#4 – Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling was one of the most respected, honorable promotions in the history of professional wrestling. Founded in 1948 by Stu Hart, Stampede eventually became the pride of Canadian wrestling, giving rise to some of the biggest names, and best workers, in the history of the business. Names like Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith, Brian Pillman, the Dynamite Kid, Chris Benoit, and Jim Neidhart – and those are just the ones that eventually found their way to the WWE.
I don't know how much of the Stampede tape library is still functioning; obviously not all of it, as the promotion is almost 70 years old. But after watching "Bret Hitman Hart – The Dungeon Collection", I want to get my hands on anything they have left.
#3 – AWA / Pro Wrestling USA
What Stampede became for the Canadian scene, the American Wrestling Association became, in part, for the United States. The AWA was founded in 1960 by Verne Gagne, after the NWA basically refused to give Gagne a title shot, leading to an exodus of several territories. Almost out of spite, the newly formed AWA recognized Pat O'Conner – the current reigning NWA World Champion of the day – as the new AWA World Champion, "stripping" him of the title and giving it to Verne.
The formation of the AWA is one of my favorite stories. It just goes to show you how every part of the wrestling business can be equally entertaining. Although the promotion basically became a way for Verne to reign as world's champion for several years (sort of like Dusty Rhodes and the NWA), they did build some of the best stars in wrestling history. Some of them were so good that in the 1980s Vince McMahon began farming AWA and paying talent to jump ship. Before they were WWE Superstars, Hulk Hogan, Mean Gene, Bobby Heenan, and Jesse Ventura were all AWA guys.
After Vince McMahon's newly formed juggernaut took off, the AWA teamed up with Jim Crockett, Mid-South Wrestling, WCCW, Pacific Northwest out of Portland, and a few other territories to form the hybrid Pro Wrestling USA. I don't know how many of these events were tapped, or how many still exist in the WWE's library vault, but I would absolutely love to find out.
