Smoky Mountain Wrestling

[kevinmcfl]

Episode #7

May 16, 1991

WBIR-TV (Channel 10-Knoxville)  WJHL-TV (Channel 11-Johnson City)

 

After the regular opening we go right to Les Thatcher and “Dirty” Dutch Mantel with Ahmed, his “bodyguard” standing behind him.

Les Thatcher:  Welcome wrestling fans, coming to you from Knoxville Auditorium Studio for Smoky Mountain Wrestling… wrestling the way it used to be and the way you like it.  I’m Les Thatcher along with “Dirty” Dutch Mantel.  We are just over a week away from Volunteer Slam at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum on Friday, May 22 where we will crown the first ever Smoky Mountain Champion.  On today’s show, we will see the newly formed tag team, TNT…. Shawn Michaels and “Double J” Jeff Jarrett as they take on the extra tough team of “The Hustler” Rip Rogers and “No Class” Don Bass.  We have Irwin R. Schyster trying to get on the winning side tonight but it won’t be easy as he takes on “The Fab One” Steve Keirn.  Killer Kyle makes his return to Smoky Mountain Wrestling against Bart Batten.  The Destruction Crew tries to get ready for the upcoming tag team tournament against Dixie Dynamite and Joey Mags.  We will also be hearing from The Wild-eyed Southern Boys as they will pick their tag team partner for today’s main event against Ivan Koloff, Boris Zhukov and “Captain Redneck” Dick Murdoch!  What a match that’s going to be.  Ron Wright is here again and he says he has a big announcement for everyone.  And Dutch, you’re going to love this… Stunning Steve Austin is hear and he says he has a message for both you and Ahmed!

 

Dutch Mantell:  Well, I don’t think I’ll be sticking around to hear what Mr. Austin has to say.  He doesn’t respect me and I don’t respect him.  I am really interested to see who the Southern Boys found to be their tag team partner.  I mean that would be one stupid person to face The Russian Bear, Ivan Koloff, Boris Zhukov, and Dick Murdoch!...   I really can’t wait to here from my good friend, Ron Wright.  I hope his luck is finally changing!  I mean he is such a great person and he has always fought for these fans in the Knoxville Area.  It is such a shame these moonshiners aren’t chipping in to help with his medical bills.

 

Les Thatcher:  Oh brother… I don’t think I can listen to this anymore so let’s get to the ring for our first match.

 

Match #1:  TNT (Jeff Jarrett & Shawn Michaels) defeats the “Hustler” Rip Rogers & “No Class” Don Bass when Jeff Jarrett connects with a top rope drop kick on Bass.  Les Thatcher tries his best throughout the match to explain that TNT might just be the favorites in the upcoming Smoky Mountain tag team tournament on June 1^st at the National Guard Armory in Johnson City. 

 

Next, we see a replay from a few weeks back when Boris Zhukov attacked the Southern Boys in their match against Ivan Koloff and Dick Murdoch.  This led to Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff getting involved and we end up with a wild brawl all over the studio. 

 

After the video replay, we see the Southern Boys with Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff where Les reminds everyone that the Southern Boys have been granted a 6-ma tag team match tonight against Koloff, Zhukov and Dick Murdoch…..

 

Tracy Smothers:  First of all, Steve and I would like to thank Paul Orndorff here for helping us out that night.  I mean we should never have trusted a word coming out of the mouth Ivan Koloff when he said his cousin, Boris was back in Russia.  We should have known that they were planning some devious attack that night.  Well, Steve and I have been over in Japan the last two weeks battling some of the greatest tag teams in the world but to be honest, all we’ve been thinking about is Ivan Koloff, Boris Zhukov and that “Captain Red” Dick Murdoch!  Commissioner Armstrong promised us a rematch against them with a partner of our choosing and tonight we’re here to collect.

Les Thatcher:  So, I guess that means you are ready to name your partner for tonight?

Steve Armstrong:  We are Les and it was a pretty easy choice.  We’ve got to fight fire with fire so Tracy and I looked at each other and we just blurted out the same man at the same time.

(Paul Orndorff is nodding his head)

Steve Armstrong:  Our partner tonight is going to be none other than “Bam Bam” Terry Gordy!

Les Thatcher:  You guys can’t go wrong with Terry Gordy… I mean I wouldn’t want to be the Russians or Murdoch knowing Gordy is coming after me!

