SWCW soon became one of the hottest wrestling regions in the game. It was extreme long before the term became common place in wrestling. Working relationships with both Houston and Georgia wrestling were able to generate enough excitement and popularity that in 1983 they became the first wrestling program to be aired on the USA network. It would soon become the number one rated show on the station. With close to national exposure, SWCW sponsored a tournament to crown an undisputed world heavyweight champion. I assume it was done to show that they were a major player. An eight man tournament was held on May 26,1983 in Houston, Texas with the late Adrian Adonis emerging as the winner. The championship would not be accepted by the rest of the wrestling world and was abandoned four months later. SWCW continued presenting some of the highest quality cards that have yet to be equaled to this day.

Eventually troubles would arise and due to over paying talent and dwindling attendance they were forced to sell their USA time slot to Vince McMahon's Titan Sports when they could no longer afford the $7000.00 a week that it cost to air the show. Prior to that, the working relationship with Houston wrestling came to a close when Bill Watts took over the territory and the Georgia partnership dissolved because of troubles in their own backyard. The blow that would eventually force the end of SWCW came in late 1984 when it was discovered that Fred Berhend, who unbeknownst to most was Blanchard's partner, put Fritz Von Erich's World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) show in the San Antonio time slot. This left SWCW with only Spanish television and a sparse few U.S. TV outlets. Blanchard soon had no choice but to sell out his part of the promotion to Berhend who closed down SWCW and replaced it with first, Lonestar Wrestling and then a short time later, Texas All-Star (TASW). A once revered promotion was gone but the tradition of San Antonio would live on. As for myself SWCW will never die for it will always be alive in my memories and loved in my heart.

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