Brandon Espinosa over Evan Gelistico
Tucker over "The Baron" Malkavain
Johnny Vinyl, Rockin' Randy & Pierre Abernathy over Pappy to keep LAW Tag Team Titles
Flash Flanagan over Slim Pickens
Idol Bane over Derrick King in a "Love/Hate" Match
----40 paid, 60 in the building…with a gate close to $240…Flash came out first and then Slim came out to no music to challenge Flash again. Flash was in disbelief that Slim would even want another match after the beating he took the last week…Before the main event, Brandon Espinosa held a raffle to see who would be his Valentine. The winner received a box of candy and their picture taken with Espinosa. After Brandon let the young lady out of the ring, TGB came from the front door with a chair and cracked him over the head. Very little color, refs and security tried to reason with TGB after two chairshots and a brainbuster on the chair TGB announced that in two weeks at LAW "Leap of Faith" it would be TGB vs Espinosa in a Ladder Match for the LAW title…Idol Bane defeated DK in another brutal contest with the help of Jeff O'Dell handing Bane some kind of foreign object. Allowing Bane to hit Derrick with a Haymaker for the 1,2,3…Arnez is out because he has been have blackouts for shoot. Apparently he got a clean bill of health this week, so look for the return of Psycho/Arnez with Pappy sometime in the next few weeks.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
The Thompson Perspective 2.16.08 By Brian Thompson
Welcome to this week’s edition of The Thompson Perspective here on www.rronews.com.
Before I jump head-first into my subject matter for this edition, I just want to make a brief comment on last Sunday’s festivities at the “Nightmare” Ken Wayne School of Professional Wrestling. I posted a press release on the event earlier this week and then Brian Tramel posted his thoughts on the event. I don’t know if words could adequately describe the feeling of the moment. I’m not even sure that a DVD of the event could properly display the emotions surrounding the night.
It was one of those “special” moments in wrestling. I’ve had a handful of them in my nearly eight years in the wrestling business, or what’s left of it anyway. Promoting Lethal Attitude Wrestling’s Black River Brawl in 2003 with my then-partners, working on several high profile WWE/MCW cards as a member of the Memphis Championship Wrestling crew and managing the Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey & Bobby Eaton) against the Fantastics (Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers) in front of 2,500 fans in Waynesboro, Virginia in 2004, all come to mind but last Sunday joins the list of “special” moments in my career. I could go on and on about it, but I won’t. Congrats to Eric and Kid for graduating!
This week, I want to focus on two events in the national wrestling scene. First, late last week it was announced that WWE SmackDown! will no longer be broadcast on the CW Network at the conclusion of this television season, which I believe will wrap up in late August or early September.
That is really unfortunate, but not unexpected. I guess the writing was on the wall a couple of years ago, when the network moved the show from Thursdays to Fridays.
Do I think SmackDown! will find another network? Certainly.
I think wrestling is still viewed as viable by television officials. Maybe its not as strong as it was during the mid-1980’s and then again in the 1990’s with the then-WWF, WCW and ECW all appearing on national TV stations, but I think someone will want SmackDown!
There is some talk of the MyNetwork TV station picking it up, which I think would be a nice fit. It would be a step down from CW, however, MyNetwork may be willing to get behind the show since it would likely be the highest rated program on the network.
Of course, USA and SciFi are other options discussed. I think of those two, USA would be the most likely. Despite being tied to NBC Universal, through the shows on its cable companies, I just don’t see NBC picking up a weekly series. Saturday Night’s Main Event is probably the best we can hope for on that network.
Lately, I believe that SmackDown! has been the most solid show of the WWE’s three brands. Most of the outrageous storylines and in-ring talk fests are reserved for Monday Night Raw. I’ve enjoyed watching MVP move up the ladder and think there is a money feud between he and Matt Hardy when Hardy returns from injury. Edge is by far the best heel in the business today and Vicki Guerrero has improved. I’m not a huge fan of their “love” storyline, but it has logic in the sense that Edge will do anything to maintain his status as World Heavyweight Champion.
Good luck to WWE in their search for a new home of SmackDown! I’m sure we’ll have good news to report at some time in the future.
Last week also brought news of the demise of the working agreement between WWE and Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). Every time there is a split, it brings me back to 2001 when I was working for then-WWE developmental territory Memphis Championship Wrestling.
We had just completed a four straight show tour that featured several stars such as Rikishi, Jerry Lynn, Raven, Stevie Richards, Ivory and the APA. I basically discovered the news on the internet before it was revealed the following weekend to the boys.
I could feel something wasn’t going right during the tour. WWE officials who were there didn’t seem happy and MCW officials acted a little odd about things. Then the big news came.
Several guys were released from their deals and others were sent to either OVW or the new, at the time, developmental territory Heartland Wrestling Association (HWA).
It was a tough moment.
I can sympathize with the guys recently released and those in the OVW area trying to work toward a deal.
While I understand WWE wanting to move their talents to the Florida Championship Wrestling promotion, I think they should develop their territory system more fully.
During the territory days, a worker would enter a territory, stay for a year or two and then move on to another territory. Usually, each territory had different rules and different things to learn. What may work in Memphis might not work in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As a matter of fact, I’m positive it didn’t. Oklahoma fans liked the more hard-hitting, amateur style of wrestling perfected by such greats as Danny Hodge. In Memphis, even today, you saw a little comedy mixed in. I don’t think the old “he’s got an illegal chain,” spot would go over as well in Oklahoma.
Even more recently as the mid 1990’s you could see Knoxville, Tennessee fans enjoying the style of Smoky Mountain Wrestling while that would not get over to the hardcore fans of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
If the WWE had territories spread out across the country, they could develop a nice curriculum. In Territory No. 1, you learn this. In Territory No. 2, you learn this and finally in the last territory you learn the “WWE TV” style that you need. Then you would have a well-rounded athlete.
However, there seems to be a push to rush everybody up. This is the result of injuries and a current lack of top name stars. It’s hard to blame WWE for bringing up a Bobby Lashley too soon, but sometimes it backfires as we have seen with Lashley recently asking for and receiving his release.
These are two interesting stories that we will follow throughout the year. What will happen with SmackDown!? How will OVW proceed? Will FCW succeed or fail as a developmental? Will Brian Tramel win the WWE Title?
Those are all important questions to answer this calendar year.
That’s all for this week. Be sure to tune in, or I mean log onto the site, this time next week for another edition of The Thompson Perspective where I discuss someone who I think has been underutilized and underappreciated. Also, don’t forget to order your copy of the RRO Yearbook 2007. It’s a nice collector’s piece.
Take care all.
(Brian Thompson may be reached by e-mail at bptbookings@yahoo.com)
Before I jump head-first into my subject matter for this edition, I just want to make a brief comment on last Sunday’s festivities at the “Nightmare” Ken Wayne School of Professional Wrestling. I posted a press release on the event earlier this week and then Brian Tramel posted his thoughts on the event. I don’t know if words could adequately describe the feeling of the moment. I’m not even sure that a DVD of the event could properly display the emotions surrounding the night.
It was one of those “special” moments in wrestling. I’ve had a handful of them in my nearly eight years in the wrestling business, or what’s left of it anyway. Promoting Lethal Attitude Wrestling’s Black River Brawl in 2003 with my then-partners, working on several high profile WWE/MCW cards as a member of the Memphis Championship Wrestling crew and managing the Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey & Bobby Eaton) against the Fantastics (Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers) in front of 2,500 fans in Waynesboro, Virginia in 2004, all come to mind but last Sunday joins the list of “special” moments in my career. I could go on and on about it, but I won’t. Congrats to Eric and Kid for graduating!
This week, I want to focus on two events in the national wrestling scene. First, late last week it was announced that WWE SmackDown! will no longer be broadcast on the CW Network at the conclusion of this television season, which I believe will wrap up in late August or early September.
That is really unfortunate, but not unexpected. I guess the writing was on the wall a couple of years ago, when the network moved the show from Thursdays to Fridays.
Do I think SmackDown! will find another network? Certainly.
I think wrestling is still viewed as viable by television officials. Maybe its not as strong as it was during the mid-1980’s and then again in the 1990’s with the then-WWF, WCW and ECW all appearing on national TV stations, but I think someone will want SmackDown!
There is some talk of the MyNetwork TV station picking it up, which I think would be a nice fit. It would be a step down from CW, however, MyNetwork may be willing to get behind the show since it would likely be the highest rated program on the network.
Of course, USA and SciFi are other options discussed. I think of those two, USA would be the most likely. Despite being tied to NBC Universal, through the shows on its cable companies, I just don’t see NBC picking up a weekly series. Saturday Night’s Main Event is probably the best we can hope for on that network.
Lately, I believe that SmackDown! has been the most solid show of the WWE’s three brands. Most of the outrageous storylines and in-ring talk fests are reserved for Monday Night Raw. I’ve enjoyed watching MVP move up the ladder and think there is a money feud between he and Matt Hardy when Hardy returns from injury. Edge is by far the best heel in the business today and Vicki Guerrero has improved. I’m not a huge fan of their “love” storyline, but it has logic in the sense that Edge will do anything to maintain his status as World Heavyweight Champion.
Good luck to WWE in their search for a new home of SmackDown! I’m sure we’ll have good news to report at some time in the future.
Last week also brought news of the demise of the working agreement between WWE and Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). Every time there is a split, it brings me back to 2001 when I was working for then-WWE developmental territory Memphis Championship Wrestling.
We had just completed a four straight show tour that featured several stars such as Rikishi, Jerry Lynn, Raven, Stevie Richards, Ivory and the APA. I basically discovered the news on the internet before it was revealed the following weekend to the boys.
I could feel something wasn’t going right during the tour. WWE officials who were there didn’t seem happy and MCW officials acted a little odd about things. Then the big news came.
Several guys were released from their deals and others were sent to either OVW or the new, at the time, developmental territory Heartland Wrestling Association (HWA).
It was a tough moment.
I can sympathize with the guys recently released and those in the OVW area trying to work toward a deal.
