Brazilian Wrestling Federation (BWF) is a Brazilian professional wrestling association, the largest in the country. The federation holds one television and internet show, the BWF Telecatch, at Rede Bandeirantes. The company was founded by former Telecatch wrestler Bob Júnior with the mission to revive the popularity of Pro Wrestling and Telecatch in Brazil. The BWF also operates a professional wrestling school, responsible for the development and training of new wrestlers.
History
The BWF was founded in 2002 by Bob Júnior—son of professional wrestler Bob Léo—with the aim of reviving professional wrestling in Brazil, a sport that had lost popularity following the decline of telecatch. The federation's creation was influenced by the model of the then-World Wrestling Federation (WWF), which Bob Júnior had discovered through the program Supercatch, aired on Rede Manchete in 1994. Bob Léo served as the color commentator for Supercatch. According to Bob Júnior, the BWF sought to adapt elements of the North American professional wrestling model to the Brazilian context while retaining references to the national tradition. This model differed from the traditional telecatch circuit, which was historically associated with performances in circuses, smaller venues, and television programs. Bob Júnior also established a professional wrestling school, which became an important for developing new wrestlers. The facility helped train wrestlers who went on to compete on national and international circuits, contributing to the renewal of the BWF roster and the development of a new generation of practitioners of the sport in Brazil.
The first televised match was produced in 2007 with the program BWF Combate on (an internet-based television channel) and the internet; a second program BWF Telecatch started airing in 2009 on public-access . In 2012, BWF Telecatch began airing on NET Cidade, on NET channel 20. The play-by-play announcer is Renato Dias, and the commentator is JP Borges.
The company was the first Brazilian wrestling promotion to reportedly support a wrestler to compete outside the country. Female wrestler Bia fought under the name Bianca in a match at Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) in 2003 alongside Sabian, fighting Joker and Mercedez Martinez.
2011 was a particularly important year for the BWF, as the promotion started participated of the Virada Cultural festival in São Paulo, sharing the event's professional wrestling program with Mexico's Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), which was featured as the festival's main wrestling attraction. BWF became on the festival's main attraction ever since. In the same year, BWF also participated in the Anime Friends convention, an event where it holds wrestling matches, workshops, and other wrestling-related activities. The event featured an exclusive title, the Anime Friends Cup, which was contested between 2011 and 2017. In 2011, the BWF launched the "Terremoto" (Earthquake) Battle Royal, held during the 2011 Anime Friends event. Following the death of Pirata Alma Negra—the winner of the inaugural edition—the BWF revamped the competition and renamed it "Maremoto" ("Seaquake") in his honor. The first edition under the new name took place in 2012, with Mozart emerging as the winner.
In 2012, BWF became a stage of the “Torneio Sul-Americano de Luta Livre” (South American Wrestling Tournament) and in its first year brought international wrestlers like Super Crazy and Zumbi to Brazil. Since 2013, BWF has been more visible in the media. That year the company announced the participation of KENTA, Eddie Edwards, Naomichi Marufuji, Taiji Ishimori and other international wrestlers for the "Torneio Latino Americano de Luta Livre" (Latin American Wrestling Tournament).
On April 27, 2014 BWF debuted a special event called "Convocado Para Lutar" (Called to Fight) that was attended by William Regal and Director of Development Canyon Ceman as part of the assessment of BWF wrestlers for a tryout in WWE.
In 2014 at Anime Friends convention, they announced the debut of BWF Rookies, a developmental division whose group of young talents would form the "new wrestlers" division. In 2015, a new tournament called "Backyard Arena" was presented, and bring some Brazilian independent wrestlers to fight for a BWF contract. The winner of tournament was Death Rider. In the same year, Cezar Bononi, which competed under the ring name of V8 Big Block and held the BWF Rei Do Ringue Championship once, was recruited into WWE NXT and debuted in 2017 against Aleister Black.
In 2019, BWF partnered with MMA promotion SFT to transmit their programming in Rede Bandeirantes, having now national reach. It was broadcast as SFT Pro-Wrestling on Band; further editions were planned but were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At this time BWF adopted a six-sided wrestling ring similar to American promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). Subsequently, BWF began having its matches broadcast on the subscription channel BandSports, and in 2024, their events started airing on both BandSports and the free-to-air Band channel. The program is known as BWF Telecatch na Band. In 2024, the São Paulo City Hall allocated R$ 650,000 to BWF—via municipal parliamentary amendments—to host events.
On July 12, 2026, the BWF announced on its social media accounts a partnership with New Japan Pro Wrestling to bring talent from the Japanese company to appear at BWF events. The first appearance by an NJPW wrestler was announced for August 8, 2026, during the tapings of BWF Telecatch at the Mané Garrincha Gymnasium in the South Zone of São Paulo (SP). It was a match between NJPW's KUSHIDA and BWF Tag Team Champion and BWF Supremo Champion Victor Boer, with Boer winning by disqualification after a run in by Yan Karlor. The match was followed by a tag team match of KUSHIDA and Yan Karlor vs. Victor Boer and Toko.
Championships and accomplishments + Title Champion Date won Location Previous RefCampeonato BrasileiroRuriki Jr.December 10, 2016CE Mooca,São PauloNocaute JackCampeonato Sul-AmericanoXandãoMay 19, 2013Virada Cultural 2013,São PauloKaiserSobreviventeFred TurboJuly 17, 2016Campo de Marte,São PauloRurik Jr.Rei do RingueMax MillerMay 1, 2016Campo de Marte,São PauloVacantCopa Anime FriendsDinamo "O Jovem Fênix"December 20, 2015Unicsul,São PauloBeto "Anjo Loiro"Campeonato de DuplasHell Sweet Hell (Nomade Touaregue & Toko)September 7, 2015Ginásio 7 de Setembro,São PauloMax Miller & O Aniquilador DanteCampeonato InternetInsano IgorDecember 10, 2016CE Mooca,São PauloRapha LuqueArena BackyardThuro ThuroJuly 10, 2016Campo de Marte,São PauloZanzaGuerra das TribosRapha Luque, Death Rider e Dinamo "O Jovem Fenix"September 7, 2015Ginásio 7 de Setembro,São PauloEvan Fox, Tubarão Negro e Dillios "Espartano" MaremotoMozartJuly 15, 2012Ginásio 7 de Setembro,São PauloVarious wrestlers
Roster NameAcceBeto "Anjo Loiro"Big BoyBob Jr.Death RiderEl Vuante"Espartano" Dillios"Estrela Dourada" SollyEvan FoxFred TurboInsano IgorKabalMatthsMaverickMax MillerMichael FuryNocaut Jack"O Aniquilador" Dante"O Capoeirista" Kid Abelha"O Guerrilheiro" Robson Cruz"O Jovem Fênix" DinamoO MaestroO Nomade Touaregue"O Rockstar" Blackout"O Sem Noção" Kadu"O Sensacional" Victor Boer"O Superstar" Rapha LuqueSonicoSpeed"Tenacious" Tim AndersonToko "Infernal"Tubarão Negro
See also
List of professional wrestling promotions in South America
References