Written by: Nick Power
Smoky Mountain Wrestling TV, Episode 3
Air Date: 15 February 1992
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Hosts: Bob Caudle and Jim Cornette
Bob Caudle opens the show and lets us know we will be seeing ‘Hollywood’ Bob Holly, ‘Rock n’ Roll’ Robert Gibson and Tim Horner, he also mentions the main event of Brian Lee vs. Dutch Mantell. We will have another interview with Mr. Ron Wright and also Ivan Koloff will be introducing his new tag team partner.
Jim Cornette lets us know that he is excited to see who Ivan’s new partner will be and also believes ‘Prime Time’ will be cancelled tonight.
Pat Rose vs. ‘Hollywood’ Bob Holly
Holly extends his hand for a hand shake with Rose accepts, Holly then high fives Rose who turns his back on Holly. Holly takes advantage of this and attacks. Holly whips Rose but that is reversed and a BIG fist by Rose puts Holly down to the mat. Lock up, which ends up with both guys in the ropes. Another lock up and Holly takes over with a headlock and a shoulderblock, Holly runs off the ropes and gets hip-tossed and then body slammed down, followed by a arm drag. Rose starts to work over Holly’s arm, Holly stands up and kicks Rose in the mid section, whip into the rope and Holly hits an atomic drop.
Snap mare by Holly who hits a leg drop for a 1 count. Whip off the ropes by Holly, leads to a sleeper on Rose. Rose breaks the hold by slamming Holly’s head into the turnbuckle. Irish whip by Holly into another sleep, but no Rose reverses int his own sleeper. Holly backs Rose into the corner which breaks the hold, Rose whips Holly into the ropes, and a miscommunication leads to a weird back body drop. I think Holly was meant to hit a sunset flip but didn’t hang on correctly. Holly runs off the ropes and hits a swinging neckbreaker, Holly heads up top and hits a HIGH kneedrop for the 1, 2, 3.
Match Thoughts: This match was going along very nicely until the one botched move at the end. Rose didn’t really show me anything special. Bob Holly continues along with another win, and keeps impressing me with his character.
We go to the back with Bob Caudle who is with Tim Horner and The Fantastics, they are there to put over SMW and promote upcoming shows in local areas. I must admit Tim Horner sounded a lot more comfortable promoting SMW as opposed trying to put himself over like last weeks awful promo.
Bob Caudle and Jim Cornette give a quick review of last weeks main event tag match, and let us know that Ivan Koloff will be introducing his new tag team partner, but first we head to Bobby Fulton to get his thoughts. Bobby lets us know the Vladimir has gone back to Russia for some important business, and no matter who Ivan brings in The Fantastics will continue to win.
Bob Caudle is here with Ivan Koloff and his new partner is Jimmy Golden. Quite the odd pairing, a Russian Hard Man and a guy with long blonde hair, what can you do though! He tells The Fantastics that they will not drive them back to Russia. Jimmy lets us know that while Vladimir is away he will be filling in for him, and also wants the tag belts handed to them now as they will win the titles during the tournament.
‘Jumping’ Joey Maggs vs. ‘Hustler’ Rip Rogers
Neither man gets entrance music, my guess is whoever wins this match will lose his ‘jobber’ status.
Rogers attacks Maggs before the bell with a clubbing blow to the back, two hard irish whips into the corner from Rogers, and a snap mare takes Maggs off his feet. Rogers drops a fist to the throat, whip off the ropes and Rogers takes Maggs down with a hair toss. Maggs reverse a whip to the corner and hits a hip toss. Maggs takes Rogers jacket off him and chokes him, then tosses him over with it. He hits a dropkick on Rogers and knocks him outside, Maggs jumps outside too and tosses Rogers back inside. Maggs whips Rogers into the ropes, ducks down and Rogers kicks MAggs in the chest. Rogers sends Maggs outside, Rogers climbs to the top turnbuckle and jumps to the OUTSIDE onto Maggs (thats pretty insane for SMW).
