SMW April 1996 - 4/6, 4/13, 4/20, 4/27

[jackknight]

Chito said:

SMOKY MOUNTAIN WRESTLING & THE NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE
PRESENT…

BLUEGRASS BRAWL

SATURDAY NIGHT, APRIL 6, 1996

FROM FREEDOM HALL IN LOUISVILLE, KY







LES THATCHER is the ring announcer for the show, and he introduces SMW Commissioner “BULLET” BOB ARMSTRONG.

ARMSTRONG thanks the fans for coming out, and talks about the Team Challenge that will take place tonight. He says that the four members of Team Smothers will square off in singles matches against the four members of Team Landel. Then, the two teams will meet in a big 8-man Kentucky Streetfight. The team that wins the most matches, including the Streetfight, will win the Team Challenge.

BOB says that the two team captains, Landel and Smothers, have each chosen a stipulation should their team win the series. If Team Landel wins, then Buddy Landel will get a shot at Tracy Smothers’ SMW Championship, in a match type of Landel’s choosing. If Team Smothers wins, Buddy Landel will have to leave SMW forever!

THATCHER thanks Bob for his time, and introduces the opening match.


MATCH #1:
DIXIE DYNAMITE defeats “RUGGED” RIP ROGERS. Rogers takes forever to get in the ring, deciding instead to jaw with some fans at ringside. Finally Dynamite has had enough, he jumps out of the ring, grabs Rogers by the hair, and tosses him into the ring! From there, it’s all Dixie in the early going, as he pummels Rogers from pillar to post, and Rip seems more interested in just getting away from the masked man than anything else.

The veterans Rogers does have some tricks up his sleeve though, and a thumb to the eye, out of view of the ref, stops Dynamite dead in his tracks. From there, Rip takes over and controls the next few minutes. Rip makes a mistake, though, when he turns his attention back to the crowd and taunts them. This gives Dixie a chance to recover, and when Rip turns his attention back to the masked man, he’s met with the CONFEDERATE KICK for the pinfall.


MATCH #2
TEAM CHALLENGE MATCH:
BUNKHOUSE BUCK defeats BRAD ARMSTRONG. The match is an all-out war, as the two men spend more time brawling than actually wrestling. Brad controls the early going, but Buck eventually mounts a comeback, and gives Armstrong a vicious beating. Late in the contest, Armstrong gets a break when Buck goes to the top rope for an elbowdrop, something he’s not accustomed to doing, and Brad is able to roll out of the way and avoid the elbowdrop.

Armstrong goes for the cover, but Buck kicks out at the last second, then rolls out to the floor to try and clear the cobwebs. Brad follows him out, and they brawl on the floor. Armstrong gets the better of that exchange and rolls Buck back into the ring, but as Armstrong then climbs through the ropes, Buck charges at him, and drives his knee into the temple of Brad Armstrong as Brad was halfway through the ropes. Armstrong falls back to the floor, and isn’t able to recover in time to beat the ref’s count.

Bunkhouse Buck wins the match via Count-Out.

TEAM LANDEL: 1, TEAM SMOTHERS: 0


MATCH #3
TEAM CHALLENGE MATCH:
THE FLAME defeats JIMMY VALIANT. Valiant’s TV Title is not on the line for this match. The Flame puts Valiant away in short order, after slipping something into his mask, and delivering a headbutt that knocks Valiant out cold.

TEAM LANDEL: 2, TEAM SMOTHERS: 0


MATCH #4
TEAM CHALLENGE MATCH:
TERRY FUNK defeats BUDDY LANDEL. Funk, who has been defending the NWA World Title all across the globe in recent weeks, returns to SMW to take on Landel in the next match of the Team Challenge. Landel is accompanied to the ring by his business manager Harvey Q. Whippleman, Esq. and his assistant Tammy Lyn Bytch, but referee Dave Hebner sends them both to the back before the match begins.

Landel taunts Funk before the bell, and does his version of the Fargo strut. Funk doesn’t have any patience for any of that, and he grabs Landel, and nails him with some stiff jabs. Funk then whips Landel into the corner, and proceeds to repeatedly ram Landel head-first into the top turnbuckle pad. Landel staggers out of the corner, then does the Flair Flop, falling flat on his face on the mat in the middle of the ring. Funk covers him, but only gets 2.

Funk continues to work over Landel for the next few minutes, but can’t keep the Nature Boy down. Landel eventually turns the tables when Funk cinches him up for a Piledriver, Landel blocks it, then backdrops Funk and delivers several vicious stomps to the head.

