SMOKY MOUNTAIN WRESTLING VOLUNTEER SLAM 1 5/22/92

Running Time: about 90 minutes

This show takes place at one of SMW's two flagship venues, the Knoxville, TN Civic Coliseum. Your hosts are Les Thatcher and Phil Rainey, who have much history within Tennessee's previous promotions. The arena is dark, almost pitch black except for the ring and ringside area, and that's not even all that well-lit. Dutch Mantel and some nobody named Mark Aston/Ashton/Asten (no graphic to tell which one) handled pre and post-match interviews in the locker rooms. The main feature on the show was a tournament to crown the first SMW champion.

1. SMW Title Tournament Round 1: Dixie Dy-no-mite (correct gimmick spelling) vs "Dirty White Boy" Tony Anthony (w/Ron Wright)

Dixie is Scott Armstrong so he's a decent worker. Wright is "wheelchair bound" as part of his gimmick, and was one of the best heel acts in wrestling in 1992 and 1993. Anthony always struck me as a depandable heel who could bring solid workrate when he wanted to. Dixie dropkicked Anthony after a criss cross early. Anthony grabbed a headlock, and they did another criss cross. Dixie hiptossed and dropkicked Anthony, who slid out of the ring and did a Flair-like collapse on the floor. Anthony won a test of strength but Dixie held his own and stomped on Anthony's hands. Dixie took Anthony down with a headlock but Anthony countered with a headscissors. Dixie escaped and went back to the headlock. Anthony pulled Dixie's hair and applied a headscissors again. Dixie escaped and headlocked Anthony again. Anthony clotheslined Dixie in what looked like a botched criss cross spot or some other mistimed sequence. Anthony elbowed Dixie, headlocked and punched him. Anthony stomped and slammed Dixie, then legdropped him for a near fall. Anthony gave Dixie a swinging neckbreaker and tried to rip his mask off. Anthony rammed Dixie into the corner and choked him. Anthony punched Dixie and gave him a kneelift. He DDTd Dixie for a near fall but Dixie caught a nonchalaunt Anthony and sunset flipped him for a near fall of his own. Anthony clotheslined and elbowsmashed Dixie three times for a near fall. Anthony went for a slam but Dixie rolled him up for a near fall. Anthony missed a corner splash and Dixie gave him a bunch of kicks to the gut. Dixie elbowed Anthony and punched him. Anthony poked Dixie's eyes but ran into a superkick and Dixie gained a near fall. Dixie missed a dropkick and Anthony gave him a Bucksnort blaster (Rock bottom) for the pin. 7:57 aired, and the match appeared to be about 14:00 given the time calls by the ring announcer. Acceptable first round fare, but I don't think it got going action-wise like these two could have done. Anthony seemed to be in cruise control while Dixie showed some fire. About *1/2 in full if I were to guess.

2. SMW Title Tournament Round 1: "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel vs "Prime Time" Brian Lee

Landel dominated Lee early in the footage with kicks, punches and chops. He gave Lee a short clothesline for a one count. Landel used more punches, snapmared Lee and applied a front facelock. Landel put his foot on the rope for added leverage. Lee escaped but Landel punched and chopped him again. Landel bit Lee and punched him. Lee punched back but Landel poked his eyes. Landel kicked, chopped and elbowed Lee in the corner. He gave Lee a weak short clothesline that Lee no-sold (and rightfully so). Lee lifted Landek with a chokehold and shoved him to the mat. Lee landed a series of punches in the corner but ran into a boot attempting a corner splash. Lee caught Landel with a powerslam but missed a top rope kneedrop. Landel went for a figure 4 leglock but Lee rolled him up and pinned him. About 3:18 aired, and I'm glad only that much did. What aired was pretty lackluster with Landel hardly taking any bumps. Probably less than * in full, and that's a letdown.

