Portland Wrestlecast: Don Owen vs. The OWF

In 1988, Portland had a very brief promotional war when Billy Jack Haynes came back to Oregon after a few years in the WWF. He ran opposition to Don Owen by starting the Oregon Wrestling Federation.

Billy Jack brought in wrestlers like Kevin “Nailz” Kelly, Fred Ottman, Corporal Kirschner, Johnny Ace, The Terminator, Bryan Adams, Ray Candy, Rip Oliver, and Ricky Santana. Billy had the talent and a television show, but couldn’t get the OWF going strong enough to run live events. On this episode of the Portland Wrestlecast, Ricky Santana talks about the formation of the OWF and why he and others left so abruptly.

Ricky would go back and work for Don Owen. Santana talks about Don’s reaction to his return, his tag team with Curtis Thompson (aka Firebreaker Chip from WCW), and when he could tell that Portland Wrestling was coming to an end.

Note: One OWF promo is insensitive.