Rogers tosses Maggs inside, and attacks Maggs in the corner, Rogers whips Maggs to the corner which gets reverse, Maggs charges at Rogers but gets a big boot to the face for his troubles. Rogers covers for a 2 count. MAggs with a small package for a 1 count, the two trade blows in the centre of the ring, Rogers whips Maggs to the corner but its reversed and Maggs follows that with a clothesline that sends Rogers to the mat, Maggs with a back body drop and Rogers gets caught in the ropes. Maggs takes advantages of that with some punches, he runs at Rogers but cops another boot to the face, Rogers picks Maggs up for a slam but isn’t able to hold him and Maggs gets a 1 count. Maggs reverse a snap mare attempt for another 1 count. Maggs off the ropes with a cross body for a 2 count, Maggs smashes Rogers head into the turnbuckle. Maggs heads up top and Rogers falls onto the ropes which knocks Maggs down, Rogers heads up top and hits his finisher The Ripperplex (a top rope suplex) for the 1, 2, 3
Match Thoughts: A very good match, they started off with a very quick pace and never let up. I enjoyed both guys work a lot in this match, and Rogers seems to have an interesting character. He seems to act like ‘The Model’ Rick Martel, not sure if thats his aim or not. This match is definitely towards the top of SMW’s best matches so far.
The Mighty Yankee vs. ‘Rock & Roll’ Robert Gibson
So the Mighty Yankee is a guy in a blue mask and blue tights.
Lock up to start, both men end up in the ropes for a clean break. Another lock up and Yankee runs off the ropes and hits a shoulderblock, Gibson ducks down and gets up for a hip toss, but Yankee blocks that and hits his own hip toss. Gibson finally gets the hip toss, followed by a dropkick for 2. Lock up again, with Yankee getting a Headlock, Gibson shoots Yankee off the ropes and hits a big elbow. Knee lift to the face, gets a 2 count for Gibson, Gibson locks on a headlock, and drops an elbow to the top of the head for 2. Gibson whips Yankee off the ropes, but gets clubbed to the back, Yankee hits two elbow drops for a 2 count.
Gibson knocks Yankee down with a big punch, Gibson off the ropes gets knocked outside after a big shoulderblock by Yankee. Yankee keeps knocking Gibson off the apron. Yankee suplex’s Gibson over the top rope inside. Yankee whips Gibson to the corner and hits a clothesline, he whips Gibson to the opposite corner, Yankee charges again but this time Gibson steps out of the way and catches Yankee with a bulldog for the 1, 2, 3.
Match Thoughts: Nothing wrong with the match, it just didn’t really interest me. Robert Gibson does nothing for me as a singles wrestler, hopefully Ricky Morton will come to SMW soon. Yankee showed a bit of flash. Also i hate the Bulldog as a finisher, it just doesn’t seem like a move that would keep someone down.
We are in the back with Bob Caudle and Jim Cornette. Bob asks Jim about his surprise team and where they are. Jim puts down the audience again, and knocks a few celebrities too, including Magic Johnson and Pee-Wee Herman. Cornette basically says you cant believe anyone but him, he lets us know that he is bringing in the most dynamic team ever to SMW. His team will win the tournament whether these hillbillies like it or not.
We go back to the final few minutes of the Dutch Mantell vs Scott Armstrong match from last week. Jim being the great heel that he is, says that Brian Lee is a maniac coming out to the ring with the big stick looking to kill somebody.
We head to the back where Dutch Mantell is with Mr. Ron Wright. Dutch offers Ron some sympathy and knows how hard it would be to sitting in the wheelchair. Dutch asks Ron to accompany him to ringside for his match. Ron with a tear in his eye (classic) and is more than happy to accompany him to ringside. A very touching segment!!
Barry Horowitz vs. Tim Horner (with the WORST ever entrance music)
They quickly show a little kid with a foam Lighting block, for Tim Horner and Jim Cornette heels it up on the kid on commentary, HILARIOUS stuff. Lock up to start, Horner pushes Barry to the corner. Another lock up and Horner hits a snap mare for a 1 count. Horner takes over with an arm lock, which Barry reverse and turns it into a hammerlock, Horner reverses out of that with a fireman’s carry. Lock up, Barry pushes Horner into the corner and Barry hits two uppercuts and whips him into the other corner, Barry charges and Horner jumps over him and whips Barry to the corner. Big right hand by Horner sends Barry to the mat.
