kevinmcfl

I enjoyed the Piper-Rose cage match. Rose is like Jerry Lawler in Memphis. No matter what stage of his career, he is the MAN in PCW! I love how you have kept this consistent since the beginning. Also, I like how now matter the difference in ability (or at least what I think the difference is), you make it a quality match. This just makes your jobbers or JTTS believable. It also allows you to give your entire roster a push when ever you want as they have already had good matches. Smart booking

Michael Hayes wants to know who are these Fabulous Creebirds you speak of. lol

Episode #21 September 5, 1991 WBIR-TV (Channel 10-Knoxville) Syndicated across Eastern Tennessee, Kentucky and Western North Carolina Les Thatcher: Welcome wrestling fans, coming to you from Knoxville Auditorium Studio for Smoky Mountain Wrestling… wrestling the way it used to be and wrestling just the way you like it. I’m Les Thatcher along with “Dirty” Dutch Mantel and we are just over a week from the big event in the Knoxville Civic Center where there will be a triple main event!! The Smoky Moutain Tag Title will be on the line as Shawn Michaels and Jeff Jarrett will have their hands full with the Dirty White Boys, Dory Funk Jr. and his new tag team partner, Captain Redneck Dick Murdoch will face the reunited Freebirds, Michael Hayes and Smoky Mountain Champion Terry Gordy and let’s not forget the title match that is over 12 years in the making as the Southern Champion, “The Tennessee Stud” Robert Fuller faces Rugged Ron Garvin. Dutch Mantel: Wow…. It never ceases to amaze me… Smoky Mountain Wrestling Commissioner Bob Armstrong doesn’t give his top wrestler a match! Les: And who might that be? Dutch: Me you idiot Les: Well Dutch, you will be in action that night as you will be facing “White Lightening” Tim Horner. Dutch: Well, all I can say is that White Lightening is going to be Black and Blue. Les: We will have to wait and see but let’s get to today’s show and what a show it is going to be. We will have “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig in action tonight against the double tough Tracy Smothers. Tim Horner will be back in action tonight. Tommy Rich and Brad Armstrong will tag up to square off against the Hustler Rip Rogers and “Gentlemen” Ken Timbs. Ron Garvin will have, what he hopes is a tune up for his Southern title match, against the Mighty Yankee and in a main event tonight, we have a big one as Terry Gordy defends his Smoky Mountain title against Irwin R. Schyster. Dutch: Ohhhh, your girlfriend is here!! Les: Dutch, I’m a married man. Dutch: Married maybe… man, not that’s a question. Les: Can I continue… Dutch: If you must. Les: Never mind, let’s just get to the ring. Match #1: Curt Hennig vs. Tracy Smothers LES: Mr. Perfect, Curt Hennig been running his mouth since the day he arrived in this territory, but he's about to find out that Smoky Mountain Wrestling has some very talented athletes. Tracy Smothers is one double tough wrestler. DUTCH: Les, Tracy Smothers has about as much of a shot of beating Mr. Perfect as you do. LES: All I'm telling you is that Tracy Smothers is one of the finest young competitors we've got here. He's one-half of the Wild Southern Boys, he's quick, he's tough, and he's beaten some very good men. DUTCH: And none of that matters! This is Curt Hennig. As for the match, Smothers comes out aggressively, circling Hennig before locking up. Tracy catches Hennig with an arm drag and immediately follows with another. The crowd cheers. Smothers backs Hennig into the corner and fires off several punches. Hennig covers up before suddenly raking Smothers across the eyes. Hennig takes control, driving Smothers into the turnbuckles. He methodically works over Tracy, delivering a series of crisp right hands and a knee to the midsection. Smothers tries to fight back but to no avail. Hennig immediately grabs him from behind. Hennig lifts Smothers into position. DUTCH: PERFECT-PLEX! LES: Oh no! Hennig executes the Perfect Plex. He bridges perfectly as the referee counts. ONE! TWO! THREE! DUTCH: Mr. Perfect wins! LES: Curt Hennig has defeated Tracy Smothers, and I'll tell you what, Dutch—he made that look far easier than I thought he would. DUTCH: Because I told you exactly what was going to happen! LES: Tracy Smothers is a tremendous competitor, but tonight he simply got caught. That Perfect Plex is an impressive maneuver. DUTCH: Caught? Les, he got destroyed! LES: I wouldn't go that far. DUTCH: I would! Somebody better tell the rest of these Smoky Mountain wrestlers to stay home when Curt Hennig is in town! Hennig stands in the middle of the ring, arrogantly brushing imaginary dust from his shoulders while looking down at Smothers. POST-MATCH INTERVIEW Hennig has a smug grin on his face Les: Curt Hennig, an impressive victory over Tracy Smothers tonight. Your thoughts? HENNIG: My thoughts? (Hennig laughs) My thoughts are that I'm starting to wonder where all the talent is around here. I was told Smoky Mountain Wrestling was supposed to be full of tough competition. I was told there were some great athletes down here. Well, I've been here for a few weeks now, and I'm still waiting. Tracy Smothers? He's supposed to be one of the top guys? I just beat him without breaking a sweat. I've competed against the best in this business, and believe me, Smoky Mountain Wrestling hasn't shown me anything yet. So let me make something perfectly clear: Curt Hennig isn't here to become another wrestler in the Smoky Mountain Wrestling roster. I'm here to become the Smoky Mountain Champion. And whoever is holding that championship better start worrying. LES THATCHER: Well, Mr. Hennig, you may want to listen up because he's going to get plenty of competition this week at the Knoxville Civic Center. Curt Hennig will be in action against Brad Armstrong! DUTCH: Brad Armstrong isn't competition for Curt Hennig. LES: Oh, really? DUTCH: He's an Armstrong. He’s a stepping stone! HENNIG: Brad Armstrong? Brad Armstrong is supposed to stop me? That's funny. Very funny. Armstrong, when you step into the ring with Mr. Perfect...you're stepping into the ring with the future Smoky Mountain Champion. LES: Well, there you have it. Curt Hennig certainly has confidence—and plenty of arrogance to go with it. COMMERCIAL BREAK We see, RON WRIGHT, in his wheelchair along with the Dirty White Boys and IRS LES: Ladies and gentlemen, we're back here on Smoky Mountain Wrestling television, and I've got to tell you, as much as I don’t like Ron Wright, he has gotten his men in position to win the two titles here in Smoky Mountain Wrestling. First, tonight it will be Irwin R. Schyster taking on Terry Gordy tonight for the Smoky Mountain Title and then this Saturday night at the Knoxville Civic Center, the Dirty White Boys will get their opportunity to take the Smoky Mountain Wrestling Tag Team Championship away from Shawn Michaels and Jeff Jarrett! RON WRIGHT: Les Thatcher, I want you to listen to me real careful now, because I'm fixin' to tell you something that every man, woman and young'un in the state of Tennessee oughta hear. All I've ever done... ALL I'VE EVER DONE... is try to do the right thing. I've tried to help people. I've tried to give these wrestlers a chance. I've tried to make an honest dollar in this business. And what do the people of Tennessee do? They turn their backs on me! They point their fingers at me! They laugh at a Christian man who's been sittin' in this wheelchair, unable to walk, unable to work like a man oughta work, unable to earn the money that I deserve! LES: Ron, you've blamed practically everybody for your condition— RON: You hush up now, Les! I'm talkin' about the truth! Who could look at an old mountain man like me and treat him the