While I understand WWE wanting to move their talents to the Florida Championship Wrestling promotion, I think they should develop their territory system more fully.
During the territory days, a worker would enter a territory, stay for a year or two and then move on to another territory. Usually, each territory had different rules and different things to learn. What may work in Memphis might not work in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As a matter of fact, I’m positive it didn’t. Oklahoma fans liked the more hard-hitting, amateur style of wrestling perfected by such greats as Danny Hodge. In Memphis, even today, you saw a little comedy mixed in. I don’t think the old “he’s got an illegal chain,” spot would go over as well in Oklahoma.
Even more recently as the mid 1990’s you could see Knoxville, Tennessee fans enjoying the style of Smoky Mountain Wrestling while that would not get over to the hardcore fans of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
If the WWE had territories spread out across the country, they could develop a nice curriculum. In Territory No. 1, you learn this. In Territory No. 2, you learn this and finally in the last territory you learn the “WWE TV” style that you need. Then you would have a well-rounded athlete.
However, there seems to be a push to rush everybody up. This is the result of injuries and a current lack of top name stars. It’s hard to blame WWE for bringing up a Bobby Lashley too soon, but sometimes it backfires as we have seen with Lashley recently asking for and receiving his release.
These are two interesting stories that we will follow throughout the year. What will happen with SmackDown!? How will OVW proceed? Will FCW succeed or fail as a developmental? Will Brian Tramel win the WWE Title?
Those are all important questions to answer this calendar year.
That’s all for this week. Be sure to tune in, or I mean log onto the site, this time next week for another edition of The Thompson Perspective where I discuss someone who I think has been underutilized and underappreciated. Also, don’t forget to order your copy of the RRO Yearbook 2007. It’s a nice collector’s piece.
Take care all.
(Brian Thompson may be reached by e-mail at bptbookings@yahoo.com)
FLASHBACK!!
----This was also from www.wrestlingobserver.com..
--Rich Tate's Atlanta Wrestling nostalgia - This day in Atlanta Wrestling history 2.15.08
34 years ago: Mr Wrestling II DDQ Cowboy Bill Watts in the main event at the City Auditorium while Ron & Terry Garvin beat the 750 pound apiece twins Billy & Benny McGuire to keep the tag team titles, and in a Memphis special, Jerry Lawler, managed by Gary Hart went to a draw with Jackie Fargo
--Rich Tate's Atlanta Wrestling nostalgia - This day in Atlanta Wrestling history 2.15.08
34 years ago: Mr Wrestling II DDQ Cowboy Bill Watts in the main event at the City Auditorium while Ron & Terry Garvin beat the 750 pound apiece twins Billy & Benny McGuire to keep the tag team titles, and in a Memphis special, Jerry Lawler, managed by Gary Hart went to a draw with Jackie Fargo
"Southern Saints" Headed To CHIKARA TRIO!!
----As reported on www.wrestlingobserver.com today and we have reported it here a couple of times, the "Saints" are headed to the trio tournament. Congrats again to the trio and this is a DVD set I will go out of my way to see. What if the guys get to work Demolition??
--The 14 teams competing on 3/1 at the three-day King of Trios tournament promoted by CHIKARA Pro are Demolition & One Man Gang, Mitch Ryder & Larry Sweeney & Shayne Hawke, Tank Toland & Bobby Dempsey & Sara Del Rey, Kudo & Susumu & Miyawaki, Shawn Reed & Marcus O'Neil & Reno Diamond, Acid Jaz & Willie Richardson & Marshe Rockett, Gran Akuma & Chick Taylor & Icarus, El Generico & Super Smash Brothers, Arik Cannon & Northstar Express, Akua & The Immortals, Lince Dorado & Pantera & Incognito, Kobra Kai & Super Xtremo & La Sombra, Los Ice Creams & ?, and Tim Donst & Drew Gulak & Andy Sumner
--The 14 teams competing on 3/1 at the three-day King of Trios tournament promoted by CHIKARA Pro are Demolition & One Man Gang, Mitch Ryder & Larry Sweeney & Shayne Hawke, Tank Toland & Bobby Dempsey & Sara Del Rey, Kudo & Susumu & Miyawaki, Shawn Reed & Marcus O'Neil & Reno Diamond, Acid Jaz & Willie Richardson & Marshe Rockett, Gran Akuma & Chick Taylor & Icarus, El Generico & Super Smash Brothers, Arik Cannon & Northstar Express, Akua & The Immortals, Lince Dorado & Pantera & Incognito, Kobra Kai & Super Xtremo & La Sombra, Los Ice Creams & ?, and Tim Donst & Drew Gulak & Andy Sumner
RassleResults: USWO Nashville, TN 1.15.08
JC Crowe b Justin Spade
Rob C b Zack Storm
Steven Green b Damien Payne (w/Fetish) by DQ when Fetish attacked Green as he applied a Boston crab to Payne
Tim Renesto & Lee Cross (w/Charming Charles & Lisa Fayzon) b New York Gangster & Shawn Hoodrich when Renesto pinned Hoorich
Mark Anthony (w/Charming Charles) b Steve O
PGWA Champion Nikki Roxx b Portia Perez
LT Falk & Cousin Jason X b Quinton Quarisma & Jay Phoenix in a 2/3 falls match to win the USWO Tag Team Championship
Mitch Ryder b Chris Michaels in a #1 contender match by hitting Michaels with a chain
USWO Champion Kid Kash b Mitch Ryder after Michaels came out to distract Ryder, allowing Kash to get the pin
----125 paid with a gate over $1,200...I was expecting a PGWA Title change as Perez is back next week here vs Melissa Coates.
Friday, February 15, 2008
A Piece of my Mind Feb 15th, 2008 by "The Big Cheese" Sal Corrente
I just heard that Carolina Wrestling legend Johnny Weaver passed away today. I was lucky enough to be around Johnny a few times. On the times that I was around Johnny he was a class act. It’s a shame when a class act like Johnny leaves us. It’s just another reminder to me that that glory days of wrestling are gone.
When I got my shot in the Carolina’s it was Nikita Koloff who got me a try out with Nelson Royal. At the time Nelson was starting his own promotion called ACW. They were starting out on the NBC affiliate station WCNC in Charlotte I believe it was at twelve noon. I was supposed to work one match the night of my try out. It was only my second time in the Carolinas and I was booked for Crockett the next night in Norfolk. When I arrived in the building in Mooresville, NC it was packed. I then found out none of his scheduled referee’s had showed up. I had to do all the matches it was a long night for me. I also got the job and was the regular referee for the company after that for as long as it lasted. So I packed up the car and moved to North Carolina. I lived with Nikita Koloff for quite awhile. I had achieved part of my dream of being employed full time by a wrestling company.
It was a shame the company didn’t make it, it was under funded. It was a good company and Nelson was a good man. It was a shame that it was opened in a place that had been pretty much burned out by the NWA. I do believe people wanted to work for Nelson but when you don’t have the funding to put in the time it’s a recipe for disaster.
The other problem the company had was trying to push to many of Nelson’s students at one time. He had a good wrestling school but most of his guys had been jobbed out on Crockett TV. It would have been ok to push one or two but he pushed six or eight. He had some stars and they all worked hard but he tried to help to many people.
I can say this Nelson Royal was one hell of a worker even for an older guy he was tough as nails. I asked Paul Jones one time how good Nelson was in his youth and he said “I can tell you this you couldn’t out work him and you sure couldn’t blow him up”. If Nelson had just focused on the business perhaps things would have been better. Who knows it’s all hindsight but it was an interesting time in my life for sure. It created many stories which I am sure I will talk about here on the site.
This was a tough day the son of a legend was arrested for DUI this morning and we lost a legend just another sad day for wrestling.
The picture for this article is from a show in Yonkers NY. It was a three way dance with Nikolai Volkoff, George “The Animal” Steele and Thunderfoot #2 (Gene Ligon). The match was refereed by “The Living Legend” Bruno Sammartino
This has been a piece of my mind.
Two Shows I Forgot!!!
TONIGHT!!! SSW 17th Anniversary
Tennessee Independent Wrestling Federation returns to action:
Saturday Feb. 16th, 2008 Trenton, Tn. at Trenton Peabody High School
7:30 p.m. Belltime
Proceeds to benefit the High School Baseball Team
Main Event
X-3 vs. Dazzlin’ Dixie and Dre’ Black
Semi- Main
Wildside vs. Danny B. Goode
Feature Match
Bullrope Match
Big Nasty Bob vs. Lawman Williams
Also Appearing: Hardknocks Hooligan,The High Rollers, Jon Seymour, Samoan Raja, Hotrod, Jon Seymour, Dr. Doom, The Outlaw and more.
Ticket Prices: $7.00 Ringside and $5.00 General Admission at the door
Advance Tickets on sale at the High School Office.
Tennessee Independent Wrestling Federation returns to action:
Saturday Feb. 16th, 2008 Trenton, Tn. at Trenton Peabody High School
7:30 p.m. Belltime
Proceeds to benefit the High School Baseball Team
Main Event
X-3 vs. Dazzlin’ Dixie and Dre’ Black
Semi- Main
Wildside vs. Danny B. Goode
Feature Match
Bullrope Match
Big Nasty Bob vs. Lawman Williams
Also Appearing: Hardknocks Hooligan,The High Rollers, Jon Seymour, Samoan Raja, Hotrod, Jon Seymour, Dr. Doom, The Outlaw and more.
Ticket Prices: $7.00 Ringside and $5.00 General Admission at the door
Advance Tickets on sale at the High School Office.
FLASHBACK!! ThrowBack Night 7.10.04
THE RESULTS
1. Derrick King, Dustin & Scott Starr beat Alan Steele, Johnny Dotson, & Nicholas Doom.
2. Shock beat Brandon Groom.
3. Jerry Lawler & Brian Christopher beat The Sexy Assassins.
4. XWF Cruiserweight Champ Kid Kash beat "The Convict" Jamie Dundee via DQ.
5. Memphis Wrestling Southern Champ Mabel beat Mordecai.
6. Jerry Lawler & Brian Christopher beat Robert Gibson & Todd Morton.
7. Jerry Lawler & Brian Christopher won a "battle royal."
8. Jerry Lawler & Jimmy Hart NC Kamala & Cory Maclin. After the match, Maclin was saved by numerous members of the Ford family (a prominent political family in Memphis).
