Kris is joined by Dylan Hales (Wrestling Culture) & Tim Noel (Wrestling Power) to discuss the first two years in the history of Smoky Mountain Wrestling…1992 to 1993. We talk about all the major angles and matches that took place in this time period and the overall greatness of a promotion that arguably may have been the best promotion in the United States in the 1990’s. This show is an important history lesson for anyone that wants to get into SMW!!!

 

http://placetobenation.com/exile-on-badstreet-20-bluegrass-brawlin-the-history-of-smoky-mountain-wrestling-part-1/

People can say what they want about Cornette. Besides the Yetti I don't think he employed a bad wrestler for more than a few months. He would employ mediocre talent like Brian Lee, but top to bottom his roster was full of good workers, and great talkers.

Bruiser Bedlam wasn't good either and I think he was around a bit longer than Kharis. Still, he was at least capable of a few tricks that Cornette did his best to capitalize on. Lee seemed to flip a switch when he turned heel--that run was the best of his career.

With Bedlam he paired him in a feud with Smothers so he had his best worker in the company carry him in a feud. I thought those guys had some fun brawls.

If couldn't have a good match with Tracy Smothers during that period you were awful

Bruiser Bedlam wasn't good either and I think he was around a bit longer than Kharis. Still, he was at least capable of a few tricks that Cornette did his best to capitalize on. Lee seemed to flip a switch when he turned heel--that run was the best of his career.

 

I'm just past the Lee heel turn in my watching of the TV for the first time and it was noticeable the minute that he turned on Smothers that he had been horribly miscast as a face for the first year and a bit of the promotion. I'm not sold on Killer Kyle as a talent and Jimmy Golden is very hit and miss, but without question in that first year alone probably the best array of talkers ever assembled in a promotion (Cornette, Wright, Armstrong, Mantel, Orndorff, Prichard, Lane, Anthony, Fuller, Landell, Morton, Bobby Fulton for starters).

 

Kyle wasn't that good but I thought he was at least serviceable in the role he was given--he was never pushed as a main event star that I can recall. That said, when he first opened his mouth as a member of the Gangstas he quickly revealed why he'd been kept silent for 3 years.

With the possible exception of the amazing two-part Crockett overview, this was the best episode yet. For both better and worse, Cornette is one of the more fascinating guys in wrestling history, and this was a strong primer for what made SMW unique.

With the possible exception of the amazing two-part Crockett overview, this was the best episode yet. For both better and worse, Cornette is one of the more fascinating guys in wrestling history, and this was a strong primer for what made SMW unique.

What's the Cornette overview podcast? Is it still available?

If you mean the Crockett one he was talking about they were the Death of UWF & Death of JCP episodes that should be up on PTBN.

Completely misread that, sorry

 

Wishful thinking maybe - a two parter with Cornette explaining SMW would be sweet.

Re: "The Black Ninja"...I can see why this would create some backlash--this match was hyped on SMW television as Armstrong vs. a mystery opponent, and Cornette did interviews that did more than tease that it would be Yokozuna. He's the only name I distinctly remember being dropped, but I think he may have brought up guys like Abdullah as well. It was also either implied or outright stated that it would *not* be Terry Funk. In any event, fans were led to believe that this would be something bigger than Larry Santo in a cheap outfit.

I've got about twenty minutes left in this and it has been fantastic.

 

An interesting point from Dylan that I never picked up on regarding that first TV taping. When watching I was surprised at how different it was to the subsequent tapings, to the point that I remember commenting that it was almost like a WCW Saturday Night taping from that era, but I didn't pick up on the fact that this is what Cornette would be shopping to the various networks and as a result had a more glossy, professional look to it than what would follow.

 

Doug Furnas did work one taping before coming in to help his brother (who I'm perversely looking to see for the first time) back in May 1992 wrestling and it was actually Scott Anthony who was announced for the Volunteer Slam title tournament on TV but never ended up making it (I'm sure I've heard Cornette explain why but forget) and not Furnas.

Abby did no-show SMW but that was in 1994

I really enjoyed the heel discussion that happened early on in the show. 1993 was a pretty awesome year and the angle with Funk coming in and Cornette being the new commissioner has many entertaining aspects, but it does feel like the heels dominating too much and that has been the biggest negative on the year as a whole to me. One of those circumstances in wrestling where in a vacuum, i am really enjoying the segments on my screen, but it does seem detrimental on a meta level to the promotion as a whole.

It was the problem of the promotion for years but when you have a guy who worked heel as the owner it kinda makes sense to be that way.

Southern promotions are built around strong heels. As discussed on the show and we will hit on it again next show, the problem was no great lead babyface outside of Smothers & RnR.

 

Re: Kyle & Bedlam, we will get into that I'm sure on the next show but FITE has to be the worst stable in SMW history.

Funny that the "Abdullah or Funk?" Black Ninja question played itself out again later via Chainsaw Charlie, in which Cornette was pushing for Foley's tag cohort to be Abby, not Terry, because he thought it'd be a better visual having the Butcher buzz his way out of that box on RAW.

Kris references a Smoky Mountain set. Is there a definitive best of SMW out there?

Kris references a Smoky Mountain set. Is there a definitive best of SMW out there?

 

Send a pm to Goodhelmet.

 

I can hook you up with handhelds that I filmed if you want whole cards.

Great show, looking forward to part 2.

Great episode and looking forward to part #2.

 

I haven't seen the ENTIRE run like you guys have but considering what I have seen, it may be the best episodic television show for the stretch that it lasted. Only Mid South and WCW on TBS can compare but I have not seen those runs complete either. Memphis was very hit and miss and the studio wrestling wasn't generally as good.

 

Dylan, you said that at one point it may have been the promotion with the best number of talkers per capita ever. How do you compare it to Crockett 85-86?

when is part 2 being released? I needed it last week! Great Shit fellas

Should be taping next week