way these people have treated me? DUTCH: Nobody with a conscience, Ron. RON: That's exactly right, Dutch. But I'm here to tell you something tonight. My men are finally gettin' what they deserve. Irwin R. Schyster is gonna put a stop to Terry Gordy once and for all! Because everybody knows what's goin' on around here! Terry Gordy and Michael Hayes are obviously part of that organized crime that's runnin' rampant through these parts! LES: Now, come on! RON: Don't you "come on" me! That organized crime is the reason I've been stuck in this wheelchair for so long! It's the reason I can't get out there and earn the money that belongs to me! He’s been a stealin the money that these fans have been sending me each week. And Terry Gordy is gonna find out today that you don't cross Ron Wright and get away with it! IRWIN R. SCHYSTER: You know, Ron Wright is absolutely correct. Terry Gordy has been living off his reputation for far too long. He's been allowed to walk around here pretending to be some kind of hero. Well, Saturday night I'm going to expose him. I'm going to take Gordy, and I'm going to break him down piece by piece. Michael Hayes can’t save him. And when that bell rings, the only thing Gordy is going to understand that everyone must pay the Tax Man … and he will pay with the Smoky Mountain Title. LES: Let's talk about the Tag Team Championship match. Dirty White Boys, you've got Shawn Michaels and Jeff Jarrett this Saturday night. The champions have defeated some very good teams to hold those titles. DIRTY WHITE BOY #1: Yeah, Les, they have beaten some good teams. I'll give 'em that. They've got speed. They've got those fancy moves But they've never faced anything like the Dirty White Boys. DIRTY WHITE BOY #2: That's right! Saturday night they're gonna be fightin' the Dirty White Boys! There's a difference! We're not comin' to Knoxville to have a wrestling match with those two pretty boys. We're comin' to destroy 'em! DUTCH: That's what I've been saying! Michaels and Jarrett have had a nice little run as champions but they are outclassed now.! Les: Let’s get back to the ring Match #2 Ron Garvin vs The Mighty Yankee Garvin is just pummeling The Mighty Yankee as Dutch is going wild at the tactics of Garvin but Les seems to ignore it all. Wrestling is funny how the babyfaces are so tough when they stomp and punch away at their opponents but the heels are criminals when they do it. Anyway, Garvin tosses the Mighty Yankee out onto the floor but doesn’t follow him to the floor. The camera picks up the Mighty Yankee rolling under the ring but when he reemerges something is different. He is much taller and seems to be thinner. Garvin doesn’t notice. WHAM… shoulder to the gut of Garvin by the “Mighty Yankee” The Mighty Yankee now enters the ring and is pounding away on Garvin. Wait… another Mighty Yankee appears… also taller and from the other side of the ring and they do quite a number on Garvin they are beating him from pillar to post. Garvin begins to show a little blood on his head but the attack continuous! Finally, Tommy Rich and Brad Armstrong hit the ring and the “Mighty Yankees” exit stage left. As Rich and Armstrong tend to Garvin, The Mighty Yankees who are out on the floor take off the masks and we see that it is The Tennessee Stud Robert Fuller and his cousin Jimmy Golden! Even though both are no strangers to Knoxville, Les makes it clear who they are and that they are here for one reason… to hurt Ron Garvin before the Southern Title Match this week in Knoxville!! Dutch says Garvin and Commissioner Bob Armstrong got exactly what they deserved as Garvin has no right to a Southern Title Match and that Armstrong had no right taking the Fuller’s to court over a title he has no jurisdiction over! We see Tommy Rich and Brad Armstrong help Ron Garvin out of the ring where he goes right to the podium and is all fired up. Ron Garvin Robert Fuller… you coward! You come here with your inbreed cousin and think the two of you can stop me from getting in the ring with you this Saturday for a title Ive been waiting 12 years to get back. (Garvin rubs the blood on his forehead) You two think this hurts… you think I’m afraid of a little blood! Think again Fuller. This Saturday night …. There will be more blood. Maybe mine. Maybe yours but one thing is for sure… There will be another Southern Champion! As the trio walks off, Les thanks Tommy and Brad for their help out there and promises the fans that they will see these two a little later on in the show. This seems to upset Dutch again. COMMERCIAL Bob Armstrong is with Les and Dutch for a big announcement. BOB ARMSTRONG: Smoky Mountain Wrestling is heading to the campus of Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky, to the Alumni Coliseum for the …. Battle of Kentucky on Saturday, September 26! And we've got something special planned. There will be an eight-man, single-elimination tournament. Eight men will begin the night. One man will walk out the winner. And that winner gets five thousand dollars—and a future shot at the Smoky Mountain Heavyweight Championship! We'll also have a Smoky Mountain Tag Team Championship match that night, and I can promise you there will be plenty more announcements concerning Battle of Kentucky in the weeks ahead. LES: Five thousand dollars and a future title shot! That's going to bring out the very best competitors in this territory. DUTCH: Or the very dirtiest. LES: Speaking of competition, let's get to the ring. Match #3: “White Lightning” Tim Horner vs. “Bad Boy” Billie Black. Horner controls the early action with crisp wrestling, taking Black down repeatedly. Billie Black attempts to slow the pace with cheap shots, but Horner keeps coming back. LES: This is what Tim Horner does better than almost anybody. He makes you wrestle. DUTCH: And that's the problem with wrestling. Eventually somebody gets tired of it and starts fighting. LES: That's usually when you get in trouble. Horner catches Black with a rolling cradle and scores the three-count. Suddenly, King Kong Bundy storms toward the ring. LES: Wait a minute! What's Bundy doing here? Did you have something to di with the Dutch. Bundy enters the ring and blasts Horner with a massive Avalanche in the corner. LES: Good Lord! Bundy hits Horner with a second Avalanche! DUTCH: That's what you call making an impression! LES: There's no reason for this! Bundy backs Horner into the corner one more time and crushes him with a third Avalanche! LES: THREE AVALANCHES! Somebody get help! Officials rush toward the ring as Bundy finally leaves. LES: Dutch, I'm going to say something that everybody watching this program already knows. King Kong Bundy is your man … and you were supposed to face Tim Horner this week in Knoxville. DUTCH: All coincidence. Anyway, Bundy is his own man plus…. Now it looks like I now have a date with a pancake. LES: I don't believe in coincidences like this! BOB ARMSTRONG: Dutch Mantel! Get back over here and you listen to me. Dutch reluctantly turns towards Bob. BOB: I saw what happened, and I've got the same suspicions Les Thatcher has. I believe you had something to do with that attack! DUTCH: Commissioner, I had absolutely nothing— BOB: Save it! I've been told Tim Horner may be out of action for some time because of what just happened tonight. BOB: Now, Dutch, I know you're probably pretty happy about that because you were scheduled to face Tim Horner in Knoxville next week. DUTCH: Well, Commissioner, if the man's injured, that's not my fault! BOB: You're right. It's not your fault that he's injured. But it IS my decision who you wrestle. DUTCH: Wait a minute— BOB: Next week in Knoxville, Dirty Dutch Mantel will wrestle Stunning Steve Austin! [Huge crowd reaction.] DUTCH: WHAT?! BOB: You