Raven’s Crucifix Wrestling Alliance, better known as the RCWA, was founded by the radical and a bit unstable multi millionaire Russ Bentley. Russ then searched far and wide for the proper group of groundbreaking and controversial superstars who would be his keys to competing with the big time federations. The RCWA would offer the fans a connection that nothing else offered, in that it seemed like the wrestlers really wanted to be there. Whether it was that they were having a good time, or were dedicated to their company, or even because they would never rest until their enemies were laying on their back bloodied and screaming.

Russ signed and built his upstart federation around a hand full of colorful personalities. The first of which were two lovers who would become the driving soul of the soon to be world wide federation. Draven and Caius were the passion and fire that waged war against a darkness that the wrestling world has not laid eyes on ever before. One man who lurked in shadow and spoke only when everyone needed to listen used the love for his young Canadian goddess to wage war with the demented Angrychairr. Chairr would adapt the personalities of wrestlers from other federations and add them to his own twisted mind. The result was classic promos from characters such as GoldenChairr, RockingChairr and the sick and cold hearted FlairChairr. The feud between Draven and Chairr became deadly personal when Chairr kidnapped and turned Caius against Draven. This was the rise of the “Tortured Soul” Draven. A Draven who spent all of his time in the shadows; and would always leave a single black rose as his calling card. During this time Draven’s tag team partner and best friend Petrefax found himself in over his head. Petrefax was a comic loving and kind natured individual. A trait that would soon be taken advantage of by Garvo. Garvo for weeks left Pfax bloody and in pain as he hit Garvo bomb after Garvo bomb on the young superstar. Eventually Pfax introduced a secret weapon into the federation. A comic that was filled with a brick. A weapon he learned to use well.

The RCWA was officially put on the map at Forummania where Draven and AngryChairr battled in a Hell in the Cell match. The match was brutal and primal as both men laid their very beings on the line. The match ended with Draven throwing Chairr off the top of the Cell and through several burning tables that Caius lit on fire ringside. The “Tortured Soul” had his redemption and the RCWA had the hearts of the fans.

The following month Russ took his extreme and violent style to the air with the introduction of a weekly television show entitled RCWA War Games! The only problem was to keep high ratings and the money lining his pockets he needed more talent. So Russ sent the RCWA Vice President Juliet Usher to recruit more superstars. Juliet’s mission took her deep into Canada where two Canucks were making quite a name for themselves. Juliet found in Canada two individuals who seemed to be of the same soul. One a charismatic and high flying bolt of pure energy. The other a goofy loner who had a bit of a darkside hiding under the surface. Both who never left the other’s side and made up the greatest tag team in RCWA history.

Jay Van Dam began his decorated career as a member of the strongest force the RCWA had to offer. He was taken under the wing of "The Royal Family” which consisted of Draven, Caius and the now power house Pfax. Jay spent his time in the family learning from Draven, but always looking for a way to make his name known. Draven and the family took advantage of Jay and treated him like nothing but a lackey which finally led to JVD turning on his mentor and challenging him to a “Bring Your Own Weapons” match at King of the Forum. JVD lost the Match and felt the wrath of Draven and the “Royal Family” but developed his own personality and style in the wreckage.

Ryan Thriller on the other began as a loner who had a few battles with the man known as the Cap’n. Thriller quickly set himself apart from the rest of the roster by working different styles into each match, and driving his enemies nuts by remaining calm and relaxed about any situation presented to him. Thriller, who never got along with collective "Royal Family" despite being on good terms with each member on their own, took advantage of his old friend JVD's exit from the stable and reformed their tag team.

In the tournament final Draven found himself in a three storied cage match with Garvo. The two warriors waged war on each other and fought all the way to the very top of the cage where the RCWA Cup hung. Just when Garvo had the cup in his grasp JVD and Thriller made their presence felt with a double superkick that sent Garvo all the way to the floor. Draven grabbed the cup and became the King of the Forum but the Royal Family’s celebration was cut short as a new contender made his entrance into the federation, Last Wave.

Last Wave cut a very arrogant promo on Draven and then proceeded to steal the RCWA Cup from Draven. This was something that the fans adored but the Royal Family did not take lightly. Wave was beaten and bloodied by the entire Royal Family and Draven buried him with Sweet Redemption. The next chapter in RCWA history was written and the first dominant force was born.