3. SMW Title Tournament Round 1: Tim Horner vs Paul Orndorff

Horner won a shoving exchange early. Horner grabbed a headlock and tackled Orndorff for a loop on a criss cross. Orndorff took Horner down to the mat but Horner countered with a hammerlock. Orndorff gave Horner a fireman's carry takedown but Horner responded with a headscissors. Orndorff scored with some elbows and a kick. Orndorff ran into a punch and bailed out of the ring. They had a second criss cross exchange ending when Horner hit a cross bodyblock for a near fall. The footage clipped forward to Orndorff stomping Horner. Orndorff elbowed Horner's neck against the apron and gave him a kneedrop on the apron that caused Horner to fall to the floor. Orndorff choked Horner with a camera cable and knocked him off the apron to the floor with a running knee. Orndorff punched Horner and elbowsmashed him in the neck. Orndorff kneedropped Horner and applied a chinlock. Horner escaped with elbows and punches but ran into a clothesline. Orndorff gave Horner a fistdrop for a near fall. He yelled at the ref for not counting fast enough and Horner rolled him up from behind for a near fall. Orndorff gave Horner a knee to the head and choked him. Orndorff kicked Horner but Horner fought back with kicks and punches of his own. Horner won an exchange of punches but Orndorff gave him a low blow. Orndorff went for a Vader bomb (reverse second rope splash) but crashed onto Horner's knees. Horner kicked Orndorff and landed some punches. He elbowed Orndorff, punched him and rammed him into the corner. Horner snap suplexed Orndorff for a near fall and gave him a clothesline in the corner. Horner rammed Orndorff into the corner but then ran into an elbow. Orndorff went for a neckbreaker but Horner countered with a backslide for a near fall. Horner small packaged Orndorff for a near fall but Orndorff fought back. Horner countered a suplex and applied a sleeper. He stomped Orndorff but Orndorff pulled him out of the ring. Orndorff rammed Horner into a ringside table but Horner responded in kind. Horner got his leg caught in the ropes and Orndorff pushed him down and pinned him even though Horner's leg was in the ropes. Almost 14:00 aired of a match that apparently went almost the full 20:00 time limit. Nice job of teasing the time limit, but the screwy ending took that value away. Overall, a good old school match with a bit more stalling than was necessary but good, smooth wrestling exchanges. I'd say ** or a little better.

4. SMW Title Tournament Round 1: Jimmy Golden vs Robert Gibson

Golden attacked Gibson before the bell. Gibson fought back with a hiptoss and a slam. Golden rolled out of the ring and stalled a bit. Golden offered a handshake, Gibson refused and Golden slapped him. Gibson returned the favor and landed a series of punches in the corner. Golden clipped Gibson's knee from behind and kicked it. Golden kneedropped Gibson's left knee and applied a spinning toehold. Golden repeatedly stomped Gibson's left knee and kicked him in the corner. Gibson tried to fight back but Golden raked his eyes. Golden rammed Gibson's knee into the apron. He stretched Gibson'e knee in the ropes and rammed it into the ringpost. Golden applied a half crab and held onto the middle rope for leverage. They clipped forward showing Golden trying to ram Gibson's knee into the ringpost but Gibson countered with kicks to Golden's head. Gibson limped around and landed a couple punches at ringside but Golden raked his eyes again. Gibson recovered and shoved Golden into the ringpost. Gibson tried to reenter the ring but Golden attacked him and Gibson fell down with his leg tied up in the ropes. Golden kicked at Gibson's knee again. He held Gibson's left leg but Gibson countered with an enzuguiri. Gibson landed a couple kicks and punches, then gave Golden a kneelift. Gibson telegraphed a backdrop and Golden shoved him to the mat. Golden continued to attack Gibson's knee but missed a clothesline. Gibson bulldogged Golden for a sudden pin. 7:48 aired, and it looked like most of the match aired. Horner-Orndorff was maybe slightly better, but I liked this the most of the first round matches. Nothing great, and nothing beyond their abilities, but this is the one first round match that at least met my expectations. Working a body part rarely excites me unless it's an All Japan match or a couple other cases, but the work was entirely solid, with some good sequences. Other than some early stalling, this was a good old school match. I expected to be bored by this pairing, but I wasn't. I'd say ** is a pretty safe bet.

