A professional wrestling promotion is a

company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether Natural person, natural, Juridical person, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members ...

business Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or Trade, buying and selling Product (business), products (such as goods and Service (economics), services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for ...

that regularly performs shows involving

professional wrestling Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to Real life, real- ...

. "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 A sports governing body is a sports organisation that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sports governing bodies come in various forms and have a variety of regulatory functions, including disciplinary action for rule infractions and dec ...

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 The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and governing body owned by Billy Corgan and operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA be ...

, act as an

umbrella organization An umbrella organization is an association of (often related, industry-specific) institutions who work together formally to coordinate activities and/or pool resources. In business, political, and other environments, it provides resources and iden ...

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 * 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 Championship Wrestling (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of National W ...

* World Wrestling All-Stars

Canada

Active * Border City Wrestling * Great Canadian Wrestling * High Impact Wrestling Canada * International Wrestling Syndicate * Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling * Northern Championship Wrestling * nCw Femmes Fatales * Real Canadian Wrestling Defunct * BSE Pro * Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling * Eastern Sports Association * Hart Legacy Wrestling * International Wrestling Alliance * Lutte Internationale * Maximum Pro Wrestling * NWA: All-Star Wrestling * Prairie Wrestling Alliance * Stampede Wrestling

Japan

Active * Action Advance Pro Wrestling *

All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Puroresu, Japanese professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on October 21, 1972, by Giant Baba after he left the Japanese Wrestling Association to create his own promotion. Ma ...

* Big Japan Pro Wrestling * CyberFight
( umbrella brand) ** DDT Pro-Wrestling ** Pro Wrestling Noah ** Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling * Dradition *

Dragongate Dragongate Japan Pro-Wrestling, often referred to simply as Dragongate or Dragon Gate (, ''Doragongēto''), is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded and headquartered in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Hyōgo, Japan. Most of the promotion ...

* Dream Star Fighting Marigold * Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling-Explosion * Ganbare Pro-Wrestling * Gleat * Ice Ribbon * Kyushu Pro-Wrestling * Ladies Legend Pro-Wrestling-X * Lion's Gate Project * Michinoku Pro Wrestling *

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a Puroresu, Japanese professional-wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, and based in Nakano, Tokyo. It is currently majority owned by card-game company Bushiroad, with TV As ...

* Osaka Pro Wrestling * Oz Academy * Pro-Wrestling Basara * Pro Wrestling Freedoms * Pro Wrestling Land's End * Pro-Wrestling Shi-En * Pro Wrestling Wave *

Pro Wrestling Zero1 , often referred to simply as Zero1 and sometimes referred to as Pro Wrestling Zero1 Catch as Catch Can (stylized as ZERO1 and PRO WRESTLING ZERO1 CATCH AS CATCH CAN, respectively), is a Professional wrestling in Japan, Japanese professional wre ...

* Professional Wrestling Just Tap Out * Pure-J * Seadlinnng * Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling * Strong Style Pro-Wrestling * Tenryu Project * Tokyo Gurentai * World Wonder Ring Stardom * Wrestling of Darkness 666 Defunct * All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling * Apache Pro-Wrestling Army * Arsion * Battlarts * Diamond Ring * Federacion Universal de Lucha Libre * Fighting Network Rings * Gaea Japan * Global Professional Wrestling Alliance * Hustle * Inoki Genome Federation * International Wrestling Enterprise * IWA Japan * Japan Pro-Wrestling * Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling * Japan Wrestling Association * Jd' *

JWP Joshi Puroresu , also known as or simply JWP, was a Japanese ''joshi puroresu'' (women's professional wrestling) professional wrestling promotion, promotion, founded in 1992 as a splinter promotion of Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling. Celebrating its 25th anniversa ...

* Kingdom * NEO Japan Ladies Pro-Wrestling * Never (professional wrestling) * Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi * Riki Pro (WJ) * Smash * Super World of Sports * Tokyo Pro Wrestling * Universal Wrestling Federation *

Union Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Shinjuku, Tokyo. Its name is an initialism of Dramatic Dream Team, which was the promotion's original name from 1997 to 2004. Founded in March 1997 by Shintaro Muto, the p ...

* UWF International * Wrestle Association "R" * Wrestling International New Generations *

Wrestle-1 was a Japanese ''puroresu'' or professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion, founded in July 2013 by Keiji Mutoh following his resignation from All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). The core of the promotion's roster was formed b ...

* Wrestling New Classic

Mexico

Active * Alianza Universal De Lucha Libre *

Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide Promociones Antonio Peña, S.A. de C.V. doing business as, d/b/a Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (commonly referred to as simply AAA, pronounced "Triple A" – an abbreviation of its original name Asistencia, Asesoría y Administración de Espectáculos ...