Now the RCWA had taken the world by storm and had a strong roster of outstanding talent. What they didn’t have however was a RCWA World Champion. Russ solved this issue in a way that had never been done before. He held an open vote between all superstars for who would battle in the first ever RCWA Championship match. Every superstar was allowed to vote and the final two stars were Draven and AngryChairr. Their blood feud had now hit the biggest stage in wrestling.

This time in RCWA history became one of Superheroes and ceremic floor tiles. Yes you read that right, floor tiles. Thriller had made it a point to reawaken the JVD he once knew, by reminding him that the most important thing is to be having fun. Jay, now realizing the lack of anything enjoyable in the federation looked to his hero for inspiration. The result was a soon to be phenom known as Spider-Jay. Ryan Thriller tried to shadow several comic book heroes, but always got the thumbs down from JVD until he landed on "Thrillerine" who Ryan dressed up as whenever Jay had "superhero business" to conduct. They patrolled the hallways and back room area, armed with ceremic floor tiles, on a constant search for pizza, soda, and JVD's postergirl, Britney Spears. The two heroes spent all their time arguing over the life long question of which is better Pepsi or Coke. When not playing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and guzzling pop by the case, the two dominated the tag team world and began using floor tiles by the truck load as weapons. The result was endless carnage and a few title reigns for the young duo. JVD had become the first ever RCWA Intercontinental Champion, and Ryan had a title run later on down the road. Both had fairly good success as singles competitors but really dominated in the tag team ranks capturing the RCWA Tag Team Championships on multiple occasions. The love of Pepsi that burned inside JVD got on the nerves of Last Wave who tried to stop Jay from enjoying his favorite beverage. This led to a heated feud with culminated in the first ever “Pepsi on a pole” match.Times seemed great for the laid back heroes, but Ryan was growing restless and he began to break away from JVD and his mood began to change. He wouldn’t show for matches and no longer could be counted on to have anyone’s back. His loner mentality took over and the duo parted ways. Thriller began to grow dark and turn his back on what the fans had come to love. JVD tried to reach his friend but Ryan turned his back on their friendship as well and the two began to battle one another in some outstanding matches.

The light of the early RCWA had been eclipsed by pure darkness as evil began to rot away at the heart of the federation. SuperJudge who was known as “The Human Obscene” had grown into a powerful force to be reckoned with as he himself had held numerous titles ranging from tag team to hardcore to television champion and even taking the Intercontinental championship from Thriller. His pure evil and violent tendencies ushered in a new time for the federation. SuperJudge battled all who would stand in his way and usually he left very little of his foe functional when he was finished. SJ then took notice in the other stars who had felt they were never allowed to reach their true potential. Stars who felt that Russ and the upper card of Draven and Caius and Last Wave and Pfax had kept them from becoming champion. The evil genius of SJ joined with the loner and angry Thriller and the now lost JVD and created a faction that would control the RCWA for the next few months. They along with a feisty young girl who had a close bond with Ryan and JVD formed a faction that they called the “Ravnos”.

The “Ravnos” took mental warfare and fear to a whole new level as they began to bathe their foes in blood and hide in the deep and dank basements of the stadiums the RCWA filled. SJ served as the leader of the group but the true core revolved around the bond that Ryan, JVD and Rogue had for each other. They began to dominate the RCWA as JVD and Thriller captured the Tag Championships and Rogue set her sights on the Television Champion, Trash. Trash was a very young and troubled high flyer who found himself in uncharted waters in his war with Rogue. Rogue had shown that she had no compassion and a psychotic mind that feared no one. She proved this point by confronting a heart broken and tormented Draven on the rooftop one rainy night. She taunted Draven and finally left him in a pool of his own blood after she used his own bat to bash him over the skull. This pure darkness led to Trash being tied to a “Ravnos” symbol and set a blaze by Rogue in their television title match. Not only had the “Ravnos” taken Trash’s title but they nearly took his career.