Landel works over the knee of the NWA Champion, looking to soften him up for the Figure-4. Landel drapes Funk’s leg over the bottom rope, then jumps up, bringing all his weight down on the knee of the Champion. Moments later, Landel locks on the Figure-4, but they’re close enough to the ropes that Funk can pull himself over, and wrap both arms around the bottom rope, breaking the hold. Landel keeps on him, dragging Funk out to the middle of the ring, and targetting the knee once again. Funk is able to fight his way to his feet, but it’s obvious that he can’t put much weight on the leg, and Landel, with a sadistic smile on his face, kicks the injured leg out from under Funk.

Funk won’t quit, though, even in his weakened state, he fires off punches at Landel whenever he can, and tries desperately to fight back. Landel keeps on the leg, though, and keeps Funk on the mat. He drags the World Champion out to the middle of the ring and goes for the Figure-4 once again . . . FUNK GRABS HIS HAIR AND ROLLS HIM UP!!!

Funk caught Landel completely off-guard, and Landel can’t kick out. Terry Funk wins the match!!

TEAM LANDEL: 2, TEAM SMOTHERS: 1


MATCH #5
TEAM CHALLENGE MATCH:
TRACY SMOTHERS defeats AL SNOW. Smothers comes to the ring, waving the Confederate flag, to a loud ovation from the fans. Snow walks over, and SPITS at the flag! The crowd doesn’t like that, and neither does Smothers, as he tears into Snow, and sends him scurrying from the ring with a flurry of rights and lefts.

Snow takes a breather on the floor before sliding back into the ring. Smothers charges at him, causing Snow to back up into the corner, and plead for mercy. Smothers thinks about it for a second . . . and then plants a boot right in Snow’s gut, to the delight of the Louisville crowd! The next few minutes are all Smothers, as he pummels Snow inside, and outside, the ring. Snow is the first one busted open, after Smothers slams Al’s head into the ringpost. Back inside, Al complains to the ref, pointing at the blood on his forehead, and telling him to disqualify Smothers! Referee Hebner tells Snow that the match will continue, sending Snow into a fit!

Snow quickly turns the tables on Smothers, after jabbing a thumb into Tracy’s eye, then dropping him with a clothesline. Snow works over the Champ for a little bit, then pulls Smothers up off the mat . . . and hits the Snow Plow brainbuster!

Referee Hebner immediately calls for the bell, as the Snow Plow has been banned in SMW, and awards the match to Smothers via disqualification!

This really sets Snow off, he screams at Hebner, then clobbers him with a haymaker that drops the referee like a ton of bricks. Snow yells at the fans about a conspiracy, and then storms off as Smothers eventually starts to move, then staggers to his feet before checking on Dave Hebner.

TEAM LANDEL: 2, TEAM SMOTHERS: 2

We’re tied at 2 wins apiece, heading into the Kentucky Streetfight, so whichever teams wins that match, will win the entire series.


***15 MINUTE INTERMISSION***


Before the start of the Streetfight, ring announcer LES THATCHER again reminds everyone that if Team Landel wins, then Buddy gets a match with Tracy Smothers for the SMW Title, with a stipulation of Buddy’s choosing. If Team Smothers wins, then Buddy Landel has to leave SMW forever!


MATCH #6
8-MAN KENTUCKY STREETFIGHT:
TEAM LANDEL (Buddy Landel, Al Snow, Bunkhouse Buck & the Flame) defeat TEAM SMOTHERS (Tracy Smothers, Terry Funk, Brad Armstrong & Jimmy Valiant). The “match” errupts into an all-out brawl as soon as both teams are in the ring. It doesn’t take long for a steel chair to find it’s way into the ring, and at one point, someone even pulls a ladder out from under the ring and brings it into the ring! We see several spots involving the ladder, such as Smothers whipping Landel into the corner, with the ladder propped up against the turnbuckles and Landel going face-first into the metal ladder. Brad Armstrong sets the ladder up, then delivers a bodypress off of it, onto the Flame for a very close nearfall.

Late in the match, everybody is busted open, with the exception of the masked Flame, but that doesn’t slow anybody down, as they keep wailing away on each other with everything they can get their hands on.

The end comes when Buddy Landel grabs Bunkhouse Buck’s bullrope that he carries to the ring, with the big cowbell on it, then whips Valiant into the ropes, and clobbers him with the cowbell. Everybody else is outside the ring brawling, so there’s no one to break up the pin. Landel covers Valiant, and gets the 1, 2, 3!

TEAM LANDEL WINS THE TEAM CHALLENGE, 3 – 2!

That means that Landel will get a match in the near future with Tracy Smothers for the SMW Title, and Landel can pick any type of match he wants and the title will be on the line!

Team Smothers tend to Valiant, as Landel and his team gloat as they walk down the aisleway, arms raised in victory.


