Back Wrestle Association R Spanish Wrestle Association-R French Wrestle Association R IO WAR (プロレス) Japanese
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| Acronym | WAR |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1992 |
| Defunct | 2000 (reunion show in 2006) |
| Style | Puroresu Strong style |
| Headquarters | Japan |
| Founder(s) | Genichiro Tenryu |
| Owner(s) | Genichiro Tenryu |
| Formerly | Wrestling And Romance |
| Predecessor | Super World of Sports |
| Successor | Tenryu Project |
Wrestle Association R (formerly known as Wrestle and Romance and abbreviated as WAR) was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded and run by Genichiro Tenryu as the successor to Super World of Sports, and which lasted from 1992 to 2000. The promotion initially established as Wrestle and Romance in 1992 and had very few regular contracted workers; instead most of the workers were either freelance or employed in other promotions. Because of this WAR ran many all-star cards. It had inter-promotional feuds against New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, the new Tokyo Pro Wrestling, and UWF International. WAR also continued, albeit in a loose fashion, SWS's old working agreement with the World Wrestling Federation, when they backed the WWF's first Japanese tour, in 1994.
On July 28, 1995, WAR was renamed "Wrestle Association R" at a show held in the Korakuen Hall. In 1998, WAR cancelled contracts to the roster and began running fewer and fewer events due to Tenryu's comeback in New Japan, and in July 2000, it promoted a farewell show that served as the prelude to Tenryu's return to All Japan Pro Wrestling (many wrestlers from WAR also joined AJPW to fill the void by those who joined Mitsuharu Misawa in forming Pro Wrestling Noah). The WAR name was kept for the use of a stable led by Tenryu during brief angles in All Japan and FMW in 2001.
On July 27, 2006, WAR staged a reunion show at Tokyo Korakuen Hall. The show was supported by various Japanese wrestling promotions including New Japan, All Japan Pro Wrestling and Dragon Gate. This was also the final card promoted under the WAR banner.
WAR was the first promotion to create a steady junior heavyweight tag team title long before New Japan Pro-Wrestling, WCW, and Pro Wrestling Noah hit upon the idea.
In 2010 the Tenryu Project was organised and is somewhat of a successor to WAR.