heard me. DUTCH: You can't do this! I'm a commentator! BOB: Stop playing both sides of the fence. Next week, you're a wrestler. DUTCH: I protest! BOB: Protest denied. LES: Dutch Mantel has just gotten a taste of his own medicine! DUTCH: This isn't over, Thatcher! COMMERCIAL Dory Funk Jr. and Dick Murdoch are seated at the interview area. LES: Fans, the West Texas Outlaws are with us. Dory Funk Jr. and Dick Murdoch have a bit of a grudge to settle next week in Knoxville against the Freebirds. DORY FUNK JR.: Michael Hayes has done a lot of talking. DICK MURDOCH: Too much talking! DORY: Next week, we're going to shut that talking down. MURDOCH: The Freebirds may think they're tough. They may think they're untouchable. But they've never been in the ring with the West Texas Outlaws! DORY: Next week, Michael Hayes is going to find out that words don't hurt us but we do hurt sissy boys like him. MURDOCH: Can’t wait to see that hair of his go flying back after a Texas right hand whacks the smile off his face. DORY: Terry Gordy… sorry but you are guilty by association. My brother didn’t have a problem with you. I didn’t have a problem with you but your so-called Freebird Brother… Michael Hayes… No we got a problem with him. We're coming to Knoxville to destroy the Freebirds. MURDOCH: And if Hayes wants to run his mouth afterward, it might be a bit hard with a broken jaw! Match #4: TOMMY “WILDFIRE” RICH & BRAD ARMSTRONG vs. “THE HUSTLER” RIP ROGERS & “GENTLEMAN” KEN TIMBS The heels spend much of the match using every shortcut available. Rogers distracts the referee while Timbs attacks Armstrong from behind. Rich eventually gets the hot tag and cleans house. LES: Look at Tommy Rich! He's had enough! Rich and Armstrong work together, but Rogers and Timbs continue their cheating. Late in the match, Timbs attempts another illegal maneuver. Armstrong catches him and delivers a Russian Leg Sweep. LES: Armstrong caught him! DUTCH: That wasn't very gentlemanly. LES: Neither was what Timbs was doing! BRAD ARMSTRONG: You know, next week in Knoxville, I've got a match against a man who calls himself “Mr. Perfect.” Well, Curt Hennig can call himself whatever he wants. I've heard all about how perfect he is. I've heard about how he's better than everybody else. But I've never backed down from a challenge in my life. And I'm not starting next week. Curt Hennig, you're coming to Knoxville looking for a fight? You've got one. BRAD: You can bring the attitude. You can bring the confidence. You can even bring that perfectplex. But when that bell rings, you're going to find out that Brad Armstrong doesn't scare easily. See you in Knoxville! COMMERCIAL Smoky Mountain Tag Team Champions Shawn Michaels and Jeff Jarrett walk to the interview area carrying the championship belts. LES: There they are, your Smoky Mountain Tag Team Champions—TNT, Shawn Michaels and Jeff Jarrett. DUTCH: Two kids with championship belts. SHAWN MICHAELS: That's right, Dutch. Kids. Too small. Too young. That's what everybody said. JEFF JARRETT: Everybody doubted us. They said we couldn't hang with the bigger teams. They said experience would beat youth. They said we'd never become champions. SHAWN: But here's what happened. We won. JEFF: And then we won again. SHAWN: And we're still holding these belts. SHAWN: Next week in Knoxville, we've got the Dirty White Boys. They're big. They're rough. They're mean. JEFF: And they probably think they're going to take these championships away from us. SHAWN: But we've heard that before. JEFF: So have we. SHAWN: The Dirty White Boys can bring everything they've got. Because next week, TNT is going to do what TNT has always done. BOTH: WIN! DUTCH: You boys better enjoy those belts while you can. SHAWN: Dutch, you seem to forget something. You're wrestling Stunning Steve Austin next week. JEFF: I'd worry about yourself. [Dutch looks irritated.] LES: Fans, we are joined by the Freebirds, Michael Hayes and Terry Gordy. And Michael Hayes, next week you face the West Texas Outlaws. MICHAEL HAYES: Les, let me tell you something. Everybody keeps talking about next week. Dory Funk Jr. Dick Murdoch. The West Texas Outlaws. Well, they better understand one thing. This ain't Texas. This ain't the place where they can walk in here and run over the Freebirds. This is Smoky Mountain Wrestling. And wherever the Freebirds go, the Freebirds take over! HAYES: Have we've been stopped before? No! Have we been beaten before? No! Have we been chased out of town? No! So why in the world would anybody believe that Dory Funk Jr. and Dick Murdoch are going to be the first two men to stop us? They won't! Because next week in Knoxville, the West Texas Outlaws are going to find out what everybody else already knows. Freebirdmania Rules! We'll run right through Dory Funk! We'll run right through Dick Murdoch! And when the dust settles, Michael Hayes and Terry Gordy will still be standing with all the pretty girls from Tennessee who will be volunteering their …time with us. LES: Terry, you've also got Irwin R. Schyster coming up tonight. TERRY GORDY: That's where my focus is. IRS is a different kind of wrestler. He's smart, he's technical, and he's got that bad man Ron Wright in a wheelchair in his corner. But IRS better watch himself. Because tax men in these parts of the country? They've been known to have short life spans. MAIN EVENT: SMOKY MOUNTAIN CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH TERRY “BAM BAM” GORDY (C) with Michale Hayes vs. IRWIN R. SCHYSTER with Ron Wright Ron points toward Hayes. RON WRIGHT: That man doesn't have a manager's license! He can't be at ringside! HAYES: Fine! I'll watch from right here with Les! As for the match, Gordy uses his power early, but IRS surprises him with technical wrestling, holds and counters. LES: IRS is wrestling a very smart match. DUTCH: He's not trying to outmuscle Gordy. He's trying to outthink him. IRS repeatedly targets Gordy's leg and uses every opportunity to bend the rules. LES: He's also using some questionable tactics. DUTCH: Questionable to you. Brilliant to me. Gordy begins to fight back. He catches IRS with a series of hard shots and takes control. LES: Now we're seeing the Terry Gordy that became Smoky Mountain Champion! Gordy pounds IRS from corner to corner. Ron Wright begins shouting instructions. RON: IRS! Get up! Get up! DUTCH: Ron Wright is earning his money tonight. Gordy hits IRS with a tremendous clothesline. LES: IRS is in trouble! Gordy whips IRS into the ropes. LES: Gordy setting him up! Gordy lowers his shoulder, preparing to drive IRS down with the spear— HAYES: COME ON, TERRY! Hayes suddenly moves toward ringside and grabs the top rope. LES: Wait a minute! [Hayes pulls the top rope down.] IRS goes sailing over the ropes and crashes to the floor. LES: HAYES PULLED DOWN THE ROPE! Referee immediately calls for the bell. RING ANNOUNCER: The winner of the match by disqualification—Irwin R. Schyster! LES: IRS wins by disqualification, but Terry Gordy RETAINS the Smoky Mountain Championship! LES: Look at Gordy's face! He doesn't look happy at all! DUTCH: Hayes just saved his friend from losing the championship. LES: Or he cost Gordy the chance to beat IRS decisively! [Hayes retrieves the championship belt and tosses it into the ring.] HAYES: Terry! Get your belt! [Gordy catches it.] HAYES: Come on! Let's go! [Gordy stares at Hayes for a moment, then looks down at the championship.] LES: I'm not so sure the Freebirds are all on the same page after what we've just witnessed. LES: Well, fans, we've seen a lot tonight but if your anywhere near Knoxville next Saturday night, get yourself a ticket to the Civic Center. It is sure to be a great show. I'm Les Thatcher. Until next time, So long from the Smoky Mountains!