NOTES
----Crowd was 3,758 with an average ticket price of $8.58; they had a gate close to $32,243. Wow!!
ANOTHER STORY
----Here is a story that was posted on www.1wrestling.com after the show.
MEMPHIS SHOW DRAWS 3758 PAID ATTENDANCE
By: 1Wrestling.com
7/12/2004 10:32:42 AM
A storyline that played out over several weeks on Memphis TV paid off with a paid gate of 3758 fans on Saturday night at the MidSouth
Coliseum.
For the past several weeks Jimmy Hart has been involved in a
storyline that turned Jerry Lawler heel and Kamala face. Hart had
hoodwinked Kamala into signing a recording contract with him and Cory
Maclin finally was able to show Kamala that the contract was heavily
tilted in Hart's favor with Hart taking 70% of everything Kamala
made. During the same time frame Hart was able to convince Jerry
Lawler to trust him and to allow Hart to manage him.
The main event for the Saturday night show was Hart & Lawler vs
Kamala & Maclin.
The show was promoted as "Throwback Night" and ticket prices were
reduced to $10 ringside and $5 general admission. Concessions were
reduced to $1, and the concession stand was totally sold out at
intermission. Promoters pushed the low prices to help attract local
fans back to the show.
The promotion, Memphis Wrestling, airs a weekly television show in
Memphis that consistently draws ratings in excess of 4.0.
The 3758 fans were the most to attend a local show in Memphis in
several years.
----As the week went by, The Fords being at the show was the most talked about thing.
Wrestling crass even for Fords
By Wendi C. Thomas
July 15, 2004
I have long labored under the belief that elected officials should
have a certain deportment.
Polite. Respectful. Articulate. Free from unseemly behavior that
could cast aspersions on the profession.
Sure, this dream was rattled by Dick Cheney's childlike declaration
that cussing sure does feel good.
We won't even talk about what Bill Clinton did with that woman and
cigar.
It's been hard to maintain this delusion in Memphis, what with folks
inviting colleagues to fight, and shooting out of cars on the
interstate, and declaring their butts genetically too big for cheap
chairs.
And now, caught on tape is the wrestling debut of the Ford family.
Toting around the hope-against-hope that pols act as if they have
good sense is hurting my back, not to mention my brain.
So I will do as the gospel song advises. I'm gonna lay down my
burdens, down by the riverside.
For those who missed the stunt, state Sen. John Ford, County
Commissioner Joe Ford, and Jake and Isaac Ford (two of Harold Sr.'s
sons) open a smallish can of whoop-butt at the Mid-South Coliseum
Saturday.
After the Ford family was spotted in the audience at Memphis
Wrestling's "Throw Back Night," someone came up with the brilliant
idea to lure them into the ring.
"I guess they wanted to add some excitement to it," Joe Ford said.
The tape shows Jerry 'The King' Lawler taunting Joe Ford. "If it
wasn't for that man right there, I'd be the mayor of this fine city
today," Lawler complains.
Well, that's not exactly true. Ford came in second and Lawler third
in the 1999 mayoral race. But I digress.
Promoter Jimmy Hart adds fuel to the fire, yelling, "Who wants to
drive a Ford when you can drive a Cadillac?"
Lawler and Hart were paired in the tag-team match, as were the
Ugandan Giant Kamala and promoter Corey Maclin.
When Kamala turned on Maclin, a Ford family friend, that was the
clan's cue to get to scrapping.
"That was the scheme, that we were going to (Corey's) rescue," Joe
Ford said.
Now, if County Mayor A C Wharton were to get in the ring, it might be funny. Such behavior would stand in stark contrast to his polished professional demeanor; the satire would be overwhelming. Not so much with the Fords, whose personal lives tend toward the messy.
Given that the public deems politicians only slightly more honorable
than used-car salesmen, why would four Fords squander even a smidgen
of credibility on a stupid stunt?
"Some people probably would say that, but everyone I've heard from
said, 'Congratulations, you won the match,' " Joe Ford said.
"It wasn't anything I was ashamed of."
Saving the Ford family from themselves (Harold Jr. excepted) may be a frustrating exercise in futility.
But for the rest of the local elected officials, I ask this:
If you're invited to make a guest wrassling appearance, just say no.
Contact Wendi C. Thomas at (901) 529-5896 or send an e-mail.
----Critics on the Mempho Yahoo board had this to say..
"Never figured on 4 matches though- almost every one! One Lawler match is fine. 4 is way too many!!! The younger guys need to be promoted a little more. If they don't, we'll all be seeing Jerry wrestle with his walker...LOL"
----That is strange since we still talk about this to the day. I also came across stuff that had LAW running everything weekend in Dyersburg, TN at the Entertainment Center and DCW had a big show planned in Selmer, TN with Lolipop, Danny B and more.
Credit: Mempho Wrestling Yahoo Group and www.prowrestlinghistory.com
1. Derrick King, Dustin & Scott Starr beat Alan Steele, Johnny Dotson, & Nicholas Doom.
2. Shock beat Brandon Groom.
3. Jerry Lawler & Brian Christopher beat The Sexy Assassins.
4. XWF Cruiserweight Champ Kid Kash beat "The Convict" Jamie Dundee via DQ.
5. Memphis Wrestling Southern Champ Mabel beat Mordecai.
6. Jerry Lawler & Brian Christopher beat Robert Gibson & Todd Morton.
7. Jerry Lawler & Brian Christopher won a "battle royal."
8. Jerry Lawler & Jimmy Hart NC Kamala & Cory Maclin. After the match, Maclin was saved by numerous members of the Ford family (a prominent political family in Memphis).
NOTES
----Crowd was 3,758 with an average ticket price of $8.58; they had a gate close to $32,243. Wow!!
ANOTHER STORY
----Here is a story that was posted on www.1wrestling.com after the show.
MEMPHIS SHOW DRAWS 3758 PAID ATTENDANCE
By: 1Wrestling.com
7/12/2004 10:32:42 AM
A storyline that played out over several weeks on Memphis TV paid off with a paid gate of 3758 fans on Saturday night at the MidSouth
Coliseum.
For the past several weeks Jimmy Hart has been involved in a
storyline that turned Jerry Lawler heel and Kamala face. Hart had
hoodwinked Kamala into signing a recording contract with him and Cory
Maclin finally was able to show Kamala that the contract was heavily
tilted in Hart's favor with Hart taking 70% of everything Kamala
made. During the same time frame Hart was able to convince Jerry
Lawler to trust him and to allow Hart to manage him.
The main event for the Saturday night show was Hart & Lawler vs
Kamala & Maclin.
The show was promoted as "Throwback Night" and ticket prices were
reduced to $10 ringside and $5 general admission. Concessions were
reduced to $1, and the concession stand was totally sold out at
intermission. Promoters pushed the low prices to help attract local
fans back to the show.
The promotion, Memphis Wrestling, airs a weekly television show in
Memphis that consistently draws ratings in excess of 4.0.
The 3758 fans were the most to attend a local show in Memphis in
several years.
----As the week went by, The Fords being at the show was the most talked about thing.
Wrestling crass even for Fords
By Wendi C. Thomas
July 15, 2004
I have long labored under the belief that elected officials should
have a certain deportment.
Polite. Respectful. Articulate. Free from unseemly behavior that
could cast aspersions on the profession.
Sure, this dream was rattled by Dick Cheney's childlike declaration
that cussing sure does feel good.
We won't even talk about what Bill Clinton did with that woman and
cigar.
It's been hard to maintain this delusion in Memphis, what with folks
inviting colleagues to fight, and shooting out of cars on the
interstate, and declaring their butts genetically too big for cheap
chairs.
And now, caught on tape is the wrestling debut of the Ford family.
Toting around the hope-against-hope that pols act as if they have
good sense is hurting my back, not to mention my brain.
So I will do as the gospel song advises. I'm gonna lay down my
burdens, down by the riverside.
For those who missed the stunt, state Sen. John Ford, County
Commissioner Joe Ford, and Jake and Isaac Ford (two of Harold Sr.'s
sons) open a smallish can of whoop-butt at the Mid-South Coliseum
Saturday.
After the Ford family was spotted in the audience at Memphis
Wrestling's "Throw Back Night," someone came up with the brilliant
idea to lure them into the ring.
"I guess they wanted to add some excitement to it," Joe Ford said.
The tape shows Jerry 'The King' Lawler taunting Joe Ford. "If it
wasn't for that man right there, I'd be the mayor of this fine city
today," Lawler complains.
Well, that's not exactly true. Ford came in second and Lawler third
in the 1999 mayoral race. But I digress.
Promoter Jimmy Hart adds fuel to the fire, yelling, "Who wants to
drive a Ford when you can drive a Cadillac?"
Lawler and Hart were paired in the tag-team match, as were the
Ugandan Giant Kamala and promoter Corey Maclin.
When Kamala turned on Maclin, a Ford family friend, that was the
clan's cue to get to scrapping.
"That was the scheme, that we were going to (Corey's) rescue," Joe
Ford said.
Now, if County Mayor A C Wharton were to get in the ring, it might be funny. Such behavior would stand in stark contrast to his polished professional demeanor; the satire would be overwhelming. Not so much with the Fords, whose personal lives tend toward the messy.
Given that the public deems politicians only slightly more honorable
than used-car salesmen, why would four Fords squander even a smidgen
of credibility on a stupid stunt?
"Some people probably would say that, but everyone I've heard from
said, 'Congratulations, you won the match,' " Joe Ford said.
"It wasn't anything I was ashamed of."
Saving the Ford family from themselves (Harold Jr. excepted) may be a frustrating exercise in futility.
