Full Throttle Wrestling
Better. Wrestling. Period.
General Details

Established: 2005
Incarnations: 3
Founder: Chad Jamison
Headquarters: New York, NY
Management Format: Board of Directors & General Managers
Current Business Interests: International Expansion

Brief Description

Full Throttle Wrestling is an U.S.-based wrestling promotion that tours the entire country. The current touring schedule includes plans to touch down in all 50 states of the union.

The organization recently introduced the Octane Division to groom and review wrestlers new to the organization. Once Octane wrestlers are ready to go to the next-level, they are assigned to a technique based division. Either the Shockwave division, tailored for aerial, high-flying, fast-paced, and luchador action, or the Inferno division, tailored for technicians, brawlers, and power wrestlers. Only the cream of the crop compete in the World Title scene.

In all there are 4 singles championships with one set of Tag Team titles. Women actively compete against men on equal footing. On average, FTW usually employs anywhere between 40-50 contracted wrestlers. There is also an extensive staff including referees, correspondents, a staff physician, and commentators.

There are weekly episodes of Outbreak (Wednesday) and Rampage (Thursday) each with respective General Managers. The roster is not brand-exclusive. Pay-per-view events generally take place every 5-6 weeks. There are occasional special edition episodes known as Outrage which is a combination of the two weekly shows into a supershow.

History of FTW

Version 1: Establishment & Early Days

During a time of stagnancy in the professional wrestling world, fans clamored for an alternative to the boring mainstream product being shoved down their throats. They wanted a company that could entertain thoroughly while introducing them to a new generation of stars that would usher in a new era in the industry. Successful venture capitalist and wrestling enthusiast, Chad Jamison, decided to take a leap of faith and invested significant time and money into a new wrestling promotion. Serving as a consultant for the recently defunct Fanatics Wrestling Federation, Jamison had amassed a significant amount of knowledge in what was needed to run a successful wrestling promotion.

He decided to go forth and give the fans what they wanted. He decided to play on the popular initials "FTW" which commonly meant "for the win". At the same time, he wanted to create a product that was in your face, offering non-stop action that put viewers on the edges of their seats with a combination of interesting storylines and drama that would captivate them. Suddenly, the concept of "Full Throttle" came to mind and FTW was born.

Knowing that fans were growing tired of old names and established stars, Jamison took a chance on complete unknowns and plucked them off the independent circuit. He wanted stars that were passionate and skilled who he knew could help grow his business. FTW opened its doors with very little pomp and circumstance. Shows were being run out of a single, small venue on a weekly basis. Although FTW was small at the time, word had quickly spread about this little organization for it's awe-inspiring action and amazing stars.

It didn't take long for FTW to gather a cult-following. Loyal fans filled into the small venue every week to see the warriors of Full Throttle Wrestling battle it out. Suddenly, names like Brandon Banks and Nick Corvo were becoming common. What helped to put FTW on the map was the formation of the Manifest Destiny faction featuring Ravi Moon as the leader, Billy Jackson and Joseph Rios as proteges, and Gabriella as a manager. With evenly distributed talent levels throughout the roster, the company was impressive from top-to-bottom.

Unfortunately, Jamison found himself over-extended and occupied by other business interests. That eventually took its toll as the promotion folded due to lack of attention from Jamison.

Version 2: Building a Legacy

Even several months after the promotion's demise, after cultivating such a strong fan base, the fans and talent wanted to see FTW back in business again. Wrestlers who worked for the company either went back to the indy circuit or worked for other companies. Either way, they didn't feel fulfilled. FTW standout, Brandon Banks, took it upon himself to reach out to Chad Jamison yet again to try and revive the promotion. With the backing of fans and able-bodied roster, The Killah B managed to convince Jamison to give it another shot.

With other investments proving to be quite lucrative for him, Chad Jamison had more disposable income to re-invest into the company. Now, instead of being run out of a single venue, FTW had grown to become a formidable regional promotion. The loyalty to FTW became infectious as the promotion spread throughout the Northeast and began pay-per-view offerings. It didn't take long for the scope of FTW to expand rapidly.

