The Name on the Marquee: Smoky Mountain Wrestling (10.28.1995)

-Originally aired October 28, 1995.

-Your hosts are Les Thatcher & Chip Kessler.

HEAVENLY BODIES (Tag Team Champions, with General Jim Cornette) vs COMET CHRIS MICHAELS & WOLFMAN
-Bodies attack Michaels and throw him out to the floor before the match start, sensing that he’s the strong link of the team. Prichard drops a leg on Wolfman and rubs his face into the mat. Moonsault by Del Ray gets two. He throws a dropkick while the commentators tout the double-chain match tonight in Freedom Hall. Hot tag to Michaels and he looks like he might pull off an upset, but Prichard connects with the suspicious boot and Del Ray pins him instantly.

-General Cornette promises when Sgt. Rock gets here to whip everyone into shape, no one will disrespect the Militia again. Cornette also mentions that The Thugs made a strategic error by publicly announcing the guest referee when Cornette himself would usually make it a surprise. He teases that since Robert Gibson has already been announced as guest referee tonight, he’s already taken care of some business.

-We go to the spontaneous title match from last week pitting Brad Armstrong against Terry Gordy, and since they ran out of time last week, we see the remainder of the match this week. Suck on it, Jim Crockett. Armstrong wins it after not too much longer.

-But that takes us to the Trick or Treat Tag Team match from Halloween Scream. Brad & Wolfman vs. Gordy & Thrasher. There are four different stipulations to this match, but the one that matters for the purpose of the recap is that if Brad Armstrong gets pinned by either opponent, Gordy wins the SMW Title. All four men end up in the ring. Brad legsweeps Gordy and looks to have the win locked up, but Mosh drops an elbow from the top rope, Gordy rolls over right as the referee turns around, and Gordy gets the three-count to capture the SMW Title.

BRAD ARMSTRONG vs LARRY SANTO
-Santo attacks before the bell. Armstrong is so pissed off that he barely makes this a match, he just hits the Russian legsweep the moment he can and calls it a night.

-We’re off to Halloween Scream for the chain match between Buddy Landell & Tommy Rich. Referee is distracted by Cornette while Buddy Landell touches all four turnbuckles. Punisher knocks Buddy out with a blackjack, and once the referee is paying attention again, Rich starts touching the turnbuckles. Landell regains consciousness and desperately tries to stop Rich, but does something incredibly stupid, trying to tackle Rich, which causes him to fall backwards into the fourth corner. Refreshing change of pace to see a completely different finish for this kind of match.

KESSLER’S KORNER
-Buddy Landell is here with a huge gift box that he says was a gift from a bunch of fans who pooled their money together. Cornette’s Militia shows up and Buddy backs off, not wanting trouble. Militia heads to the locker room to take care of Buddy while General Cornette makes fun of whatever enormous piece of crap gift the fans bought for him and just opens it himself. It’s a really short wrestler, who just kicks the shit out of Cornette and then takes off running.

-Back from commercial, Buddy introduces us to his new little buddy, Butch Cassidy.

-Robert Gibson and The Thugs are gonna take care of the Heavenly Bodies and their sinister boot tonight in the double chain match! Bodies show up and throw down a challenge for DWB to fight Tom Prichard one on one, and DWB is feeling froggy.

DIRTY WHITE BOY (with Tracy Smothers & Robert Gibson) vs “Doctor of Desire” TOM PRICHARD (with General Cornette & Jimmy Del Ray)
-DWB attacks early but Prichard comes back with a chokehold. Sinister boot to the stomach by Prichard, and an elbow gets two. Chinlock applied, but DWB breaks it with a stunner. Prichard shakes it off and clotheslines him for two. DWB manages to stop the onslaught with a suplex and has his second wind, punching and elbowing Prichard, Brawk breaks out among the seconds, referee gets bumped, DWB with a back suplex, and for the moment, Gibson is a legal referee, so he runs in and counts the pin to give it to DWB.

-Cornette is almost sobbing over what a terrible hour this week’s show has been for him, but he warns The Thugs that he has a big plan ready for tonight. Butch Cassidy suddenly re-emerges and Cornette gets his ass kicked AGAIN. Punisher tries to do something about it, but Buddy Landell runs in and fights him off, protecting his pal.

6.7

The final score: review Average

The 411

Some good angles this week. Kind of glad they're moving away from the vest thing and finding something else for Buddy to do, and getting the belt off Brad was honestly necessary because he clearly wasn't the #1 guy at this point.