But for the rest of the local elected officials, I ask this:
If you're invited to make a guest wrassling appearance, just say no.
Contact Wendi C. Thomas at (901) 529-5896 or send an e-mail.
----Critics on the Mempho Yahoo board had this to say..
"Never figured on 4 matches though- almost every one! One Lawler match is fine. 4 is way too many!!! The younger guys need to be promoted a little more. If they don't, we'll all be seeing Jerry wrestle with his walker...LOL"
----That is strange since we still talk about this to the day. I also came across stuff that had LAW running everything weekend in Dyersburg, TN at the Entertainment Center and DCW had a big show planned in Selmer, TN with Lolipop, Danny B and more.
Credit: Mempho Wrestling Yahoo Group and www.prowrestlinghistory.com
Thursday, February 14, 2008
The Ratings: Memphis Wrestling TV 1.16.08
----The show finished this week with a 3.3 [58,762 viewers] overall, which is about 22% over average. The show opened with a 3.8 dropped to 3.3, then back to a 3.8 in the third quarter. But, then it took a terrible bump dropping over 27,000 viewers in the last quarter. That is the quarter you NEVER want to lose viewers. Maybe everyone woke up and went to bed. LOL Overall this was a good show along with the Jimmy Hart at his very best.
-Lawler/Maclin phone
-Around Memphis clips
1st quarter 3.8 [63,966 viewers]
-Kamala joins Corey angle
-Mabel vs Doom
2cnd Quarter 3.3 [56,075 viewers] [-7891 viewers]
-Shock vs Dotson
-Dundee/Cash angle
-Lawler vs Morton
3rd Quarter 3.8 [63,126 viewers] [+7051 viewers]
-Morton/Gibson interview
-Brian C interview
-Corey/Hart pull-a-part
-Lawler/Corey
4th quarter 2.1 [35,257 viewers] [-27,869 viewers]
12 Week Average: 2.7 [45,712 viewers]
12 week low – 1.9 [31,395 viewers] 12.22.07
12 Week High 3.8 [63,798 viewers] 11.24.07
From start to finish: [-28,709 viewers]
What was Memphis Watching??
News Channel 3/CSI Miami 8.74 [146,736 viewers]
-Lawler/Maclin phone
-Around Memphis clips
1st quarter 3.8 [63,966 viewers]
-Kamala joins Corey angle
-Mabel vs Doom
2cnd Quarter 3.3 [56,075 viewers] [-7891 viewers]
-Shock vs Dotson
-Dundee/Cash angle
-Lawler vs Morton
3rd Quarter 3.8 [63,126 viewers] [+7051 viewers]
-Morton/Gibson interview
-Brian C interview
-Corey/Hart pull-a-part
-Lawler/Corey
4th quarter 2.1 [35,257 viewers] [-27,869 viewers]
12 Week Average: 2.7 [45,712 viewers]
12 week low – 1.9 [31,395 viewers] 12.22.07
12 Week High 3.8 [63,798 viewers] 11.24.07
From start to finish: [-28,709 viewers]
What was Memphis Watching??
News Channel 3/CSI Miami 8.74 [146,736 viewers]
Shows for The Weekend 2.15 to 2.17.08
TALENT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE - PLEASE CONTACT ME IF SOMEONE SHOULD BE ADDED TO YOUR SHOW!! IF I MISSED YOUR SHOW, PLEASE CONTACT ME!!
----Friday night for USWO @ Stadium Inn in Nashville, TN…PGWA Champion Nikki Roxx will defend her title against Portia Perez LT Falk, Mark Anthony, Chris Michaels, Michael Jablonski, Anthony Cevantes, Quinton Quarisma, Gigolo Jay Phoenix, Xavier Mustafa, Shawn Hoodridge, Tim Renesto, New York Gangster, Damien Payne, Kevin Dunn, Petey Wright, JC Crowe, and more.
----Friday night for SAW in Millersville, TN Gary Valiant [w/Miss Boogie],Hammerjack, Arrick Andrews, Big Rig Bully, Sean Casey [w/Samantha], Chris Bomb, J-5, Indian Outlaw, Mason Raige, Nore Havoc, Hammerjack, Kory Williams, Vic the Bruiser and more.
----Friday night in Osceola, AR for MCW with MCW Champion Frankie Tucker, TW Justice, The Medic, Jackhammer, Bad Luck Lucky, The Hambone Express, Tank, Pimptacular, White Lightning, Tojo Yamamoto Jr, Suicidal Youth, Kilo. Mr. Excitement, Hillybilly Nate and more.
----Friday night for LAW in Rector, AR Derrick King, Flash Flanagan, Slim Pickens, Tommy Redneck, Stan Lee, Psycho, Arnez, Dell Tucker,Idol Bane, Jeff O’Dell, “The Golden Boy” Greg Anthony. Pappy and many more.
----Friday night for The Future of Wrestling has a show at the TFW Arena on No. Eason Blvd. (Auburn Rd.) in Tupelo, MS with Max Steele,Nick Grymes, Josh Matthews, Neil Taylor, Shawn Reed, Chris Styles, Anita Page, "Bad Attitude" Tony Dabbs, LSD, Chris Chaos, T-Byrd, The New Age Cowboys ("Southern Thunder" Chris Kilgore & "Son of the South Josh Holly), Devon Raynes, Crazy-n-Sexy (J-Kid & Curly Moe), Bless, Chazz, Chop Top the Clown, Uncle Vinnie the Blade, Hunter Montgomery Jackson, and much more. Tickets are $5. Doors open at 6:30 and the show starts at 8:00.
----Saturday night in Savannah, TN for XOW with Jerry Lawler/Bill Dundee vs “Family of Pain” [Mickey Ray/Sarge O’Reilly], “The Posse” [Simon Reed/Lil Chris] vs “Southern Saints” [Josh Matthews/Chris Styles Brandon Barbwire, Anton LeVeigh, Tatt2, Reno Diamond, Tony Dabbs, CJ Cash, Kid-J, Lil Devil, Lil Bit, Sue Young, Nick Grymes vs Bishop, Danny Morris and more.
----Saturday night for USWO/ATL in Nashville, TN at the Stadium Inn with Kid Dynamite, Dyronic, Chris Norte, Kevin Dunn, JD Fluffy, The Nazi Terror, Damien Payne, Lee Cross, New York Gangster, Tommy Capone, Boy, Richard Lowe, Homo Hillbilly Quincy, Xavier Mustafa, Shawn Hoodridge and more.
----Saturday night for RWA in Jonesboro, AR at the King’s Sportatorium with Jazz, Rodney Mack, Prince Tavian, Deadly Dale, Medieval, San Francisco Treat, Loose Cannon, Rottn Randy, Ali Stevens, Chazz Wesson, Cameron Cage and more.
----Saturday night for JWS in Booneville, MS with David Cox, Damion Rage, Dustin Burcham, Robert Rose, AC Styles, Dalton Storm, Chris Stevens, Izzy Rotten, Fusion, Brett Michaels, Psycho, Justin Rhodes, Chris Fontaine, Casanova Kid, Dirty Sanchez, Neil Taylor, Bonecrusher, Buzz Harley and more.
----Saturday night in Ripley, TN with TLCW Washington ST, TGB Greg Anthony, Flash Flanagan, Derrick King, Tatt2, Tim Grind, Albino Rhino, Tommy Redneck, Dell Tucker,Ike Tucker, Brian Steele, Shannon Lee, Allan Steele,. “Black Label Society” [Void/Robbie Douglas/AJ Bradley], “Naughty By Nature” [Pokerface/Rude],Sue Young and much more!!!
----Saturday night New Blood Wrestling @ Country Nights 1901 Saint John Ave - Bell time 8:00 PM in Dyersburg, TN Kilo, Mark Justice, Tim Edwards,Dustin Starr, Jeremy Moore, Motley Cruz, 187, Arnez, Tommy Redneck and more.
---- Saturday Night ASWF - At The Valiant Arena 201 Hwy 67 N Tuckerman Ar. (870) 349-2050 Belltime 7pm. Tickets: All Seats $6 Traci Brooks, Dirty Little Dave, “West Coast Mafia” [California Dream/Big Al], Scott Fury, Austin Lane, Nikki Lane,Cody Murdoch, , Chuck Fears, Seth Sabor, Wild Bill,”American Degenerates” [X-Kaliber/Morgan Lane], 1 Cody Only [formerly Cody Daniels], Tommy Wayne, Casino Kid, Johnny Harper, Tim Hanson, Mac Daddy, Demon X and more.
----Sunday afternoon 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Championship Wrestling in Florence, AL @ Florence Lauderdale Coliseum for a benefit show with Bubba Boodrow, Shadow, Rick Hayes, Fire & Flame, Blackbirds, Koko Ware, Tracy Smothers, Kaleb Kastle, Spade, Enigma, Jay Popular, Blake “The Roz” and more.
----Friday night for USWO @ Stadium Inn in Nashville, TN…PGWA Champion Nikki Roxx will defend her title against Portia Perez LT Falk, Mark Anthony, Chris Michaels, Michael Jablonski, Anthony Cevantes, Quinton Quarisma, Gigolo Jay Phoenix, Xavier Mustafa, Shawn Hoodridge, Tim Renesto, New York Gangster, Damien Payne, Kevin Dunn, Petey Wright, JC Crowe, and more.
----Friday night for SAW in Millersville, TN Gary Valiant [w/Miss Boogie],Hammerjack, Arrick Andrews, Big Rig Bully, Sean Casey [w/Samantha], Chris Bomb, J-5, Indian Outlaw, Mason Raige, Nore Havoc, Hammerjack, Kory Williams, Vic the Bruiser and more.
----Friday night in Osceola, AR for MCW with MCW Champion Frankie Tucker, TW Justice, The Medic, Jackhammer, Bad Luck Lucky, The Hambone Express, Tank, Pimptacular, White Lightning, Tojo Yamamoto Jr, Suicidal Youth, Kilo. Mr. Excitement, Hillybilly Nate and more.
