kevinmcfl

Saturday, August 8, 1991 Chattanooga Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium Attendance: 4,700 (60% full) Commentary: Les Thatcher The Chattanooga faithful packed the historic arena for as pro wrestling, under the promotion, Smoky Mountain Wrestling, returned to the River CIty. With bitter rivalries, championship matches, blood feuds, and one of the wildest main events ever seen in the territory, Fire on the Mountain lived up to its name. Dixie Dynamite vs. "Badboy" Billie Black The evening kicked off with the popular Dixie Dynamite taking on the arrogant "Badboy" Billie Black. Black used every shortcut possible, choking Dixie across the ropes and hiding behind the referee whenever he found himself in trouble. Once Dixie gained momentum, the crowd erupted behind the hometown favorite. After avoiding a charging Black in the corner, Dixie climbed to the top rope and connected with a spectacular Missile Dropkick square to the chest for the three-count. Winner: Dixie Dynamite via pinfall (Missile Dropkick) Tommy "Wildfire" Rich vs. "The Hustler" Rip Rogers Rip Rogers wrestled one of the dirtiest matches of his career, constantly raking Tommy Rich's eyes, pulling tights, and using the referee as a shield. Rogers repeatedly bailed to the floor to slow the pace whenever Rich began mounting offense. Late in the contest, Rogers attempted to use the ropes for leverage on a pin, but the referee caught him. While arguing with the official, Rich slipped behind Rogers and locked in his patented Sleeper Hold. Rogers struggled desperately before fading unconscious. Winner: Tommy "Wildfire" Rich via submission (Sleeper Hold) Ron Garvin vs. "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel Buddy Landel entered wearing his trademark robe and oozing confidence, but Ron Garvin quickly turned the match into a fistfight as the bayyface, to the delight of the crowd, used a lot if heel tactics. Landel repeatedly tried to outsmart Garvin with cheap shots and flashy offense, yet every time he got cocky, Garvin answered with brutal punches. As Landel attempted a top-rope crossbody, Garvin stepped aside before leveling the Nature Boy with his devastating Hands of Stone right hand, knocking Landel out cold. Winner: Ron Garvin via pinfall (Right Hand Knockout) King Kong Bundy & Dutch Mantel vs. Steve Austin & Ahmed Johnson The young, athletic duo of Steve Austin and Ahmed Johnson controlled much of the match with speed and power, frustrating Bundy and the crafty Dutch Mantel. With the ref down after being run into by a shoved Ahmed, Bundy began to put the pressure on Ahmed, Mantel secretly pulled a concealed packet from his boot. As Ahmed turned toward him, Dutch hurled a fireball directly into his face. Blinded and stumbling, Ahmed walked straight into King Kong Bundy's crushing Big Avalanche before Bundy covered him for the victory. After the match, officials and medics rushed to ringside to attend to Ahmed's burned face while Mantel laughed all the way to the locker room. A fuming Commissioner Armstrong can be seen yelling at Dutch Mantel on his way to the locker room. Winners: King Kong Bundy & Dutch Mantel via pinfall (Big Avalanche after fireball) but one may suspect that Commsioner Armstrong may reverse this decision and hand out some fines on next week's tv show. Six-Man Tag Team Match Ron Wright's Army (Irwin R. Schyster & The Dirty White Boys) vs. The Southern Boys (Steve Armstrong, Brad Armstrong & Tracy Smothers) This heated rivalry exploded from the opening bell. Neither team cared much about wrestling holds as fists flew throughout the contest. Late in the bout, manager Ron Wright maneuvered his wheelchair to ringside. While the referee was distracted, Wright reached beneath his blanket and handed one of the Dirty White Boys a steel chisel. Before the weapon could be used to carve up Tracy Smothers, the referee spotted the exchange and immediately called for the bell. The decision resulted in a disqualification against Ron Wright's Army, but the violence only escalated afterward as a wild six-man brawl erupted before security finally restored order. Winners: The Southern Boys via disqualification Smoky Mountain Tag Team Championship Russian Chain Match Champions TNT (Jeff Jarrett & Shawn Michaels) vs. "Captain Redneck" Dick Murdoch & "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff All four men entered connected by one long steel chain, guaranteeing there would be no escape. The match quickly became an unforgettable bloodbath as the chain was wrapped around throats, fists, and foreheads. Murdoch repeatedly battered Jarrett with chain-assisted punches while Koloff attempted to choke Michaels unconscious. The finish came after Jarrett and Michaels turned the tide by wrapping the chain tightly around Koloff's head. With Koloff trapped, Shawn Michaels exploded with a devastating Superkick, dropping the Russian Bear instantly. Michaels made the cover while Murdoch was unable to reach his partner in time. The champions retained after one of the most brutal matches in Smoky Mountain history. Winners and Still Smoky Mountain Tag Team Champions: TNT (Jeff Jarrett & Shawn Michaels) Smoky Mountain Heavyweight Championship Champion Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy vs. Stan "The Man" Hansen The crowd barely had time to settle before Gordy and Hansen met in the squared circle and immediately began exchanging punches. Both men went for the early knockout with big devasting moves as Gordy nailed Hansen with a spear and Hansen even connected with the Lariat but each pinfall was too close to the ropes as both men managed to get a foot across the bottom rope. Outside of the big power moves, this championship match never resembled a wrestling contest but was more of a brawl. As the action spilled out onto the floor, chairs flew, guardrails bent, and both men slammed each other into concrete walls as they battled throughout the arena. Neither man showed any interest in returning to the ring. Referee Mark Curtis desperately tried to regain control while counting both wrestlers outside the ring. The count reached ten with Gordy and Hansen still trading fists deep inside the crowd. Result: Double Count-Out Even after the decision, neither man stopped fighting. Security, wrestlers, and officials poured from the locker room in a desperate attempt to separate the two monsters as fans stood on their chairs cheering wildly. The show ended with Gordy and Hansen still trying to tear each other apart, leaving the Chattanooga crowd buzzing long after the final bell.