5. SMW Title Tournament Semifinal: "Dirty White Boy" Tony Anthony (w/Ron Wright) vs Brian Lee

Lee attacked Anthony before the bell and gave him an intense series of punches. Lee whipped Anthony into the corner and clotheslined him. Lee punched Anthony, who bailed out of the ring. Lee rammed Anthony into a ringside table and landed a punch in the ring for a near fall. Lee backdropped Anthony for a near fall and landed more punches for another near fall. Lee landed more punches and clotheslined Anthony. Lee confronted Wright at ringside but Anthony attacked him with punches. Anthony rammed Lee into a table and into the ringpost. He punched and choked Lee, who began to bleed. Anthony attacked Lee with more punches and choked him in the corner. He gave Lee more punches and rammed him into the corner. Anthony gave Lee a clothesline and a fistdrop. He continued to attack Lee's bloody head with punches and choked him in the ropes. Anthony whipped Lee into the corner and clotheslined him. He elbowsmashed Lee and choked him. Anthony powerslammed Lee for a near fall and landed more punches. Anthony tied up Lee in the ropes and punched him repeatedly. Anthony gave Lee more punches. Lee tried to fight back but Anthony landed more blows. Anthony rammed Lee into the corner but Lee absorbed the impact. Lee won an intense exchange of punches and clotheslined Anthony. Lee dropkicked Anthony and punched him but ran into a boot. Anthony slammed Lee but missed a second rope headbutt. Lee then covered Anthony for the pin at 10:15. Anthony attacked Lee after the match with a chair, including landing some chairshots to Lee's shoulder. Now this was a good old school match. Mostly punch and choke offense from Anthony, but he never dragged the match down this time and worked harder in cutting a better pace and bumping for Lee. Lee looked solid, definitely better than his work since 1997. The blood definitely added to the drama, but again the finish was a little sudden for my taste. **1/4

6. SMW Title Tournament Semifinal: Robert Gibson vs Paul Orndorff

They clipped forward to show Orndorff dominating Gibson at ringside. Orndorff stomped Gibson and rammed his left knee into the apron. Orndorff tied up Gibson's leg in the ropes and attacked it with kicks, kneelifts and elbows. Orndorff continued to attack Gibson's leg in the ropes until he ran into a boot. Gibson repeatedly rammed Orndorff into the corner and clotheslined him. Gibson went for a hiptoss but collapsed due to his bad knee. He recovered and gave Orndorff a weak bulldog for a near fall. Gibson argued with the ref and Orndorff clipped his knee from behind. Orndorff rolled up Gibson, grabbed his tights and pinned him at 3:41. What aired was fine, but not enough of the match aired to judge it in full.

7. SMW Tag Team Title: Stan Lane & Tom Prichard (Heavenly Bodies) (c) w/Jim Cornette vs Johnny & Davey Rich (Party Patrol)

Footage began with the Johnny and Davey giving Lane a double dropkick as well as one to Prichard. Johnny hiptossed Lane and Davey hiptossed Prichard before the champs bailed out of the ring. Davey headlocked Lane and tackled him on a criss cross. Lane overpowered Davey with a wristlock but Davey hiptossed Prichard. Lane kicked Davey from the apron on a criss cross and Prichard clotheslined him from behind. Lane choked Davey in the ropes and drove his neck down across the top rope. Lane knocked Davey for a loop with a clothesline. The Bodies double teamed Davey when the ref tried to restrain Johnny from entering the ring. Prichard gained a near fall on Davey and rammed him into the corner. Prichard gave Davey a couple chops and suplexed him. He kneedropped Davey for a near fall and threw him out of the ring. Lane rammed Davey hard into the announcers' table and Cornette hit him with his tennis racquet. Lane choked Davey with a television cable. Back in the ring Prichard kicked and punched Davey. The Bodies gave Davey a double elbow, double snapmare and a double choke. Lane threw Davey over the top rope to the floor and Prichard rammed him into the announcers' table. Lane clotheslined Davey and choked him when the ref was distracted. The Bodies knocked Davey for a loop with a double clothesline. Prichard suplexed Davey but missed a top rope elbowsmash. Johnny made the hot tag and dominated both opponents. Lane and Johnny botched some criss cross move. Johnny applied a full nelson on Lane but Prichard kicked him from behind. Davey punched Prichard and fought with him out of the ring. Davey rammed Prichard into the announcers' table. In the ring Cornetter tripped Johnny and Lane legdropped him for a near fall. Johnny applied a sleeper on Lane and Davey knocked Cornette off the apron. Prichard wrapped a chain or some object around his boot and gave Johnny an enzuguiri when the ref's back was turned. Lane then covered Johnny and pinned him to retain the title after about 20:00 (10:15 aired). Hard to tell how the first half was because the entire footage was the second half. A bit much stalling for my taste, but work-wise this was solid, with Davey taking a good beating and taking a couple really nice bumps. The Bodies showed flashes of the brilliance they would be known for, but were still in their formative stages at this time, much like the rest of the product. I'll say **1/4, based on the assumption the first half was okay.