Russ could see that he was losing control of his baby and that the balance of power had been tipped. No not by the “Ravnos”, or DC and his Strays or Last Wave and his constant bucking of the system; but by the very heart he had built his empire around. Caius had started to slip into delusion. She began to yearn for the fans and the other talent to see her as the best the RCWA had to offer. This emotion led her to do the unthinkable! She stabbed Draven in the heart and set her sights and destroying him. Caius only saw herself in Draven’s shadow. She spent nearly a year trying to prove herself better than he was and to do so she ripped out the heart of the man who had given her his all. Caius was no longer the Caius the fans loved; yet she had developed the drive that would make her the greatest female to ever step into a ring anywhere in the world. She and Draven had one of the all time greatest feuds in the history of the RCWA. Caius assaulted Draven on every level and even began to deny that she ever loved him. That took Draven to a place he had never been. He began to lose all hope and the love he had for life seeped from his soul. Caius used this to take control of her career and she began facing Draven in a series of hardcore and deathly brutal matches over a few month span. Yet Draven still came out on top and Caius’s anger grew. She beat Draven down at every opportunity and their lover’s quarrel finally ended up in the electrified cage.

Never before had Caius been in such a high profile and devastating match. The electrified cage was something created in Draven’s broken mind and Russ really didn’t want anything to do with it. Draven and Caius on the other hand couldn’t wait to send 1000 volts through each other’s bodies. Caius put on the match that she had known she could; but Draven was just too tough and he seriously injured Caius in his victory.

This was the moment that Dead Cat was waiting for. With the main heel now out of action DC barged through the open door and he didn’t come alone. Like a twisted version of the Pied Piper DC began to gather followers everywhere he went. His angst and Goth like philosophy spread through the RCWA like a cancer. A new leader who had been with the company from the very opening now had formed his own faction. A group of misfits known as the “Strays” provided back up to DC’s assault on the federation. DC began to capture multiple gold as did the stand out member of his “Strays”. A man with so many personalities that he made Al Snow look as sane as a two year old girl; began to explode in popularity. Slazh and his girl instantly were fan favorites and this was not overlooked by Russ Bentley. Slazh was given a chance to prove himself in the hardcore/extreme division and he quickly captured the gold. DC and his gang were now power players at the highest level.

Months passed until once again Caius made her return. Only her match with Draven in the electrified cage had broken her. She now believed she was a god and formed the “Pantheon” along with Pfax and The Cap'n Evenflow Nevermore. All mental reasoning had been taken from her. The “Pantheon” regained power for Caius who was now building quite an impressive singles career. Yet she still had the most intense hate for Draven and a sever god complex. Knowing that she needed to carve her own niche in the RCWA Caius set her sights on the hardcore division. She left a bloody and broken wake in her path as she battled to the top of the division. Hardcore gold was now in her grasp. After building the “Pantheon” into the main force the RCWA had she finally captured singles gold. The Hardcore Championship was now around her very shapely waist and she would forever go down in RCWA history as the first woman to ever hold all major titles.

Not all was dark in the company during this time though. For a new RCWA Champion was on the rise. Draven had held the title for nearly two straight years and then JVD claimed his destiny. He and Draven met in a “Torch on the Tron” match for the RCWA Championship. The match lasted nearly an hour and spilled through the entire stadium. Both men beat each other with merchandise from the merchandise booths, food from the food court, chairs from the crowd, and anything else they could get their hands on as they fought towards the Jumbotron. They battled to the top of the Tron where the torch was placed. Draven was about to grab the torch when Caius distracted him and JVD pushed Draven off of the Tron and onto the announce table. He then dropped the torch and set Draven and the table a blaze to win the RCWA Championship. Thus began JVD’s short lived Championship reign.

Draven couldn’t stand by and watch the “Pantheon” destroy what he had given his blood, sweat and tears to build so he made it his new mission to take the “Pantheon” down from the top. He began with mind games aimed at his one time friend Pfax. Pfax had now become the number one contender for JVD’s RCWA Championship and had made his feud with Draven very personal. He and Caius had begun to assault Draven’s new love Lillian and had even kidnapped her. Bringing out a side of Draven that made him cross every line.

Pfax got his championship match against JVD around a month later and the “Pantheon” took full advantage. Caius interfered in the match just as JVD has turned the momentum his way. She helped Pfax get the win and claim the RCWA title as their own. Shortly after Pfax’s victory Caius left the federation and took the Hardcore Championship with her. Russ was left with a very sticky situation. Should he get rid of the title completely or create a new title in its place. Thus the dawning of the RCWA Extreme Championship and the rise of the “Extreme Luchadore” E Lu.

The RCWA has an incredible, storied, rich history. The previous writing was the just the start, the roots of the company that will now enjoy it's one last stand and go out on top like it always deserved to, rather than the previous fizzled out ending that had tarnished it's reputation.