Great first show. Awesome job with Al Madril. For me, it was always the promos that hooked me in and I am hooked. Also, great use of the free agent pool

I added Champion and Thompson to the free agent list

Episode #17 August 1, 1991 WBIR-TV (Channel 10-Knoxville) Syndicated across Eastern Tennessee, North Carolina and Kentucky (Opening theme plays over scenic shots of the Smoky Mountains mixed with action footage from Mountain Mayhem with Stan Hansen's lariat, Tommy Rich firing punches, King Kong Bundy crushing opponents, Tracy Smothers chasing the Dirty White Boys with a 2x4 and Terry Gordy battling Wahoo McDaniel.) Les Thornton: "Hello everyone and welcome to Smoky Mountain Wrestling! Wrestling the way it used to be and wrestling the way you like it. I'm Les Thornton alongside the always opinionated Dirty Dutch Mantel." Dirty Dutch Mantel: "Opinionated? That's a fancy word for right. I tell the truth, Les. Folks around here just ain't used to hearing it. Les: Not sure I would call much of what you say as truth but let’s move on. First, boy do we have some show for you fans today but before we get to the action, we need to talk about what happened last week in the Ashville Civic Center and Mountain Mayhem. Dutch Mantell: Folks, I thought it was would never happen but I finally agree with Les Thatcher. We need to talk about the injustice that happened in Ashville. Commissioner Bob Armstrong never ceases to amaze me. He immediately fines my friends Dick Murdoch and Ivan Koloff instead of awarding them the tag team titles after they clearly defeated TNT. Les Thatcher: Oh brother… Dutch. I mean they used a Russian chain to nearly take the head off of Shawn Michaels. Dutch Mantel: You have no proof of that … but then when Tracy Smothers, a man not even involved in any match that night tries to clobber the Dirty White Boys with a 2x4, Armstrong does nothing! Les Thatcher: You might have a point Dutch but Tracy Smothers never even touched the Dirty White Boys. Dutch Mantel: And let’s not forget that Mr. Armstrong paid Stan Hansen to personally come after me in the Mountain Mayhem match! Les Thatcher: Dutch… you’re just reaching at straws now! But speaking of Stan Hansen… he did win the Mountain Mayhem and the $5000 along with a Smoky Mountain Title shot coming up in 2 weeks at Fire on the Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Dutch Mantel: Now that is actually something I would pay to see. Let’s get this show started as I’m sure there are lots of other people who want to complain about our commissioner. Match #1: Tommy "Wildfire" Rich vs. "Gentleman" Ken Timbs Dutch immediately begins praising Timbs. Dutch: "Look at Ken Timbs. A true gentleman." Les: "Dutch, he just wiped some crude off his boots on the ring apron." Dutch: "Gentlemen don't like dirty boots." Rich controls the match with his trademark fiery offense. Timbs repeatedly tries shortcuts before Rich fights back. Finish: Rich ducks a clothesline, lands a series of right hands, followed by the Thesz Press for the win. Dutch: "Timbs got robbed." Les: "He was pinned in the middle of the ring." Dutch: "Exactly! The referee was standing too close." Les: "How does that matter?" Dutch: "Pressure." Post match Interview: Les Thornton: "Tommy Rich, congratulations on your first television win in Smoky Mountain Wrestling." Tommy Rich: "You know something, Les? It feels mighty good to say this—I am HOME." (Crowd cheers loudly.) "I've wrestled all over this country and I’ll admit that Wildfire has not always been on the right side of the law but Tennessee has always been special to Tommy Rich. These people stood behind me when I was a young man, and standing here tonight hearing these fans again reminds me exactly why I love professional wrestling. "I didn't come back here for a vacation. I didn't come back to tell old stories. I came back because an old friend who saved my hide more times than I care to mention asked for a little help and I am really excited to pay back my debts to … Mr. Bob Armstrong! So if you're a tough guy like Ivan Koloff or Dick Murdoch, if you're a bully like Irwin R. Schyster, if you're looking to make a name for yourself, line up. Because Tommy 'Wildfire' Rich is ready." "I'll wrestle anybody." "One-on-one." "Two-on-one." "I don't care." "If you've got bad intentions, I've got these hands waiting for you." Dutch Mantel: "That's not a strategy. That's anger management issues." Les: "It sounds like fighting words to me." After Tommy walks out, the very angry tag team champions walk to the podium. Shawn Michaels & Jeff Jarrett Promo (The Smoky Mountain Tag Team Champions stand together with the belts.) Jeff Jarrett: "Ivan Koloff, Dick Murdoch, what happened at Mountain Mayhem crossed the line." Shawn Michaels: "A Russian chain? Really?" "You couldn't beat us in the ring, so you tried to take me out." Jarrett: "We earned these championships and there’s nothing you can do about it. Michaels: "That’s right … you two seemed more interested in hurting us then taking our titles so now, how about we forget the wrestling… We’ll fight fire with fire. You and us in a 4-Way Russian Chain Match. This is supposed to be your type of match Koloff so when we beat you in this match… it proves we are better! Jarrett: "Fire on the Mountain … Murdoch and Koloff… this is your last shot but know one thing, we’re ready to take this match right to the gutter and walk out the champions." COMMERCIAL BREAK HYPING UP FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN, VHS TAPES FOR SALE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF SMOKY MOUNTAIN WRESTLING BEING A LOCAL FUNDRAISER Before our next match, Les Thornton: "Fans, one of the busiest men in Smoky Mountain Wrestling has joined us. Please welcome Commissioner Bob Armstrong." (Huge ovation as Bob Armstrong walks to the interview area.) Dirty Dutch Mantel: "Listen to these people. They even cheer crooked politicians now." Les: "Bob Armstrong isn't a politician, Dutch. He's the Commissioner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling." Dutch: "Same thing. They both make rules nobody likes." Les: "The only people who don't like Bob Armstrong's rules are cheaters." Dutch: "Wrong…. We all watched Tracy Smothers cheat at Mountain Mayhem when he attacked the Dirty White Boys with a 2x4 in a match he was not even official in. I call that cheating but Smothers didn’t get fined." Bob Armstrong: "Dutch, I don’t know why I bother to answer you anymore but Tracy Smothers never hit anyone unlike your friends Ivan Koloff and Dick Murdoch who used a Russian Chain to try and take off the head of Shawn Michaels. But let’s move on. Fans, I wanted to stop by because we are just a few weeks away from what is shaping up to be the biggest event in Smoky Mountain Wrestling history..." 'FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN' Saturday Night, August 15th Chattanooga Memorial Auditorium "I've spent the last several weeks talking with wrestlers, managers, and officials, and one thing has become perfectly clear—everyone wants to know who the toughest man in Smoky Mountain Wrestling really is." "And Mountain Mayhem last week in Ashville proved that with Stan Hansen outlasting 19 other men to get the victory and earn the Smoky Mountain Title shot as Fire on the Mountain with Terry Gordy! (Crowd erupts.) "I've known both of these men for years. They're as tough as they come. Neither one knows how to back down, neither one knows the meaning of surrender, and Chattanooga may not be big enough to hold what's going to happen when those two step into the ring." "So, if you've been waiting to witness history, make your plans now. August 8th...Fire on the Mountain...because someone is leaving Chattanooga as the Smoky Mountain Champion." Les Thornton: "Commissioner, that may be the biggest championship match we've ever presented." Bob Armstrong: "It certainly has the potential to be. But I also want everyone watching to know this..." "The recent attacks, the outside interference, and the chaos involving the Ron Wright, Dirty White Boys, I.R.S., ends right now. We all saw Ron Wright handed that chisel to IRS which he used to slice up the head of Ron Garvin at Mountain Mayhem. Ron Wright is the manager of IRS and thus is responsible for his man’s actions so Ron Wright has been fined $500. For those of you wondering why Tracy Smothers has not been fined for his attack on the Dirty White Boys, it is very simple. He never hit anyone with anyone weapon. But…" "From this point forward, no more warnings. No more second chances. Anyone interfering in a sanctioned Smoky Mountain Wrestling match will face heavy fines and possible suspension just as our rules state.." Dirty Dutch Mantel: "There he goes with his rules but again falls to say that if you are on his side, there are no rules.." Bob Armstrong: "Dutch, the only people worried about those rules are the ones planning on breaking them." Dutch: "I ain't worried." Bob Armstrong: "Good. Then you won't mind if I keep my eye on you." (Crowd laughs.) Dutch: “Les, he's threatening a commentator!" Les: "I think he's protecting you from you." Dutch: "He's lucky I was in a good mood." Les: "When does that happen?" Dutch: "About every leap year." Next to the podium, Ron Garvin Les: Next, I want to welcome back a man who has not been wrestling in Knoxville for over a dozen years, a true legend in professional wrestling. A man that was wronged by the previous regime here…. Ron Garvin. (Crowd cheers as Ron Garvin appears.) Ron Garvin: "You know, hearing these fans brings back a lot of memories." "I've fought in Knoxville back in the 70’s. I've fought all over these mountains. I was the champion. I held that prestigious Southeastern Heavyweight title… Until a man named Ron Fuller took that all away from me. "And I can tell you one thing..." "It feels mighty good to be coming back home but I wouldn’t be here if Ron Fuller was still in charge. I wouldn’t be here if Bob Armstrong was not the commissioner" Dutch: Here we go again… another puppet. Les: Dutch, please don’t interrupt. Continue Ron. Ron: "I'm making my way back to the Knoxville area, and I'm looking forward to seeing old friends, making a few new enemies, and proving that Rugged Ron Garvin still has plenty left in the tank. So, to everybody in Smoky Mountain Wrestling...Get ready. Because Ron Garvin is coming and he has some debts to collect. (Huge ovation as the show heads to commercial.) Match #2 King Kong Bundy vs. Stan Jackson & Brian Davis Dutch claims this is unfair. Les: "It's two against one." Dutch: "Exactly. There aren’t two men in all of Tennessee that could stop King Kong Bundy.” Bundy dominates from the opening bell. Avalanche on Jackson. Avalanche on Davis. Bundy stacks both men. Referee counts... 1... 2... 3... Bundy stops him. "KEEP COUNTING!" “FIVE!!!” 4... 5! Winner: King Kong Bundy (Five Count) Les: "Why does he insist on a five-count?" Dutch: "Because four is for quitters." Dutch joins King Kong Bundy who says there isn't a man alive big enough to stop him. Dutch reminds Bundy … “Us… Us! You mean there aren’t two men big enough to stop us. Suddenly, Stunning Steve Austin appears and for the first time in Smoky Mountain history Dutch doesn’t seem afraid of Austin. Dutch thinks Austin must be suffering from some kind of brain injury to walk out here now with him and Bundy. Dutch reminds Austin that it was him who eliminated Austin from Mountain Mayhem and that it was Bundy that nearly broke every rib in his body a few weeks ago a Night of Legends! Austin just smirks and say that he is just out here wondering if Bundy and Dutch will put their money where their mouth’s are. Dutch looks confused but Austin just questions Dutch’s own words and asks are you sure there aren’t two men alive big enough to stop the two of them and Dutch simply say’s that rights.. Austin quickly challenges Bundy and Dutch to a match a Fire on the Mountain with him and his partner. Dutch quickly agrees and then asks who is his partner. Austin just smirks again and rubs his fingers together making the money sign and than walks off. Dutch’s eyes go wide! When Dutch returns to Les, Les wants to know who Austin has found as a partner but Dutch is talking to himself…”that can’t be … I put him in ja…. COMMERCIAL BREAK HYPING UP FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN, VHS TAPES FOR SALE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF SMOKY MOUNTAIN WRESTLING BEING A LOCAL FUNDRAISER Before our next match, Sensational Sherri Martel arrives (Sherri joins Les Thornton at the interview desk.) Les Thornton: "Fans, we'd like to welcome the newest arrival to Smoky Mountain Wrestling—Sensational Sherri." Sherri: "Thank you, Les." "You know...I've traveled all over the wrestling world..." "But I have to admit..." (Smiles at Les.) "I've never sat next to a man quite as handsome as you." Les: "Well...thank you." Dutch Mantel: "I think I'm gonna be sick." Sherri: "And that's saying something because I've met movie stars, athletes, and plenty of wrestlers." "But none of them had that distinguished look." Les: "I'm not sure what to say." Sherri: "Then don't say anything." "Just listen." "Because very soon I am bringing the sexiest..." "...most talented..." "...most dangerous tag team in wrestling history