(Triple A) * * 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 The Universal Wrestling Association (UWA) was a Mexican ''Lucha Libre'' or professional wrestling promotion based in Naucalpan, Mexico State that operated from 1975 until 1995. The name of the actual promotion was Promociones Mora y Asociados and ...

World Wrestling Association The World Wrestling Association (WWA) (Asociación Mundial de Lucha Libre in Spanish language, Spanish) is a lucha libre promotion based in the Tijuana-area of Mexico. It was founded in 1986 by Benjamin Mora Jr.. It featured some of Mexico's best ...

* Xtreme Latin American Wrestling

United Kingdom and Ireland

Active * 1 Pro Wrestling * All Star Wrestling * Attack! Pro Wrestling * Bellatrix Female Warriors * British Kingdom Pro-Wrestling * Fight Factory Pro Wrestling * Grand Pro Wrestling * Insane Championship Wrestling * International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom * Irish Whip Wrestling * Lucha Britannia * New Generation Wrestling * Over the Top Wrestling * Pro Championship Wrestling * PROGRESS Wrestling * Pro-Wrestling: EVE *

Revolution Pro Wrestling Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro/RPW) is a British professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on 26 August 2012 by Andy Quildan after separating from International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom. Revolution Pro Wre ...

* World Association of Wrestling Defunct * 5 Star Wrestling * Frontier Wrestling Alliance * Joint Promotions * Pro Wrestling Elite * Pro Wrestling Pride * World of Sport Wrestling * X Wrestling Alliance

United States

Active *

All American Wrestling AAW: Professional Wrestling Redefined or simply AAW Wrestling (AAW), an initialism of its original name, All American Wrestling, is an American independent professional wrestling Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro w ...

All Elite Wrestling All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is an American professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. It is owned and operated by Shahid Khan, Shahid and Tony Khan, with the latter serving as President (corporate title), president an ...

* All Pro Wrestling *

Assault Championship Wrestling Assault Championship Wrestling is an American independent wrestling promotion originally based in Connecticut, more recently Milford, PA, and promoted by Jason Knight, a pro wrestler and manager, best known for his time in the ECW. The first maj ...

* !Bang! *

Chaotic Wrestling Chaotic Wrestling, stylized as CHAOTIC, is an American independent wrestling promotion, which has been operating throughout New England since 2000; with its current home base in North Andover, Massachusetts. Chaotic Wrestling is known for p ...

* Combat Zone Wrestling * Deadlock Pro-Wrestling * East Coast Wrestling Association * Empire Wrestling Federation * Funking Conservatory * Game Changer Wrestling * Harley Race's Wrestling Academy *

House of Hardcore House of Hardcore (HOH) was an American wrestling promotion founded by Professional wrestling, professional wrestler Tommy Dreamer. Its slogan is "No Politics, No BS, Just Wrestling." In its history, HOH has run events in twelve states and thre ...

* House of Glory * Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South * Juggalo Championship Wrestling * Lucha VaVOOM *

Major League Wrestling Major League Wrestling (MLW) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in New Rochelle, New York. The promotion was founded in 2002 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by former WWE writer Court Bauer. The promotion markets its product as ...

* MCW Pro Wrestling * Millennium Wrestling Federation *

* New England Championship Wrestling *

Northeast Wrestling Northeast Wrestling (NEW) is an independent professional wrestling promotion based in the Northeastern United States and has promoted events since 1996. It is currently owned and operated by promoter Mike Lombardi and is one of the top indepen ...

Ohio Valley Wrestling Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) is an American professional wrestling promotion, professional wrestling promotion and former developmental territory based in Louisville, Kentucky. The company is currently run by Al Snow, Matt Jones (radio host), Ma ...

Pro Wrestling Guerrilla Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Los Angeles, California. As of 2024, it is on an extended hiatus. It was created by pro wrestlers Disco Machine, Excalibur, Scott Lost, Joey Ryan, Super ...

* Reality of Wrestling * Revolutionary Championship Wrestling *

Ring of Honor Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011; the promotion was subs ...

* Southern States Wrestling * Texas All-Star Wrestling * Texas Wrestling Alliance * Top Rope Promotions *

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (abbreviated as TNA Wrestling or TNA) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, a Canadian media company owned by busines ...

* Ultra Championship Wrestling-Zero * United Wrestling Network
(governing body) ** Championship Wrestling from Hollywood * Warrior Wrestling * West Coast Wrestling Connection * Women Superstars United * Women of Wrestling * Women's Wrestling Army * World League Wrestling * World Wrestling Network
(governing body) **

Full Impact Pro Full Impact Pro (FIP) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is currently part of the World Wrestling Network (WWN) along with Shine Wrestling. Sal Hamaoui founded the company and serves as the president, while Trevin Adams is the ...

