The Name on the Marquee: Smoky Mountain Wrestling (5.9.1992)

-Skipping the May 2, 1992 show, which was a “Tag Team Review” replaying all of the matches in the SMW Tag Team Title Tournament so far to build up to the finals at Volunteer Slam. So…ONWARD!

-Originally aired May 9, 1992.

-We’re at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee.

-Your hosts are Bob Caudle & Dutch Mantell. Dutch is wearing all of the title belts that are going to be awarded at the Volunteer Slam.

“Rock ‘N Roll” ROBERT GIBSON vs. “Bad Boy” BARRY HOROWITZ
-Lock-ups lead to rapid fire armdrags by Gibson. Horowitz fires back with forearms as Jimmy Golden arrives at the commentary table to talk about his match at Volunteer Slam. Gibson had quite a lucky streak when he was part of a tag team a few years ago, but in the tournament, he’s going to struggle with real competition and it’ll be a rude awakening for him.

-Horowitz has the edge with a gutwrench suplex, and a backslide gets two. Funny to hear Golden talking about “snot-nosed punk Gibson,” and a check of Wikipedia says that Gibson was only 31 here. Holy shit, Gibson got started YOUNG, then.

-Hard clothesline by Gibson gets a one-count. Gibson tries a hiptoss, but Horowitz deadweights it and turns it into an armbar, which is smart. He’s so deep with it, though, that Gibson is able to just wrap the arm around Horowitz’s neck, and he turns the hold into a bulldog for three. That was also smart.

-Corny is already talking before he’s even near a microphone. He says he’s known Bobby Fulton since 1984, and he’s hated his guts the whole time, and he’s not fond of his brother. He went to their hometown of Chilicothe, Ohio to do some research about the Fulton family, and they’re all bums and trash. The Fantastics emerge to defend their family honor and want a match RIGHT NOW. Bob Armstrong comes out and separates them. The Fantastics want to get in the ring right now and do battle. Corny tries to deflect it by saying that the Heavenly Bodies will only get in the ring if the tag team belts are on the line, which means they’ll have to wait until the 22nd…but then the Fantastics say “Okay, fine” and get in the ring, and Armstrong says, “Well, the match is already signed for Volunteer Slam, but, what the hell, everybody agreed to the stipulations. Let’s go!”

SPONTANEOUS TAG TEAM TITLE FINALS: FANTASTICS vs. HEAVENLY BODIES (with Jim Cornette)
-Bobby starts with Pritchard and lays into him with punches. Jackie clears the ring with dropkicks and Corny’s not happy. Bob Caudle offers a sincere apology for Jim Cornette’s allusions to prostitution in the previous segment, as well as Bobby Fulton’s flagrant use of the word “ass,” which he said a full twice.

-Kneelift by Bobby gets two and he just goes nuts on Pritchard with right hands. Pritchard raises a boot to stop him and finally tags out to Stan Lane. The Bodies double-team Bobby, and Lane gives him a kick to the back before tagging out. I’d call that a strategic mistake because Pritchard is clearly having an off-night.

-And sure enough, Pritchard is immediately knocked loopy by a clothesline and has to tag out. Referee gets distracted and Bobby gets thrown over the top and onto the floor, where Corny attacks with the tennis racquet. Pritchard tries to brawl on the floor, but Bobby just punches him away until he gets back in the ring.

-We cut away for a house show promo…Oh, geez, NO! Bad mistake. Anyway, Bob Armstrong and Brian Lee are ready to bring SMW to Beckley, WV.

-Okay, back to the ring. Things are finally going Dr. Tom’s way. Suplex and a kneedrop by Pritchard. Headlock is broken by a stunner from Fulton, and Pritchard immediately tags out. Bodies have the ring nicely cut in half and block Bobby’s attempted tags. Stan Lane misses a corner charge and THAT is the opening Bobby needed. Jackie tags in and gets dropkick happy all over the Bodies. Abdominal stretch into a slam gets two. Jackie goes to the top and connects with double forearms for two, and we have a pier sixer. Referee gets distracted, Corny sneaks in with a tennis racquet shot to knock Jackie out, and that’s it. The Heavenly Bodies are YOUR first Smoky Mountain Wrestling Tag Team Champions.