to Smoky Mountain Wrestling." "But before I do, I need to make sure this territory has enough security." "Because once my men arrive..." "The women around here are going to lose complete control." Bigger than the Beatles …. Sexier than Tom Selkick …. Les: "I'm suddenly intrigued. Can you give us a hint?" Sherri: "Not until it is safe for all." Match #3 Stan Hansen vs. Sweet Brown Sugar Before the bell... Dutch starts putting Hansen over. Dutch: "That's the toughest cowboy in America." Sweet Brown Sugar tries to uses speed early. Hansen barely notices. One massive boot. Another. Huge Lariat. Pinfall. Les: "That was absolute destruction. Terry Gordy will have his hands full at Fire on the Mountain." Dutch: "Wow… Les… the obvious doesn’t get past you. Stan Hansen: "GORDY!" "You got something I want!" "That Smoky Mountain belt belongs around the waist of the toughest man alive." "And Terry Gordy, that's not you." "I don't care how big you are." "I don't care how hard you hit." "When I throw that lariat, championships change hands." "August 8th in Chattanooga, I'm not coming to wrestle." "I'm coming to HURT you." "And after I hurt you..." "I'm taking your title home with me." COMMERCIAL BREAK HYPING UP FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN, VHS TAPES FOR SALE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF SMOKY MOUNTAIN WRESTLING BEING A LOCAL FUNDRAISER Before our next match, we get Terry Gordy’s thoughts on his upcoming match with Stan Hansen. Terry Gordy: "Hansen, we've fought before and I know exactly what kind of man you are." "You're mean." "You're dangerous." "And that's exactly why I wanted this match." "You can talk about taking my title." "You can talk about hurting me." "But understand something." "I'm Terry Gordy." "I'm the Smoky Mountain Champion." "And on August 8th, when that bell rings, you're going to find out why." "Because I'm not giving this title away." "You'll have to take it from me." "And nobody does that." On their way to the ring, Dick Murdoch and Ivan Koloff stop at the podium. (Koloff holds the Russian chain while Murdoch grins.) Ivan Koloff: "Shawn Michaels...Jeff Jarrett..." "Your Russian Nightmare has not ended." "You escaped at Mountain Mayhem but now there is no mistake… A Russian Chain Match!" "Your time as champions is fast coming to an end." Dick Murdoch: "Now hold on there, Ivan." "Escaped is exactly right." "Because everybody knows we should already be champions." "You boys got lucky." "We didn’t ask for another title shot." "But now you two made the big mistake of thinking your tough guys." "You picked the stipulation…Any type of match you want!" “And you picked a Russian Chain Match… You two are as dumb as you look.” Murdoch pats the chain. "...your time is up." Match #4 Dick Murdoch & Ivan Koloff vs. The Batten Twins Dutch proudly claims Murdoch is "an artist." Les asks..."An artist?" Dutch: "Brainbusters are art." As for the match, The Battens show good teamwork. Koloff cuts Brad off. Murdoch enters. Huge clothesline. Brainbuster. It’s all over. Murdoch celebrates while Koloff waves the Russian chain. COMMERCIAL BREAK HYPING UP FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN, VHS TAPES FOR SALE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF SMOKY MOUNTAIN WRESTLING BEING A LOCAL FUNDRAISER Before the main event, Ron Wright and the Dirty White Boys are at the podium Ron Wright Interview (Later in the show.) Les Thornton: "Fans, we've been joined by Ron Wright." Ron Wright: "Les Thornton, I am absolutely disgusted by what happened at Mountain Mayhem. My men, the Dirty White Boys, were viciously and unfairly attacked by Tracy Smothers." Dutch Mantel: "That's exactly right." Ron Wright: "And what did Commissioner Bob Armstrong do? NOTHING!" "Tracy Smothers comes charging in, wielding a 2x4, causing chaos, and Bob Armstrong sits back and what does he do? …. He fines me… a pitiful old cripple… a man with no money… no health insurance … no way to pay for the surgeries I need to get up out of this chair. Disgusting… but yet you hillbillies cheer him … you cheer when he abuses an old man… classless…. All of you… Not true Christians like myself and my men. Apparently there are two sets of rules in Smoky Mountain Wrestling. One for honest Christian businessmen like myself and another for Bob Armstrong's favorites. Well let me make something perfectly clear. The Dirty White Boys aren't backing down. I.R.S. isn't backing down. And neither am I. We've been wronged, and we're going to collect what we're owed." Les: "Your men were trying to injure The Southern Boys in Johnson City!" Ron Wright: "Self-defense, Les. Pure self-defense." Dutch: "Finally, somebody around here telling the truth." Les: Two people… lots of words… no truth! Main Event Brad & Steve Armstrong vs. The Dirty White Boys The crowd is electric. Fast opening with the Armstrongs using speed. The Dirty White Boys slow things down with roughhouse tactics. Referee begins losing control. Steve Armstrong nearly scores the win. Tony Anthony breaks it up. All four men begin fighting. Suddenly... I.R.S. rushes to ringside. The taxman attacks Brad Armstrong from behind. Dutch stands up cheering. Dutch: "Now THAT'S proper accounting!" Les: "That's not accounting—that's assault!" IRS stomps away. The Dirty White Boys join in. The crowd erupts... Here comes... TRACY SMOTHERS! Smothers races into the ring throwing lefts and rights. IRS is sent over the top rope. The Dirty White Boys bail out. All six men continue brawling around ringside. Wrestlers pour from the locker room trying to separate everyone. Les Thornton: "We've got complete bedlam! Somebody get some order out here!" Dutch Mantel: "Order? This is wrestling! Besides...I think IRS was just trying to collect some overdue taxes." Les: "By punching people?" Dutch: "Sometimes the paperwork gets burdensome so you try a different method." Les: "You're unbelievable." Dutch: "My ex-wife said the same thing." COMMERCIAL BREAK HYPING UP FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN, VHS TAPES FOR SALE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF SMOKY MOUNTAIN WRESTLING BEING A LOCAL FUNDRAISER Les: "Ladies and gentlemen, somehow order has been restored but we have just been informed that this is far from over. At Fire on the Mountain, it will be Ron Wright’s Army (IRS, & The Dirty White Boys vs the Southern Boys and Brad Armstrong. If you are anywhere near Chattanooga on August 8st get to the Coliseum as this is going to be a night to remember. For Dirty Dutch Mantel, I'm Les Thornton. We'll see you next week on Smoky Mountain Wrestling!" So long from the Smokies.