8. SMW Title Match: Brian Lee vs Paul Orndorff

Commissioner Bob Armstrong came out before the match and said Lee was unable to wrestle and awarded the belt to Orndorff. Lee than came out and tol Orndorff he was going to have to earn the title, then entered the ring and the fight began. Orndorff landed some punches and rammed Lee into opposite corners. Orndorff gave Lee a fistdrop and kicked him. Lee won an exchange of punches and whipped Orndorff into the corner but ran into a boot. Orndorff gave Lee a short clothesline and a second rope elbow. Orndorff threw Lee out of the ring and hit him with a chair. Orndorff rammed Lee into a ringside table (hey, they were years ahead of WWE doing this all the time!?) but Lee then rammed Orndorff into the table. Lee won another exchange of blows and threw Orndorff back into the ring. Lee clotheslined and punched Orndorff with his right (good) arm. He suplexed Orndorff but Orndorff fought back with a punch and elbow to Lee's gut. Orndorff kicked and stomped a bloody Lee. Lee rammed Orndorff repeatedly into the corner and grabbed a headlock but Orndorff countered with a back suplex for a near fall. Orndorff landed more punches but Lee fought back with punches of his own. Lee whipped Orndorff into the corner and kicked him. Orndorff whipped Lee into the opposite corner but Lee came out with a clothesline. Lee grabbed a headlock, Orndorff shoved him off and they collided with each other. Orndorff landed a couple punches and accidentally elbowed the ref, who was behind him. Orndorff gave Lee more punches and continued to dominate him as Armstrong tended to the ref. Orndorff went for a piledriver (illegal in SMW) but Lee countered with a backdrop. Tony Anthony ran to the ring but Lee punched him off the apron. Orndorff went to hit Lee with brass knuckles but missed and Lee gave him an atomic drop. They collided again, and Orndorff gained a near fall. Orndorff went to use the brass knuckles but Armstrong grabbed them out of his hand and called for the DQ at 6:29. Lee won the title on a DQ. Anthony and Orndorff attacked Lee with Armstrong making the save. A bunch of other wrestlers joined the fight. A very cheap ending hurt the match and overall show badly. As a match, this was short, but that was okay given the tournament setup and the work was more intense and fast paced than most other matches. *3/4

Well, there were some decent matches and entertaining moments, but I wouldn't get this tape unless you're a diehard SMW fan and/or a completist in terms of collecting tapes. SMW was still in its formative stages, and you could tell that because while the lineup wasn't weak at all in terms of names and talent, a sense of emotion and intensity was missing that would be characteristic of the future product. If you're looking for good stuff from SMW, they would get better later in 1992 and really hit their stride with a great 1993 and a very good 1994. Also, if some ratings seem off a bit, keep in mind I'm reviewing a 1992 product, which makes it ten years old, and it was an old school product at the time, so my comments of whether I liked the match or not are probably more dependable than the ratings themselves.

BACK TO MY VIDEO REVIEWS MENU
HOME