Very interested to see the outcome of the Lex Luger-Cactus Jack match. The way I see it, you are in a difficult spot. Lex is obviously one of your top, top guys and has been perfectly built this way. If he lost to Cactus Jack, that would really elevate Jack quickly from not even being in the top 10 to a contender! But this would be hard to pull off considering Cactus Jack could not go over El Gigante cleanly. I think there is going to be some chaos here!!!! Really looking forward to all the matches at the Clash. Those are some awesome matches for free tv. This is why I was always a WCW fan and not a WWE fan. They just had better things for free.

Enjoying the Tournament of Lions... that prize seems like it could set one of these youngsters on a road to rehab. Give some young guy that much money and he could get in trouble.

Nice job starting the ground work for the Happening! That should be an aweosme main event. Always liked Manny Fernandez.... he adds a lot as he can do whatever you ask of him on the card. I like the desolate town video of the Hangman and Neil. Always interesting to see those little segments. Ok.... So who did Idol trade Dundee and Iceman for.... Jackie seems happy! Can't wait to find out. Chicky and Carlon .... this one is perfect for PR!

Awesome show. Attorney Madril is must watch TV. Great idea putting them with Bart and Deadeye Dick. UWF has become a very fun read.

Nice show. I like that your promotion looks like itis going to be giving some serious time to the women. This is something that our game has been missing. Hope you are enjoying the new territory. I am enjoying learning about a scene I knew nothing about.