Free agency is open. Eric is going to work off of free agency for the first 4 months which does mean 4 months after his first show, we would need to provide him with a supplemental draft list.

Free agency is currently closed as Eric looks over what is available as he is looking to jump back in.

Smoky Mountain Wrestling adds Black Bart and Billy Jack Haynes

Ashville Civic Center: Ashville, NC June 25, 1991 (Attendance 4,500) (About 60% capacity) IF YOU WANT MORE OF THE ACTION, YOU WILL NEED TO BUY THE VHS TAPE FOR $14.99 “White Lightening” Tim Horner defeats “Outlaw” Joel Deaton with the rolling cradle. This match served two purposes. First, it marked Horner’s return to action after being nailed by Mr. Wonderful’s piledriver about a month back. It also gave fans a chance to get their popcorn and soda before the real action started. “Wildfire” Tommy Rich defeated Buzz Sawyer in a 12-minute blood bath that saw Wildfire catch Sawyer with a double knee to the belly as Sawyer was going for the top-rope frog splash. Smoky Mountain Tag Team Title Match TNT (Shawn Michaels and Jeff Jarrett) © defeated “The Russian Bear” Ivan Koloff and “Captain Redneck” Dick Murdoch by DQ as Koloff and Murdoch nearly decapitated Shawn Michaels when they whipped him into the ropes and then caught him with the Russian Chain Clothesline where each held one end of the chain. Koloff and Murdoch where sure they had the match won as the ref was down but somehow he managed to pick his head up just in the nick of time. Bob Armstrong rushed out to ringside where he immediately fined both Koloff and Murdoch $500. Mountain Mayhem Match: Winner gets $5000 plus SMW Title Shot at Fire on the Mountain. 1 wrestler enters every 2 minutes. Wrestlers are eliminated if they go over the top rope and out onto the floor. The action starts with Dixie Dynamite and “Hustler” Rip Rogers battling it out for two minutes. Both had each other hanging over the top rope but no eliminations. Next in, #3, we see Irwin R. Schyster with Ron Wright rolling behind him. 2-1 for the heels but somehow Dixie Dynamite survives. Next in, #4, Booker T. as we go 2-2. Booker T, one ½ of the Ebony Express, has had trouble getting over with the fans so far in SWM but this all begins to change here as he rushed in with a big jumping side kick to the head of The Hustler and out goes Rip Rogers. Booker T and Dixie Dynamite close in on IRS but he rolls under the bottom rope and goes to talk to Ron Wright. It looks like Ron might have handed him something. Next in, #5, Stunning Steve Austin: 3-2 in favor of the babyfaces but still no eliminations. Next in, #6, Dory Funk Jr. This might not be the best type of match for Dory but his experience and cunning-nature make him a dark horse as he shows why right off the bat as he rakes the eye holes of the mask of Dixie Dynamite and then nails him with a running knee lift and out goes Dynamite. Eliminated: Rip Rogers, Dixie Dynamite Still in: IRS, Booker T, Steve Austin and Dory Funk Jr. Next in, #7, Stevie Ray Vaughn, the other half of the Ebony Express goes right to his brother and the two begin a double team on Dory Funk Jr who once again uses his smarts as he just sits on the ground holding the rope making it hard to eliminate him. IRS and Austin are battling it out on the other side. Next in, #8, The Mighty Yankee who makes the fatal error of rushing in after the Ebony Express. Stevie Ray simply steps out of the way and nails him with a clothesline to the back of the head and the Mighty Yankee goes out as fast as he got in. Next in, #9, “Hands of Stone” Ron Garvin comes in and it looks great for the babyfaces as they have the 2-1 advantage on both sides of the ring with Garvin and Austin battling IRS and The Ebony brothers taking on Dory Funk r. Next in, #10, Dirty White Boy #1, enters with a bang. Sometimes in these matches luck plays an important role. As DWB entered the ring, the Ebony Express, had Dory Funk Jr. ¾ of the way over the rope. DWB simply charged at the trip and nailed them all with a big bump and the three went out. It is now DWB going after Austin while Garvin and IRS battling it out. Eliminated: Rip Rogers, Dixie Dynamite, The Mighty Yankee, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Booker T, Dory Funk Fr. Still in: IRS, Steve Austin, Ron Garvin, Dirty White Boy #1 Next in, #11, Killer Kyle rushes in and goes after Ron Garvin Next in, #12, “Dirty” Dutch Mantel joins in the attack on Steve Austin. He is always looking for an advantage on Austin and is excited to join in the 2-1 with DWB. What was a babyface advantage only a few minutes ago has turned into two 2-1 attacks by the heels. Next in #13, Dirty White Boy #2, and now it is 3-1 against Steve Austin and there is only so much he can take and over the top rope goes Austin. Dutch is celebrating with the Dirty White Boys when suddenly, out of nowhere comes Tracy Smothers wielding a 2x4. He is not in the match and has not been seen sense the Smoky Mountain Tag Team Tournament when he and Steve Armstrong where attacked from behind before their semifinals match by the Dirty White Boys who were wearing masks. Smothers is swinging that 2x4 at the heads of the Dirty White Boys who decide safety is the number one priority as they dive over the top rope and head for the hills with Tracy Smothers in hot pursuit. Eliminated: Rip Rogers, Dixie Dynamite, The Mighty Yankee, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Booker T, Dory Funk Fr., Steve Austin, Dirty White Boy #1, Dirty White Boy #2, Still in: IRS, Ron Garvin, Dutch Mantel, Killer Kyle Next in, #14, Stan “The Man” Hansen. Hansen is the wild card here as he has no friends in Smoky Mountain Wrestling and he comes in like a bull in a China closet. WHAM… he simple bowls over Killer Kyle with a lariat and out goes the man from Hell’s Kitchen. Hansen turns to Dirty Dutch who just starts running in circles. IRS reaches into his trunks and pulls out the chisel that Ron Wright handed him earlier and while Garvin was looking at Hansen, IRS sliced open his forehead. Garvin starts throwing wild punches as he can’t see with the blood pouring down his face. Next in, #15, “Nature Boy” Buddy Landel. He slowly and arrogantly walks to the ring. He is in no rush to get involved and finds a “quiet corner” to hang out in as Dutch fights for his like and IRS is trying to find a way to eliminate the wounded Garvin. Next in, #16, Brad Armstrong. Armstrong comes in and seems to leave Nature Boy to his rest as his quarrel is with Ron Wright and his men so he goes right after IRS. Garvin takes this opportunity to recover. Next in, #17, “The Fab One” Steve Keirn. Keirn comes in and decides enough rest for Landel and we have three battles going on. Keirn-Landel, Brad/Garvin- IRS, and Hansen and Dutch. Next in, #18, King Kong Bundy. Everything seems to change when the big man enters the ring. Hansen seems to refocus and tosses Dutch out before Bundy can come to help his “acquaintance.” Bundy nods at Hansen as if to say ok, game on. Bundy with a big rush sends both Armstrong and Keirn over the top rope. Bundy now rests in the corner daring someone to come for him. Still in: IRS, Ron Garvin, Buddy Landel, Stan Hansen and King Kong Bundy Next in, #19, Sweet Brown Sugar. Buddy Landel thinks he sees his chance as Garvin is in trouble. He closes in on Garvin. WHAM… Right Hand by Garvin and Nature Boy rolls over the top rope. Wham, from behind, IRS nails the bloodied Garvin from behind and out he goes. Give Garvin credit for lasting so long while being a bloodied mess and give IRS a lot of credit for still being in the match as was entrant #3. Next in, #20, “Jumping” Joey Mags. Poor Joey. Bundy simply scoops him up before he really got in the match and tossed him to the floor. It’s down to IRS, Hansen and KKB. IRS and Bundy look at each other to make some sort of agreement to take out Hansen first. The finish-Bundy grabs Hansen and whips him into the ropes and goes for a huge clothesline but Hansen ducks under it and then knees an unsuspecting IRS in the back and out he goes. Hansen pivots and rushes at Bundy who has yet to recover and hits him with a lariat to the back of the head and out Bundy topples. Winner of Mountain Mayhem- Stan Hansen! Main Event: Smoky Mountain Title Match Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy © vs Wahoo McDaniel One thing to note as we start this match. So far, Gordy has been the babyface in all of his matches since his arrival in SMW but this is Ashville. This is Wahoo country!! The next thing to note is that someone is going to have to change here. While they both love to brawl, Wahoo is not a big fan of taking huge bumps so for this to work, Gordy is going to have to lay off of some of the big power moves that he is used to. So, what does that leave us? A War with some major rest holes. The bout starts with a series of chops, punches, knees, and forearm smashes! Wahoo takes the early lead with chops that echoed around the civic center. This allowed him to spend some time working on Gordy’s lower half. From spinning toe holds to elbow drops across the legs, Gordy is somewhat hobbled early on. This allows for the story that Gordy can’t really lift up the big Wahoo for some of his power moves. As the match continues, we get some close calls after both men locked in the sleeper hold. The end came when the action spilled outside and Gordy slammed Wahoo’s head off the ring post. Gordy then rolled him and caught the Chief with a big spear for the win. Bloodied and battered, Wahoo takes a few minutes to get to his feet where he offered Gordy a handshake for a job well done. This will help to get Gordy over in NWA territory.

