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THE CRAZY ROAD TO THE FIRST-EVER UWN CHAMPION BEING CROWNED AND MORE BACKSTAGE NOTES FROM THE PRIMETIME LIVE SUPERCARD PPV

After nearly nine years of planning and canceling those plans, Dave Marquez's United Wrestling Network crowned their first champion in Chris Dickinson.  The road to a first champion had been snakebit a number of times as every time Marquez had settled on someone winning the title, including at different points Finn Balor, Karl Anderson and Adam Pearce, they ended up with big money offers to go sign somewhere, dating back 2013-2014.

After years of waiting and waiting, Marquez finally started the title tournament last year as part of the Primetime Live weekly PPV series that ran from September through December 2020 from Thunder Studios in California before COVID-19 concerns led to a pause on all production.    Chris Dickinson and Mike Bennett ended up going to the finals but the pause led to the match being held off. 

There were plans at one point to have the bout in Egypt before the backing for that event fell apart before it could even be announced.  Then, the match was finally slated to take place at the debut Championship Wrestling from Atlanta taping last month, but the remnants of Hurricane Ida devastating the Northeast prevented Dickinson from making the taping. 

In the middle of all the pauses and waiting, Mike Bennett signed full-time with Ring of Honor, so they had to authorize that he was able to perform, which they did.  When Dickinson missed the CW Atlanta taping, ROH even sent along Jonathan Gresham to face Bennett.    Within UWN, there was a lot of gratitude towards ROH management for their help.

The plan when the tournament started had been to crown Dickinson the first champion, which is why he got such a big push out of the gate.  Now that they have FINALLY achieved the initial plan, the idea going forward is that Dickinson would be the UWN's answer to the old traveling NWA Champion, appearing on the Championship Wrestling outlets Marquez has launched in different markets, including Atlanta, California, Memphia and beyond.

The taping last night at the Commerce Casino drew a little over 300 paid.

Booker Aron Stevens and Producer Nick Bonanano worked to run the show via Facetime as they were ill and unable to attend in person. 

Josh Barnett was backstage visiting.

New Japan reps were also at the taping as Marquez and his team work on NJPW Strong and there were a number of New Japan talents on last night's PPV.

The six man tag on the FITE broadcast was Rust Taylor's first match back in his home State of California after departing WWE.

Before the PPV went on the air, there was a dark match with Gentleman Jervis, followed by several weeks of Championship Wrestling from Hollywood TV tapings.

There is talk of additional Primetime Live PPVs but whether they would be monthly or bimonthly has not been determined as Dave.   Last night's PPV is available for replay buys on FITE.TV.

The next CW Hollywood taping at Commerce Casino will be Halloween Night 10/31.  They will be placed on sale this Monday.

The next Championship Wrestling from Atlanta taping will be this Thursday 10/7 at the Center Stage Theater.

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