View source for Super World of Sports

{{short description|Japanese professional wrestling promotion}}
{{Infobox wrestling promotion
|name        = Super World of Sports
|image       = File:Super World of Sports.jpg
|caption     = Logo of Super World of Sports
|acronym     = SWS
|established = April 1990
|folded      = 1992
|style       =
|location    = [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]]
|founder     =
|owner       = 
|parent      =
|sister      =
|formerly    =
|website     =
|split = [[All Japan Pro Wrestling]]
|successor   = [[Wrestle Association R]]<br>Social Pro Wrestling Federation<br>Network of Wrestling<br>Pro Wrestling Crusaders
}}
'''Super World of Sports''', also known as '''Super World Sports''' or simply '''SWS''', was a [[Professional wrestling in Japan|Japanese professional wrestling]] promotion from 1990 to 1992. Its motto was "Straight and Strong".

==History==
===Formation===
In April 1990, [[Genichiro Tenryu]], one of the top stars of [[All Japan Pro Wrestling]], left the company to become a spokesmodel for Megane Super, whom were one of the best-known makers of eyeglasses in Japan at the time. However, the company decided to instead used him as the launching pad for a new pro-wrestling circuit, which Megane Super executive Hachiro Tanaka named Super World of Sports.

With his backing, Megane Super began throwing money offers around to build up their roster. [[Yoshiaki Yatsu]], [[Ashura Hara]], [[Shunji Takano]], [[Great Kabuki|The Great Kabuki]], [[Hiromichi Fuyuki]], [[Koki Kitahara|Tatsumi "Koki" Kitahara]], [[Masao Orihara]], [[Isao Takagi]] (the future Arashi), and referee Hiroyuki Umino joined in from All-Japan. But SWS would attract [[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]] talent as well, including [[George Takano]] (the former Cobra), [[Naoki Sano]], [[Hisakatsu Oya]], Akira Katayama, former superstar [[yokozuna (sumo)|yokozuna]] (grand champion in [[sumo]] wrestling) [[Koji Kitao]], and Stampede Wrestling powerhouse Dino Ventura  (605 lb bench press) who had extraordinary MMA and technical wrestling skills. Because of this, fans, wrestlers, and administrators of other Japanese promotions criticized SWS as being a "money puroresu" (Megane Super being the [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#money mark|money mark]]) because of the way wrestlers flocked to it. The feeling was compounded when in October, SWS signed a working relationship contract with [[Vince McMahon]]'s [[World Wrestling Entertainment|World Wrestling Federation]], for interpromotional purposes.

===Working relationship with the WWF===
The SWS/WWF co-promotion produced several cards, including two shows at the [[Tokyo Dome]]. The events took place on March 30, 1991, and December 12, 1991<ref>{{cite book|title=WWE Encyclopedia|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|page=[https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/296 296]|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley|DK]]|year=2009|isbn=978-0-7566-4190-0|url=https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/296}}</ref> (The March show saw a near-[[shoot (professional wrestling)|shoot]] between former sumos Kitao and [[John Tenta|Earthquake]]; Kitao was fired for subsequently cutting a shoot promo exposing the business afterwards). SWS also had a small agreement with two smaller Japanese federations, [[Gran Hamada]]'s [[Universal Lucha Libre]] and [[Yoshiaki Fujiwara]]'s [[Fujiwara Gumi]] ([[shoot wrestling#Shoot-style|shoot-style wrestling]]), which provided alternative matches and opponents to the cards.

SWS's peak coincided with the [[Japanese asset price bubble|general Japanese economic downturn]] of the early 1990s, though AJPW and NJPW continued to do good business during that period. Along with criticism of the wrestlers for selling out their original promotions, which was still fairly rare at that time, SWS was also hampered by the lack of Japanese vs Japanese rivalries, which had become a staple of NJPW and AJPW booking since the mid-eighties. Tenryu mainly battled foreigners such as Hogan and Flair since none of the other Japanese wrestlers in SWS were positioned as being at or near his level. As Megane Super began withdrawing its support, the company began running fewer cards, and in May 1992 Yatsu withdrew. On June 19 1992, SWS held its final card at Nagasaki International Gym. The promotion's talent split into the following federations: Yatsu's [[SPWF]]; Tenryu's new promotion, [[WAR (wrestling promotion)|WAR]], including Hara, Fuyuki, Kitahara; [[NOW (professional wrestling)|NOW]], including Kendo Nagasaki, and [[Pro Wrestling Crusaders|PWC]], including the Takano brothers and Takagi.