Wow... this was a great show. It just kept building and building and getting better and better. I really enjoyed Dusty on the mic and found myself reading all of his work with his slow lisp... awesome job. Format works perfectly for a pay-per view with all the promos. I am so glad I took SMW and you did WWF and you are so good at these big shows and match write-ups. All I have is a small promotion that never had pay-per view and just a few tv recaps of big matches. Wow.. those last two matches. Flair walking out on Lawler gives us another great match for Summerslam and that main event was awesome. From Andre just showing up to turining heel. WOW Dibiase instantly became the #1 heel in our game. Then Dusty stepping out from the announce table to Hogan coming in. This is going to be awesome to keep following.

Episode #15 July 20, 1991 WBIR-TV (Channel 10-Knoxville) Syndicated across Eastern Tennessee, North Carolina and Kentucky Highlight show mostly due to a roster somewhat in flux and very view angles at work. - The major focus of the show was to continue to hype up the rest of the summer’s major events. Up next week is Mountain Mayhem on July 24th in Ashville, North Carolina with the main event being a “royal rumble” type battle royal where the winner gets $5000 and a Smoky Mountain Title shot at the next big event which is only a few weeks away as SMW makes its debut in Chattanooga with Fire on the Mountain on August 8th. Finishing up the summer’s big events is the massive K-Town Showdown in Knoxville where the WWF champions come to SMW to challenge the best Bob Armstrong can put forward. -As for Mountain Mayhem, Bob Armstrong knows that his roster is a little light for an event like this so he has called in a few re-enforcements. Knowing that Ashville was NWA/Crocket Country in the past, Armstrong was able to bring in a few past stars from the area to improve ticket sales. He was even able to coax one of them out of retirement for one night only! -So, let’s examine what happened on this week’s show to get us to where we are. First, we see a living legend in the Carolinas make his SMW debut as Wahoo McDaniel chopped his way to a win over “Gentlemen” Ken Timbs. While he is a bit past his prime here, his brawling style never gets old, so again with a deplete roster and looking to sell tickets in Mid-Atlantic land, Bob Armstrong decides it will be Wahoo vs Terry Gordy at Mountain Mayhem for the Smoky Mountain Title. How did he hype up this match… well let’s have Gordy interrupt Wahoo’s post-match interview with a bunch of old man and over-the-hill comments with sent the two off on a chopping, punching and kicking brawl that saw Wahoo get the best of Bam Bam! Remember we are in Ashville, so it seemed like a perfect time for the Smoky Mountain Tag Team Title rematch between the young champions, TNT (Jeff Jarrett and Shawn Michaels) and the NWA vets, Captain Redneck Dick Murdoch and the Russian Bear Ivan Koloff. While this one did not erupt during the show, the battle of the words was easily won by Murdoch and Koloff who gave a heck of a promo about how they made the mistake last time of beating Jarrett and Michaels all over the arena instead of just in the ring… this time the beating will be worse but will end in a pinfall and lots of blood! The last match Bob Armstrong signed for Mountain Mayhem took a little coaxing as one of the men had recently called in quits… “Mad Dog” Buzz Sawyer but when you told him it would be against “Wildfire” Tommy Rich he howled at the idea. While neither of these two were in studio, a highlight video of their historical feud should sell some tickets. Last but not least, who is going to be in the Mountain Mayhem match. The SMW roster is a bit on the smaller side and not really the battle royal type but once again, Bob Armstrong called in some big names for event. Stan Hansen is here. Ron Garvin is here. Dory Funk Jr. is here. “Nature Boy” Buddy Landel is here. Put those names with King Kong Buddy, IRS, Stunning Steve Austin, “The Fab One” Steve Keirn and Brad Armstrong, this event is sure to have the crowd on the edge of their seats. While a few of the names are past their prime, their name recognition in this part of the country should be enough to get a big crowd at the Ashville Civic Center where seating capacity is just over 7,000 people. Commissioner Armstrong is going to need to have a bottom in most of those seats to pay everyone on the card tonight! -The only angle continuing to develop this week was “the what happened to Ahmed” storyline. Dutch continues to claim that Ahmed is in prison and that he he has replaced Ahmed with King Kong Bundy as his security guard. Maybe this is true, maybe there is more to it than what Dutch is saying.

Awesome show!! You put so much effort into these big shows and they are so fun to read. Thanks for all your hard work. The biggest surprise of the night for me came early when Bobby Blaze beat Gagne's man. I thought cry baby Gagne would find some way to get his man over. Can't wait to see what Gagne does next. Col. Debeers is truly a great heel! Enjoying Muraco as a babyface. I only really remember his heel rin in WWF. Great ending. Not only beating Wildfire but making Tully utter the words, "I quit"---AWESOME Great match between the Warriors--- Is the Ultimate Warrior next for Kokina or is Hulk not really done. AWA is always interesting!

Awesome show where I thought you did a great job in giving the fans in Puerto Rico what they wanted.... untilt the end. I really hope that there was security for Kokina, Adnan Al Kassie and CHICKY STARR. From what I have heard, that was as dangerous a venue as there was in North America. Also, being a fan of early 80's wrestling, I loved the Garvin-Slater match. Perfect way to end it! Awesome job. Can't wait for Night 2

Like the little background piece of info and also like the fact that we get Orton and Hammer!

Bring on the Bash! And Vader!

Enjoyed the Squadron Battles! I was sure Sgt. was going to hold off all of Cornette's men in the opener! This was a nice way to move some of your youngsters along and have your feuds start or progress. Fun show.

Can't wait for Wrestle Rock! So many great matches.

Rage in the Cage is looking awesome!