Episode #20 August 29, 1991 WBIR-TV (Channel 10-Knoxville) Syndicated across Eastern Tennessee, Kentucky and Western North Carolina SMW opening music plays. Highlights from K-Town Showdown flash across the screen: Shawn Michaels and Jeff Jarrett raising the Tag Team Titles, King Kong Bundy fighting Stunning Steve Austin, and the chaotic finish involving the Funk Brothers and the Freebirds. LES THATCHER: Hello, wrestling fans, and welcome to another exciting hour of Smoky Mountain Wrestling! Wrestling the way it used to be and wrestling the way you like it. I'm Les Thatcher, and alongside me, as always, is the man who somehow manages to make every situation worse— DIRTY DUTCH MANTEL: You're welcome, Les. LES: I wasn't thanking you. DUTCH: You should. I'm the reason people watch this program. LES: People watch in spite of you. DUTCH: That's what they tell you because they're afraid of me. LES: Let's get right to it. We have an awful lot to talk about following K-Town Showdown, and joining us right now is Smoky Mountain Wrestling Commissioner Bullet Bob Armstrong! [Bob Armstrong enters to a big ovation.] BOB ARMSTRONG: Les, I couldn't be happier! K-Town Showdown proved something to me and proved something to every wrestling fan in this part of the country. Smoky Mountain Wrestling can stand toe-to-toe with anybody! LES: And you mean the WWF? BOB: That's exactly who I mean! The big boys from up north came down here expecting to make Smoky Mountain Wrestling look second-rate. Well, they found out something different! DUTCH: Hold on, Commissioner. You say "anybody." I saw Terry Funk taking it to Terry Gordy. BOB: Tell the whole story for once Dutch. You say Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk taking it to Terry Gordy in a 2-1 attack. That it until Mr. Michael Hayes showed up! LES: And you believe that if it weren't for some outside interference, SMW could have swept all three of those major matches? BOB: I absolutely believe it! We were that close. BOB: That's why I'm proud of Smoky Mountain Wrestling. We're growing, and we're not afraid of anybody. LES: Commissioner, thank you for joining us. BOB: Thank you, Les. And … never mind, that’s all. DUTCH: Like I’m not even here. LES: Wishful thinking. Try not to cause any trouble today. DUTCH: Les, I am the model of professionalism. LES: Well, Dutch, let's run down today's lineup. DUTCH: Let's start with my favorite part. LES: Your favorite part? DUTCH: The debut of Mr. Perfect, Curt Hennig! LES: I knew you'd like him. DUTCH: He's everything I admire in a wrestler. Good-looking, confident, arrogant— LES: Arrogant? DUTCH: Yes… nothing wrong with that. I’m arrogant. LES: Not sure Curt Hennig wants to be compared to you. DUTCH: Everyone wants to be compared to Dutch Mantel. LES: Also today, fan favorite Ron Garvin is in action, your man King Kong Bundy will wrestle— DUTCH: My man! LES: Dutch, please stop interrupting. Captain Redneck Dick Murdoch is here, and our main event has Wildfire Tommy Rich and Brad Armstrong taking on Ron Wright's Dirty White Boys. DUTCH: That's going to be a rough night for Tommy Rich and Brad Armstrong. LES: We'll see about that. MATCH #1 — MR. PERFECT CURT HENNIG vs. SWEET BROWN SUGAR [Curt Hennig makes his SMW debut. He receives a mixed reaction, confidently soaking in the attention.] DUTCH: Look at this guy, Les! That's a professional wrestler. LES: Curt Hennig certainly has an impressive reputation. DUTCH: He doesn't even sweat walking to the ring. LES: Give him time. [Bell rings.] Sweet Brown Sugar tries to take Hennig down, but Hennig quickly counters and controls the match. Sugar fires back with several quick moves and nearly catches Hennig with a huge missile drop kick but Hennig swiftly dodges. LES: Don't underestimate Sweet Brown Sugar. He's a formidable opponent. DUTCH: Not formidable enough. He’s laying on the ground again. Hennig catches Sugar coming off the ropes and plants him with a picture-perfect Perfect Plex. REFEREE: ONE! TWO! THREE! LES: That's it! Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig wins his Smoky Mountain Wrestling debut! DUTCH: PERFECT! LES: I have to admit, Dutch, I'm impressed. Sweet Brown Sugar is no pushover, and Hennig disposed of him very quickly. DUTCH: I told you! Mr. Perfect is perfect! LES: Let's go to commercial. DUTCH: Don't go anywhere! I want to watch that Perfect Plex again! [Michael Hayes and Smoky Mountain Champion “Bam Bam” Terry Gordy stand at the interview podium.] MICHAEL HAYES: Well, well, well! Knoxville, Tennessee! How sweet it is to be back home with my Freebird brother! [Hayes smiles and puts his arm around Gordy.] HAYES: Terry and I have been through a lot together. We've fought, we've traveled, we've partied, we've raised a little Cain everywhere we've gone. And when I saw Dory and Terry Funk double-teaming my brother? HAYES: Ohhhhh, baby! I felt that Freebird blood starting to rise up again. HAYES: I couldn't just sit at home and watch that happen! GORDY: Michael came in when I needed him. I appreciate it. HAYES: "Appreciate it"? GORDY: Yeah. HAYES: Terry, baby, we're Freebirds! You don't just appreciate a Freebird. You celebrate a Freebird! And once a Freebird … always a Freebird and you can take that to the bank Jack! DUTCH: Michael… you’re laying it on a little thick. I mean you haven’t even been in a match here in Smoky Mountain Wrestling and your acting like the Freebirds are in charge. HAYES: Freebirdmania is alive and well baby. And Knoxville, you better get ready because the parties are coming back! The lights, the music, the beautiful people, the Freebirds— Michael “Purely Sexy” and Brother Bam Bam are back in town…. GORDY: We're here to wrestle. I am the Smoky Mountain Champion. HAYES: And soon to be the Smoky Mountain tag team champions. Nobody and I mean nobody gets in a Freebirds way. GORDY: Again Michael, thanks for you’re help… glad you’re here. [Hayes winks at camera.] HAYES: The b b b b b b b boys are back in town! MATCH #2 — KING KONG BUNDY vs. “JUMPING” JOEY MAGS DUTCH: Here comes my man! LES: King Kong Bundy is certainly a formidable individual. DUTCH: Formidable? He's