Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation
Encyclopedia
The Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation (UCWF) is a fiction
al organization in the Marvel Comics
Universe
. It is an association for professional wrestlers
who possess superhuman strength
, endurance
and resistance to injury
.
strength. The UCWF is organized into "weight divisions"... not based on the wrestler's body weight, but on how much tonnage he can lift. The lowest division (for those with the strength to lift (press) two to ten ton
s) was phased out early in the Federation's history as not being "spectacular" enough.
Numerous superhuman individuals have fought in the UCWF at one time or another, including both those recognized as superhero
es and supervillain
s. Prominent members have included The Thing
, Justice (then known as Marvel Boy
), and Demolition Man
. The ranks of the UCWF have also included mutants
, aliens
, members of the Eternals
(like Ikaris
) and the Deviants
, and many of the other varieties of super-strong beings from throughout the Marvel Universe.
By far the most common participants, however, have been those who have undergone the strength-augmenting treatment of the Power Broker
, a quasi-legal corporation run by Curtiss Jackson that uses the fruits of the many mad scientist
s populating the Marvel universe. The process is somewhat risky, however, and many wind up deformed or with severe health problems as a result. Also, the Power Broker organization is not without its corruption; at times, they not only augment their clients, but inject them with highly addictive drugs in order to control them. As a result, many of the Unlimited Class wrestlers also find themselves moonlighting as supervillain
s. The Power Broker has also played a significant role in the lives of other villains and heroes, particularly the U.S. Agent
.
After appointing a new general manager, UCWF is shown to become a more scripted sports entertainment
version of itself much to the disappointment of former champion Ben Grimm.
Grapplers
The second incarnation of the all-girl group known as the Grapplers. This group is the female division of the Unlimited Class Wrestling. Most of them had their strength augmented by Power Broker
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al organization in the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
. It is an association for professional wrestlers
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
who possess superhuman strength
Physical strength
Physical strength is the ability of a person or animal to exert force on physical objects using muscles. Increasing physical strength is the goal of strength training.-Overview:...
, endurance
Endurance
Endurance is the ability for a human or animal to exert itself and remain active for a long period of time, as well as its ability to resist, withstand, recover from, and have immunity to trauma, wounds, or fatigue. In humans, it is usually used in aerobic or anaerobic exercise...
and resistance to injury
Injury
-By cause:*Traumatic injury, a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident*Other injuries from external physical causes, such as radiation injury, burn injury or frostbite*Injury from infection...
.
Overview
The UCWF was founded by a promoter named Edward Garner after a wrestler who he managed was banned from several existing professional wrestling organizations because he possessed superhumanSuperhuman
Superhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
strength. The UCWF is organized into "weight divisions"... not based on the wrestler's body weight, but on how much tonnage he can lift. The lowest division (for those with the strength to lift (press) two to ten ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s) was phased out early in the Federation's history as not being "spectacular" enough.
Numerous superhuman individuals have fought in the UCWF at one time or another, including both those recognized as superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es and supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
s. Prominent members have included The Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
, Justice (then known as Marvel Boy
Marvel Boy
Marvel Boy is the name of several fictional comic book characters in the Marvel Comics universe, including predecessor companies Timely Comics and Atlas Comics.-Martin Burns:...
), and Demolition Man
Demolition Man (comics)
Demolition Man , also known as D-Man, is a fictional character in the .-Publication history:Dennis Dunphy first appeared in The Thing #28 , written by Mike Carlin and illustrated by Ron Wilson...
. The ranks of the UCWF have also included mutants
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
, aliens
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
, members of the Eternals
Eternals (comics)
The Eternals are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics universe. They are described as an offshoot of the evolutionary process that created sentient life on Earth. The original instigators of this process, the alien Celestials, intended the Eternals to be the defenders of Earth which...
(like Ikaris
Ikaris
Ikaris is a fictional character, a member of an alien race known as the Eternals in the Marvel Comics universe. Both Ikaris and the Eternals were created by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
) and the Deviants
Deviant (comics)
The Deviants are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics' universe. They are an offshoot of the evolutionary process that created sentient life on Earth instigated by the alien Celestials, and wage war against their counterparts, the Eternals...
, and many of the other varieties of super-strong beings from throughout the Marvel Universe.
By far the most common participants, however, have been those who have undergone the strength-augmenting treatment of the Power Broker
Power Broker
Power Broker is the name of two characters in Marvel Comics.Power Broker, Inc. is a fictional criminal corporation in the Marvel Universe which provides individuals with superhuman physical abilities for a price...
, a quasi-legal corporation run by Curtiss Jackson that uses the fruits of the many mad scientist
Mad scientist
A mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
s populating the Marvel universe. The process is somewhat risky, however, and many wind up deformed or with severe health problems as a result. Also, the Power Broker organization is not without its corruption; at times, they not only augment their clients, but inject them with highly addictive drugs in order to control them. As a result, many of the Unlimited Class wrestlers also find themselves moonlighting as supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
s. The Power Broker has also played a significant role in the lives of other villains and heroes, particularly the U.S. Agent
U.S. Agent
U.S. Agent is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually those starring Captain America and the Avengers. He was created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary in Captain America vol...
.
After appointing a new general manager, UCWF is shown to become a more scripted sports entertainment
Sports entertainment
Sports entertainment is a type of spectacle which presents an ostensibly competitive event using a high level of theatrical flourish and extravagant presentation, with the purpose of entertaining an audience...
version of itself much to the disappointment of former champion Ben Grimm.
