LastStopTour Posted September 3, 2023 Report Share Posted September 3, 2023 WMC-TV 5 following the 10 am broadcast of CWA wrestling ... We transition to taped action ... We get a ref bump when Ash gets knocked into a corner and pulls the referee into the way as Michaels charges in and lands a flying cross body block and down goes the ref! Ash nails Michaels who tries to help the referee. Boot stomping begins before Ash motions for Knighton to get into the ring and help. Knighton is booed to high heaven as he gladly gets into the ring to put a hurting on his former opponent. The smiling Knighton grabs Ash by the arm and sends him across the ring. Following, he leaps in the air and grabs at the Champion ... FLYING REAR CHINLOCK! WHAT THE?!?! BRIAN KNIGHTON HAS HIT THE ARKANSAS WHIPLASH ON BILL ASH! The audience is stunned silent as Brian Knighton kicks Bill Ash to his back before dragging Cody Michaels over and drapes his arm across Champ. Yanking the referee over, Knighton slaps his face several times to help bring him around ... There's a count ... 1! ... 2! ... 3! CODY MICHAELS HAS PINNED BILL ASH AND HAS BECOME THE NEW IPW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION! The audience erupts with cheers as the smiling Knighton leaves the ring and heads for the back. The fans cheer and chant Michaels' name as he holds his head, leaning back against the ropes to support himself as the referee hands him the title belt ... From the taped video to the promotional logo and backdrop, as the camera takes a run around the seats and the screaming fans before settling in on our hosts ... TV-5 Studio Wrestling From the WMC TV studios in Memphis, Tennessee! Airing LIVE at 11:30 am Central on WMC TV-5 and on a one week tape delay in markets across the territory Saturday, September 2, 1988 Dave Brown & Bert Prentice Danny Davis & Jerry Calhoun - Referees The fans loudly cheer as the camera settles in on Dave Brown who enthusiastically introduces his broadcast partner, Bert Prentice. The two talk about Studio Wrestling's 30 minutes of action following on the heels of the CWA program every Saturday morning! Bert says he knows Memphis can survive two wrestling programs in the territory but believe it or not, a month ago, it looked like Memphis wasn't going to have any wrestling at all. "Daddy Big Bucks" Ted Turner was going to pull all his money out of the Memphis and Mid-South territories and bring it all back to Atlanta. Bert was promoting in Arkansas at the time, where that clip at the top of the program came from, he came right to Memphis to make sure these great fans wouldn't be left without wrestling. Can you imagine that, Dave? Memphis with NO wrestling? Dave Brown interjects that it looks like Jerry Jarrett had the same idea. Bert says that Jerry didn't see eye to eye with Ted Turner's vision and decided to stick around. Bert says by that time, he already had a deal in place and here we are ... The duo is joined by a familiar face in Eddie Marlin, carrying a title belt. Marlin talks about titles and the belt he is carrying, saying it would be a shame to strip the men that were wrestling in Arkansas so rather than start from scratch, they have swapped out the belts for NEW Southern Titles ... Cody Michaels joins the trio and shakes hands before being handed the new title belt by Marlin. Marlin says he watched the title match and while he's not a fan of how the title changed hands, he doesn't blame Cody for someone else's actions. He did reach out to Bill Ash in Arkansas for a rematch at the promotion's expense, to settle things in the ring but Mr. Ash refused ... A smattering of fans boo as Brian Knighton comes out. Cody Michaels gets his hands up but Eddie Marlin says there won't be any of those shenanigans here. Bert explains that these two feuded all over Arkansas for several months, SO WHY ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH WOULD BRIAN KNIGHTON BACKSTAB HIS OWN MENTOR, BILL ASH AND GIVE THE TITLE TO CODY MICHAELS?!?! A smirking Brian Knighton says only one thing, pointing directly at Cody, "Now, you owe me". More fans boo as he walks off. Dave Brown says Cowboy Don Bass in action when we come back before he throws it to a commercial! x-x-x-x-x Local commercials for Dixie Queen and Covington Pike Cadillac of Memphis x-x-x-x-x We go to the ring for our first match ... Don Bass versus Alan Reynolds, Referee Danny Davis. One sided affair as "The Cowboy" works over Reynolds who tries but fails at stopping his opponent. Running Bulldog ends the match with the Cowboy standing victorious. After the match, Bass joins our hosts. Dave Brown welcomes Bass on his return to the Memphis area which Bass says is very near and dear to his heart. The main reason he is back, however, is to take care of some unfinished business. He pulls a photograph from his hat band and hands it to Dave Brown who holds it up to the camera to try to get a closeup. The picture is of Bass and Cowboy Tony. Bass says it is time for him and Tony to ride the range again and put some fear in the hearts of the Memphis tag team division! Speaking of the tag division, after Bass walks off, Dave and Bert talk about the Main Event as Plowboy Frazier and Bruno defend their Southern Tag Titles against the former Champions, Tojo Yamamoto and the New Guinea Head Hunter. Some bad blood here but it should be a good one! x-x-x-x-x Local commercials for Dixie Queen and Covington Pike Cadillac of Memphis x-x-x-x-x We return to the program with the opponents already in the ring as Tojo does his salt ceremony as an excited Bert Prentice talks about Labor Day on Monday as Professional Wrestling returns to the New Daisy Theater on the historic Beale