International Wrestling Association (1970s)
| Acronym | IWA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1975 |
| Defunct | 1978 |
| Headquarters | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Founder(s) | Eddie Einhorn and Pedro Martinez |
| Parent | National Wrestling Federation |
The International Wrestling Association (IWA) was a professional wrestling promotion based in Cleveland, Ohio in the 1970s. It was founded by Eddie Einhorn and Pedro Martinez in 1975. The company descended from the National Wrestling Federation. It was originally intended to be the first national wrestling promotion, but stayed primarily in the Mid-Atlantic region. Einhorn offered his wrestlers more money and benefits than competing promotions, helping to lure big names such as Mil Mascaras (the company's heavyweight champion). Einhorn left the promotion later that year, and Johnny Powers took over as booker. The company scaled down and stayed in Virginia and North Carolina. After losing an antitrust lawsuit against the rival Jim Crockett Promotions, the IWA closed in 1978.
In the 1970s, Ron Martinez introduced his friend Eddie Einhorn to his father Pedro Martinez, and the duo established the International Wrestling Association in 1975 as a descendant company of Martinez's National Wrestling Federation. The IWA was originally intended to be the first national wrestling promotion.
Einhorn offered professional wrestler George Scott a $250,000 a year salary and percentage of the business to be his partner in the promotion, but Scott declined. To get prominent professional wrestlers such as Ernie Ladd and Mil Mascaras, the company used contracts that guaranteed money to the talent regardless of ticket sales. Einhorn also offered wrestlers deals that included transportation and lodging, in contrast to other promotions. Mascaras was one of the promotion's initial champions. He mainly feuded with Ladd over the IWA Championship. Another one of the promotion's main feuds was between Mighty Igor and Bulldog Brower. During the storyline, Brower attacked Igor on his birthday, knocking him into his birthday cake.
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