MATCH #7
SMW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
BEST 2 OUT OF 3 FALLS:
THE ROCK N’ ROLL EXPRESS defeat THE HEAVENLY BODIES (Champs). Jim Cornette is locked in a small cage in the aisle. Corny is not happy, and refuses to go into the cage willingly. It takes Commissioner Armstrong coming out and threatening to strip the Bodies of the Tag Titles to get Cornette to enter the cage.

FALL #1: The action is fast and furious as both teams look to take the very important first fall. It’s the Bodies that get their hands raised with some well-executed double teaming. Del Ray whips Morton into the ropes, then catches him, lifts him up, and falls backwards into a Flapjack maneuver. At the same time, Pritchard bounces off the ropes, grabs Morton, and delivers a version of the Bulldog and Morton is driven face-first to the mat. Del Ray covers Morton, and the Bodies go up one fall to none.

FALL #2: Prichard and Del Ray tear into Morton to start the second fall, trying to put him away early. Ricky takes an enormous amount of punishment, but won’t quit. Finally he is able to make the hot tag to Robert Gibson, who comes in and cleans house on the Champions. Gibson and Del Ray are the legal men, and Robert grabs Del Ray in a side headlock, then jumps up with both feet, and kicks off the turnbuckles, turning in the air, and then drives Del Ray down with a Bulldog. Gibson covers Del Ray and gets the 1, 2, 3 to even things up at one fall each.

FALL #3: It’s all-out war in the third fall, with all four men in the ring together for the majority of the fall. The end comes when Morton and Gibson hit simultaneous atomic drops, that send Prichard and Del Ray crashing into each other in the middle of the ring. They bang heads, and Del Ray falls out of the ring. Prichard is slow to stagger to his feet, but when he does, Morton and Gibson are waiting and they hit a double dropkick. With Prichard already dazed, the double dropkick is enough to put the Doctor of Desire down for the count. Morton covers him and picks up the 3-count!

THE ROCK N’ ROLL EXPRESS ARE THE NEW SMW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS!!!!

[jackknight]

Chito said:

SMOKY MOUNTAIN WRESTLING


Saturday, April 13, 1996
2pm to 3pm

Taped earlier in the day at East High School in Morristown, TN

Broadcast on these local stations:
WBIR-10 covering East Tennessee
WHAS-11 covering central and eastern Kentucky
WHNS-21 covering western North and South Carolina
WVSX-59 covering the Bluefield-Beckley-Blacksburg area in WV









"Don't change that channel, all that flippin' around! You're about to see the hottest show in town. The biggest stars and the biggest brawls. The biggest hits and the biggest falls. Non stop action, no messin' around, pretty soon we're comin' to your town. The way you like it, way it used to be...Smoky Mountain Wrestling's on TV."




LES THATCHER, DUTCH MANTELL and STAN LANE open the show in the broadcast area, in front of a large SMW banner, and they welcome us back to the East High School in Morristown, Tennessee for another edition of Smoky Mountain Wrestling. Wrestling the way it used to be. Wrestling the way YOU like it!


This week, the Flame will be in action . . . “Rugged” Rip Rogers will be here . . . SMW TV Champion Jimmy Valiant will be in singles action . . . the Rock n’ Roll Express meet the Heavenly Bodies in a rematch from Bluegrass Brawl . . . We have a big double main event this week, the first main event will be a Texas Tornado tag team match as Tracy Smothers teams up with Brad and Steve Armstrong against Buddy Landel, Al Snow and Bunkhouse Buck . . . And the final match of the show will see 12 wrestlers compete in a $5,000 on a Pole Battle Royal!


THATCHER, LANE and MANTELL then talk about BLUEGRASS BRAWL, which took place last Saturday night in Louisville, KY.

HIGHLIGHTS are shown of all the matches, although the clips focus mainly on the 8-man Kentucky Streetfight, and the Rock n’ Roll Express defeating the Heavenly Bodies for the SMW Tag Team Titles.


Due to Team Landel winning the Team Challenge, Buddy Landel will get another shot at the SMW Title, and he can pick any stipulation he wants for the match.


STAN LANE climbs into the ring and interviews “NATURE BOY” BUDDY LANDEL and AL SNOW in the ring. Snow and Landel are joined by their business manager, Harvey Q. Whippleman, Esq. and Landel’s personal assistant, Tammy Lyn Bytch.

LANDEL gloats about his team winning the Team Challenge at Bluegrass Brawl, and says that his match against Tracy Smothers will be a Texas Death match!

At that time, THATCHER and MANTELL are joined at the broadcast table by SMW Commissioner BOB ARMSTRONG.

ARMSTRONG addresses Landel and Snow in the ring. He says that Al Snow has been fined $10,000 for his actions at Bluegrass Brawl, where he not only used the Snow Plow, which has been banned in SMW, but he assaulted an official as well.