Street for wrestling action! Don't miss any of the action! Southern Tag Title Match Plowboy Frazier & Bruno (C) versus Tojo Yamamoto & the New Guinea Head Hunter. Referee Jerry Calhoun. Slobberknocker from the get-go that finds the challengers in a good position isolating Bruno before the Plowboy is able to clear house following a hot tag. He stands tall but is pulled to the outside where the fight continues with all four men going at it. Calhoun does his best to get the action back inside the ring. He gets shoved out of the way several times before having no recourse but to call for the bell and disqualify both teams. Things further break down as Calhoun gets knocked out of the way as Plowboy moves through him to get at Tojo who introduces the Kendo Stick while The Head Hunter ragdolls Bruno into the ring and proceeds to put a beating on him. The Wild Man is nearly frothing at the mouth as he locks on a nerve grip that has Bruno flopping on the mat in pain! Dave Brown and Bert Prentice call for some help out here as the studio is engulfed in pandemonium with the fans screaming for Bruno needing help. ONE MAN ANSWERS THE CALL! JAMIE DUNDEE FOLLOWED BY DARK JOURNEY! Dundee attacks the Head Hunter and is able to pull him off of Bruno who is pulled to the outside by Dark Journey. Dundee with right hands backs up the Head Hunter across the ring and lays into him before the New Guinea monster rakes his eyes. Several shots to the back and Dundee is down. The Head Hunter stomps Dundee before applying a nerve hold on him. Dark Journey tries to help but is shoved out of the way ... OH NO! TOJO YAMAMOTO HAS ENTERED THE RING CARRYING HIS KENDO STICK WHICH DOES NOT BODE WELL FOR THE YOUNG DUNDEE. HERE COMES BERT PRENTICE WHO HITS THE RING BUT STOPS IN HIS TRACKS WHEN YAMAMOTO HOLDS UP THE KENDO STICK! JERRY CALHOUN CALLS FOR THE BELL SEVERAL TIMES BUT ALSO BACKS AWAY WHEN A WIDE EYED TOJO HOLDS UP A HAND! REARING BACK WITH THE KENDO STICK, TOJO LETS FLY AND NAILS HIS PARTNER IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD! NOT ONCE! NOT TWICE! THREE TIMES AND DOWN GOES THE NEW GUINEA HEAD HUNTER! TOJO YAMAMOTO CONTINUES TO BEAT HIS PARTNER AS THE LOCKER ROOM CLEARS OUT AND DARK JOURNEY AND BERT PRENTICE PULL JAMIE DUNDEE TO SAFETY! OH MY GOODNESS! That goes on in the background as the camera returns to Dave Brown who tells everyone to join us next week for more Studio Wrestling action! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinmcfl Posted September 3, 2023 Report Share Posted September 3, 2023 Very interesting. We see a lot of the same friends and foes from Arkansas but now we got 2 shows coming to you from Memphis. I wonder what JJ really thinks about all of this. Dave Brown and Eddie Marlin really help to legitimize this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autistic Dragon Posted September 3, 2023 Report Share Posted September 3, 2023 Good job explaining the move from Arkansas to Memphis. I like that the champs are retaining their belts. What an ending as Tojo goes berserk and takes out the Headhunter with the Kendo stick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spaldoni Posted September 4, 2023 Report Share Posted September 4, 2023 Love the way you made this transition so smooth. Things were easily explained. I liked the idea of letting the IPW wrestlers keep their titles. And now we already have a big program set for the southern title. The Michales/Knighton feud has already been built up, so we're ready to rock. Bass explains why he's here and we may have another team on its way. Watch out! Craziness in the main event and Tojo goes nuts...on his partner! Didn't see that coming. Studio's first show sets the tone well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastStopTour Posted September 4, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2023 TONIGHT! TONIGHT! TONIGHT! Professional Wrestling Comes To A Town Near You! 9-4-1988 New Daisy Theater Memphis, Tennessee Actually, it is a matinee show on this Labor Day with Bert Prentice welcoming everyone to the show, promising exciting wrestling action! Match #1 Cowboy Don Bass versus Johnny Weiss (Davis) All the big cowboy who finishes off Weiss with a Running Bulldog. Match #2 Plowboy Frazier, Bruno & Jed Grundy versus Mike Jugan, Coach Tony & the Masked Star (Calhoun) The huge Frazier and Grundy work over Jugan and the masked man with Bruno sitting most of this out and Tony Falk, dressed in sweats with a whistle directing his team. The masked guy gets sandwiched between the two behemoths before Bruno pins him following a Frog Splash. Match # 3 Tojo Yamamoto versus the New Guinea Head Hunter (Davis) The former tag champions go at it like bitter enemies. Isn't long before the Kendo Stick makes an appearance and the Head Hunter counters with a chair. The chair never really comes into play as it is a Matinee show with lots of kids. Both men get disqualified and surprisingly leave after the referee seperates them. Match #4 Cody Michaels (C) versus the Cuban Assassin (Calhoun) A non-title match up here which doesn't concern the Assassin who seems more interested in hurting the Champ. Michaels with a wrestling clinic to confuse and frustrate his opponent. Help from Calhoun as he quickly breaks up anything in the ropes. Battling outside the ring gives the advantage to the Assassin but dragging Michaels back into the ring proves to be his undoing as the Champ comes flying over the top with a Sunset Flip to pick up the win. Bert Prentice wishes everyone a safe trip home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autistic Dragon Posted September 4, 2023 Report Share Posted September 4, 2023 Bass seems to have found a good