----Friday night for LAW in Rector, AR Derrick King, Flash Flanagan, Slim Pickens, Tommy Redneck, Stan Lee, Psycho, Arnez, Dell Tucker,Idol Bane, Jeff O’Dell, “The Golden Boy” Greg Anthony. Pappy and many more.
----Friday night for The Future of Wrestling has a show at the TFW Arena on No. Eason Blvd. (Auburn Rd.) in Tupelo, MS with Max Steele,Nick Grymes, Josh Matthews, Neil Taylor, Shawn Reed, Chris Styles, Anita Page, "Bad Attitude" Tony Dabbs, LSD, Chris Chaos, T-Byrd, The New Age Cowboys ("Southern Thunder" Chris Kilgore & "Son of the South Josh Holly), Devon Raynes, Crazy-n-Sexy (J-Kid & Curly Moe), Bless, Chazz, Chop Top the Clown, Uncle Vinnie the Blade, Hunter Montgomery Jackson, and much more. Tickets are $5. Doors open at 6:30 and the show starts at 8:00.
----Saturday night in Savannah, TN for XOW with Jerry Lawler/Bill Dundee vs “Family of Pain” [Mickey Ray/Sarge O’Reilly], “The Posse” [Simon Reed/Lil Chris] vs “Southern Saints” [Josh Matthews/Chris Styles Brandon Barbwire, Anton LeVeigh, Tatt2, Reno Diamond, Tony Dabbs, CJ Cash, Kid-J, Lil Devil, Lil Bit, Sue Young, Nick Grymes vs Bishop, Danny Morris and more.
----Saturday night for USWO/ATL in Nashville, TN at the Stadium Inn with Kid Dynamite, Dyronic, Chris Norte, Kevin Dunn, JD Fluffy, The Nazi Terror, Damien Payne, Lee Cross, New York Gangster, Tommy Capone, Boy, Richard Lowe, Homo Hillbilly Quincy, Xavier Mustafa, Shawn Hoodridge and more.
----Saturday night for RWA in Jonesboro, AR at the King’s Sportatorium with Jazz, Rodney Mack, Prince Tavian, Deadly Dale, Medieval, San Francisco Treat, Loose Cannon, Rottn Randy, Ali Stevens, Chazz Wesson, Cameron Cage and more.
----Saturday night for JWS in Booneville, MS with David Cox, Damion Rage, Dustin Burcham, Robert Rose, AC Styles, Dalton Storm, Chris Stevens, Izzy Rotten, Fusion, Brett Michaels, Psycho, Justin Rhodes, Chris Fontaine, Casanova Kid, Dirty Sanchez, Neil Taylor, Bonecrusher, Buzz Harley and more.
----Saturday night in Ripley, TN with TLCW Washington ST, TGB Greg Anthony, Flash Flanagan, Derrick King, Tatt2, Tim Grind, Albino Rhino, Tommy Redneck, Dell Tucker,Ike Tucker, Brian Steele, Shannon Lee, Allan Steele,. “Black Label Society” [Void/Robbie Douglas/AJ Bradley], “Naughty By Nature” [Pokerface/Rude],Sue Young and much more!!!
----Saturday night New Blood Wrestling @ Country Nights 1901 Saint John Ave - Bell time 8:00 PM in Dyersburg, TN Kilo, Mark Justice, Tim Edwards,Dustin Starr, Jeremy Moore, Motley Cruz, 187, Arnez, Tommy Redneck and more.
---- Saturday Night ASWF - At The Valiant Arena 201 Hwy 67 N Tuckerman Ar. (870) 349-2050 Belltime 7pm. Tickets: All Seats $6 Traci Brooks, Dirty Little Dave, “West Coast Mafia” [California Dream/Big Al], Scott Fury, Austin Lane, Nikki Lane,Cody Murdoch, , Chuck Fears, Seth Sabor, Wild Bill,”American Degenerates” [X-Kaliber/Morgan Lane], 1 Cody Only [formerly Cody Daniels], Tommy Wayne, Casino Kid, Johnny Harper, Tim Hanson, Mac Daddy, Demon X and more.
----Sunday afternoon 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Championship Wrestling in Florence, AL @ Florence Lauderdale Coliseum for a benefit show with Bubba Boodrow, Shadow, Rick Hayes, Fire & Flame, Blackbirds, Koko Ware, Tracy Smothers, Kaleb Kastle, Spade, Enigma, Jay Popular, Blake “The Roz” and more.
Climbing The Charts!! Yearbook 2007!!
----The book debuted on www.lulu.com last week ranked at 15, 445. It has climbed after a week of publishing and the two shows this week; Yearbook 2007 is now ranked 9,935!! Mark James’ Memphis Wrestling History book is ranked in the 3,000 and my goal is to beat him sometime in the next few months!!
----Do you not have a copy of Yearbook 2007 yet?? Buy today!! CLICK HERE
----Do you not have a copy of Yearbook 2007 yet?? Buy today!! CLICK HERE
BUY THE YEARBOOK!!
Just wanted to throw an unsolicited plug out for the RRO Yearbook 2007. I just got finished going through my copy of the book that came in the mail today and it's a really great piece of work by Brian. All the highlights and top stories of the year are in there along with a ton of really great info to be able to look back on in years to come and remember the year in wrestling in OUR area. It's also a really great looking professionally published book, something to show off that you've got your picture and stories about you published in a book. I hope everyone will go to the link at the top of the page and purchase one and try to get as many people as you can to buy one so we can have more stuff like this in the future. This type of thing is good exposure for everyone (cause no one is left out, EVERYONE in the area is mentioned somewhere in the book) so be sure to support the book and do what you can to help get it circulating and kudos to BT for all the hard work you put into it, it certainly paid off.
GENE
GENE
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
A Piece of my Mind- Feb 13th 2008 by "The Big Cheese" Sal Corrente
I have been writing for this site now for several months. I originally started writing for two reasons. The first was motivated by my issues with Jerry “The King” Lawler. The other was because I decided that I was going to give my opinion of things in the business. The wrestling business of today was not the business that I grew to love starting in nineteen seventy nine. I have found the business of these days to be come boring and mundane and at times I struggle for something fresh to write about. I will now only write one guaranteed article a week. My article will be on Friday nights and will maintain the same format. If there is something that occurs in the business that I have a passion to write about I will throw a special article on the site. The rest of this article will give you an idea what it was that got me attracted to the wrestling business to begin with. If you have been reading my article up to now I appreciate you taking the time to read my thoughts and opinions. If you by chance are a first time reader I welcome you to the site and or my articles.
As a young boy growing up in Yonkers, NY, I had no interest in professional wrestling at all. I didn’t know who anyone was and didn’t care. What I did know was that all the other kids knew Chief Jay Strongbow, Billy White Wolff, "Polish Power" Ivan Putski and "Wrestling’s Living Legend" Bruno Sammartino. I was so bored hearing about it I couldn’t stand it. In those days the WWWF was on television at midnight on WOR-TV channel 9 the home of my New York Mets. It was broadcast at 12:00am Sunday morning which is Saturday midnight. I normally was long asleep and had no desire to even try and figure out what this wrestling stuff was all about. Well one day the Mets happened to be playing on the West Coast so their game was going to air at about 10:00pm with no chance of it finishing by 12:00am Sunday morning. That west coast road trip caused the by this time WWF to air at 5:00pm. In those days we only had five TV channels and with nothing else to watch I started watching the WWF. I can barely remember what happened on the show but I do remember watching Ivan Putski hit someone with his Polish Hammer for the first time and I think that from that moment I was hooked. I continued to watch each week always rooting for my hero Polish Power Ivan Putski. In those days Bruno Sammartino was mainly a commentator, you heard references to his greatness but you never really got a chance to see it on television.
I found my attraction growing to professional wrestling over the weeks and months. In that time, the best I can remember, they started to run some angles on television. I remember things like Capt. Lou Albano pulling the leg out on Ivan Putski so Dick “The Bulldog” Brower could pin him. In those days people, that was a hot angle Capt. Lou Albano had so much hate people came to the building to see him get murdered. He was a former wrestler mostly known for being part of a tag team called The Sicilians with Tony Altimore (long time WWF employee) and in those days he was a large man who dressed like a bum. I can recall a big angle with Nikolai Volkoff and Bruno Sammartino where Fred Blassie caught Bruno in the face with a cane. I will say though that the angle I remember the most was between the North American Champion, a very young and scientific wrestler, named Ted DiBiase. I felt very lucky that after all these years I was able to sit down at the IHOP in Orlando Fl and talk about that angle with Ted DiBiase. He remembered it as vividly as I did.
It was a match that I found out years later was filmed in the Agricultural Hall in Allentown PA. In those days there wasn’t a way to find out where the matches were filmed so I never knew where TV was done. It was a match for the North American Title with the challenger being led to the ring by a man I would later consider a friend Ernie Roth (The Grand Wizard of Wrestling) he was Pat Patterson. It didn’t seem like Patterson could get the best of DiBiase at anything. I watched Patterson get out wrestled the entire match. The match as being refereed by a young Mario Savoldi who seemed to be a great referee and later along with father Angelo became a promoter in the northeast. At a certain point in the match the referee went down and Patterson reached into his trunks for the brass knuckles. This was probably the pivotal moment that turned me in a wrestling fan forever. It wasn’t long and DiBiase was “out cold” and the referee was coming “back to life” and Pat Patterson was now the North American Champion. I believe the year was nineteen seventy nine and I was hooked. I was infuriated that the arrogant Patterson who couldn’t get the best of DiBiase at all was now the champion. In those days I was a total believer in the legitimacy of wrestling. It was that match that moment that made me a believer. In the years to follow, when I actually broke into the business, I got to have many conversations with Pat Patterson and finally now I got to discuss the match with Ted DiBiase.