-Fantastics try to exact some revenge after the bell, but Stan Lane ties up Jackie in the figure four while Bobby gets his leg tangled in the ropes. Corny goes after Bobby’s leg with the tennis racquet while Pritchard drops elbows all over Jackie’s leg. The forces of good run in and clear the ring, but we have champs and we have two injured Fantastics left laying.

-Bob Caudle gets an update on the Fantastics’ condition from Doug Furnas. “Who the hell is Doug Furnas?” asks everybody watching in 1992. Bob Caudle explains that he’s one of the all time greats from America who has built his career in Japan and Mexico, and he’s in SMW to start making his name in American wrestling.

“World’s Strongest Man” DOUG FURNAS vs. “Golden Boy” JOE CAZANA
-Furnas with a waistlock that takes Cazana straight down to the mat. Cazana tries to do some clubbing blows, but Furnas doesn’t budge. Cazana tries going off the ropes, but Furnas catches him and press slams him. Dutch Mantell explains that Furnas took so long coming to America because “show business” isn’t enticing to him and he wanted to wait until he found an organization where he can just wrestle.

-Furnas applies a bearhug. Cazana rakes the eyes, but Furnas is the first wrestler to realize that this has no impact on your ability to apply a bearhug so he keeps it locked on until Cazana punches free, but Furnas makes a quick recovery and finishes with a Frankensteiner.

-Hector Guerrero is back and his neck is all healed up. He wants to get back in the ring, but Bob Armstrong is so shaken up after seeing the Fultons in the locker room that he’s wary of letting Guerrero back in the ring so soon after an injury. Guerrero starts arguing with Armstrong until Paul Orndorff storms in and says he’s not any kind of a man. He wants a piece of Guerrero as soon as he has medical clearance, and Tim Horner steps out and says if Orndorff wants to fight somebody who’s healthy, he’s ready. Orndorff tells him to wait for the 22nd and storms off.

-Bob Caudle announces Mountain Mayhem, coming up in two weeks. It’s a Royal Rumble with 19 participants, and the winner gets $5,000.

DIRTY WHITE BOY vs. BEN JORDAN
-Mr. Ron Wright is not here this week because his heart is feeling a bit weak and he wants to be rested for the Volunteer Slam.

-HARD slam by DWB to start. Jordan fights back with dropkicks while Dutch talks about DWB’s training regimen: three dogs at the same time.

-Jordan bounces off the ropes but gets caught in a side suplex. Clothesline follows, and DWB chokes away. Arrogant cover gets two. Funny twist on the spot, as DWB follows with a powerslam. Referee starts to count, but DWB is still so unsatisfied with the speed of the count that he just gets up at one. Uppercut and a slam by DWB, but Jordan evades a splash and starts to make a comeback. He misses a bodypress from the second rope, and that’s DWB’s cue to end it with the Bucksnort Blaster.

-Dixie Dy-no-mite is ready for the Dirty White Boy, because he’s American by birth and southern by the grace of God.

-Brian Lee is ready for Knoxville!

“Nitro” DANNY DAVIS vs. “Nature Boy” BUDDY LANDELL
-They trade hammerlocks, and Landell comes out on the winning end of that, turning it into an armbar and keeping Nitro on the mat by using the hair. Davis fights back up to his feet and Landell backs off. Right hands and a hammerlock by Davis as he takes control. Things take an aggressive turn as Landell comes off the second rope and gets caught in a bearhug, and since the referee’s vision is blocked, Davis just kicks him in the nuts for good measure. They dual for a roll-up, and Landell gets a handful of tights to take the match.

-Buddy Landell is coming to Knoxville to win.

-The Heavenly Bodies are coming to Buckley, WV to show that stinking town what winners look like!

-Bobby Fulton is fine, but Jackie’s leg is screwed, so Bobby wants revenge and he wants a partner to join him for it!

-We end the same way we began, by skipping an episode! Next week’s show is a hard-sell for Volunteer Slam, consisting entirely of clips and recaps from the angles leading up to that event. So we’ll skip May 16 and be back with the May 23 show next time!

7.3

The final score: review Good

The 411

Not only enjoying the wrestling, but I'm at a point in these shows where I am truly invested in the storylines. I want to see who Bobby's new tag team partner will be, I want to see Paul Orndorff vs. The Entire World, and even though he wasn't in the show this week, I want to say how much I LOVE Mr. Ron Wright. SMW is firing on all cylinders now.