Paul Orndorff:  What… Gordy… It was me that saved your butts a few weeks ago when Zhukov came after you all.  And now… I’m not good enough!  You two made the wrong choice… not only for tonight but for your futures!

(Orndorff storms off)

Steve Armstrong:  I understand why Paul is upset but honestly, we’ve seen the tapes from the last few weeks and we weren’t sure we could trust him.  He’s been yelling about this and that and blaming my father for not being able to use the piledriver and all.  Paul is a great wrestler but in a 6-man tag match we all have to be on the same page and I think we got that in Bam Bam.  Let’s not forget, he is one of the original Freebirds… one of the best 6-man tag teams in history.

Dutch Mantell:  uh oh… trouble in Paradise… or should I say trouble in Perfectville… anyway… I don’t think you two have any shot tonight even if I was your partner!

As the Southern Boys walk off, Ron Wright rolls in. 

Ron Wright: (try reading in a slow, Southers accent)  It’s been a long haul for ol Ron Wright here but there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel.  I finally found a man that thinks just like me.  A man that wants the best for the people of this region of the country.  A man that knows just how hard most people work here in Appalachia.  A man who wants to weed out the bad apples and reward the others… a truly Christian rassler who has agreed to let me be his manager.  This should not be a surprise to any of you who want the best for our people and I will bring him out in just a little while…. I am just so overwhelmed with joy that I a might actually cry… I can finally see a path where I earn some money to have those surgeries to get up out of this here wheelchair!  Old Ron Wright is still not past accepting your generosity so if you want to speed up this process, please send your donations down here to the offices at Smoky Mountain Rasslin …care of Ron Wright… Bless you all and bless my new rassler. 

 

 

Commercial Break

“Fans if you’d like to raise money for your school, club or civic organization and you’d like to see all the excitement Smoky Mountain Wrestling provides, then this message is for you.  Bring the stars of Smoky Mountain Wrestling to your town simply by calling (703) 989-6819 or send your letters to P.O. Box 1279, Morristown, Tennessee.  Wrestling the way it used to be and wrestling the way you like it!  BE THERE!!

 

Next we get a promo from IRS where Les Thatcher reminds him of his defeat last week at the hands of “White Lightening” Tim Horner!

IRS:  The only way Tim Horner could ever beat me is to cheat and that’s exactly what he did.  Pretending to be the Tennessee Volunteer … to make me prepare for one wrestler only to be disguised as another.  Once a criminal … always a criminal.  That is exactly why I have joined forces with the one and only honest person here in Smoky Mountain Wrestling… Mr. Ron Wright!

Ron rolls back out with a huge smile on his face and the two shake hands… with Ron letting everyone know that together, he and Irwin are going to clean up Smoky Mountain Wrestling and make this a place where Christian rasslers can be treated fairly…. And ol Ron can finally get those surgeries to give him a new hip and a new knee. 

Dutch is really excited for Ron and Irwin while Les just rolls his eyes. 

 

Match #2:  I.R.S. defeats  “The Fab One” Steve Keirn with the help of Ron Wright who somehow times it perfectly that he backed his wheelchair up and into the ring post just as Keirn was climbing up to hit I.R.S with what Les thought was going to be a flying elbow drop.  Instead, Keirn crashed to the mat and I.R.S went to work and eventually nailed Keirn with “The Audit” (Samoan Drop) for the win.

Dutch was so happy for Ron Wright that he has found another Christian wrestler like himself and that he is going to start to earn some real money while helping the people of East Tennessee get away from the dredges of society like Tim Horner!

 

Next, we hear from Kolff, Zhukov and Murdoch- hype up todays main event!

Ivan:  I heard the Southern Boys talking about how we cheated.  How we said Boris was back in Russia.  Well, he was.  Look back on my interview and I said he would be back very, very soon… and he was.  It was you two who are the cheaters.  It is you who jumps off the top rope to get a win when you are not the legal man!  Tonight… it is us who have found the best partner… not you. 

Dick Murdoch:  I must admit it… the Southern Boys had a tough choice in picking their partner for tonight.  Paul Orndorff… the one trick pony with his only move … the piledriver… being outlawed or Bam Bam Gordy. Bam Bam is nothing but a cartoon character ….  See him on the Flintstones every week… A joke … Gordy, if you get in my way tonight, I’m going to drop you on your head!

