10 Wrestling Promotions You Never Knew Existed

6. World Xtreme Wrestling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ-eMNfkEk0 The name WXW likely doesn€™t ring many bells for fans out there. If those initials do, fans are likely picturing the Westside Xtreme Wrestling promotion in Germany -- home of the annual 16 Carat Gold tournament. However, World Xtreme Wrestling operates in the United States. While the promotion is not initially familiar, it€™s training facility is far better known in the wrestling world. The Wild Samoan Training Center is one of the most famous and respected professional wrestling training facilities there is. The original school was started by Afa of the Wild Samoans tag team -- hence the name -- in the late 1970s. The school€™s graduates include Luna Vachon, Bam Bam Bigelow, Yokozuna, Rikishi, Billy Kidman, Gene Snitsky, and Dave Batista, among others. Afa even trained Mickey Rourke for his role as Randy €œThe Ram€ Robinson in the hit film, The Wrestler. Originally established in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Afa has since moved the training facility and the WXW promotion to Florida. However, a satellite campus and sister promotion has since been established in Allentown. Samu, of the Headshrinkers duo, runs the Wild Samoan Training Center - PA and the WXW C4 promotion. While the training facility was created in the late €˜70s, the WXW promotion didn€™t get its start until 1996. The small independent organization arguably reached its greatest height in 1998 during their first annual Sportsfest supershow. The live telecast featured the appearance of a handful of World Wrestling Federation stars -- including Mankind, Owen Hart, D€™Lo Brown, and the then-Intercontinental Champion, The Rock. WXW and its C4 offshoot continue to operate to this day, as do both Wild Samoan Training Facilities.