SNOW is livid, saying that the Snow Plow should NOT be banned, and that the referee was incompetent, the man should never have been allowed anywhere near a wrestling ring!

LANDEL calms Snow down, saying that $10,000 is nothing, it’ll be taken care of. Landel then talks about Tracy Smothers, and says that when they meet in the Texas Death match, Smothers reign as Champion will come to an end.




MATCH #1:
THE FLAME beats AJ PETRUCCI via pinfall. The masked man makes short work of Petrucci, hitting him with a Bulldog for the pin.




MATCH #2:
“RUGGED” RIP ROGERS beats THE MASKED HORNET via pinfall after delivering a German suplex into a bridge. Prior to the start of the match, Rogers complained about the smell in the building, and started spraying air freshener from a spraycan.




A pre-taped segment airs, where STAN LANE hypes the Carolina Cup tag team tournament next Saturday in Charlotte, NC. There were so many teams, from all around the world, that wanted to be part of the tournament, it was decided that two shows were needed to fit them all in. So, there will be an afternoon show, starting at 1pm, and then an evening show, starting at 8pm.

As well as the tag team tournament, there will be a few other matches as well, including Buddy Landel getting his shot at Tracy Smothers for the SMW Title in a Texas Death match, and on the evening card, the winner of today’s Pole Battle Royal will face Terry Funk for the NWA World Title!

The teams set to take part in the tournament include: The Steiner Brothers, Billy Black & Joel Deaton, The Heavenly Bodies, Scott Armstrong & Bobby Fulton, the masked Cyberpunks, Hiroshi Hase & Nobuhiko Takada from Japan, Brad & Steve Armstrong, Homicide & Hernandez, SMW Tag Champs the Rock n’ Roll Express, The Moondogs Spike & Cujo, Al Snow & the Flame, The Rotten Brothers Ian & Axl, Tommy Dreamer & Dustin Rhodes, the Beverly Brothers Beau & Blake, Sgt. Slaughter & Jim Duggan and from Russia, Ivan & Vladimir Koloff!

We’ll find out who the top tag team in the World truly is next Saturday, April 20, in Charlotte, NC!


MATCH #3
SMW TV CHAMPIONSHIP:
JIMMY VALIANT (Champ) beats BRADY BOONE via pinfall. Boone is no slouch, and he gives Valiant a tough challenge, but in the end, Jimmy gets his hand raised after hitting a bionic elbow, then an elbowdrop off the ropes.




A video airs, featuring LUDVIG BORGA destroying several opponents.




LES, STAN and DUTCH talk about the Hell Raiser from Helsinki, Ludvig Borga, who will be making his debut in SMW next month.


Footage airs of the SMW Tag Team Title match from Bluegrass Brawl, where the Rock n’ Roll Express regained the titles from the Heavenly Bodies.

We then see footage of JIM CORNETTE, TOM PRICHARD and JIMMY DEL RAY whining about how the belts were STOLEN from them.


LES and STAN talk about Cornette, and Lane says that Cornette needs to stop running, whining and crying to his mama every time things don’t go his way. MANTELL is appalled, saying that Lane and Thatcher should be ashamed of themselves, making light of the injustice that poor Jimmy Cornette has suffered. He says that Bob Armstrong needs to do the right thing, strip the belts from Morton and Gibson, and return them to their rightful owners, the Heavenly Bodies.


MATCH #4
SMW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP:
THE ROCK N’ ROLL EXPRESS (Champs) defeat THE HEAVENLY BODIES (w/ Jim Cornette) via Disqualification. Late in the match, Prichard lifts Robert Gibson up on his shoulders, spinning him around, with Gibson’s foot connecting with the head of referee Dave Hebner. Hebner hits the mat, and the Bodies immediately take advantage, they hit a double-team Flapjack / Bulldog combo on Gibson, but Ricky Morton comes in and cleans house. Cornette tosses his tennis racket to Jimmy Del Ray, but referee Hebner comes to, just in time to see Del Ray hit Morton with the racket, and he calls for the bell, disqualifying the Bodies!

CORNETTE is beside himself at ringside, screaming at the referee, as Morton and Gibson send the Bodies to the floor with a pair of double dropkicks.




MATCH #5
TEXAS TORNADO MATCH:
TRACY SMOTHERS & BRAD & STEVE ARMSTRONG defeat BUDDY LANDEL & AL SNOW & BUNKHOUSE BUCK (w/ Harvey Q. Whippleman, Esq. & Tammy Lyn Bytch). The action is wild and wooly right from the opening bell, with all six men in the ring together, both teams looking to destroy the other. Eventually they pair off, as Steve Armstrong and Bunkhouse Buck brawl outside the ring, Brad works over Al Snow in one corner of the ring, and Landel and Smothers square off in the opposite corner.

