, and gambled by starting his own cable television network to air his events. X:TV was launched concurrently with XW, but XW failed to expand upon GCW's existing fanbase. Though XW was met with some success, the company lost money and Caldera closed the doors after its first Pay-Per-View event. At this event, Toxic defeated Twizzy for the X-Wrestling World Championship, which has since come to be considered part of the GCW World Title history.

History of GCW: 2003-2004

With GCW closed, most of its roster retired. Despite never reaching the top, GCW enjoyed tremendous financial success and most of its talent had the resources to move on without wrestling. Caldera, however, remained busy. Caldera rejoined PTC and was named head of the organization for a short time. Caldera's tenure was mostly notable as the moment when PTC was relegated to sideshow duty, as its major promotions split off into a new faction. Seeing the writing on the wall, Caldera departed from PTC and took a commentating job with Five Star Wrestling. Caldera also managed the 500-pound sumo Kimbusa through GTT3 and Old School Wrestling.

During this time, a major contingent of top stars departed the premier PTC companies, and Caldera was approached to reopen GCW as a landing place. Plans were put in motion to resurrect GCW in 2003, featuring a roster including Angelo Deville, Kimbusa, Violence Jack, Jason O'Neil and many others. Things fell apart, however, when Deville re-signed with PTC, and the rest followed. For the rest of the year Caldera focused his energy on his new company, Caldera Enterprises, during which time his wealth and influence in the entertainment industry increased rapidly.

History of GCW: 2005-Present

In 2005, a number of old GCW members grew nostalgic, and contacted Caldera about putting together a brief reunion tour. The Jhub, Jason Dread, Mike Hardy, Rich Rollins, Octavian and Toad all signed on to spend six weeks touring the northeast, bringing GCW back for one last goodbye. However, with such a strong roster and with Caldera's resources greater than they had ever been, GCW was greeted with astounding success. The ratings and crowd reactions surpassed even the most optimistic expectations, and by the time GCW held the final event of the farewell tour, it was clear that there was no avoiding it: GCW was back.

GCW pressed on, anchored by a better-than-ever core. Perhaps most stunning, however, was the rise of LeStatt Knight. A wrestler of no great consequence in 2002, Knight arrived having made a giant leap into superstardom, and quickly staked his claim to greatness. A legendary rivalry with Michael Stevens helped propel GCW to its best year to date. Shortly after its resurgence, GCW rejoined Primetime Central.

2006, however, got off to a disastrous start, as Michael Stevens, having just scored a huge Title victory over Knight at the end of 2005, suffered a career-ending injury. The loss of its biggest star was a major blow to GCW's momentum. Caldera, with an ambitious plan to expand Caldera Enterprises, departed the company shortly thereafter, and the company seemed to lack direction. The company got a boost when it landed a contingent of major stars from Global Wrestling, and Lia Ambrosi, Vivica J. Valentine, Dawn MacFarlane and Blaise McClancy joined the GCW roster. Ambrosi and MacFarlane would both win GCW gold, but the listless events from 2006 coupled with the steady loss of led to the poorest ratings in GCW's history.

Still, the company survived, and 2007 saw an improvement. Bryan Mayhem, brother of Jason O'Neil, became a major star at the start of the year, defeating Ambrosi for the GCW Title. The exciting rivalry resparked the company, and Caldera's return seemed to bring direction back to the tour. By the end of the year, when Vivica J. Valentine defeated Lia Ambrosi for the GCW World Title at NC-17, it was clear that GCW had rebounded.

2008 saw more growth. Valentine developed into a bona fide star, and a new generation of wrestlers took over as the foundation of GCW. Jay Terror and Jordan White helped take the helm, and each rose to the top. By the end of the year, LeStatt Knight surged to the top once again, and GCW sported a mixture of top talent both old and new.

In 2009, GCW continued to grow, but the company once again departed PTC after a quarrel with management. Running independently, GCW still gained strong ratings, but the influx of new talent that had always been GCW's trademark began to slow. By the end of the year, GCW and PTC mended fences, and once again the two were united.

Television

Current

GCW's current television program is WorldWide. It airs at 8PM EST on X:TV.

Former

GCW's former television program was Meltdown. It aired on Thursdays on USA before moving to X:TV.

Pay Per View

Rampage

Main Article: Rampage

January: Featuring GCW's Rampage Tournament scoring the winner a GCW World Title shot.

Warpath

Main Article: Warpath

May: The first GCW PPV ever annually pays homage to the birth of Global Championship Wrestling.

Dangerous Games

Main Article: Dangerous Games

August: GCW's most popular event, featuring a 30-wrestler battle royal for a World Title shot.

NC-17

Main Article: NC-17

November: The signature event on the GCW calendar, NC-17 features the best and biggest matches of the year.

Supercards

GCW also hosts eight supercards throughout the course of the year, aired on X:TV.

Championships

Current Champions

World Heavyweight Championship				United States Championship				Television Championship				Tag Team Championship
Andy Murray				Dan Black				Cheap Labor				Mortifera

Championship	Current Champion	Won From
GCW World Heavyweight Title	Andy Murray	LeStatt Knight
GCW United States Title	Dan Black	AXEL Action
GCW Tag Team Titles	FishBough	Banned & Exiled~!
GCW Television Title	Cheap Labor	Cade Carson

Defunct Championships

GCW Hardcore Title
GCW Vanguard Title
GCW Cruiserweight Title
GCW Women's Title