a human earthquake! [Bundy dominates immediately.] LES: Joey Mags is trying to use his speed. DUTCH: Speed doesn't matter when you're standing in front of a five-hundred-pound problem! Bundy catches Mags and launches him across the ring. DUTCH: Look at that! He's playing with him! Bundy crushes Mags in the corner, grabs him and delivers the Avalanche. DUTCH: AVALANCHE! Bundy covers. REFEREE: ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! FIVE! DUTCH: YES! Nobody can stop this man! LES: Including Ahmed Johnson and Stunning Steve Austin? DUTCH: Especially Ahmed Johnson and Stunning Steve Austin! LES: You seem very confident. DUTCH: I'm going to the top of Smoky Mountain Wrestling, Les. And if I have to ride King Kong Bundy all the way there, that's exactly what I'm going to do! LES: I don't think that's how you're supposed to phrase that. DUTCH: You know what I mean. [Sensational Sherri Martel makes her way to the desk.] SHERRI: Well, hello, Les. LES: Hello, Sherri. SHERRI: You look awfully handsome today. [Les becomes visibly flustered.] DUTCH: Oh, brother. SHERRI: You know, Les, I always thought you were a very distinguished gentleman. LES: Well... that's very kind of you. DUTCH: He's melting! LES: I'm not melting. DUTCH: Les, you're sweating through your jacket. SHERRI: I've been meaning to ask you something, Les. LES: Anything. SHERRI: When are you going to ask me about my team? LES: Actually, that's exactly what I wanted to ask. DUTCH: Here we go. SHERRI: First of all, Les, it's not just a tag team. It's the hottest, best and sexiest team in all of professional wrestling. LES: You've certainly built-up expectations. SHERRI: And last week wasn't my fault. LES: What wasn't? SHERRI: The introduction. DUTCH: Security’s fault. Commissioner Armstrong let’s everything fall through the cracks. SHERRI: Exactly! Smoky Mountain Wrestling didn't send enough security. When my boys walked into that Hooters restaurant, those waitresses went wild! We couldn’t even see my men. They were surrounded. DUTCH: I knew they were there. We just couldn’t see them. Sherri, you are always a woman of your word. SHERRI: They were screaming! They were climbing all over the place! I had to get my boys out of there before somebody got hurt! LES: So when do we finally meet them? SHERRI: At the end of today's show. LES: Here? SHERRI: No. SHERRI: A secret location in Knoxville. LES: A secret location? SHERRI: That's right. The camera man and I are leaving right now. LES: Sherri— SHERRI: Bye, Les. [Sherri kisses Les on the cheek and leaves.] DUTCH: I'm sick. LES: Dutch, I think I need a moment. DUTCH: You need a cold shower. LES: Let's go to break. [Dick Murdoch enters to boos.] DUTCH: Now this is my kind of wrestler. He means business. LES: Captain Redneck Dick Murdoch is certainly one of the toughest men in wrestling. Murdoch batters Dixie Dynamite and eventually catches the masked fan favorite with a devastating Brainbuster. REFEREE: ONE! TWO! THREE! LES: Dick Murdoch wins but maybe Commissioner Bob should take a look at that finishing move. It does resemble the piledriver if you ask me. DUTCH: Captain Redneck just drove him straight into the mat. Nothing illegal there. This is professional wrestling Les… not Hop Scotch like you used to play. [Murdoch comes to the interview podium.] MURDOCH: I'll tell you something. I ain't real happy right now. LES: What's wrong? MURDOCH: Ivan Koloff. LES: The Russian Bear? MURDOCH: Yeah. Seems like Ivan's left town because of that little mishap we had against Jeff Jarrett and Shawn Michaels. DUTCH: He's talking about the punch. MURDOCH: It was an accident. I got a lot of respect for Ivan Koloff. He's been in this business a long time, he's one of the toughest men I've ever met, and I hope he understands that. [Dory Funk Jr. enters.] DORY FUNK JR.: Dick Murdoch! MURDOCH: Dory Funk. DORY: I'm looking for a partner. MURDOCH: For what? DORY: The Freebirds. DUTCH: Oh, boy. DORY: Michael Hayes interfered at K-Town Showdown. Nobody interferes with a Funk! MURDOCH: I like where this is going. DORY: My brother Terry would be the perfect partner. MURDOCH: But he's up north with WWF commitments. DORY: Exactly. So if my brother can't be here, what better than my brother from West Texas? [Dory extends his hand.] DORY: Dick? MURDOCH: You got yourself a partner! [Handshake.] MURDOCH: Let's go beat some Freebird hide! DUTCH: This could get ugly. Just the way people from West Texas like it. LES: It almost certainly will. [Ron Wright is wheeled to the podium with the Dirty White Boys standing behind him.] RON WRIGHT: Well, I'll tell ya, Les, this here is one of the finest days ever in the history of Smoky Mountain Wrestling! LES: Why's that, Ron? WRIGHT: Because my boys have finally got themselves a tag team title shot! DIRTY WHITE BOY #1: That's right! WRIGHT: In two weeks, right here in Knoxville, we're gonna take on Shawn Michaels and Jeff Jarrett for those here tag titles! DIRTY WHITE BOY #2: And we ain't asking for those titles. DIRTY WHITE BOY #1: We're taking 'em! WRIGHT: That's right! My boys ain't gonna wrestle those championships away from 'em. WRIGHT: They're gonna bully those titles away from 'em! DUTCH: I like this strategy. LES: Of course you do. WRIGHT: And when we get those titles, maybe I'll finally have enough money to get these surgeries and get myself back up on my own two feet! DUTCH: Now that's something I can support. LES: I have a feeling there's more to Ron Wright's plans than helping himself walk again. MATCH #4 — RON GARVIN vs. KILLER KYLE Now this a brawl. LES: This has been a slugfest from the opening bell! DUTCH: Killer Kyle is giving Garvin everything he's got. Kyle attempts to press the advantage, but Garvin absorbs the punishment and finally catches him with a massive right hand. DUTCH: That's not a wrestling move! It's a punch! LES: And you had no problem when Killer Kyle used the same move! DUTCH: Exactly! REFEREE: ONE! TWO! THREE! [Bell.] DUTCH: He punched him! LES: Ron Garvin wins! [Garvin walks to the desk and Dutch is just staring him down. GARVIN: What's your problem, Dutch? DUTCH: I just told Les…. That