The Story Of The United Wrestling Federation, By C.J Irwin

I sit here in reflection, following a four year battle with two forms of cancer – CML Leukemia and Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. At this point, I don’t know if I have a couple of years, or a couple of decades left.

So, I wanted to recall a period of my life that brought me enormous joy, a few headaches – but always tremendous pride – the United Wrestling Federation (UWF Australia).

By way of a prelude, I grew up in Australia and during the early 1970s fell in love with wrestling. This wasn’t the WWE, this was the home-grown product, World Championship Wrestling (Australia). 

Many of the big names toured Australia – Harley Race, Jack Brisco, Andre the Giant, too many to mention. The product was on television a couple of times a week, and live shows around the country.

My favourites, and inspirations for my journey into wrestling were King Curtis and Ron Miller. Curtis had an intense and believable promo, and Miller was the quintessential Aussie champion. 

In 1978, World Championship wrestling vanished from television, but a healthy club circuit remained for a while. In those days, television was the means to promote the live shows. Without television the scene, especially here in Sydney had moments of struggle. 

During this period I got involved in the local wrestling scene. Having seen how things were travelling, I thought it was important to do something to help keep wrestling alive in Australia. 

Fast forward to 2002, UWF Australia was born. The very experienced Ben Gold became head trainer, and training commenced at Bankstown PCYC (Police & Community Youth Club). Unfortunately, Ben moved interstate and training ended. 

Sometime in 2004, I was appearing on a show, coincidently to be held at Bankstown PCYC. A friend of mine saw me in a newspaper and said that he had a friend that absolutely loved wrestling. I told him to get his friend to come and see me.

One night, I was at my office and young man showed up. He would be later known as Mikey Lord. He told me how he loved wrestling and wanted to be a wrestler. He also said that the type of fees for training that were being asked at the time, were beyond his means to pay.

I was convinced that he was sincere, and determined that he had athletic ability and a strong passion for wrestling. So, I told him that I would train him for free and would do my best to help him realise his dream of becoming a professional wrestler.

I decided that I would take over as trainer. Shortly afterwards, the future Mikey Lord, his brother Adam Lord (Asixx) and a number of their friends turned up at Bankstown PCYC for the first training session. After a false start in 2002, UWF Australia launched in 2004. 

As the weeks rolled on, the number of trainees rapidly grew, and they were put through comprehensive training in the fundamentals of professional wrestling. 

As 2005 rolled on, it was a clear that the more advanced trainees were ready to make a professional debut.

Earlier, I had played a small role in helping develop a connection between the Sydney and Canberra scenes. An opportunity arose to have four of the trainees debut at CPW Clash in the Capital VI, in the rumble. I was also booked to appear.

A few weeks before the show, I ripped up a hamstring. But on July 16, 2005. A large contingent of the UWF crew headed off on a road trip to Canberra. Once we arrived at the accommodation, I got out of my car and the cold air knotted up my hamstring and I determined it was better to let Adam Lord (Asixx) debut in my place. 

CPW put on a great show, but the five UWF rookies, put on some show stealing performances. For me, sitting up in the gallery, it was a moment of tremendous pride.

Back to training and momentum was building. Further trainees were joining and more were ready for debuts. So I determined it was time to bite the bullet and have our first show under the UWF banner. 

During this period, a second UWF training facility was opened at Fairfield-Cabramatta PCYC, with training continuing at both locations. At the second facility, the legendary Tony Kontellis assisted with training and freestyle training was added to the professional wrestling schedule. 

UWF Christmas Clash was set for December 17, 2005 at Bankstown PCYC. The most promising of the rookies and trainees were booked. The show was fleshed out with experienced workers, such as Greg Stekker, Stephen Swann,  The Mauler and an influx of Canberra-based wrestlers from CPW.

The show went well and additional enthusiasm added to the growing UWF family. Greg Stekker was established at the show as the first UWF Australian Heavyweight Champion. I took the secondary title as the first UWF NSW Heavyweight Champion. 

A follow-up show was booked for Bankstown PCYC on March 4, 2006 – the Bankstown Bash. This show included veterans Greg Stekker, Stephen Swann, Phil Picasso and Wayne Pickford, along with an array of UWF created wrestlers. 

Things were now in full swing and Regents Park Sport Club was added as a venue for shows, along with Belfield RSL Club and a monthly show at Merrylands RSL Club. More UWF trained rookies debuted and disaffected wrestlers from other Sydney promotions began to join.

Throughout this time, UWF Australia operated under the mantra of Keeping it Real and Honouring the Past, Forging the Future. I largely viewed it as a training fed, and a place for aspiring talent to get an opportunity that they may not have received otherwise. 

Things continued to grow over the next few years, and UWF performed before several thousand people at the Fairfield Showgrounds in 2008, during a youth festival.

2008 had proved to be a difficult year, with some internal squabbles causing problems, along with issues obtaining new venues. At the time, many of the traditional club venues in Sydney had turned over their auditoriums to poker machines, or lacked roofs with sufficiently high ceilings.

External pressure also became an issue, and UWF talent began to be lured away. I had previously allowed our wrestlers to be booked interstate, in places such as Canberra and Queensland, for additional experience. But now, there was a growing desire amongst some to appear for rival promotions, in our home city, Sydney. 

So, in 2008 I began to establish a regional “territory” outside of Sydney, in the Central West area of New South Wales. I engaged a local agent who undertook to obtain venues in towns such as Lithgow, Bathurst and Orange. 

On November 8, 2008, UWF Australia held a show at Lithgow Golf Club. The show proved a great success. The crowd took a little while to warm up, but ended in great enthusiasm, with many hanging around for several hours afterwards. 

Venues for the UWF Central West promotion began to fall through, with cancellations of shows beginning. By this stage, I was mentally exhausted from years of being the trainer, promoter, booker, wrestler, and doing everything from all the media to making sure someone was selling tickets at the door. The headache that so many independent promoters have gone through.

No conscious decision was made to end UWF. It simply went into hiatus, as I stepped away to deal with my health. Training continued for a time, under some of the more experienced UWF talent. 

Now, everyone began to either drop out of wrestling, or find homes at various other promotions. I went through a number of years of not being able to watch wrestling, or even talk about it. Eventually my love returned and I started accepting bookings as a commentator and commissioner for other promotions.

But then, on October 8, 2016, UWF Australia returned for one night only – for the UWF Charity Cup Invitational. This was held at the Serbian Youth Club, Canley Vale, raising money for Parkinsons Disease. A number of UWF originals were booked, along with other wrestlers. 

This show proved to be tremendous success and a reminder of the hot shows UWF was capable of at its peak. A push was made to bring UWF out of hiatus on a more permanent basis. New belts were made and plans commenced to establish new champions.

However, my health was again suffering, ultimately resulting in my cancer diagnosis a few years later. 

UWF Australia remains in hiatus. It fulfilled its original mission, of training and giving a start to young hopefuls. It did some terrific shows and created some tremendous wrestlers. Some of whom are either wrestling or promoting these days.

We had at times up to forty or more people in training, across several venues. UWF Australia played a part, during a difficult time in local wrestling, in keeping Australian wrestling alive. We now have a thriving scene and Australian talent in prominent positions around the world.

Our good times far outweighed the bad. We left a legacy that I’m very proud of. Dozens of young people got a start, and lived their dream. 

To everyone of the UWF family, whether you tried and didn’t make it, or whether you turned professional, or the referees, commentators, sound techs, everyone behind the scenes, I thank you. You are all close to my heart.

To our loyal UWF fans over the years, thank you. Without the fans, there is no show. 

C.J.Irwin 

UWF Australia