Members
- Edward Gardner (President)
- Armadillo (Antonio Rodriguez)Armadillo (comics)Armadillo , is a fictional character, a minor former supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in Captain America #308.-Origin:...
- BeyonderBeyonderThe Beyonder is a fictional character in . Created by Jim Shooter and Mike Zeck, the immensely powerful Beyonder first appeared in Secret Wars vol. 1 #1 as an unseen force. He reappears in Secret Wars II #1 , which was created by Jim Shooter and Al Milgrom.-Publication history:The Beyonder was a...
- Blacksmith (Winslow Smith)
- Demolition Dunphy (Dennis Dunphy)Demolition Man (comics)Demolition Man , also known as D-Man, is a fictional character in the .-Publication history:Dennis Dunphy first appeared in The Thing #28 , written by Mike Carlin and illustrated by Ron Wilson...
- Enigmo (Cataphrax) - The Eternal, Cataphrax, took on the wrestling identity of Enigmo.
- Edward Garner
- Iceberg Ike (Ikaris)IkarisIkaris is a fictional character, a member of an alien race known as the Eternals in the Marvel Comics universe. Both Ikaris and the Eternals were created by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
- Jersey Devil (Don Remming)
- Vance Astrovik
- Little John (John Lewandow)
- She-Thing (Sharon Ventura)
- Red Zeppelin
- Thing (Benjamin J Grimm)Thing (comics)The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
- Gator (Grant) - mutated into lizard-man by gypsies
- Icepick
- Jerome Johnson
- Kid Stuff
- Doc Hector Lennox
- Sawbones - debuted as Doc Sawbones
- Steamroller
GrapplersGrapplers (comics)The Grapplers are a fictional organization in the Marvel Comics universe. It was a loosely-organized band of female wrestlers, most of whom gained superhuman strength after their first published appearances, through the group known as Power Broker, Inc....
The second incarnation of the all-girl group known as the Grapplers. This group is the female division of the Unlimited Class Wrestling. Most of them had their strength augmented by Power Broker- Auntie Freeze (Ann Fraley)Auntie FreezeAuntie Freeze is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Auntie Freeze first appeared in The Thing vol. 1 #33 , and was created by Mike Carlin and Ron Wilson...
- leader; former professional wrestler in years past - Battleaxe (Anita Ehren)Battleaxe (comics)Battleaxe is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe-Publication history:Battleaxe first appeared in The Thing #33 , and was created by Michael Carlin and Ron Wilson....
- later joined the FemizonsFemizonsFemizon may refer to one of two groups owned by Marvel Comics and appearing in their Marvel Universe.The first group to be called Femizons were the women of Femizonia, a gyniarchal future world in an alternate timeline where women had become Amazon-like warriors, ruling over male slaves... - Letha (Hellen Feliciano)LethaLetha is a supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe and former member of the female villain team, the Grapplers.-Publication history:...
- former protégé of Auntie Freeze; she was killed by the Scourge of the Underworld at A Bar With No Name. Letha was later among the seventeen criminals, all murdered by the Scourge, to be resurrected by HoodHood (comics)The Hood is a fictional character, a supervillain, and a crime boss in the . Created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artists Kyle Hotz and Eric Powell, the character first appeared in The Hood #1 .-Publication history:...
using the power of DormammuDormammuDormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a...
as part of a squad assembled to eliminate the PunisherPunisherThe Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
. - Poundcakes (Marian Pouncy)PoundcakesPoundcakes is a super villain in the Marvel Comics Universe and former member of the female villain team, the Grapplers.-Fictional character biography:...
- later joined the Femizons. - Screaming Mimi (Melissa Gold)Songbird (comics)Songbird , formerly known as Screaming Mimi, is a fictional character, a superheroine and former supervillainess in the Marvel Comics Universe.-Publication history:...
- went on to become Songbird of the Thunderbolts. - Titania (Davida DeVito)Titania (Grapplers)Davida DeVito, now known as Lascivious and formerly known as Titania, is a fictional supervillain appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Fictional character biography:...
- former protégé of Auntie Freeze; she was killed by the Scourge of the Underworld . Titania was later among the seventeen criminals, all murdered by the Scourge, to be resurrected by HoodHood (comics)The Hood is a fictional character, a supervillain, and a crime boss in the . Created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artists Kyle Hotz and Eric Powell, the character first appeared in The Hood #1 .-Publication history:...
using the power of DormammuDormammuDormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a...
as part of a squad assembled to eliminate the PunisherPunisherThe Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
. She was given seduction-based powers by the Hood, and has taken the name Lascivious.
Power Tools
They all had their strength-augmented by Dr Karl Malus and became his agents- Buzzsaw
- Drill - he would later attend the AIM Weapon Expo.
- Handsaw
- JackhammerJackhammer (comics)Jackhammer is a fictional character from the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:Jackhammer was first mentioned as a HYDRA leader in Daredevil #121; he first appeared in Daredevil #123 and was created by Tony Isabella and Bob Brown.The character subsequently appears in Captain America...
- currently a member of HYDRAHYDRAHYDRA is a fictional terrorist organization in the Marvel Universe.Despite the name's capitalization per Marvel's official spelling, the name is not an acronym but rather a reference to the mythical Lernaean Hydra...
and former member of Dr. Octopus’ Masters of Evil - Pickaxe
- Triphammer
- Vice