It was one of the top independent organizations in Georgia during the late-1980s, rivaling Jody Hamilton's Deep South Wrestling, and the state's last territory-era promotion prior to the collapse of the NWA territory system.

Slaughter, The Iron Sheik, Curt Hennig, Jerry "The King" Lawler, and The Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey and Randy Rose).

[3] The first Southern Heavyweight Champion, "Gentleman" Chris Adams, won the championship[4] by defeating Buck Robley in a tournament final on June 25, 1988, in Columbus, Georgia.

The first Southern Tag Team Champions were crowned in a tournament final that same year in Macon, when "Wildfire" Tommy Rich and Ted Oates defeated Bob Orton, Jr. and "Dirty" Dick Slater.

Austin Idol, Akio Sato, Bob Orton, Jr., David Sammartino, "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers, "Raging Bull" Manny Fernandez, and Boris Zhukov & Soldat Ustinov were among the AWA veterans who appeared for the promotion in addition to wrestlers from the Central States and Mid-South territories.

Other stars included "Outlaw" Joel Deaton, Nick Busick, Ranger Ross, Joey Maggs,[7][8] and Thunder and Lightning (Steve Lawler and Dino Minelli).

[11] Rhubarb Jones, a popular morning radio DJ in Atlanta, and Joe Pedicino served as announcers, and were later joined by Rick Stewart from Central States Wrestling.

A 22-year-old Paul Heyman, who was also working for Windy City Wrestling in Chicago,[12] appeared as "Paul E. Dangerously" alongside the original Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey and Randy Rose)[13] before moving on to World Championship Wrestling to feud with the Jim Cornette and the "new" Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane).

[14] Their feud began with Robley's surprise debut in the promotion by having himself sealed in a wooden crate and "delivered" to the ring while Mr. Wrestling II was being interview with Joe Pedicino.

[16] SCW's talent pool and popular television program, in addition to limited national exposure via Joe Pedicino's Pro Wrestling This Week,[9][16] saw the promotion quickly rise to the top of the Georgia independent circuit.

The rival station had created its own Saturday night wrestling bloc to compete directly with Pedecino's show, but failed to challenge him in the ratings.

According to Hudson in a later interview, both men had been fans of "Pro Wrestling This Week" and impressed Pedicino when they volunteered to replace the regular announcer following a poor performance at an GASW show in Carrollton, Georgia.

Pedicino continued running GASW until 1991 when he and former USWA commissioner Max Andrews decided to start a new promotion, the Global Wrestling Federation, in Dallas, Texas.