Lock up again, both guys end up in the ropes. Barry hits a back elbow and a head but, Barry whips Horner who hits a shoulderblock for a 2 count. Bob Caudle lets us know that next weeks main event has been signed and it will be The Fantastics vs Ivan Koloff and Jimmy Golden, that should be a good match. Horner whips Barry into the corner but its reversed and Barry hits a side suplex on Horner, then stomps on both of Horner’s hands. Knee lift sends Horner to the mat. Barry hits a reverse backbreaker across his knee for a 2 count, Barry with a bridging suplex for 2. Horner slips out of a atomic drop, and charges at Barry with a chest bump that knocks Barry down. Horner with some ounces in the corner, whip to the opposite corner and follows up with a hip toss, body slam and elbow for 2.
Barry reverses Horner’s whip to the ropes and ducks down, but Horner doesn’t run over him, Barry stands up and Horner locks in his lame rolling bridging pin which he calls the Natural Bridge for the 1, 2, 3.
Match Thoughts: A good back and forth match, and i’m happy to see Horner not stopping every few moves to lock in a headlock. I said i would enjoy Horner more if he used a more fast paced offence which he used here. I just wish he would come up with a better finisher than what he has.
Tim Horner goes straight over to the interview area to cut a promo. he says he is happy to be in Morristown, Tennessee which is his home town. He appreciates all of his fans support.
Up next is the big main event.
We go to the back for an interview with ‘Nature Boy’ Buddy Landell. He lets us know that he can act like himself in SMW unlike other promotions where you are told how to act. He is not here to do any favours for anyone. He has a big ego and a bad attitude, and SMW is where its at.
‘Prime Time’ Brian Lee vs. ‘Dirty’ Dutch Mantell
Lock up to start and Lee powers Dutch down to the mat, another lock up and Dutch controls with a headlock. Lee pushes Dutch off the ropes and gets knocked down by a shoulderblock, Lee hits a hip toss and locks in a headlock. Lee press slams Dutch down to the mat. Mr Ron Wright comes down to ringside. Lee controls with an arm lock, and punches away at Dutch’s arm. Dutch goes for a punch which is blocked and Lee lands his own fist. Lock up and Mantell gets a wrist lock, Lee reverses this into his own. Mantell gets to the ropes but Lee pulls him into the middle. Mantell goes to roll out of the arm lock, but Lee holds onto it, Mantell escapes the hold with a rake to the eyes, Mantell hits an elbow to the head and punches Lee in the face.
Mantell locks in an abdominal stretch close to the ropes and again he uses the ropes for extra leverage. The ref catches Mantell and the hold is broken, Dutch hits a short arm clothesline, and then stomps away at Lee. Both guys trade blows, and Lee takes over with some kicks. Whip by Lee to the corner and he hits a big power slam on Dutch. Dutch ends up in the corner near Ron Wright who hands him some brass knuckles. Dutch goes to hit Lee who blocks the punch and gets the brass knuckles and knocks down Dutch, he covers for the 1, 2, NO the ref has noticed the brass knuckles on Lees hand and DQ’s Lee.
Match Thoughts: This didn’t really feel like a match that was built up for three weeks, considering neither guy likes each other they didn’t seem to show much anger. The actual wrestling was good, and Dutch doesn’t seem to be out there to get himself over like most older wrestlers. Lee is still pretty green, but you can see him improving every week and the fans love him. The DQ ending makes sense as it shows this feud isn’t over yet.
We are in the back with Mr. Ron Wright who says SMW have the finest wrestlers in the world. He hasn’t found the right wrestler to manage yet. He lets us know that he will get there and be ok in the end.
‘Hollywood’ Bob Holly joins us now who cant be here for long as he has a limo ready to take him to the airport as he has a dinner date with Julia Roberts. Jim Cornette interrupts Holly and puts over SMW.
Brian Lee is in the back with Bob Caudle, Lee is pissed at Ron Wright and Dutch Mantell, LEe lets us know he will be putting Dutch in a wheelchair just like Ron Wright. Lee wants a re-match and he doesn’t care where it happens. Lee says that Dutch may be good, but he isn’t ready for Prime Time.
Show Thoughts: Another good show from SMW, they continue to build on their current story lines. I am also really enjoying how all the heels have a bunch of sympathy for Mr. Ron Wright and his wheelchair, but none of the faces believe him at all. The issue between Lee and Mantell is not over and hopefully they will have a blow off match in the future. I’m also liking how they are announcing matches for the next shows now. The matches tonight were all very good, except for the Robert Gibson match. I hope they move away from the squash matches relatively soon, as they need to use more of there main card. Thumbs up again.