wrestling / Video Reviews
The Name on the Marquee: Smoky Mountain Wrestling (9.16.1995)
Loading...-Originally aired September 16, 1995.
-Your hosts are Les Thatcher & Chip Kessler.
THE THUGS vs KILLER KYLE & LARRY SANTO
-Kyle is just wearing ordinary wrestling gear and has no gimmick remaining. I’m guessing they just wanted to give him a payday, which is nice, but why have this guy who’s established as something as a name in your company be a jobber? Even at rock bottom, wouldn’t you be able to dredge up some local indy guy and give him that spot for your TV taping, so you don’t have to waste someone who has at least a little name value?
-Tracy Smothers starts with Kyle. They trade waistlocks but neither man gets anywhere. Bodypress by Tracy gets two. He goes to work on the arm, but Kyle hammers out and tags in Santo. Tracy avoids a corner charge and the Thugs double-team him to work the arm. DWB and Santo trade punches and DWB wins that duel. More double teaming to clear Kyle from the ring, and a double Bucksnort Blaster on Santo gets the win for the Thugs.
-The Thugs admit that maybe running into the locker room for a sneak attack on the Heavenly Bodies and breaking Dr. Tom’s leg was wrong, but the Heavenly Bodies screwed them over first.
-We get a statement from Commissioner Bob Armstrong, who’s tired of all the insane turmoil breaking out in SMW lately and by god, he’s cracking down. He throws out $1,000 fines at six wrestlers, heels and faces alike. Striking a referee is now a $250 fine, and just bringing a weapon to the ring is a $500 fine. From now on, SMW is going to make men settle their disputes like men.
-Les Thatcher is with General Cornette and the Heavely Bodies. Dr. Tom shows off his new orthopedic boot for his injured leg, so if The Thugs were trying to put the Bodies out of wrestling, too bad!
HEAVENLY BODIES (with General Jim Cornette & The Punisher) vs RON DAVIS & COMET CHRIS MICHAELS
-Del Ray starts with Michaels, who now has a very similar look to Ricky Morton, eith a mullet and decorated rights. Frankensteiner by Michaels gets two on Del Ray. Hiptoss by Michaels, but Bodies start double-teaming to overwhelm him. Michaels counters a backdrop with a sunset flip for two. Del Ray fights back with a crescent kick and slams him down. Del Ray atomic drops his partner onto his opponent. Michaels avoids an elbow drop and tags in Ron Davis. Jobber actually gets to fight off both opponents for a few seconds, but they’re too much for him. Decapitator from a standing position by the Bodies, followed by a flapjack. Prichard loads up the boot and drives it into Davis’ face, knocking him cold for the three-count. Les Thatcher says that seeing this triggered a flashback from his wrestling days and he remembers Ron Wright having a boot like this. He suspects that there’s something not-okay being done to that boot.
-Al Snow issues a challenge to Brad Armstrong in response to the numerous phone calls he’s received from people who want Snow to be SMW champion. He says that Vince McMahon and Eric Bischoff had a conference call last night and told Snow to put Armstrong out of wrestling because he’s such an embarrassment to the business. It amazes me that he could cut promos this good and then just totally go to waste for the next year and a half.
KESSLER’S KORNER
-Chip welcomes Buddy Landell. We watch the graphic beatdown by the Militia, and Buddy tells us that Jim Cornette scolded him about his alcohol addiction promo because it was too personal. Landell says he brought it up because he wanted to make it clear that he’s already beaten the toughest opponent he’s ever had to battle, and if he can beat alcohol and drugs, he can sure as hell kick Tommy Rich’s ass without sweating. It’s so interesting how this comes across as inspirational in SMW in 1995, but the WWF doing the same deal with Jake Roberts just a few months later came off so MEAN.
-Tommy Rich rattles off everything he achieved in his career that Buddy couldn’t hope to do. Cornette complains about how Buddy wouldn’t shut up about overcoming alcohol during the car trips. Buddy’s just a screw-up. Cornette goes too far, calling Buddy’s wife a dog, and Buddy’s had enough. He chases the Militia off with a chair manages to make contact with Punisher’s back as they make their way to the exit. That brings out Commissioner Armstrong, who, as commissioner, announces a $500 fine for Buddy…but as a friend, he’ll pay Buddy’s fine out of his own pocket, reasoning that he didn’t do enough to prevent the bludgeoning that Buddy took in Barbourville. BUT Bob also tells him that makes them even, so Buddy’s on his own if he ever pulls out a weapon again.
-Les Thatcher talks to Robert Gibson. He’s hunting for a new partner, and this Chris Michaels kid dazzled him, so he’s just worked out a deal with Bob Armstrong, and by golly, Robert Gibson and Chris Michaels have a title shot set for next week.
-Terry Gordy wants his SMW Title belt. He beat Brad Armstrong with a powerbomb, he’s earned that belt, he argues.
SMW TITLE: BRAD ARMSTRONG (Champion) vs AL SNOW
-Snow attacks right away with shots to the back. Back suplex follows. Brad gets revved up and they have a great sequence, hitting the ropes and countering and ducking everything they trow at each other. Armstrong gets Snow on the mat for a side headlock. Brad sends Snow into the ropes and Snow baseball slides him to take out his leg. Forearm sends him to the floor. Snow tries to use a chair, but Mark Curtis gives him a stern warning, so Snow gives up on the chair and settles for chopping the crap out of Brad. Back in, chinlock by Snow, followed by a backbreaker. Stomachbreaker (although I kind of like the terminology from Les Thatcher, who calls the move a parachute), and Armstrong ends up on the floor.
-Snow attacks and brings him back in. Suplex exhibition by Snow, including a German suplex that almost goes frightfully wrong, and Snow clearly takes a break to see if he’s okay before continuing. Armstrong suddenly starts hulking up. Snow gets whipped and does a Flair flip onto the apron. Armstrong clotheslines him onto the floor as Terry Gordy suddenly walks to ringside and grabs the SMW Title belt. Armstrong gets distracted and Snow capitalizes with a sneak attack, but Russian legsweep outta nowhere gives Brad Armstrong the win. Armstrong retains, but Gordy still has the belt. Bob Armstrong and Sandy Scott come to the ring to demand the return of the belt. Gordy reluctantly complies.
-Brad Armstrong says Gordy is welcome to a title match any time he wants!
