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The United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based out of Memphis, Tennessee. It was a federation founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.
The USWA was founded after the Pro Wrestling USA debacle with the AWA. It was an attempt to create a third national promotion, alongside the now defunct Jim Crockett Promotions / WCW, and the WWF (now known as the WWE). It was created through a merger between The WCCW (from Texas) and the CWA (based in Memphis). It originally promoted shows in both Memphis and Texas, headlined by Jerry Lawler.
In 1993, the USWA began a talent exchange with the WWF, which saw Lawler sign on to Vince McMahon's federation, while several high profile WWF stars appeared in the USWA.
In late 1995, the federation also "took over" Jim Cornette's Smoky Mountain Wrestling.
Although Lawler was working for the WWF, he ended up buying a stake in the USWA off Jarrett. Businessmen Larry Burton and Mark Selker in 1997, and the USWA went out of business by November of that year, resulting in a nasty lawsuit between Burton, Selker, and Lawler.
Jerry Jarrett and his son, Jeff Jarrett, now run Total Nonstop Action out of Nashville, Tennessee.
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