Bunkhouse Buck gets the upper hand on Steve Armstrong outside the ring after Tammy Lyn interjects herself, raking Steve’s eyes, allowing Buck to pummel Steve. Landel and Smothers eventually make their way to the floor as well, where Smothers gets the upper hand and slams Buddy’s head into the ringpost.

At one point, THE FLAME makes his way down the aisle, and it looks like he may get involved as well, but JIMMY VALIANT shows up and he and the Flame brawl backstage.

The match comes to an end when Brad Armstrong catches Bunkhouse Buck with the Swinging Russian Legsweep in the ring, while Landel and Snow brawl with Smothers and Steve outside the ring. Brad hits the Legsweep and covers Buck for the 1, 2, 3.




Footage airs of TERRY FUNK defeating SHANE DOUGLAS on March 22 in Providence, RI to once again become the NWA World Heavyweight Champion. After the match, we see a promo from Funk in the locker room, saying it’s an honour to hold the NWA title again, and he’ll take on any and all challengers.

THATCHER talks about Funk’s title win, and says that he’ll be defending the NWA title in Charlotte next Saturday, on the evening card, against the winner of the next match, a $5,000 on a Pole Battle Royal.


MATCH #6
12-MAN $5,000 ON A POLE BATTLE ROYAL

The money is placed in a bag, and hung from a pole over one of the turnbuckles. The 12 wrestlers participating in the match are: Tracy Smothers, the Flame, Brad Armstrong, Buddy Landel, Steve Armstrong, Al Snow, Jimmy Valiant, Tom Prichard, Ricky Morton, Jimmy Del Ray, Robert Gibson and Rip Rogers.

As soon as all 12 wrestlers are in the ring, the bell sounds, and they all tear into each other. Landel wastes no time in trying to climb the pole, and with the other wrestlers all fighting with each other, it looks like he might win this match within the first minute, but no such luck, as Robert Gibson grabs him and pulls him back down.

In the end, Al Snow tries to scurry up the pole, but Tracy Smothers stops him. They take shots at each other, before Smothers is able to pull Snow down. Smothers slams Snow’s head into the top turnbuckle 10 times, as the fans count along, with Snow then falling to the mat. Smothers quickly climbs to the top turnbuckle and starts to pull himself up the pole. Al Snow is back up, and grabs at him, but Smothers is able to kick him away, and reach the money!

Smothers pulls the bag from the clip, and jumps down into the ring. Tracy Smothers has won the $5,000 and will go on to challenge Terry Funk for the NWA title on the evening card next Saturday night in Charlotte. The question is, after he faces Buddy Landel in a Texas Death match on the afternoon card, will he still be SMW Champion heading into the match with Funk? Only time will tell.




THATCHER, MANTELL and LANE wrap up the show, and talk about what took place, then they hype the Carolina Cup tag team tournament next Saturday in Charlotte. Thatcher says that there won’t be a TV show next week, as they’ll be at Independence Arena for the Carolina Cup afternoon show, but says SMW will return to TV the following Saturday, April 27, at it’s regular time.

[jackknight]

Chito said:

SMOKY MOUNTAIN WRESTLING & THE NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE
PRESENT…

THE CAROLINA CUP TAG TEAM TOURNAMENT

SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 1996

FROM INDEPENDENCE ARENA IN CHARLOTTE, NC

AFTERNOON SHOW:

LES THATCHER is the ring announcer for the show, and he welcomes everyone to the afternoon portion of the Carolina Cup Tag Team Tournament. He runs down the list of teams that will take part in the tournament . . . Rick & Scott Steiner, Billy Black & Joel Deaton, The Heavenly Bodies, Scott Armstrong & Bobby Fulton, the masked Cyberpunks, Hiroshi Hase & Nobuhiko Takada, Brad & Steve Armstrong, Homicide & Hernandez, the Rock n’ Roll Express, the Moondogs, Al Snow & the Flame, Ian & Axl Rotten, Tommy Dreamer & Dustin Rhodes, the Beverly Brothers, Sgt. Slaughter & Jim Duggan and Ivan & Vladimir Koloff!

As well, Buddy Landel will challenge SMW Champion Tracy Smothers for the title in a Texas Death match!


MATCH #1
CAROLINA CUP TOURNAMENT, OPENING ROUND:
RICK & SCOTT STEINER defeat BILLY BLACK & JOEL DEATON. The Steiner brothers are impressive in the first match of the tournament, putting Black and Deaton away when Scott hits the Frankensteiner on Deaton for the pinfall.


