User:APWF Wrestling

APWF Wrestling (Allied Powers Wrestling Federation) was created in 1998 by Chris Lash, a radio manager, station owner based in Punxsutawney, PA. The promotion started during an up swing in professional wrestling, and utitlized many of the stars that worked in ECW, and the old 1980's WWF.

Other talent featured in its early days, included others that went to work in the larger promotions including: Julio Dinero, Joey Mercury, Christian York, Andy Vein, and Dr. Feelgood, trained in the APWF training school.

ECW's Axl Rotten was the first APWF Champion, crowned at their first show "United Nations" in April 1998. After his victory, Rotten invited the crowd of 400 to join him in the ring to celebrate. This move caused the ring to collapse, and motivating Rotten to udder the words "I guess we really brought the f'ing house down".

Also in 1998 Lash booked the national indy show entitled "Break The Barrier" for Scoops Wrestling, a popular and the leading wrestling headline site in the world at the time. The website featured the popular Al Issacs as its head writer. The show garnered a lot of national attention, and stories in such magazines as WOW Wrestling. The show featured 13 different independent federations from across the USA, and talent from ECW and beyond. It was the largest indy show of its time!

Tragedy struck the APWF in August 1998, when Lashes step son Robert "Diceman" Hornack drowned in a swimming accident in Dewey Beach, Delaware. The APWF continues to run a special fund raising tribute show in his honor ever November. Funds raised go to a special athletic scholarship for student athletes at Punxsutawney Area High School, in Punxsutawney, PA.

The promotions strongest years (1999-2003) were in a building named after Hornack, called the RAH Arena in Indiana, PA. Some of wrestling top legends from George "The Animal" Steele to Jake "The Snake Roberts" worked in the APWF during this time. Tragedy struck again when Lash became sick with cancer and diabetes, forcing him to retire in 2003. He has since returned, now living in Florida, and the APWF has moved and is running shows again in Palm Coast, FL

Following Lashes retirement, several long time wrestlers, including Ken "Bubba" Brewer continued to run shows under the APWF banner. In various locations, the APWF continued to bring in legendary, and popular names including Kurt Angle, Abyss from TNA, Matt Hardy, Rhino, Eric Young and more. At their tenth anniversary show in April 2008, a special APWF Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held. Original promoter Chris Lash awarded plaques to long time wrestlers: Fang, TC Reynolds, Pig Vomit, The Fairy Godfather, and the late Robert Hornack. Promoter Ken Brewer awarded Lash an award as well.

Brewer on May 15, 2008 announced that he would no longer promote APWF shows, and would be moving to Florida to join Lash in his re-launch of the APWF in the south. The APWF North will continue to run the annual Diceman Memorial show each year.

For full details on the promotion and its past, visit www.apwfwrestling.com