Episode #14 July 11, 1991 WBIR-TV (Channel 10-Knoxville) Syndicated across Eastern Tennessee and Kentucky Highlight show mostly due to a roster somewhat in flux. -The show started with a fired-up Commissioner Bob Armstrong excited to have the Fuller issue behind him after beating The Tennessee Stud at Night of Legends to secure control of Smoky Mountain Wrestling. When Dutch Mantel wondered how it felt to get a win by using an illegal weapon, Armstrong told Dutch that nothing is illegal in a Tennessee Street fight but if he wants to talk about illegal things from last week in the Coliseum, he does remember someone bringing a bull whip into the ring and some out side interference during his match with Stunning Steve Austin as King Kong Bundy seemed to get involved. Dutch quickly backed down. -After the first commercial break, Les pushed Dutch on the entire Ahmed situation and what exactly is his relationship with King Kong Bundy. Dutch went off on some strange story about Ahmed being in prison and he needed someone in case that psychopath Steve Austin went completely nuts… which Dutch claimed happened as Austin attacked him as he was leaving the arena. Dutch was evasive if KKB was his new bodyguard but he made it clear that he and Ahmed have officially terminated their agreement and that Ahmed is now banned from Smoky Mountain Wrestling. -Les let us know that there were some pretty severe injuries last week at Night of Legends as Stunning Steve Austin suffered cracked ribs from the repeated big slashes from King Kong Bundy and Mr. Wonderful has suffered a major neck injury from the piledriver on the concrete. Dutch added that Austin got exactly what he deserved while it was disgusting what the Smoky Mountain Champion, Terry Gordy, did to Mr. Wonderful when he piledrove Orndorff on the concrete floor. He went on to say that Bob Armstrong should be ashamed of himself for making that move legal. Les just shakes he head at the hypocrisy from Dutch as it was Dutch screaming that the piledriver should be legal and that Armstrong was trying to take away Mr. Wonderful’s ability to make a living!! Anyway, Austin should be back in a week or two while we do not have a timetable for Paul Orndorff. -Bob Armstrong also announced the next 3 big events for Smoky Mountain Wrestling as he continues to try and capitalize on the huge number of visitors to the Smoky Mountains in the summer. First up will be Mountain Mayhem on July 24 at the Ashville Civic Center. This will be a battle royal type event where 20 contestants will enter every 3 minutes and the last man not to be thrown over the top rope will win $5000 and a Smoky Mountain Title shot at our next big event, Fire on the Mountain Fire on the Mountain will be held in Chattanooga at the Soldiers and Sailors Auditorium on August 8th. Armstrong is excited about these events as he can’t wait to bring wrestling back to the great people of Ashville and Chattanooga. He goes on to hyped up the tv affiliate in Ashville and Chattanooga where Smoky Mountain Wrestling began being aired a few weeks ago- WLOS- Channel 13 in Ashville and WRCB- Channel 3 in Chattanooga. And finally, Commissioner Armstrong announces the biggest event of the Summer of August 22… K-Town Showdown…. A clash between Smoky Mountain Wrestling and the WWF!!! That’s right, the WWF is sending their champions to a one-night battle against the best Smoky Mountain Wrestling has to offer and it will be held right in the Knoxville Civic Auditorium!!! Bob Armstrong is really confident that his men will do more then hold their own against the “big” boys from the north. -Ron Wright was disappointed this week. First, he was mad at the fans for not giving him any money at the meet and greet in the afternoon part of the legends event. Next, he was mad at Bob Armstrong for cheating his way to victory over the Tennessee Stud. He let everyone know that he, as a Christian rassler would never have done what Bob did when he used the illegal cast on his arm to hurt Robert Fuller. Next, he was mad at the referee who allowed Hillbilly Jim to cheat and attack his Dirty White Boys both at the same time instead of stickin to the rassling rules of rassling against only the legal man in the ring…. Ron Wright, along with Dutch’s sympathy would have went on for ever if not for Les refocusing the show and bringing the action back to the ring. As for this week’s matches, -King Kong Bundy with Dutch by his side defeated Jumping Joey Mags and Sweet Brown Sugar in a handicap match where he defeated both men in under 2 minutes- both we a count of 5! -Brad and Steve Armstrong defeated Ken Timbs and Joel Deaton -Dick Murdoch and Ivan Koloff defeated The Batten twins from pillar to post and continued after the attack which led to TNT (Shawn Michaels and Jeff Jarrett), the Smoky Mountain tag team champs making the save. We seem to be heading to a rematch between these two teams very soon. One thing to note is the relentlessness of the fans with their Captain Red chant at Dick Murdoch. While he continues to say that he is Captain Redneck and that while he and Ivan work well together, he is loyal to America and not Russia. Ivan does call him comrade and tells everyone that Dick is one of the first Americans he has seen to have the same values as Mother Russia. -IRS with Ron Wright defeated The Fab One Steve Keirn in our main event with help from Wright’s chisel.

Nice job getting us all in the mood for the bash. I wonder where Johnny B Badd and Bagwell will fit in with such an amazing roster. I bet with a few friends they good fit in perfectly.

Enjoying the Love Connection as the new top heel group but hope Tasha keeps some of her heelism to battle it out with Brother Love.

Really looking forward to so much of the card at Wrestlerock. You have built up each and every match so well.