MATCH #2
CAROLINA CUP TOURNAMENT, OPENING ROUND:
THE HEAVENLY BODIES (w/ Jim Cornette) defeat SCOTT ARMSTRONG & BOBBY FULTON. The Bodies have had a run of bad luck lately, losing the Tag Team Titles to the RnR Express at Bluegrass Brawl, then losing a rematch with the Express last week on TV. However, things turn around for them here, as they win a hard-fought match over Armstrong and Fulton when Del Ray pins Fulton with a Moonsault after Prichard dropped Fulton with a DDT behind the ref’s back.


MATCH #3
CAROLINA CUP TOURNAMENT, OPENING ROUND:
HIROSHI HASE & NOBUHIKO TAKADA defeat THE CYBERPUNKS. The masked men put up a good fight, but Hase and Takada use their vicious strikes and submission holds to wear them down. The match comes to an end when Takada hits a vicious running kick to the head of one of the Cyberpunks, and pins him.


MATCH #4
CAROLINA CUP TOURNAMENT, OPENING ROUND:
BRAD & STEVE ARMSTRONG defeat HOMICIDE & HERNANDEZ. Homicide and Hernandez, the youngsters from Eastern Championship Wrestling, show that they can wrestle as well as brawl, as they wrestle the Armstrong brothers on the mat. Hernandez gets a very close nearfall on Steve late in the match with a big Superplex off the top rope, but Steve gets a shoulder up at the last second. In the end, it’s Brad and Steve coming away with the win, when Brad hits Homicide with the Swinging Russian Legsweep for the pinfall.


MATCH #5
CAROLINA CUP TOURNAMENT, OPENING ROUND:
THE ROCK N’ ROLL EXPRESS defeat THE MOONDOGS (Spike & Cujo). The Moondogs are their usual wild selves here, and they use their wild brawling tactics to gain the upper hand early. Morton spends several minutes being pummeled in the Moondogs corner, even getting hit with the rawhide bone at one point, but he finally manages to make the hot tag to Gibson, who comes in and cleans house. Gibson sends both Moondogs out of the ring with dropkicks, then he and Ricky both slingshot over the top rope with a pair of bodypresses onto the Dogs at ringside. The match quickly moves back into the ring, where Ricky and Robert hit double dropkicks on both Moondogs, and Gibson covers Spike for the win.


MATCH #6
CAROLINA CUP TOURNAMENT, OPENING ROUND:
AL SNOW & THE FLAME defeat IAN & AXL ROTTEN. This match is brawl right from the start, with very little actual wrestling taking place. That suits both teams just fine, as they pummel each other. Late in the match, Al Snow and Axl Rotten take their battle to the floor, while the Flame gains the upper hand on Ian inside the ring, raking the eyes of Rotten. From there, the Flame works over Ian, wearing him down, and then hits a Bulldog for the pinfall.

While that’s going on inside the ring, on the outside, Axl gets the better of Snow, repeatedly bashing him over the head with a chair, then he dives back in the ring, but he’s not quick enough to break up the count. Axl helps his brother up while Snow and the Flame celebrate on the floor.


MATCH #7
CAROLINA CUP TOURNAMENT, OPENING ROUND:
TOMMY DREAMER & DUSTIN RHODES defeat BLAKE & BEAU BEVERLY. These two teams give the fans a top-notch match, featuring plenty of mat wrestling, and brawling. In the end, Dreamer gets the win for his team, dropping Beau Beverly on his head with a Piledriver for the win.


MATCH #8
CAROLINA CUP TOURNAMENT, OPENING ROUND:
AMERICA’S TEAM defeat IVAN & VLADIMIR KOLOFF. Prior to the start of the match, Vladimir takes the house mic from Les Thatcher, while Ivan waves the Russian flag, and demands that the fans all stand for the playing of the Russian national anthem. Slaughter and Duggan hit the ring and they put a stop to that, nailing the Koloffs with a flurry of haymakers, then Duggan takes the Russian flagpole and batters Vladimir with it, before breaking the flagpole over his knee and tossing it out of the ring.

The match is a wild one, and the four men spend plenty of time all in the ring together. Referee Dave Hebner realizes early that he’s going to have trouble controlling this one, so he pretty much just stands back and lets the two teams fight.

In the end, America’s Team pick up the win after Duggan hits Ivan with the Football Tackle, then tags Slaughter, and as Ivan stumbles to his feet, Slaughter clobbers him with the Slaughter Cannon for the pinfall.


MATCH #9
TEXAS DEATH MATCH FOR THE SMW CHAMPIONSHIP:
TRACY SMOTHERS (Champ) VS. BUDDY LANDEL (w/ Harvey Whippleman & Tammy Lyn Bytch).