It wasn’t long after that DiBiase would have his last match in the WWF against a youngster name The Incredible Hulk Hogan in Madison Square Garden. The North American Title also went away when Pat Patterson captured the Intercontinental Title in a tournament that was announced as taking place in Rio de Janeiro. They may as well have said it took place in parts unknown. In those days you could get away with that type of stuff. Who knows why the one title went away and they made a new belt for Pat Patterson. All I know is he was a great heel and I wanted DiBiase to get even so bad I couldn’t stand it. Those were the days for sure.
The Agricultural Hall in Allentown was the place several angles started. It was the place where Hulk Hogan started feuding with Tony Atlas. The crowd watched when Hogan went up for the big leg drop on Mr. USA. Tony Atlas. They really went nuts when he missed it. Does that give you any idea how long ago it was? I recently watched that angle again. I had completely lost track of a crowd doing that when Hogan missed the leg drop.
I hope this gave you some feedback into why I came to love Pro Wrestling.
The picture in this article was my very first match at the Ridgewood Grove arena in Queens NY. The arena doesn’t exist anymore but many of the top names in the wrestling business worked there. This building was a fairly regular stop for the WWWF and WWF for many years. In this match I worked with two guys who did not speak English. It was quite a night for me small show only fifty fans. I didn’t remember to ring the bell to start of finish the match. I can tell you I don’t ever remember forgetting that again. I sure learned from my mistake. If I have already run this picture I apologize but I felt like it should be with this article.
This has been a piece of my mind
Arena Report: Graduation Match - Ken Wayne School of Wrestling West Memphis, AR 2.10.08
“…there is still pro wrestling out there somewhere – you just have to look for it..”
Coach’s Corner 2.06.08
----During my drive Sunday afternoon, I really did not know what to expect. I was wanting to witness something really good. I did not want to write bad things about their graduation match. Guess what?? I didn’t have to look far for pro wrestling as Kid Nikels and Eric Wayne put on a first class match along with Ken Wayne putting together a first class show. I drove home that night happy that I was part of wrestling. I was happy that I was part of this ceremony. The small crowd that witnessed this was part of something very special when it comes to this sport. True emotion and just a very appreciative crowd of what Ken Wayne has done with this school.
----The school seems to be located “too hard to find”, but I am also very horrible with directions. When I got out I was not sure I was at the right place. It looks like a large storage center from the outside. As soon as I walked in, the first person I saw was my long time friend Brian Thompson and then I knew I was in the right place. On my way to talk to Brian, I ran into Wayne [a RRO reader] and it was nice to finally meet him, even though he is a Packer fan. LOL Brian and I chatted a moment and he seem to be as excited as I was to finally be there. I finally got to shake Ken’s hand and say hi. Ken wasn’t talking much, so I knew he was a bit nervous. Believe me I first met Ken over 20 years ago and I have never known him to not want to talk. LOL
----As the time got closer to 6:00 PM more wrestlers and family came in. I got the opportunity to meet Matt Rivieria and Bill Ash for the first time. I also said hello to John Steele and later was introduced to Richard Bressler. Derrick King, Dell Tucker, “The Baron” Malkavain, TLCW ref Kaleb, Dell Tucker and Mark Tipton all came in. “Crazy” Luke Graham JR came up to me and shook my hand. I had no idea who the hell he was. LOL All the photos of Luke I have seen, he is like 50 lbs bigger. Jim Casey showed up dressed like he was at the matches in the 90s.
----At 6:00 PM on the dot, the lights went down and we were treated to 20 minute video about Eric Wayne and Kid Nikels on a big screen. This was a first class video put together by Ken. It went over the hard time it was to get through the wrestling school. They talked about most people did not that Nikels had it in him to become a wrestler and Wayne said that he quit a few times. This kind of video package could be used to get people over on Memphis TV. After the video, these two kids were OVER and you knew everything you needed to know going into that bout.
----The anticipation for the match was up in the whole crowd. You could just feel it. Brian Thompson got in the ring and introduced both guys. They came out to their music and both were greeted with applauds. As explained in the press release, to graduate from the school, each wrestler had to avoid being pinned or forced to submit by the opponent during a time frame of 60 minutes. Each wrestler was also allowed just two rope breaks during the contest. It came off as a legit contest and felt that way many times in the match.
----The match itself was a nice mix of everything. At the start, Eric Wayne’s mom was yelling so much that I thought it was going to be a distraction, but it seem to let everyone else know it “ok” to cheer or boo and the crowd got into it. One of the first big pops of the night was when Wayne slapped Nikels and then Nikels hit Wayne hard in the ear with a forearm. Unknown to me at the time, but Wayne was working with a busted eardrum he suffered in a match with Cassidy O’Reilly. The first 15 minutes was back and forth with them just seeming to feel each other out. They also never hit the ropes during this portion of the bout. Their hold for hold matwork was to par with anyone in this area. There are very few guys in this area that could have kept up with that pace. Rope breaks were used in places that made the feel that the holds were real. The scary thing was that some of the holds were so tight that I know those guys were in some pain. Wayne had Nikels arms behind his back with his shoulders almost touching each other. You could see the skin turn different colors and I just knew one of his arms was going to pop out of socket. A couple of times it looked as if Wayne pissed off Nikels for shoot as Nikels would just got haywire trying to get hold of him.
----The next 15 minutes, the pace of the match actually seem to pick up. They did a lot off the ropes and into the turnbuckles. At the 30 minutes mark, I told Derrick King that the next 30 minutes would be the test, because at that point the match was almost flawless. Well, they continue to have a good match with various things thrown in which each guy getting heat and trading off. The pace was steady and at no time did you think – “Damn, this is boring..” Pin attempts were traded and I really thought at a few times that Nikels was pinned. They did a few real creative spots out of the turnbuckle leap frog spot with Nikels cutting off Wayne a couple of times. At the 55 minute mark, you could tell the guys were so tired and they were supposed to be. No pins were made and the match was considered a draw. The medic came out to give oxygen to Wayne after the bout and they gave both guys water. It came off so legit.
----I have little criticism of the match. There are just a few guys in this area that actually could keep up this kind of pace for a bout for 60 minutes. At times the arm to arm exchanges in irish whips were..well…they looked like rookies. The build of knowing that it was going to a draw kept you from actually cheering for the finish. That was part of the drama taken away, even though at times I thought Nikels might have screwed up and got pinned. Believe me – saying this and doing it is two different things – the last 5 minutes should have been just a bit faster paced – trying for pin after pin after pin. But, with that all said and done, RRO has its first bout of 2008 to go over four stars this year - [****1/4]. All I can say to the guys that did not see this bout – get the DVD. For those that were there – top it!!
----The show finished off with Brian Thompson introducing all the wrestling personalities in the crowd including putting over Yearbook 2007 and the site. Thank you Brian!! Ken Wayne then got in the ring and thanked everyone. Both students came out to be told that they did graduate from the school and Ken gave them plaques. This was emotional for Ken and Eric with both hugging and crying. This was legit emotions – something you don’t see enough of in this business. The whole presentation was like watching a movie with a happy ending that made you cry.
----I had the chance to bs with everyone after the show. And, yes, Ken talked then. LOL It was a special evening and I am so glad I was there. The main consensus of the wrestling people that were there was that it was a real good bout. Most of them said they didn’t think they could do an hour. One of the guys said, and I will kayfabe him here, that he might be able to do an hour bout, because he has worked a 20 minute Motley Cruz finish. LOL God, I loved that!!
“He will have to have a good steady partner in this dance and most I have talked with feel that Kid Nikels will provide that for him,”
Coach’s Corner 2.06.08
----Finally, I had to include the quote above because Kevin Nikels was an excellent dance partner for Wayne that night. A guy that most people felt would never make it in the business went out and finished a 60 minute bout. He accomplished something that most guys never do in the business. This is really nothing against RRO 2007 Rookie of the Year Ramsey Cahill, but both Nikels and Wayne were robbed when it came to that award this year. Thanks to everyone involved in this bout – fun time was had by all.
Coach’s Corner 2.06.08
----During my drive Sunday afternoon, I really did not know what to expect. I was wanting to witness something really good. I did not want to write bad things about their graduation match. Guess what?? I didn’t have to look far for pro wrestling as Kid Nikels and Eric Wayne put on a first class match along with Ken Wayne putting together a first class show. I drove home that night happy that I was part of wrestling. I was happy that I was part of this ceremony. The small crowd that witnessed this was part of something very special when it comes to this sport. True emotion and just a very appreciative crowd of what Ken Wayne has done with this school.
----The school seems to be located “too hard to find”, but I am also very horrible with directions. When I got out I was not sure I was at the right place. It looks like a large storage center from the outside. As soon as I walked in, the first person I saw was my long time friend Brian Thompson and then I knew I was in the right place. On my way to talk to Brian, I ran into Wayne [a RRO reader] and it was nice to finally meet him, even though he is a Packer fan. LOL Brian and I chatted a moment and he seem to be as excited as I was to finally be there. I finally got to shake Ken’s hand and say hi. Ken wasn’t talking much, so I knew he was a bit nervous. Believe me I first met Ken over 20 years ago and I have never known him to not want to talk. LOL
----As the time got closer to 6:00 PM more wrestlers and family came in. I got the opportunity to meet Matt Rivieria and Bill Ash for the first time. I also said hello to John Steele and later was introduced to Richard Bressler. Derrick King, Dell Tucker, “The Baron” Malkavain, TLCW ref Kaleb, Dell Tucker and Mark Tipton all came in. “Crazy” Luke Graham JR came up to me and shook my hand. I had no idea who the hell he was. LOL All the photos of Luke I have seen, he is like 50 lbs bigger. Jim Casey showed up dressed like he was at the matches in the 90s.
----At 6:00 PM on the dot, the lights went down and we were treated to 20 minute video about Eric Wayne and Kid Nikels on a big screen. This was a first class video put together by Ken. It went over the hard time it was to get through the wrestling school. They talked about most people did not that Nikels had it in him to become a wrestler and Wayne said that he quit a few times. This kind of video package could be used to get people over on Memphis TV. After the video, these two kids were OVER and you knew everything you needed to know going into that bout.
