Vendetta Pro Wrestling (or Vendetta Pro for short) is an independent professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2009 and based in Santa Maria, California, which produces live professional wrestling events regionally, including throughout the Southern and Central California, as well as parts of Nevada.
Vendetta Pro tends to shy away from the practice of using it's initials (VPW) as a short name, as to not get lost in the "alphabet soup" of independent wrestling promotions.
History
Vendetta Pro Wrestling was originally founded under the name Pro Wrestling Unplugged, licensed as a West Coast extension of the original Pro Wrestling Unplugged promotion based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. However, the license was quickly pulled, and shortly thereafter, PWU shut down operations. The now-unnamed West Coast promotion then began using the name Vendetta Pro Wrestling, and focused more on creating their own identity, using a mix of former World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling talents with wrestlers from the Independent Circuit on the West Coast and wrestlers trained by Vendetta Pro.
Vendetta Pro's first event was held on July 11, 2009 in Santa Maria, with an 11 match card including an improptu Battle Royal for the Vendetta Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Championship, which was won by "Sexy” Sean Casey.
Vendetta Pro often features “Tri-Force” matches, which are standard three person matches. Vendetta Pro sanctions a Championship title for these kind of matches, known as the Vendetta Pro Wrestling Tri-Force Championship. The first Tri-Force Champion was Chimaera, who won the title on May 23, 2010 in Lompoc, California, defeating “Nightclaw” Brian Cage and “Big Nasty” Jason Watts in a tournament final. Not long after, Chimaera had to relinquish the title due to signing with World Wrestling Entertainment.
Original Vendetta Pro Wrestling logo. Still in use as alternate logo.
Vendetta Pro has often featured cast members from the truTV hit television show "Operation Repo", Matt Burch and Froy Tercero, who serve as executive "enforcers", as well as lieutenant Commissioners themselves.
Vendetta Pro was one of the few Wrestling companies in California to introduce entrance videos for their live events. Vendetta Pro's entrance videos are produced by Christopher "TAK" Clark.
Vendetta Pro presented the official wrestling event of the Cauliflower Alley Club Reunion in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2012 and 2013, and is currently scheduled to return in 2014. These events were co-promoted with a number if other promotions.
Vendetta Pro's "The Final Level" event on November 23, 2013 in Simi Valley, California, was featured on TMZ. The Main Event was based on the 1985 feature film "The Last Dragon", and featured the star of that movie, "Bruce Leroy" Taimak Guarriello.
Kayfabe College Training Academy
Vendetta Pro operates it's own school, the Vendetta Pro Wrestling Kayfabe College, located in Santa Maria. Trainers include Billy Blade, Sunami, Kadin Anthony, and Mike Menace. On their website, the School states that training is for both Men and Women over the age of 18, with occasional guest instructors from WWE and TNA. There are images shown featuring Vendetta Pro students and other wrestlers featured alongside guest trainers such as Gangrel The Vampire Warrior, Raven and Matt Hardy, as well as a commercial-like video featuring Chavo Guerrero, Jr. [1] Vendetta Pro previously ran a training facility, known as the Vendetta Pro Wrestling Training Academy, in Lompoc, California. This facility also hosted specialized birthday party shows and Vendetta Pro's monthly "Underground" events.
Cross-Promotion
Vendetta Pro Wrestling has a history of affiliating with and helping to promote other companies with which it's talent is involved, such as All Pro Wrestling, Gold Rush Pro Wrestling, Primo's Hardcore & Wrestling, theInsane Wrestling League, Adrenaline Unleashed Pro Wrestling, the KnokX Pro Territory League, Freakshow Wrestling, ChickFight, Traditional Championship Wrestling and Dragon Gate USA.
On Wednesday, December 14, 2011, Vendetta Pro reached an agreement with Northern California promotion All Pro Wrestling for APW to promote the Vendetta Pro Wrestling Tag-Team Championship. With APW's own Tag-Team title having been deactivated a few years prior, the Vendetta Pro Tag-Team title would now be known as the Unified Tag-Team Championship, branded as both a Vendetta Pro Wrestling and an All Pro Wrestling title and defended at events held by both promotions. APW titles have been defended on Vendetta Pro Wrestling events.
Champions
Major Championships:
| Championship: | Champion(s): | Defeated: | Location: | Date Won: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vendetta Pro Heavyweight Champion |
Kadin Anthony | "The Rock of Love" Billy Blade |
Santa Maria, California | April 4, 2014 |
| Vendetta Pro Tri-Force Champion |
Lil Cholo | Santa Maria, California | September 13, 2013 | |
| Vendetta Pro Tag-Team Champions |
The Ballard Brothers (Shane & Shannon Ballard) |
Creepshow (J.D. Horror & Sledge) |
Simi Valley, California | March 1, 2014 |
| Vendetta Pro Underground Championship |
"The Freak" Jeckles | Ricky Ruffin | Santa Maria, California | March 8, 2014 |
Minor Championships:
- Luna Vachon Memorial Lunacy Cup -
Awarded annually to the winner of the Luna Vachon Memorial Women's Battle Royal:
- Cauliflower Alley Cup -
Awarded annually to the winner of the Casino Royale Rumble (starting in 2012):
- 2012 - "The Original Mr. Wonderful" Rock Riddle
- 2013 - "The Warlord of Weird" Sinn Bodhi
- Roland Alexander California Cup -
Awarded annually to the winner of the California Cup Battle Royal (starting in 2013):
- 2013 - Jeckles representing All Pro Wrestling
Vendetta Pro Wrestling TV
On July 4, 2012, Vendetta Pro debuted it's television program. The program runs for 30 minutes, and features
matches which have taken place during previously held Vendetta Pro events which have been featured on DVD releases. Many episodes also feature promos which have been shown on YouTube leading up to events, as well as vignettes with major professional wrestling superstars stating "You're watching Vendetta Pro".
The program broadcasts on Comcast 25 in the Santa Maria/Lompoc area. Currently, new episodes air on a tri-weekly schedule, first appearing on Wednesday nights. Santa Maria residents can see the program three times a week: Wednesdays at 11pm, Thursday at 7pm, and Fridays at 5pm. Meanwhile, the program airs five times a week for Lompoc residents: 11 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and on Thursdays at 7pm. Plans are in the works to debut the show on Charter cable in the San Luis Obispo area as well. Once a new episode has debuted on television, it will then appear on Vendetta Pro's YouTube Channel shortly thereafter, where it is available to audiences worldwide.
An episode usually consists of one or two matches, as well as interviews or "promos" cut by competitors in each match. Commentary is usually provided by Joseph Duncan, and occasionally a color commentator.
The television show is produced by Christopher "TAK" Clark.
See also
- Vendetta Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Championship
- Vendetta Pro Wrestling Tri-Force Championship
- APW / Vendetta Pro Unified Tag-Team Championship
- Vendetta Pro Wrestling TV
- Vendetta Pro Wrestling roster
External links
- vendettaprowrestling.com - The Official Website of Vendetta Pro Wrestling
- Vendetta Pro on Facebook
- Vendetta Pro on Twitter
- Vendetta Pro's YouTube Channel
References
thumb|left|300px|Video created by Christopher "TAK" Clark