These two waste no time tearing into each other to start the match. The first fall comes a mere three minutes into the match, as Smothers drops Landel on his head with a Piledriver, and picks up the 3-count. However, Landel is able to get to his feet before the count of 10, and the match continues. The next fall comes a few minutes later, as Smothers once again pins Landel, this time after Landel charged at Smothers in the corner, with Tracy falling out of the way, then rolling a stunned Landel up for the pinfall. Again, Landel is able to get to his feet and beat the 10-count.

Landel wins the next fall, at about the 12-minute mark, hitting Smothers with his patented Corkscrew Elbow, and gets the 3-count. Smothers is slow to get up, but he’s able to beat the ref’s 10-count.

Landel picks up another fall a few minutes later, after taking a pair of brass knux, handed to him by Whippleman, and hitting Smothers with a punch, opening up a cut on Tracy’s head. Smothers JUST manages to beat the 10-count this time, and he seems wobbly after getting to his feet. The referee asks him if he’s OK to continue, with Tracy motioning to Landel to bring it on, and the battle continues!

Smothers keeps fighting, but he seems to be slowing down, no doubt in part to the blood loss, as his face is now a crimson mask. Landel stays on Smothers, battering him from pillar to post, but he can’t put him down for a pinfall. Harvey Whippleman gets up on the apron, distracting Smothers, and that allows Landel to sneak up behind Tracy, and drop him with a Hangman’s neckbreaker for another pinfall. Tracy is sluggish, but he’s able to beat the 10-count. After more than 20 minutes, Landel has to be wondering what he’s got to do to keep Smothers down for good.

At that point, Al Snow comes out to the ring, but Brad and Steve Armstrong show up and chase him to the back.

Over the next few minutes, the two men trade a pair of falls, but neither man stays down for the 10-count. Tracy Smothers has lost a lot of blood, and it shows as he’s unsturdy on his feet, but Landel is in rough shape as well. Landel removes one of his boots, and attempts to clobber Smothers with it, but Tracy ducks, then kicks Landel in the gut, causing him to drop the boot. Smothers picks the boot up, and as he winds up to hit Landel with it, Buddy throws a big haymaker at Smothers.

The two men hit each other at the same time, Landel connecting with a wild punch, and Smothers bashing Landel over the head with Landel’s boot. The two men fall to the mat, and lay there. A moment later, referee Dave Hebner starts the 10-count. Landel starts to stir, and rises to one knee, before falling back to the mat. Smothers climbs to his feet as Hebner reaches 9, and Hebner awards the match to Smothers!

Tracy Smothers has defeated Buddy Landel in a wild and bloody Texas Death match to retain the SMW title, but what kind of shape will he be in to challenge Terry Funk in just a few hours for the NWA World Title?

[jackknight]

Chito said:

SMOKY MOUNTAIN WRESTLING


Saturday, April 27, 1996
2pm to 3pm

Taped earlier in the day at East High School in Morristown, TN

Broadcast on these local stations:
WBIR-10 covering East Tennessee
WHAS-11 covering central and eastern Kentucky
WHNS-21 covering western North and South Carolina
WVSX-59 covering the Bluefield-Beckley-Blacksburg area in WV






"Don't change that channel, all that flippin' around! You're about to see the hottest show in town. The biggest stars and the biggest brawls. The biggest hits and the biggest falls. Non stop action, no messin' around, pretty soon we're comin' to your town. The way you like it, way it used to be...Smoky Mountain Wrestling's on TV."




LES THATCHER, DUTCH MANTELL and STAN LANE open the show in the broadcast area, in front of a large SMW banner, and they welcome us back to Morristown, TN for another edition of Smoky Mountain Wrestling. Wrestling the way it used to be. Wrestling the way YOU like it!

LES, DUTCH and STAN talk about the Carolina Cup tag team tournament that took place in Charlotte last Saturday.


HIGHLIGHTS are shown of the afternoon and evening shows in Charlotte. The highlights focus on the bloody Texas Death match between Tracy Smothers and Buddy Landel, the NWA World Title match, and the finals of the tag team tournament, where Brad and Steve Armstrong beat Al Snow and the Flame to win the tournament, only to see Snow hit their father, Bob Armstrong, with the Snow Plow, sending him out of the ring on a stretcher.


LES and STAN are appalled, but DUTCH wonders if Armstrong brought it on himself, by constantly sticking his nose in Landel and Snow’s business, particularly banning the Snow Plow, a legitimate move that Snow has used to beat many an opponent.


Pre-recorded comments from BUDDY LANDEL & AL SNOW:

LANDEL and SNOW gloat about what they did to Bob Armstrong, sending him out of the ring on a stretcher.

SNOW says that he was surprised Bob didn’t crumble to dust when he hit the Snow Plow, seeing as how ancient Armstrong is!

