Wrestle Association-R


 * This article is about the Japanese promotion. There is also an independent, unrelated WAR (Wrestling And Respect) promotion in Lima, Ohio, United States.

Wrestle and Romance, and later Wrestle Association R, was a professional wrestling promotion founded and run by Genichiro Tenryu as the successor to Super World of Sports, and which lasted from 1992 to 2000. The promotion had very few regular contracted workers, instead most of the workers were either freelance or employed in other promotions, most notably All Japan Pro Wrestling. Because of this WAR ran many all-star cards. It had interpromotional feuds against New Japan Pro Wrestling, Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling, the new Tokyo Pro Wrestling, and UWF International. WAR also continued, albeit in a loose fashion, SWS's old working agreement with the WWF, when they backed the WWF's first Japan tour, in 1994, which unfortunately did not sell out any buildings.

In 1998, WAR began running less and less cards due to Tenryu's comeback in New Japan, and in July 2000, it promoted a farewell show that served as the prelude to Tenryu's return to All Japan Pro Wrestling. The WAR name was kept for the use of a stable led by Tenryu during a brief angle in All Japan in 2001.

On July 27, 2006 WAR staged a reunion show at Tokyo Korakuen Hall. The show was supported by various Japanese wrestling promotions including New Japan, All Japan Pro Wrestling and Dragon Gate. This was also the final card promoted by WAR.

WAR was the first promotion to create a steady junior heavyweight tag team title long before New Japan Pro Wrestling, WCW, and Pro Wrestling NOAH hit upon the idea.