Since the late 1980s it has been known as the CWA in honour of the promotion's World Heavyweight Championship (originally claimed to be sanctioned by the fictitious Canadian Wrestling Association with previous lineage in North America.)

During the late 1970s the then IBV overtook the old Verband der Berufsringer to become the dominant promotion in the German/Austrian wrestling territory, maintaining a high profile even after the invasion of WWF circa 1990.

A championship claimed to be the CWA version was contested between Kendo Nagasaki and Giant Haystacks at Fairfield Halls Croydon in 1991 before BBC cameras for the documentary "Masters of the Canvas" screened the following year.

[2] Until the launch of Eurosport's New Catch programme which it shared with the French EWF, the promotion did not have its own TV show but nonetheless from 1980 taped many of its matches for the home video market using highly professional multi camera arrangements.

[3] CWA bouts were also included on Catch Up, a German TV programme on RTL Television 1989-1991 focused mainly on American wrestling news, primarily WCW.