==Wrestlers==
===Main roster===
Unlike many wrestling promotions, SWS had a wrestling roster that was divided into three stables, reminiscent of the [[sumo]] [[Heya (sumo)|heya]] system. Revolution was mostly AJPW alumni, Palaestra was mostly NJPW alumni, and Geki Dojo were neutrals led by a heel manager, KY Wakamatsu. Yoshiaki Yatsu, who defected from AJPW three months after Tenryu, was added to Geki Dojo to give the group a senior level star.
{{col begin}}
{{col-3}}

====Revolution====
*[[Genichiro Tenryu]], leader
*[[The Great Kabuki]]
*[[Kōji Kitao]]
*[[Ashura Hara]]
*[[Takashi Ishikawa]]
*[[Hiromichi Fuyuki|Samson Fuyuki]]
*[[Koki Kitahara|Tatsumi Kitahara]]
*[[Masao Orihara]]
*[[Nobukazu Hirai]]
*[[Toshiyuki Nakahara]]
*[[Yuji Yasuraoka]]
{{col-3}}

====Geki Dojo====
*[[KY Wakamatsu]], leader
*[[Kazuo Sakurada|Kendo Nagasaki]]
*[[Yoshiaki Yatsu]]
*[[Goro Tsurumi]]
*[[Shinichi Nakano]]
*[[Isao Takagi]]
*[[Ishinriki Kōji]]
*[[Hiroshi Hatanaka]]
*[[Hikaru Kawabata]]
*[[Tetsuya Yamanaka]]
{{col-2}}

====Palaestra====
*[[George Takano]], leader
*[[Shunji Takano]]
*[[Naoki Sano]]
*[[Hisakatsu Oya|Kenichi Oya]]
*[[Apollo Sugawara]]
*[[Fumihiro Niikura]]
*[[Akira Katayama]]
*[[Don Arakawa]]
{{col end}}

===Visiting wrestlers===
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{{col-3}}

====[[WWE|World Wrestling Federation]]====
*[[Randy Savage]]
*[[Steve Lombardi|The Brooklyn Brawler]]
*[[The Bushwhackers]] ([[Luke Williams (wrestler)|Luke]] and [[Butch Miller (wrestler)|Butch]])
*[[The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers]] ([[Jacques Rougeau Jr.|Jacques]] and [[Raymond Rougeau|Raymond]])
*[[Greg Valentine]]
*[[Ted DiBiase]]
*[[The Rockers]] ([[Shawn Michaels]] and [[Marty Jannetty]])
*[[Boris Zhukov]]
*[[Koko B. Ware]]
*[[Haku (wrestler)|King Haku]]
*[[Tito Santana]]
*[[Jimmy Snuka]]
*[[The Warlord (wrestler)|The Warlord]]
*[[The Barbarian (wrestler)|The Barbarian]]
*[[The Hart Foundation]] ([[Bret Hart]] and [[Jim Neidhart]])
*[[John Tenta|Earthquake]]
*[[Demolition (professional wrestling)|Demolition]] ([[Barry Darsow|Smash]] and [[Brian Adams (wrestler)|Crush]])
*[[Jim Duggan|Hacksaw Jim Duggan]]
*[[The Ultimate Warrior]]
*[[Sgt. Slaughter]]
*[[Kerry Von Erich|The Texas Tornado]]
*[[Curt Hennig|Mr. Perfect]]
*[[The Road Warriors]]
*[[Hulk Hogan]]
*[[Fred Ottman|Tugboat / Typhoon]]
*[[Power and Glory]] ([[Paul Roma]] and [[Hercules (wrestler)|Hercules]])
*[[Paul Diamond]]
*[[Pat Tanaka]]
*[[Rick Martel]]
*[[Davey Boy Smith|The British Bulldog]]
*[[John Nord|The Berzerker]]
*[[The Undertaker]]
*[[The Beverly Brothers]] ([[Wayne Bloom|Beau]] and [[Mike Enos|Blake]])
*[[Ric Flair]]
*[[Jim Powers]]
*[[Kamala (wrestler)|Giant Kimala]]
{{col-3}}

====Foreign freelancers====
=====United States=====
*[[Killer Tim Brooks]]
*[[Chavo Guerrero Sr.]]
*[[Jeff Jarrett]]
*[[Kenny The Striker]]
*[[Bob Orton Jr.]]
*[[Joe D'Acquisto|Rochester Roadblock]]
*[[Chris Walker (wrestler)]]
*[[Jeff Wheeler]]
*[[Snake Williams]]

=====Canada=====
*[[Robert Maillet|Giant Goliath]]
*[[Dino Ventura]]

=====Mexico=====
*[[El Dandy]]
*[[Atlantis (wrestler)|Atlantis]]
*[[Bestia Salvaje]]
*[[Emilio Charles Jr.]]
*[[Jerry Estrada]]
*[[Comando Ruso]]
*[[Blue Panther]]
*[[El Satanico]]
*[[Guerrero El Futuro]]
*[[Arkangel de la Muerte]]

=====Other=====
*[[Kato Kung Lee]] (Panama)
*[[Chris Adams (wrestler)|Chris Adams]] (England)
*[[Gerry Morrow]] (Martinique)
*[[The Headshrinkers|The Samoan Swat Team]] ([[Sam Fatu|Samoan Savage]] and [[Rikishi (wrestler)|Fatu]]) (Samoa)
{{col-3}}