wasn't wrestling. GARVIN: You don't like how I wrestle? DUTCH: No. GARVIN: Then get in the ring and do something about it. DUTCH: Well— LES: Dutch? DUTCH: I'm an announcer! GARVIN: That's what I thought. [Crowd laughs.] DUTCH: I'm not afraid of you! GARVIN: Then prove it. DUTCH: Where is that King Kong Bundy? [Commissioner Bob Armstrong enters.] BOB: That's enough! Ron, I've got some news for you. GARVIN: What is it? BOB: Wrestling fans … Do you remember the Southern Championship? It was defended here in Knoxville and was the major championship in nine southern states. LES: I certainly remember that title. It was a huge deal here in the South. Second only to the world title I believe. BOB: Well, folks, Ron Garvin was the Southern Champion in 1979. GARVIN: And I never lost that title. BOB: You're right. The title was stripped from you by then-promoter Ron Fuller because you wanted to be a fighting champion and defend it throughout the South and he wouldn’t let you leave Knoxville with that title. DUTCH: That's ancient history. BOB: Maybe to you. BOB: But I recently won a major court case in Knox County Court establishing that Ron Garvin was wrongly stripped of that championship. GARVIN: You're kidding me! BOB: I'm not kidding. DUTCH: I think I know where this is going and I’m going to be sick again. BOB: In two weeks, right here in Knoxville, Ron Garvin gets a Southern Championship match! GARVIN: Against who? BOB: The irony is... the current Southern Champion is Tennessee Stud Robert Fuller. Garvin's face changes as he starts to smile. GARVIN: Robert Fuller? BOB: That's right. GARVIN: I've waited over ten years for this. DUTCH: This is completely unfair to the Fuller family! GARVIN: Dutch, you better worry about yourself. BOB: Congratulations, Ron. You've waited a long time. Now you get your opportunity. Garvin raises his fist as the crowd cheers. MAIN EVENT: WILDFIRE TOMMY RICH & BRAD ARMSTRONG vs. THE DIRTY WHITE BOYS [Tommy Rich and Brad Armstrong receive a huge ovation.] LES: Here we go! Our main event! DUTCH: And here comes Ron Wright's army. [Ron Wright is wheeled to ringside with the Dirty White Boys.] The opening minutes feature Tommy Rich and Brad Armstrong using crisp technical wrestling to gain control. LES: The Armstrong family and Tommy Rich have tremendous teamwork. DUTCH: They're wrestling fair which I’m not a fan of. LES: Of course not. The Dirty White Boys begin bending the rules, using cheap shots and double-team tactics. DUTCH: Now the Dirty White Boys have turned the tide. That's experience. LES: That's cheating. DUTCH: Same thing. Rich and Armstrong eventually answer with a furious brawl. LES: Now we're seeing the fists fly! DUTCH: I thought you just said that was cheating. [Ron Wright begins shouting toward the locker room.] WRIGHT: Get him! Get him now! [Irwin R. Schyster suddenly runs toward the ring.] LES: Wait a minute! Here comes Irwin R. Schyster! DUTCH: Three against two! IRS has joined the attack. Time for Wildfire and Armstrong to pay the Tax Man! REFEREE: [Calling for the bell.] LES: The referee has thrown this match out! DUTCH: Who cares? This is the best part of the show… an Armstrong getting a beating! [Dirty White Boys and IRS continue destroying Rich and Armstrong.] LES: Somebody needs to get out here! [Suddenly, Jeff Jarrett and Shawn Michaels sprint down the aisle.] LES: HERE COME THE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS! DUTCH: What are these two brats doing out here. [Jarrett and Michaels hit the ring. Wright's Army immediately retreats.] LES: Jarrett and Michaels have driven them away! [Ron Wright, the Dirty White Boys and IRS back up the aisle laughing and celebrating.] DUTCH: They're not scared! They don’t want to show Jarrett and Michaels anything before their title match in two weeks… Very smart. LES: Very cowardly! DUTCH: They're strategically relocating! LES: They're running, Dutch! [Wright's Army disappears backstage.] DUTCH: You know what? They accomplished what they wanted. LES: They tried to injure two men. DUTCH: Exactly. Professional wrestling. LES: Well, wrestling fans, earlier today Sensational Sherri promised us that we would finally discover the identity of her mysterious tag team. DUTCH: And our cameraman left almost an hour ago with her. LES: Let's go to that location now. [CUT TO OFF-SITE CAMERA.] [The camera shows the area outside Neyland Stadium on the University of Tennessee campus.] SHERRI MARTEL: Okay, everybody. This is it! The moment you've been waiting for! [A limousine approaches.] SHERRI: There they are! [The limo stops.] SHERRI: That's my team! [The limo door begins to crack open.] Suddenly, a large group of Tennessee cheerleaders rush toward the limousine. CHEERLEADERS: AAAAAHHHHH! [The cheerleaders begin screaming and surrounding the limo.] SHERRI: What are you doing?! [The limo begins rocking.] SHERRI: Stop! Stop! CHEERLEADERS: AAAAAHHHHH! SHERRI: Driver! DRIVER! Pull away! [The limo begins moving.] SHERRI: WHO TOLD THEM OUR LOCATION?! [The limo speeds away as the camera struggles to keep up.] SHERRI: WHO?! [The camera cuts abruptly.] LES: Well... I don't think that's what Sherri had in mind. DUTCH: Well at least I got to see cheerleaders. LES: Dutch those girls are half your age. DUTCH: Maybe! LES: What would your wife say? DUTCH: Who? LES: Oh brother. Dutch, you are Dirty! Folks, Smoky Mountain Wrestling returns to Knoxville in just two weeks for another major event! Be sure to get your tickets now. We've got Ron Garvin challenging Tennessee Stud Robert Fuller for the Southern Championship, the Dirty White Boys challenging Shawn Michaels and Jeff Jarrett for the Smoky Mountain Tag Team Championship, and much more! DUTCH: And King Kong Bundy! LES: Yes, Dutch. King Kong Bundy might be in action. DUTCH: And Mr. Perfect! LES: Possible. DUTCH: And me! LES: Hope not. DUTCH: You'd miss me if I wasn't there. LES: Let’s try it so I know for sure. DUTCH: You'd be lonely. LES: Good night, everybody. DUTCH: Good night, fans. And remember: if you want to be smart, listen to Dutch Mantel! LES: Don't do that. DUTCH: Too late. LES: So long from the Smoky Mountains!