LANDEL runs down the Armstrong family, saying that the reason Scott wrestled under the mask as Dixie Dynamite, is because he’s embarrassed to be known as Bob Armstrong’s son. He calls Bob’s youngest son a deserter, saying he couldn’t cut it in the military, and calls him a yellow-bellied coward, just like the rest of the Armstrongs.

LANDEL says that they’ve dealt with the crooked Commissioner, and now that Armstrong isn’t around to stack the deck against him, he’s getting back to business, and that’s taking the SMW Title from the “paper” Champion, Tracy Smothers. Landel challenges Smothers to a match at Volunteer Slam on May 18.




MATCH #1:
THE FLAME beats PEZ WHATLEY via pinfall.




LES THATCHER sends us to comments from SMW Commissioner Bob Armstrong, from Bob’s home in Marietta, GA.


BOB ARMSTRONG is at his home, wearing a neckbrace.

ARMSTRONG talks about what Al Snow did to him, and says that Al may not realize it, but he made Bob’s point about the Snow Plow, that it’s a move designed solely to hurt people, and that’s the reason SMW decided to ban the move.

BOB then announces that SMW has decided to SUSPEND Al Snow for 90 days! Bob says that Al cannot wrestle, he cannot accompany Buddy Landel for Buddy’s matches, he can’t be on SMW TV at all!

BOB then talks about the next big event coming up from SMW, Volunteer Slam, set for May 18 in Knoxville. The event will be a special outdoor show, as SMW invades Chilhowee Park in Knoxville! Bob says that NWA World Champion Terry Funk will be in Knoxville on May 18 to defend his title, and all the stars of SMW will be in action.




MATCH #2
SMW TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP:
JIMMY VALIANT (Champ) beats PAUL ROMA via pinfall.




MATCH #3:
STEVE & SCOTT ARMSTRONG defeat THE ORIENTALS I & II via pinfall. The masked men show that they are devious competitors, as they switch places more than once while the referee isn’t looking, but in the end, it makes no difference as Steve hits a diving Lariat on Oriental I for the pinfall.




After the match, STEVE and SCOTT are joined by their brother, BRAD ARMSTRONG, and the three cut a promo on Al Snow and Buddy Landel, saying that they are going to avenge the injury to their father.


LES THATCHER interviews LUDVIG BORGA at ringside. Borga runs down the fans in attendance, and America in general. He talks about the fact that the American education system is crumbling, resulting in generation after generation of idiots, and the people in attendance are a prime example of that.

BORGA goes on to run down Sgt. Slaughter and Jim Duggan, saying that the country they fight so hard to defend is not worth defending because America is a cesspool.

At that point, SGT. SLAUGHTER and JIM DUGGAN come out to ringside and confront Borga. Slaughter says that he has never been as proud of anything as he is to be an American, to which Borga responds that he’s an idiot. Slaughter says that anytime Borga wants to get in the ring and see what an American can do, he and Duggan are not hard to find!

DUGGAN and SLAUGHTER walk off, and BORGA says that he’ll take pleasure in shutting those two up!




MATCH #4:
BRAD ARMSTRONG beats NASTY NED BRADY via pinfall. Brady gives Armstrong a tough match, but Armstrong picks up the win after hitting the Swinging Russian Legsweep.




LES THATCHER interviews SMW Champion TRACY SMOTHERS at ringside.

HIGHLIGHTS are shown of Buddy Landel coming to ringside during the Tracy Smothers – Terry Funk NWA World Title match last Saturday night in Charlotte, and ringing the bell, distracting Smothers long enough for Funk to roll him up.

SMOTHERS provides comments while the film is shown. He talks about Landel costing him the biggest prize in this sport, and says that he heard Landel’s comments earlier, and he accepts Landel’s challenge for Volunteer Slam, and says that he’s going to add a stipulation . . . he wants a special referee assigned to the match, someone that will make sure Landel doesn’t pull any of his usual dirty tricks. Smothers says that he’s got just the person in mind, someone that both he and Landel know very well, and someone he knows will call it right down the middle.

THATCHER inquires as to who it might be, but Smothers says that he wants to make sure that this individual will agree to referee the match before he says who it is.


MATCH #5:
TOM PRICHARD (w/ Jim Cornette) beats ROBERT GIBSON via pinfall. Gibson has the upper hand late in the match, but after a ref bump, Cornette tosses his tennis racket to Prichard, who waffles Gibson in the head with it, and as the ref comes to, Prichard covers Gibson for the win.




LES THATCHER announces that next week’s main event will feature SMW Tag Team Champions the Rock n’ Roll Express defending the titles against the Heavenly Bodies . . . and the losing team will have to split up!


THATCHER, MANTELL and LANE wrap up the show, and talk about what took place, before hyping next week’s show which will feature a losing team splits up match between the Rock n’ Roll Express and the Heavenly Bodies!