All-Star Championship Wrestling (ASCW) was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Knoxville, Tennessee by Ron Wright, Ronnie Garvin, Bob Roop, Bob Orton, Jr. and Boris Malenko in 1979. The group, informally known as "The Knoxville 5", broke away from Southeastern Championship Wrestling (SECW) and fought a six-month war against National Wrestling Alliance promoter Ron Fuller over control of the NWA's Knoxville territory. Although the "outlaw" group was successful in its efforts to oust Fuller, the promotional war is blamed for "killing" pro wrestling in Knoxville for several years during the 1980s wrestling boom.

The organization was formed by Ronnie Garvin, Bob Roop, Bob Orton, Jr. and Boris Malenko after leaving Southeastern Championship Wrestling. They began plans to run opposition against NWA promoter Ron Fuller in the spring of 1979. A major source of friction were creative differences and backstage politics involving the promoter's brother, Robert Fuller, who was involved with SECW's office at the time. It was also suspected that Ron Fuller was stealing money from the talent. The incident which finally triggered the split occurred when Bob Roop and Ron Wright allegedly caught the ticket sellers stealing money from the gate at an SECW house show. After confronting Fuller, Roop was convinced they had been acting under the promoter's orders.

I went to see [Ron Fuller]. I told him what was happening, suspecting he was not only aware of it, but likely the one ordering it done. My suspicions were justified by his response to my charge of the double ticket selling. He told me he couldn’t believe his ticket people would or could do that, just registered total shock and disbelief, in effect denying it was happening. Well, let me ask you: if the general manager as well as one of the top talents of your company comes to you with these kind of accusations, do you think you are going to deny them out of hand? … NO! You’re going to tell him that you are going to be looking into that accusation, thank him for letting you know about it, that you will get to the bottom of it, etc.

That he denied that it could be happening and clearly planned on continuing to do the same thing, made him my enemy. He was stealing from me every night, taking money I had given blood, sweat and tears to earn, he wasn’t satisfied that we were doing great business and earning him a fortune, he had to steal off the top of it. That he would lie to my face and deny what I presented to him as known factual evidence to me was to me a personal insult and lost whatever small affection or respect I might have felt for him. That he thought I would take it and be happy because I was making quite a bit of money even being shafted was a reflection as to his opinion of my character and another deeply-felt personal insult. That he would let us run the entire show, give us carte blanche to do what we wished with his territory, then give us the old shaftola? He clearly thought we were all stooges who would just put up with that kind of insult! He was wrong!

— Kayfabe Memories, 3 April 2003

A friend of Roop's from the NWA's Florida territory, Dick Slater, was staying at his home while recovering from an accidental gunshot wound. Roop had convinced Fuller to bring Slater into SECW, paying him an weekly $800 guarantee while injured, and personally loaned Slater an additional $1,000. Slater allegedly agreed to join Roop's group but secretly informed Florida promoter Eddie Graham who then warned Fuller about their plans to steal the Knoxville territory. Fuller confronted Roop who agreed to resign his position as booker. Fuller gave the position to Slater. This forced Roop and his partners to proceed earlier than they had planned.

"I don't know about his lawyer but I'm sure Fuller must have been pissed (and rightly so when you think about it). As for splitting a gut, every time a group of us boys hung out on the boat at Norris Lake we all had a pretty good time and laugh at Fuller's expense. Seriously though you have to appreciate Fuller's dilemma. Had he not kept kayfabe he probably would have gotten his boat back. But he would have put his business at great risk. Fuller's promotion at the time was extremely successful drawing sellout crowds weekly both in the home city of Knoxville and also several other weekly and spot shows."

Garvin was involved in a storyline feud with Fuller over the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship prior to the split. A week before his departure, Garvin won both the title and a boat owned by Fuller. He was supposed to lose the belt the following week, however, Garvin and his partners planned to run their first show instead. Garvin brought the title with him upon forming All-Star Championship Wrestling and continued making title defenses on All-Star and ICW shows. SECW did not acknowledge this and quietly purchased a new belt. In addition to winning the title, Garvin also won a boat owned by Fuller. This was part of a scripted storyline rather than a legitimate prize but Garvin kept the boat. The promoter brought Garvin to court in an effort to recover his property, however, Fuller lost the case.

Its television show, "All Star Championship Wrestling", aired on WTVK (Channel 26) in Knoxville and syndicated to WKPT (Channel 19) in Kingsport, Tennessee and WKYH (Channel 57) in Hazard, Kentucky. Big Jim Hess, a former SECW announcer, was able to use his connections as a sales representative at WTVK to get All-Star on television. SECW had originally aired on WTVK before Fuller bought the promotion and moved the show to WBIR (Channel 10). Throughout its run, All-Star had poor television coverage in Knoxville compared to SECW. They did, however, possess a strong talent roster giving All-Star a decided advantage against their NWA-backed rival which was receiving talent from Championship Wrestling from Florida, Georgia Championship Wrestling, and Jim Crockett Promotions.