 

Commercial Break

Next we get a promo from Stunning Steve Austin to hype up his win against Ahmed and the upcoming Volunteer Slam.

Steve Austin:  Oh Dutch … the time is coming…last week I beat you and your goon all over the arena.  Ahmed might be big… he might be strong … but he is nothing like Stunning Steve.  Soon, hopefully at Volunteer Slam, it will just be you and I Dutch and we both know what the results will be.  Bob Armstrong said that the matches at Volunteer Slam will be chosen randomly … I have a feeling that your name is going to be right next to mine…. And you will be my first stepping stone on the way to the Smoky Mountain Title.

 

Match #3:  Destruction Crew vs Dixie Dynamite & Joey Mags 

The Destruction Crew had a quick pre-match promo where they seemed to take offense to Les Thatcher saying that TNT (Michaels and Jarrett) might just be the favorites to become the first ever Smoky Mountain Tag Team Champions on June 1^st.  They used this match to utterly destroy their opponents to show everyone that they are the actually favorites to win the belts.  They nailed both Dixie Dynamite and Mags with the Shaker Heights Spike where one person whips their opponents into the ropes and then tosses them in the air only for the other to grab his head from about an 8-foot height and slam him face first into the mat.  The beating went on and on and every time the ref started to count, they pulled them up.  Les Thatcher, the ref, and the crowd were getting very angry as Dixie Dynamite and Joey Mags seemed to be injured.

Finally, the crowd erupted as Shawn Michaels and Jeff Jarrett hit the ring and got in a few shots before Enos and Bloom headed for the hills.  TNT dared the Destruction Crew to come in and fight but they wanted no part of the young guns!

Les and Dutch both hyped up the tag team tournament in a few weeks with Les saying that TNT is still his choice to win the titles while Dutch is disgusted that Michaels and Jarrett interfered in a great match.  Dutch is getting sick and tired of the lack of respect these young wrestlers have for the business and that it all started with Steve Austin!

 

MATCH #4:  Killer Kyle vs Bart Batten

Nice showcase for Killer Kyle who is still very mysterious with his dark suit, sunglasses and black case that could be carrying a weapon according to Les Thatcher.  Ring announcer Tommy Noe adds to the mystery by saying he is from Hell’s Kitchen, NY!

As for the bout, Killer Kyle does a great job of combining speed and size and connects with a bunch of power moves with the end coming from the powerslam!

 

Commercial Break

 

Main Event:  The Southern Boys and “Bam Bam” Gordy defeat Ivan Koloff, Boris Zhukov, and Dick Murdoch when Gordy nailed Zhukov with a devastating powerbomb.  The situation was a little uneasy as Paul Orndorff joined Les and Dutch on commentary and he was furious when Gordy bounced Zhukov’s head off the mat with the powerbomb.  Orndorff is really convinced that Commissioner Armstrong is biased by outlawing his piledriver but allowing all these other dangerous moves.  At one-point Orndorff moved closer to the ring and nobody knew what was going to happed but cooler heads prevailed as Orndorff shakes the babyfaces hands after the bout as Les is relieved that all is well in Smoky Mountain Wrestling.

Les Thatcher:  What an hour this has been!  Folks, if you are anywhere near the Knoxville area on May 22, get your tickets to Volunteer Slam.  You will be a witness to history as the first ever Smoky Mountain Champion will be crowned!  Until next time, so long from Knoxville! 

[ErictheDragon]

TNT and the Destruction Crew are both making strong cases for being the tag title tournament favorites.

You just struck heel gold by pairing IRS with "good Christian" Ron White.

Orndorff is sounding more and more like a ticking time bomb.

[spaldoni]

TNT have quickly gotten over 

Poor Orndorff standing there as the Southern Boys pick Gordy. The Southern Boys have good logic but I have a feeling Orndorff wont let this go. 

Oh man, Wright and IRS are made for each other. I'll give Wright his props, the man can cut a promo 

Austin won't let anybody stand in his way of winning the tournament 

Destruction Crew and TNT get some heat going for the tag tournament. 

Killer Kyle has an impressive debut. 

Southern Boys and Gordy shine in the main event as Orndorff seems to have calmed down...for now

The puzzle pieces are all coming together.