----The anticipation for the match was up in the whole crowd. You could just feel it. Brian Thompson got in the ring and introduced both guys. They came out to their music and both were greeted with applauds. As explained in the press release, to graduate from the school, each wrestler had to avoid being pinned or forced to submit by the opponent during a time frame of 60 minutes. Each wrestler was also allowed just two rope breaks during the contest. It came off as a legit contest and felt that way many times in the match.
----The match itself was a nice mix of everything. At the start, Eric Wayne’s mom was yelling so much that I thought it was going to be a distraction, but it seem to let everyone else know it “ok” to cheer or boo and the crowd got into it. One of the first big pops of the night was when Wayne slapped Nikels and then Nikels hit Wayne hard in the ear with a forearm. Unknown to me at the time, but Wayne was working with a busted eardrum he suffered in a match with Cassidy O’Reilly. The first 15 minutes was back and forth with them just seeming to feel each other out. They also never hit the ropes during this portion of the bout. Their hold for hold matwork was to par with anyone in this area. There are very few guys in this area that could have kept up with that pace. Rope breaks were used in places that made the feel that the holds were real. The scary thing was that some of the holds were so tight that I know those guys were in some pain. Wayne had Nikels arms behind his back with his shoulders almost touching each other. You could see the skin turn different colors and I just knew one of his arms was going to pop out of socket. A couple of times it looked as if Wayne pissed off Nikels for shoot as Nikels would just got haywire trying to get hold of him.
----The next 15 minutes, the pace of the match actually seem to pick up. They did a lot off the ropes and into the turnbuckles. At the 30 minutes mark, I told Derrick King that the next 30 minutes would be the test, because at that point the match was almost flawless. Well, they continue to have a good match with various things thrown in which each guy getting heat and trading off. The pace was steady and at no time did you think – “Damn, this is boring..” Pin attempts were traded and I really thought at a few times that Nikels was pinned. They did a few real creative spots out of the turnbuckle leap frog spot with Nikels cutting off Wayne a couple of times. At the 55 minute mark, you could tell the guys were so tired and they were supposed to be. No pins were made and the match was considered a draw. The medic came out to give oxygen to Wayne after the bout and they gave both guys water. It came off so legit.
----I have little criticism of the match. There are just a few guys in this area that actually could keep up this kind of pace for a bout for 60 minutes. At times the arm to arm exchanges in irish whips were..well…they looked like rookies. The build of knowing that it was going to a draw kept you from actually cheering for the finish. That was part of the drama taken away, even though at times I thought Nikels might have screwed up and got pinned. Believe me – saying this and doing it is two different things – the last 5 minutes should have been just a bit faster paced – trying for pin after pin after pin. But, with that all said and done, RRO has its first bout of 2008 to go over four stars this year - [****1/4]. All I can say to the guys that did not see this bout – get the DVD. For those that were there – top it!!
----The show finished off with Brian Thompson introducing all the wrestling personalities in the crowd including putting over Yearbook 2007 and the site. Thank you Brian!! Ken Wayne then got in the ring and thanked everyone. Both students came out to be told that they did graduate from the school and Ken gave them plaques. This was emotional for Ken and Eric with both hugging and crying. This was legit emotions – something you don’t see enough of in this business. The whole presentation was like watching a movie with a happy ending that made you cry.
----I had the chance to bs with everyone after the show. And, yes, Ken talked then. LOL It was a special evening and I am so glad I was there. The main consensus of the wrestling people that were there was that it was a real good bout. Most of them said they didn’t think they could do an hour. One of the guys said, and I will kayfabe him here, that he might be able to do an hour bout, because he has worked a 20 minute Motley Cruz finish. LOL God, I loved that!!
“He will have to have a good steady partner in this dance and most I have talked with feel that Kid Nikels will provide that for him,”
Coach’s Corner 2.06.08
----Finally, I had to include the quote above because Kevin Nikels was an excellent dance partner for Wayne that night. A guy that most people felt would never make it in the business went out and finished a 60 minute bout. He accomplished something that most guys never do in the business. This is really nothing against RRO 2007 Rookie of the Year Ramsey Cahill, but both Nikels and Wayne were robbed when it came to that award this year. Thanks to everyone involved in this bout – fun time was had by all.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Memphis Wrestling TV Report 1.09.08 - Rerun Season Continues
----This show opens with Corey Maclin and Jerry Lawler on the phone. They talked about the Super Bowl coming up and Lawler having to watch it in Canada. So, this show was SUPPOSE to air last week.
----They air clips from various TV shows they were on promoting “Throwback Night” on July 10, 2004. Jerry Lawler comes out with Jimmy Hart. Lawler says that Maclin has got Kamala on his side by telling Kamala that Hart tried to cheat him out of money. Lawler slaps Maclin.
----Maclin calls for Kamala to come out. Hart comes out with him, but Maclin tells Hart to leave. Kamala talks!! He says that Hart is his friend and Hart gave him a diamond ring. Maclin destroys the ring with a hammer to show Kamala that the ring is “phony”. Maclin says he will fight Lawler with Kamala as his partner. It is signed Kamala/Maclin vs Hart/Lawler – tonight! Maclin then does a good promo.
----Mabel by DQ over Nicholas Doom Ms Kelly by DQ when Mordecai [Kevin Thorn] jump in and beat up Mabel. Mabel interview was next after a break.
----Shock beat Johnny Dotson with Ms Summer. They are trying to get over the fact that if Shock wins tonight he gets Summer. Shock is trying to go after Summer, but then Brandon Groom comes out. Dotson/Groom run Shock out of the ring. Groom does a promo for the match.
----Bill Dundee comes out for an interview. Kid Kash comes out with the XWF Cruiserweight Title. Dundee slaps Kash. Good stuff.
----Lawler/Hart come out and Brian Teigland says that Maclin has just left. Lawler goes out in the crowd and kisses some girl. Hart takes off his shirt. Todd Morton beats Lawler by DQ when Brian Christopher jumps in. Robert Gibson makes the save and they set up another match for the show.
----Robert Gibson/Todd Morton interview. Hart comes out and says that Gibson is wearing the same thing he did 20 years ago. LOL
----Brian Christopher interview with April Pennington. Brian still putting down Hart and says that April should be their manager. Hart says quit skirt chasing like your old man to Brian and Brian says, “Quit smarting everyone up. Kayfabe man..” LOL Hart was so ON during this show. Brian C/Hart shake hands for “tonight”. Maclin comes out and gets in the ring. Hart removes his shirt again and says he is going to take Maclin on. Maclin jumps Hart as he gets in the ring. They do a pull-a-part between Maclin/Hart. Good stuff!!
----The show ends with Maclin talking to Lawler again on the phone. Corey was laughing at ANYTHING Lawler would say. He was almost giddy. LOL I think he might have a crush on Lawler.
NOTES
----Maclin promos for this show were good…Kamala cracks me up when he talks…Who was the chick that Lawler kissed??...Nicholas Doom is under contact now with WWE developmental in Florida…Kash/Dundee skit was good…Todd Morton was a bit out of shape here, but still a damn good worker…Hart’s commentary during the Morton/Lawler match was just classic…If you have a chance to see this show – watch it just for Jimmy Hart!! He was sooooo good!!
----CLICK HERE for the full report of this show when it first air from Mempho Yahoo Group. Also look for a special FLASHBACK on Friday involving the 7.10.04 card.
----They air clips from various TV shows they were on promoting “Throwback Night” on July 10, 2004. Jerry Lawler comes out with Jimmy Hart. Lawler says that Maclin has got Kamala on his side by telling Kamala that Hart tried to cheat him out of money. Lawler slaps Maclin.
----Maclin calls for Kamala to come out. Hart comes out with him, but Maclin tells Hart to leave. Kamala talks!! He says that Hart is his friend and Hart gave him a diamond ring. Maclin destroys the ring with a hammer to show Kamala that the ring is “phony”. Maclin says he will fight Lawler with Kamala as his partner. It is signed Kamala/Maclin vs Hart/Lawler – tonight! Maclin then does a good promo.
----Mabel by DQ over Nicholas Doom Ms Kelly by DQ when Mordecai [Kevin Thorn] jump in and beat up Mabel. Mabel interview was next after a break.
----Shock beat Johnny Dotson with Ms Summer. They are trying to get over the fact that if Shock wins tonight he gets Summer. Shock is trying to go after Summer, but then Brandon Groom comes out. Dotson/Groom run Shock out of the ring. Groom does a promo for the match.
----Bill Dundee comes out for an interview. Kid Kash comes out with the XWF Cruiserweight Title. Dundee slaps Kash. Good stuff.
----Lawler/Hart come out and Brian Teigland says that Maclin has just left. Lawler goes out in the crowd and kisses some girl. Hart takes off his shirt. Todd Morton beats Lawler by DQ when Brian Christopher jumps in. Robert Gibson makes the save and they set up another match for the show.
----Robert Gibson/Todd Morton interview. Hart comes out and says that Gibson is wearing the same thing he did 20 years ago. LOL
----Brian Christopher interview with April Pennington. Brian still putting down Hart and says that April should be their manager. Hart says quit skirt chasing like your old man to Brian and Brian says, “Quit smarting everyone up. Kayfabe man..” LOL Hart was so ON during this show. Brian C/Hart shake hands for “tonight”. Maclin comes out and gets in the ring. Hart removes his shirt again and says he is going to take Maclin on. Maclin jumps Hart as he gets in the ring. They do a pull-a-part between Maclin/Hart. Good stuff!!
----The show ends with Maclin talking to Lawler again on the phone. Corey was laughing at ANYTHING Lawler would say. He was almost giddy. LOL I think he might have a crush on Lawler.
NOTES
----Maclin promos for this show were good…Kamala cracks me up when he talks…Who was the chick that Lawler kissed??...Nicholas Doom is under contact now with WWE developmental in Florida…Kash/Dundee skit was good…Todd Morton was a bit out of shape here, but still a damn good worker…Hart’s commentary during the Morton/Lawler match was just classic…If you have a chance to see this show – watch it just for Jimmy Hart!! He was sooooo good!!