Great shows in Phoenix as it showed off the depth of your roster. Some many great matches. The fact that Windham and Martel go head to head in a prelimanary match is WWF like in real life. I also found it interestng that Sabu gets the pin by using the table in a regular match instead of the DQ loss. ECW rules are in effect in AZ! I think this would be a perfect place for this. Just look at the fans at their annual PGA Golf event. They would love this. NIce touch.

Very interesting article. Two things jumped out at me. First, how rare it was for someone 160 pounds to make such a big name for himself; especially as a heel wrestler. Other people of that size might make it as a manager but very few in the ring. Next, I never new how big the wrestling scene was in Winnipeg. I had heard of the AWA going there and also thought that Stu ran some shows in Manitoba but it looks like there were multiple promotions in Winnipeg. Thanks for the article. I enjoy wrestling history.

I love that Cactus Jack comes right in and goes after Lex. Speaking of Lex... Wow, does it say a lot about your roster and your use of your roster when Lex is ranked #8. Looking forward to the Clash.

Awesome job with Summerslam from the angle reviews to the promos to the match write-ups. This took a lot of work. So many choices going forward for Flair. He will have a tough road for sure.

Great job witt title night! While Bad News is always a huge threat, the way you had him walk through the Gauntlet Match makes him look so strong! All the chaos throughout the night would have kep all the fans on the edge of their seats waiting for whats next. Really fun show. Also, while catching up on your last few weeks, I couldn't help but notice the depth of the tag team division. So many teams. Perfect time to bring the National Tag Title back.

Really enjoying all the comedy angles of the UWF so far. Madril has been magic on the mic and I love the Desparados videos. Nice little shoutout to SMW in the News from the Universe.... Thank you. Us little guys need to stand up to the Big Boys!