A combination of FTW Originals and new talent being signed to the company offered an interesting mix and intriguing dynamics. The arrival of talents such as Nick Malone and Ryan Matthews were certainly big acquisitions for the federation. Also, unique ideas in regards to way the promotion was being run was revolutionizing the industry and grabbing attention from all corners of the entertainment world.

The introduction of the Inferno and Shockwave division philosophies featuring different styles created a healthy debate in the industry of technical skills vs. aerial attacks. Both divisions were built by formidable champions in Brandon Banks and Code, respectively. Also, the organization flourished under the legendary FTW World Championship run of Ravi Moon protege, Billy Jackson. A feud between Jackson and industry standout Sam Horrey pushed the promotion to a new level. But the introduction of it's flagship event, Divine Destiny, featuring Billy Jackson taking on his mentor and Manifest Destiny teammate, Ravi Moon had really shown that FTW had arrived.

Still, rapid expansion seemingly backfired on FTW. Problems with talent began to arise which led to issues backstage and the exodus of some major stars. Eventually, Jamison became tired of the politics and decided to have the promotion shut down, yet again.

Version 3: The Phoenix Rises Again

In life, one finds out that men are subject to many different extraneous forces. After the second demise of Full Throttle Wrestling, that saying certainly rang true for Chad Jamison. The founder of FTW saw his fortune dwindle right before his eyes. His investments tumbled, his assets possessed, and his spirit was broken. He was a shell of his former self. The only thing that kept Jamison going was the legions of fans who still stayed loyal to FTW despite it's disappearance from the wrestling scene. All their kind words and encouragement kept him trucking along.

Despite Jamison's susceptibility as a man though, the ideas that he spawned from his mind were pure. One of his ideas of course was FTW and it refused to die. A group of investors certainly recognized that fact and reached out to Mr. Jamison. They offered to buy all FTW trademarks and copyrights from him and relaunch the federation with their financial backing. Even with no other options for CJ, he felt that this opportunity to breathe new life into his greatest creation was destiny. He took the offer and ran with it.

The investment group formed the Board of Directors and made Jamison their top executive. After effectively putting Jamison back on his feet, the Board gave him complete creative control with a steady salary. With no other distractions, the founder of FTW was determined to resurrect the phoenix and ascend to the greatest heights of the professional wrestling world. As such he recruited Ravi Moon to be FTW's Enforcer to make sure the problems that plagued the company's second run wouldn't happen again.

From there, the two friends rebuilt the organization yet again. Former stars flocked back to sign contracts with FTW and brought more talent with them. Within a day or two of announcing it's return, FTW was nearly at full strength! It was a testament to the greatness that FTW had achieved during it's previous two runs. And now, everyone was out to make sure that the third time would be the charm. The roster was united in restoring FTW to its former glory and did a pretty damn good job.

With significant financial backing, FTW was able to expand to a national promotion. An ambitious touring schedule planned to take the company to all 50 states in the union. Already a well-respected name in the industry, now fans from all around the country could finally find out about the legend of FTW first hand with live shows. Despite a rocky first few months marred by instability and fleeting stars, the company weathered the storm and became stronger because of it. There was no way that it was going down this time.

On the backs of veterans like Brandon Banks, Ryan Matthews, Nick Malone, James Magnum, and Sam Horrey, FTW reached a whole new level. And true stability at the top of the organization came when a star who started out as a manager at the very beginning of the company, Gabriella, had come full circle when she captured the promotion's World Championship. But the veterans weren't the only ones responsible for helping to re-invent FTW. There were stars like William Haze, Harmony, Lynch, Bobby Heart, and Mason Douglas who gave FTW a new and unique feeling that only emboldened an already die-hard fan base.

FTW managed to recapture it's old essence by resurrecting the competitive dynamic between the Inferno and Shockwave divisions. It also expanded to include a new Octane division considered to be the grooming grounds for stars before moving up the ladder. The main event scene had become the strongest it's been in years. And with such speedy expansion, so many stars were signing with the company making Outbreak too small to fit everyone. FTW introduced a new weekly episode, Rampage, to meet the demands of its rapidly growing roster.

Now, in it's third and longest run, FTW is showing no signs of stopping. Or even slowing down! With plans for international expansion and so many potential to be tapped, there are still many chapters to be written for this amazing wrestling company.