Before Eastern Championship Wrestling was founded in 1992, a company by the name of Tri-State Wrestling Alliance was ran by Joel Goodhart and operated out of the same venues that early-ECW did. Tri-State would fold after running from 1989-1992. Following the folding of TWA, several talents met with Tod Gordon, a local jewelry store owner who had been a financier of TWA. At the end of their talks, we had a new wrestling company, using the same talent as TWA, using the same title belts and rings. Just under the new Eastern Championship Wrestling banner.
Recently, we covered our good friend Chubby Dudley's podcast he has been doing that has discussed the early days of ECW and even TWA, with talents from them days. Well, evidentally, Joel Goodhart and Bay Ragni (Chubby Dudley) are working together on this TWA "One and Done" tribute show that will take place during an event they are calling "RassleCon" which is set for MAY 2025 and will feature a series of VIP Meet & Greets with the stars of TWA, and the "One and Done" event.
Here is a quote from their press release:
"On January 18th, 1992, Joel Goodhart the promoter of the TWA(Tri-State Wrestling Alliance) shocked the wrestling world
by announcing on his weekly 610 AM Radio Wrestling Talk Show
“Rasslin Radio” which averaged over 20,000 listeners per
week, that the TWA is CLOSING IT’S DOORS!!!
The Fans, the Wrestlers, the TWA Employees, TWA Investors,
EVERYONE was SHOCKED!!!, including The Nature Boys!!!
This happened exactly one week before the biggest show of
the TWA’s almost 3-year existence with the Main Event of
“The Battle of the Nature Boys” featuring TWA Champion
“Nature Boy” Buddy Landel vs Original “Nature Boy” Buddy
Rogers who was 71 years old!!!!
Joel Goodhart, closed the doors, disconnected the phones and
went back to his normal life, running his business, and
being a family man.
Joel came out of hiding in 2009 with a short-lived
resurrection of the TWA, which was owned and run by former
TWA Talent, Michael Bruno (Mike Tartaglia) who asked Joel to
be a part of the company.
Naturally, this put the juices flowing back in Joel, but
Tartaglia shortly after purchasing the legendary ECWA from
Jim Kettner and promptly buried the TWA.
This did not sit well with Joel, and many others who still
have that special place in their heart for what the TWA was.
It was the The Original, The Foundation of what was to
happen a couple years later which was known as ECW.
Fast-forward to 2024, one of TWA Ringmaster student Bay
“Chubby Dudley” Ragni on a podcast interview goes on a
tirade stating that a banner needs to be dropped in the 2300
Arena to show respect to
The Late Larry Winters
“Mad Dog” DC Drake
Johnny HotBody
Tony “The Hitman” Stetson
Joel Goodhart
Then a buzz started around this banner and the TWA, which
got the promoter in Joel thinking, why not do one official
last TWA Show, let us do “ONE and DONE”!!!
Let us go out properly and have a celebration of what we did
32 years ago, that people still talk, discuss, and now watch
matches on YouTube!
So, he started trying to persuade Bay Ragni to help him pull
this off, and after three weeks of persistent nagging, he
finally convinced him to join forces with him to pull this
off!!!
So, after 4 months of plotting, planning, and coordinating
we are ready to announce!!
May 3rd, 2025
2300 Arena
Joel Goodhart Presents………….
RassleCon (Noon to 3:30)
TWA – “One and Done” (7:30 Bell time) Doors open 6pm
**** We have the matches and talent booked, but will slowly
roll out the surprises****
The Stars of the TWA will Be in Attendance for both events
Plus happening on this day…………
The Banner - we discussed, well a deal is in place with the
2300 Arena, if we get one thousand signatures on our
petition, they will raise a banner that night!!!
We currently have over 550, so please sign and share the
petition!
Here is the link: https://chng.it/J26cHPq9BC
The Book!!! – Joel Goodhart has also been working on his
book that will be released that day and will be available
for sale to be autographed.
The Documentary – Ryan Kavanaugh, who is in the middle of
wrapping up his documentary on Jim Kettner, is also going to
do one on Joel Goodhart and we will be filming all final
scenes of the documentary that day and night with what we
hope will be the raising of the banner which will be the
perfect ending for this film.
Tickets go on sale on October 5th.
Here is the link to purchase tickets for “One and Done”
http://2300arena.showare.com/orderticketsvenue.asp?p=521
Here is the link to purchase tickets for “Rassle Con”
http://2300arena.showare.com/orderticketsarea.asp?p=522&a=1
Here is the official Facebook event page to keep up to date
with all the announcements of talent.
https://www.facebook.com/events/492937696919415/
On May 3rd, 2025, 33 years after the sudden and shocking
demise of the TWA, Come and give the Tri-State Wrestling and
its stars the true official fond farewell it deserves.
Facebook event page
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