home here. Bruno brings home a win in a fun six man tag. Like the touch of Tojo and the Headhunter holding back due to there being a lot of kids in the crowd. Seems like the kinda call that would be made around this time. Michaels proves to Memphis why he deserved to hold onto that title. Ya know it occurs to me that depending on when your show ended and the CWA's show started, some lucky fans could've attended both of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Control21 Posted September 5, 2023 Report Share Posted September 5, 2023 You came up with another pretty cool idea here. Similar to IPW but with its own unique flavor. I love how you keep things relatively simple (which is never a bad thing) while retaining the feelings of a late 1980s studio-oriented territory. Great ending to the first episode with Frazier/Bruno vs Head Hunter and Tojo Yamamoto with a crazy twist. Can never have too much wrestling in Memphis these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastStopTour Posted September 5, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2023 9-5-1988 From the desk of Mr. Bert Prentice. Following the television taping of Studio Wrestling on WMC TV-5, it was brought to my attention that the Continental Wrestling Association and ownership of said organization in the form of Jerry Jarrett and Jerry Lawler, amongst others were not happy with the events that transpired on the thirty minute program that aired Saturday morning, following their own television taping. Cited in the complaint were acts that caused confusion, potential loss of revenue streams as well as misrepresentation of facts that led to contracts being signed which may not gained wanted advantageous rights. Confusionary Acts: A television program following on the heels of their own, in the same studio, with the same crew, using the same names for titles may be cause for fans to be mistaken or misled to follow one program and not the other, believing they are one and the same when they in fact have nothing to do with one another. A lack of disclaimer or any significant branding of product further leads to possible confusion denoting one program from another is not only poor business practice but downright misleading which can and will lead to cited fact #2. Potential Loss of Revenue Streams: While two promotions operating in the same territorial boundry has never been the business practice for this very reason, throughout the business, there have been "Outlaw" promotions that have operated outside of the standard wrestling business practice that has been tolerated because it was an inferior product or buried through legal means and other practices. Studio Wrestling has been viewed as the intruder, "stepping on toes" of the bigger guys, in this case, the CWA. Two promotions regardless of quality between the two, fight for a share of the pie. Mr. Jarrett and Mr. Lawler believe the direct loss comes from cited fact #3. Misrepresentation of Facts: The named correspondents place blame solely on Mr. Bert Prentice for misrepresentation of facts when securing rights needed to operate within the "Memphis Area" as originally stated when explained to them as well as creditors. While names such as Jarrett and Lawler hold weight within Tennessee, they do more so with the Memphis area being associated with the business for years, they are not the only ones. Names like Fargo, Dundee and Marlin as well as TV station personality, Dave Brown were used in a manner to legitimize Studio Wrestling, using false pretenses whether deliberately or not. As a businessman within the industry for many years, I can only defend myself i saying that none of these allegations are true and my intentions have been nothing more than to put on the best shows as I possibly can. Would my investment in Memphis lead to possible loss of revenue for the CWA? Yes, it is possible. My desire to produce the best shows I can for the fans would certainly pull some fans from Jarrett and Lawler though it would be done without the name recognition that Jerry Jarrett employs but let me assure you, at no time were the facts not represented in a truthful manner or in a way to confuse anyone viewing said product. In hindsight, could things have been done differently? Yes but that in way legitimizes claims against. In a country that promotes competition, I am in a business that works hard at monopoly and have thus been served with cease and desist letters as well as a cancelled Television contract. Options are to stand and fight or to roll over and die but I chose to do neither. Considering myself as a "Wrestling Gypsy", it would not be prudent to take counter legal action to only battle "dollar for dollar" in a war I can not win. On the other hand, rolling over and dying just isn't an option when the landscape is so large as to not move on elsewhere and begin anew where the words, Tonight! Tonight! Tonight! can ring out clearly once again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autistic Dragon Posted September 5, 2023 Report Share Posted September 5, 2023 Studio wrestling was fun but it looks like Bert has to pack up and move... again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinmcfl Posted September 6, 2023 Report Share Posted September 6, 2023 I think I need popcorn. This is like the best movie ever!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spaldoni Posted September 9, 2023 Report Share Posted September 9, 2023 You've got a great story going on here. It takes guts competing with Lawler and Jarrett in Memphis. Can't wait to watch all this unfold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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