====Guests from other Japanese promotions====
=====[[Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi]]=====
*[[Masakatsu Funaki]]
*[[Yoshiaki Fujiwara]]
*[[Minoru Suzuki]]
*[[Wellington Wilkins Jr.]]
*[[Jerry Flynn]]

=====[[Universal Lucha Libre|Universal Lucha Libre/Federación Universal de Lucha Libre]]=====
*[[Gran Hamada]]
*[[Último Dragón|Yoshihiro Asai/Ultimo Dragon]]
*[[Shoji Akiyoshi|Punish/Coolie S.Z.]]
*[[Keiji Takayama|Crush/Bulldog K.T.]]
{{col end}}

==SWS championships==
SWS never had a Heavyweight Championship.

===SWS Junior Heavyweight Championship===
{{Professional wrestling title history top|active=no}}
{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 1
|champion = [[Naoki Sano]]
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|December 12, 1991}}
|days     = {{age in days|December 12, 1991|June 19, 1992}}
|location = [[Tokyo|Tokyo, Japan]]
|event    = SWS/WWF SuperWrestle
|notes    = Won a tournament to become the SWS/Japanese representative and then defeated [[World Wrestling Federation|WWF]] representative [[Rick Martel]] to become the inaugural champion.
|ref      = <ref name="JuniorTitle">{{Cite web |title=Super World Sports Junior Heavyweight Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/sws/sws-j.html |access-date=December 28, 2022 |website=wrestling-titles.com}}</ref>
}}{{PWtitlereign
|sort number   = 1.5
|type = deactivated
|date     = {{dts|June 19, 1992}}
|notes    = Title retired when SWS closed.
|ref      = <ref name="JuniorTitle" />
}}
{{BundleEnd}}

===SWS Tag Team Championship===
{{Professional wrestling title history top|active=no|team=yes}}
{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 1
|champion = [[Yoshiaki Yatsu]] and [[Uliuli Fifita|King Haku]] 
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|February 14, 1992}}
|days     = {{age in days|February 14, 1992|April 16, 1992}}
|location = [[Kyoto|Kyoto, Japan]]
|event    = [[House show|Live event]]
|notes    = Defeated [[Genichiro Tenryu]] and [[Ashura Hara]] in a tournament final to become the first champions.
|ref      = <ref name="TagTitle">{{Cite web |title=Super World Sports Tag Team Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/sws/sws-t.html |access-date=December 28, 2022 |website=wrestling-titles.com}}</ref>
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 2
|champion = [[George Takano]] and [[Shunji Takano]]
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|April 16, 1992}}
|days     = {{age in days|April 16, 1992|April 17, 1992}}
|location = [[Minamiashigara, Kanagawa|Minamiashigara, Japan]]
|event    = [[House show|Live event]]
|notes    = 
|ref      = <ref name="TagTitle" />
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 3
|champion = [[The Natural Disasters]]<br/>{{small|([[John Tenta|Earthquake John Tenta]] and [[Fred Ottman|Typhoon]])}}
|reign    = 1
|date     = {{dts|April 17, 1992}}
|days     = {{age in days|April 17, 1992|April 18, 1992}}
|location = [[Yokohama|Yokohama, Japan]]
|event    = [[House show|Live event]]
|notes    = 
|ref      = <ref name="TagTitle" /><ref name=F4WApril17>{{cite web | url=https://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/daily-pro-wrestling-history-0417-wcw-spring-stampede-1994-309086 | title=Daily pro wrestling (04/17): WCW Spring Stampede 1994 | date=April 17, 2020 | access-date=April 17, 2020 | work=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]] | first=Brian | last=Hoops}}</ref>
}}{{PWtitlereign
|number   = 4
|champion = [[Yoshiaki Yatsu]] and [[Uliuli Fifita|King Haku]] 
|reign    = 2
|date     = {{dts|April 18, 1992}}
|days     = {{age in days|April 18, 1992|June 19, 1992}}
|location = [[Tokyo|Tokyo, Japan]]
|event    = [[House show|Live event]]
|notes    = 
|ref      = <ref name="TagTitle" />
}}{{PWtitlereign
|sort number   = 4.5
|type = deactivated
|date     = {{dts|June 19, 1992}}
|notes    = Title retired when SWS closed.
|ref      = <ref name="TagTitle" />
}}
{{BundleEnd}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Japan}}
*[[Professional wrestling in Japan]]
*[[List of professional wrestling promotions in Japan]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/sws/ Wrestling-Titles.com: Super World Sports]

{{Professional wrestling in Japan}}
{{WWE}}

[[Category:Japanese professional wrestling promotions]]
[[Category:Entertainment companies established in 1990]]
[[Category:1990 establishments in Japan]]
[[Category:Entertainment companies disestablished in 1992]]
[[Category:1992 disestablishments in Japan]]
[[Category:Defunct professional wrestling promotions]]