NIGHT OF LEGENDS (Obviously not the wrestlers from my show but showing that this was an actual SMW event) JULY 4, 1991 KNOXVILLE CIVIV AUD BELL TIME: 6:00 (Gives everyone time to get to the city fireworks show at 9:30) The day began with a 3:00 meet and greet with the stars of yesterday in Knoxville wrestling history at the ballroom of the Coliseum. This poster was plastered all around the ball room and Knoxville will hopes of getting a large walk-up crowd. The fans were charged an extra $2 for a combo ticket to tonight’s event and this afternoon’s “Time with the Legends.” Most thought it was well worth it and the highlight of the event. Fans could also just come to the afternoon session for $5 if they chose. Many did pick this option as Smoky Mountain Wrestling is still new to the area and they are not the marks for SMW like they were Southeastern Championship Wrestling. They were able to buy pictures and autographs and got to ask some questions to those they used to love and those they used to love to hate. Most of the legends were excited to be back in the limelight again and also happy to earn a few bucks at the same time. While the fans enjoyed time with the fan favorites like Ken Lucas, Ricky Gibson, and Mr. Olympia, they also had the time to get close with those that scared the crap out of them in their younger days. Give the 10x Southeastern Champion, Mongolian Stomper some credit. He never came out of character as he grunted and grimaced with each fan that took a $2 photo with him. Lumberjack Jos Leduc and his wild eyes kept fans on alert with an eye on his ax as he signed away autograph after autograph. Also in attendance was Ron Wright who was begging, to no avail, for people to buy his autograph to help him get all those surgeries he needed to get up and out of that wheelchair of his. All the fans were interested to see Adrian Street and Ms. Linda but most kept their distance. Remember, this is Tennessee in the early 90’s remember. While Bob Armstrong, broken arm and all, was playing MC in the room, he was interrupted by the Fullers, Robert and Ron. They were reminding everyone that Robert and Bob were meeting tonight in the ring in a Tennessee Street fight where Robert was going to win and take over the company. Give Bob some credit as he didn’t back down. He went right up to Robert and the pushing and shoving were on!!! Thank goodness there were enough legends to pull them apart so they had something left for tonight. Bob got one last word in when he promised everyone in the ballroom that tonight he was going to use the cement cast on his arm to knock out Robert Fuller and keep SMW heading in the right direction. This little pre-event shoving match did serve its purpose as many of those who paid the $5 to only see the legends, now rushed to the box office to buy tickets to the main show! Dixie Dynamite vs The Mighty Yankee The speakers blare Charlie Daniels and “the South’s Gonna Do It Again” to start the show as Dixie Dynamite rushes to the ring for action against the evil Mighty Yankee. We get a nice opener that sees Dixie Dynamite get the win with a top rope cross bodyblock. “Hustler” Rip Rogers & “Gentleman” Ken Timbs vs The Ebony Express This one is interesting as both Rip Rogers and Ken Timbs do a great job of playing the heels from their ring entrance to their stalling and cheating tactics throughout the match. All of this was to try and help the Ebony Express (Booker T & Stevie Ray) get over with the fans. There is no denying the talent of the Ebony Express. They have the size, power and charisma to do it all but in their few appearances in Smoky Mountain Wrestling, they have been met with mixed reviews. This is probably due the fans and demographics of the promotion then anything else and this match is no different. In the end, we see Stevie Ray nail Gentlemen Ken Timbs with a spinebuster for the win. Killer Kyle vs “White Lightening” Tim Horner This is the first appearance of Tim Horner in a few weeks as he was injured at the hands of Paul Orndorff and his piledriver. Whether it was rust or simply the fact the Killer Kyle is on the rise but this one was the surprise of the night with Killer Kyle, briefcase dark suit, sunglasses and all, coming out on top when he nailed Horner with a sidewalk slam. Stunning Steve Austin vs Dirty Dutch Mantell Interesting start to this match as Ahmed, Dutch’s “security guard” was a no-show. This forces Dirty Dutch to use anything possible to keep Austin at bay. We see a few cracks with Shoo Baby which did send Stunning Steve out of the ring until the ref secured the weapon. As for the match, it was about 60-40 in favor of Austin but Dirty Dutch was able to rake enough eyes, pull enough hair, and toss Austin through the ropes enough times to be able to get in some offense. At one point, Austin had had enough as no matter what Dutch did to Austin, it was swatted away like a gnat on an elephant. Dutch decided discretion was the better part of valor and started running for the locker room with Austin in hot pursuit. Just as they got the curtain, Austin lunges at Dutch… WHAM… from behind the curtain, with a huge body bump its King Kong Bundy! Austin is down and Dutch is jumping around like a school boy!! He is so excited. Together, he and KKB drag Austin back to the ring. WHAM… Giant Splash by KKB on Austin… WHAM … another Giant Splash. Austin is laid out! Dutch and KKB leave the ring with Bundy screaming at the crowd at Dutch pointing and laughing at the flattened Stunning Steve. While the ref disqualified Dirty Dutch, he looks and feels like the winner tonight! 6-Man Tag Match Ron Wright’s Army (The Dirty White Boys & IRS) vs Steve & Brad Armstrong & Hillbilly Jim In this match, we learned a few things. First… the Armstrongs are not just great technical wrestlers who can bump and sell with the best of them, but they can throw-down when needed. The Armstrongs and DWB’s went toe to toe on multiple occasions in this bout and Steve and Brad held their own against the Dirty White Boy’s. Next, despite being in a wheel chair, Ron Wright is one dangerous man. At one point, while the action had turned into a 6-way melee, Steve Armstrong and Dirty White Boy #2 were brawling on the outside, Wright was able to use his “chisel” to the head of Armstrong and busted his wide open. He also was able roll his chair into the back of the knees of Hillbilly Jim which led to a 3-1 attack of the big man from Mud Lick, Kentucky for a short while until the Armstrongs were able to make the save. Next, Hillbilly Jim is one big, tall, strong man. At 6’7 and nearly 320 pounds, Hillbilly Jim was basically immovable. He did what he wanted to everyone in the ring. The crowd popped when he had IRS in a bearhug and was tossing him around like a rag doll and they got even more excited when he connected with the big boot to the face of DWB #1 followed immediately by the big boot to the face of DWB #2. The loudest pop was saved for when Hillbilly Jim pressed Brad Armstrong high above his head and dropped him right onto both Dirty White Boys and got the double pin count for the win! ** Bob Armstrong was hoping that Smoky Mountain National Park has brought enough northern visitors down for 4th of July week on vacation that a few were excited to see their old fan favorite from the WWF and that Hillbilly Jim sold some extra tickets. Smoky Mountain Tag Team Title TNT ©(Shawn Michaels/Jeff Jarrett) vs Russian Bear Ivan Koloff/Cpt. Redneck Dick Murdoch No need to go into too much trouble here as we can all picture this bout in our heads. Murdoch and Koloff are going to control the match and beat the youngsters from pillar to post with the only question being, “Can TNT survive and leave with their titles?” The answer is … yes!... in a way … as we get a double-count-out as Jeff Jarrett and Shawn Michaels finally decided to fight fire with fire and the brawl was on all over the arena floor. Smoky Mountain Title Match Piledriver is Legal Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy © vs Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff Again, not wanting to give away to much from the big events as Smoky Mountain Board of Directors wants you fans at home to buy the video tape from Night of Legends, all we can say is that Terry Gordy got the win by count-out as Mr. Wonderful could not get up after the piledrive on the floor! All we can say is that both men did get to use the deadly move to the match and it seems that the location of the move was the determining factor as to who got the win. Tennessee Street Fight Winner Gets Control of Smoky Mountain Wrestling “Bullet” Bob Armstrong vs “The Tennessee Stud” Robert Fuller Again, not wanting to give to much away, it seems like the Fuller’s plan to hurst Armstrong a few weeks ago so he would not be at full strength for this match backfired. While Robert Fuller thought that it would be easy to beat Armstrong when he has a broken arm, he forgot all about the cement cast on Bob’s arm. While both men were bloodied and beaten during the bout, it was a forearm with the cast that knocked out The Stud and gave the victory and control of Smoky Mountain Wrestling to Bob Armstrong.

I like the Squadron Battles. Always such as interesting concept that works perfectly in your version of a promotion where the stables play such an important role in your roster from top to bottom

I agree with the others. Behind the scenes info is always fun to read as we get a look at what the average fan never got to see when we were growing up. We saw the matches, the angles and got all the scehduled matches for the big events but we never saw how and why we got there. The injuries, the contracts, the demands, what works and doesn't work and untimately, how to make money, is cool to hear about. Thanks

Can't wait- we are getting ready for the big one- Wrestlerock! Historically, Morrow vs Hogan wouldn't be such a huge deal but the way you have booked the AWA over the last few years makes this HUGE!! Can't wait for this one as you never can predict the future of the AWA with you bookig and that's what makes it awesome.