** Shine Wrestling * WWE
Defunct (modern-era) * American Wrestling Federation * Century Wrestling Alliance * Chikara * CWF Mid-Atlantic Wrestling * Deep South Wrestling * Dragon Gate USA *

Extreme Championship Wrestling Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) was an American professional wrestling promotion that was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and operated by its parent company HHG Corporation. The promotion was founded in 1992 by Tod Gordon as Nationa ...

(1992–2001) *

( WWE, 2006–2010) * Extreme Rising * Evolve * Family Wrestling Entertainment *

Florida Championship Wrestling Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) was a professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion based on the former National Wrestling Alliance member promotion, Championship Wrestling from Florida, which operated from 1961 until ...

* Front Row Wrestling * Future of Wrestling * Global Force Wrestling * Hardcore Homecoming * Heartland Wrestling Association * Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling * Incredibly Strange Wrestling * Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance * Independent Wrestling Federation * IWF Promotions *

Jersey All Pro Wrestling Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW) was an independent wrestling promotion based in New Jersey, United States. History 1997 Jersey All Pro Wrestling was an independent wrestling promotion that was founded by "Fat" Frank Iadeavia and Angel Surit ...

* Lucha Libre USA *

Lucha Underground Lucha Underground was an American professional wrestling promotion founded in 2014 by United Artists, United Artists Media Group. ''Lucha Underground'' also refers to its weekly television program, which featured List of former Lucha Underground p ...

* Main Event Championship Wrestling * Mason-Dixon Wrestling * Memphis Championship Wrestling * Memphis Wrestling
(governing body) * Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation * Naked Women's Wrestling League * National Championship Wrestling * OMEGA Championship Wrestling * Phoenix Championship Wrestling * Power League Wrestling * Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling * Resistance Pro Wrestling * Rise Wrestling * Southern Championship Wrestling *

Shimmer Women Athletes Shimmer Women Athletes (often referred to and stylized as SHIMMER) was an American, Chicago-based independent women's professional wrestling promotion which held its first event on November 6, 2005. Established by Dave Prazak and run by both ...

* Steel City Wrestling * Texas Wrestling Alliance * Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling * Ultimate Pro Wrestling * Warriors 4 Christ Wrestling * Women of Wrestling * Wrestling Society X * Wrestling Superstars Live * Wrestlicious * Xcitement Wrestling Federation * Xtreme Pro Wrestling * World Wide Wrestling Alliance * World Women's Wrestling * World Wrestling Stars * World Wrestling Legends * World Xtreme Wrestling * WrestleReunion Defunct (territory-era) * All-Star Championship Wrestling * American Wrestling Association *

Championship Wrestling from Florida Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida professional wrestling promotion, wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it close ...

* Championship Wrestling from Georgia * Continental Championship Wrestling * Continental Wrestling Association *

Georgia Championship Wrestling Georgia Championship Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The promotion was affiliated with what had been the world's top sanctioning body of championship titles for decades b ...

* Global Wrestling Federation * Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling * Heart of America Sports Attractions * International Championship Wrestling * International World Class Championship Wrestling * International Wrestling Association * International Wrestling Federation * Jim Crockett Promotions * Ladies Professional Wrestling Association *

Mid-South Wrestling The Universal Wrestling Federation was a 1986 re-branding of wrestler-turned-owner Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling promotion. Watts' goal was to elevate his promotion from a relatively smaller, regional-level business, to a national-level riv ...

* Minneapolis Boxing and Wrestling Club * National Wrestling Association
(governing body) * National Wrestling Federation *

Pacific Northwest Wrestling Pacific Northwest Wrestling (PNW) (also known as Big Time Wrestling and Portland Wrestling) is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. ...

* Powerful Women of Wrestling * Pro Wrestling America * Pro Wrestling USA * Smoky Mountain Wrestling * Southern Championship Wrestling (Georgia) * Southwest Championship Wrestling * St. Louis Wrestling Club * United States Wrestling Association * Universal Wrestling Federation * Windy City Pro Wrestling *

* World Class Championship Wrestling *

* World Wrestling Network * Worldwide Wrestling Associates

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 * Singapore Pro Wrestling * Soft Ground Wrestling * Westside Xtreme Wrestling * WWC * World Wrestling Professionals * Kingdom Pro Wrestling Defunct * Oriental Wrestling Entertainment * Catch Wrestling Association * Ring Ka King * Israeli Wrestling League * Ultimate Wrestling Israel * Philippine Wrestling Revolution * Manila Wrestling Federation * Verband der Berufsringer

References

External links

List of All Promotions at Cagematch.netPromotions at OWW.comWrestlingdata.comThe Internet Wrestling Database
{{Professional wrestling by country Promotions