----CLICK HERE for the full report of this show when it first air from Mempho Yahoo Group. Also look for a special FLASHBACK on Friday involving the 7.10.04 card.
Duo graduates from wrestling school following 1-hour match
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Duo graduates from wrestling school following 1-hour match
WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. - A two-year journey came to a successful end Sunday afternoon as Eric Wayne and Kevin "Kid" Nikels completed their requirements to become the first two graduates of the "Nightmare" Ken Wayne School of Professional Wrestling.
The duo competed against each other in a one hour match held at the wrestling school, which is located at 201 E. Jefferson, Bldg. No. 2, in West Memphis.
To graduate from the school, each wrestler had to avoid being pinned or forced to submit by the opponent during a time frame of 60 minutes. Each wrestler was also allowed just two rope breaks during the contest.
Despite finishing the one-hour match, the decision of success or failure was still left in the hands of school owner/operator Ken Wayne. After watching Sunday evening's performance, there was no doubt in Wayne's mind about the outcome.
"I am so proud of these two," said Wayne following the match. "I would not have put these two into this situation in front of a viewing audience if I didn't think they could accomplish this goal. But, there is always a chance that something will go wrong. Fortunately that was not the case."
Approximately 75 people attended Sunday night's event. The crowd included a mixture of fans, professional wrestlers, wrestling journalists and family members of both combatants.
Attendees from the wrestling business included Bill Ash, Matt Riviera, Derrick King, Mark Tipton, Dell Tucker, Baron Malkavain, "Gentleman" Jim Casey, John Steele, Brian Thompson, Richard Bressler, Debbie Wayne, Brian Tramel and "Crazy" Luke Graham, Jr.
"I am very honored that so many people took time out of their busy schedules to come and be a part of the match," said Ken.
Eric Wayne and Nikels took two similar yet different paths to reach their monumental moment.
Both decided at a young age that they wanted to become wrestling superstars. However, for Eric, becoming a wrestler was the continuation of the family's business.
"Both my grandfather and father were wrestlers," said Eric. "And they were very successful. I watched my dad for so many years and heard all of the accolades he received. I knew then that I wanted to do the same thing."
Despite being the heir to the Wayne family-wrestling dynasty, Eric could have picked a different trainer. He opted to learn from the same man who taught him about life in general, his father Ken.
"There was no doubt in my mind about who I wanted to train under," Eric said. "Just traveling with my dad, other wrestlers and people in the business would tell me how smoothly he did everything and how good it was. By being around Dad I was able to learn what was right or wrong even then."
Growing up in the Tupelo, Miss., area, Nikels became a wrestling fan and started have a few "matches" of his own.
"I would wrestle around with my dad when I was about 4-years-old," said Nikels. "At that time I thought, wow it would be neat to be a wrestler."
As Nikels grew older, he still followed wrestling. His dream was put on hold for a short time until a chance meeting with Eric.
"We were working at the same place and we started talking about wrestling," Nikels said. "Eric told me about his dad's school and I became interested again in becoming a wrestler."
Nikels then visited with Ken and the two discussed the possibilities of Nikels training at the school. First impressions certainly were proved wrong.
"My first thought was this boy isn't going to do anything," Ken said. "But I am so glad I am wrong."
Nikels worked hard to get into the proper physical condition to endure the training required by the school.
In 2006, Eric and Nikels joined other classmates to begin their training. They are the only two students of the very few session to survive and arrive at the graduation point.
They began competing on the independent wrestling circuit in November 2006, facing each other at a Don Bass/Jim Casey promoted card in West Memphis.
Since then, they have traveled primarily in the Mid-South, Nashville and Mid-West areas to sharpen their skills.
For more information on the "Nightmare" Ken Wayne School of Professional Wrestling, log on to www.nightmarekenwayne.com, call (901) 831-4198 or e-mail wrestlingschool@nightmarekenwayne.com.
(Note: Be sure to watch the site for Brian Tramel's perspective on the 1-hour contest.)
Duo graduates from wrestling school following 1-hour match
WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. - A two-year journey came to a successful end Sunday afternoon as Eric Wayne and Kevin "Kid" Nikels completed their requirements to become the first two graduates of the "Nightmare" Ken Wayne School of Professional Wrestling.
The duo competed against each other in a one hour match held at the wrestling school, which is located at 201 E. Jefferson, Bldg. No. 2, in West Memphis.
To graduate from the school, each wrestler had to avoid being pinned or forced to submit by the opponent during a time frame of 60 minutes. Each wrestler was also allowed just two rope breaks during the contest.
Despite finishing the one-hour match, the decision of success or failure was still left in the hands of school owner/operator Ken Wayne. After watching Sunday evening's performance, there was no doubt in Wayne's mind about the outcome.
"I am so proud of these two," said Wayne following the match. "I would not have put these two into this situation in front of a viewing audience if I didn't think they could accomplish this goal. But, there is always a chance that something will go wrong. Fortunately that was not the case."
Approximately 75 people attended Sunday night's event. The crowd included a mixture of fans, professional wrestlers, wrestling journalists and family members of both combatants.
Attendees from the wrestling business included Bill Ash, Matt Riviera, Derrick King, Mark Tipton, Dell Tucker, Baron Malkavain, "Gentleman" Jim Casey, John Steele, Brian Thompson, Richard Bressler, Debbie Wayne, Brian Tramel and "Crazy" Luke Graham, Jr.
"I am very honored that so many people took time out of their busy schedules to come and be a part of the match," said Ken.
Eric Wayne and Nikels took two similar yet different paths to reach their monumental moment.
Both decided at a young age that they wanted to become wrestling superstars. However, for Eric, becoming a wrestler was the continuation of the family's business.
"Both my grandfather and father were wrestlers," said Eric. "And they were very successful. I watched my dad for so many years and heard all of the accolades he received. I knew then that I wanted to do the same thing."
Despite being the heir to the Wayne family-wrestling dynasty, Eric could have picked a different trainer. He opted to learn from the same man who taught him about life in general, his father Ken.
"There was no doubt in my mind about who I wanted to train under," Eric said. "Just traveling with my dad, other wrestlers and people in the business would tell me how smoothly he did everything and how good it was. By being around Dad I was able to learn what was right or wrong even then."
Growing up in the Tupelo, Miss., area, Nikels became a wrestling fan and started have a few "matches" of his own.
"I would wrestle around with my dad when I was about 4-years-old," said Nikels. "At that time I thought, wow it would be neat to be a wrestler."
As Nikels grew older, he still followed wrestling. His dream was put on hold for a short time until a chance meeting with Eric.
"We were working at the same place and we started talking about wrestling," Nikels said. "Eric told me about his dad's school and I became interested again in becoming a wrestler."
Nikels then visited with Ken and the two discussed the possibilities of Nikels training at the school. First impressions certainly were proved wrong.
"My first thought was this boy isn't going to do anything," Ken said. "But I am so glad I am wrong."
Nikels worked hard to get into the proper physical condition to endure the training required by the school.
In 2006, Eric and Nikels joined other classmates to begin their training. They are the only two students of the very few session to survive and arrive at the graduation point.
They began competing on the independent wrestling circuit in November 2006, facing each other at a Don Bass/Jim Casey promoted card in West Memphis.
Since then, they have traveled primarily in the Mid-South, Nashville and Mid-West areas to sharpen their skills.
For more information on the "Nightmare" Ken Wayne School of Professional Wrestling, log on to www.nightmarekenwayne.com, call (901) 831-4198 or e-mail wrestlingschool@nightmarekenwayne.com.
(Note: Be sure to watch the site for Brian Tramel's perspective on the 1-hour contest.)
Congrats!!
----Southern States Wrestling is having its 17th Year Anniversary show this coming weekend!! So, they had their first show in 1991!! Just for the heck of it, I pulled the results from www.memphiswrestlinghistory.com of this coming week’s Mid-South Coliseum show from 1991 to give everyone an idea about who was on top in this area at that time. You got an extra FLASHBACK this week. LOL Take a look at the workers on that Memphis show!!! Congrats guys and I hope you do 
this for another 17 years!!
this for another 17 years!!
TNA PPV Notes
----Longtime Rioter Dan Lark was at the TNA PPV this past weekend and he sent along the following...
As expected it has highly papered, but attendance was around 3500 according to the box office. Dark matches:
1. Curry Man def. Two local DJs
2. Sonjay Dutt and Consequences Creed beat Rock and Rave Infection (w/o Christy Hemme - must not have been the plane ticket) when Creed pin Rave. Lots of heat and Creed got a really good pop as he's local.
The crowd was really pissed off about the Commission not allowing the Mesias/Abyss match to take place. Whenever the Commission was mentioned there was tremendous heat. Lots of VERY loud "Bullshit!" chants for the finish of the Roode/Booker T match. It cheapened Booker. Kong is way over and appears to be developing a following.
Biggest Pops:
1. Jay Lethal (who singlehandedly stole the the show)
2. Booker T.
3. Consequences Creed (local and somewhat expected)
4. Somoa Joe
5. Eric Young
Biggest Heat:
1. SC State Athletic Commission (no real surprise)
2. Angle
3. Robert Roode (and not in a good way, considering the match finish)
Surprisingly they didn't hype nor even mention the Aiken, SC house show.
As expected it has highly papered, but attendance was around 3500 according to the box office. Dark matches:
1. Curry Man def. Two local DJs
2. Sonjay Dutt and Consequences Creed beat Rock and Rave Infection (w/o Christy Hemme - must not have been the plane ticket) when Creed pin Rave. Lots of heat and Creed got a really good pop as he's local.
The crowd was really pissed off about the Commission not allowing the Mesias/Abyss match to take place. Whenever the Commission was mentioned there was tremendous heat. Lots of VERY loud "Bullshit!" chants for the finish of the Roode/Booker T match. It cheapened Booker. Kong is way over and appears to be developing a following.
Biggest Pops:
1. Jay Lethal (who singlehandedly stole the the show)
2. Booker T.
3. Consequences Creed (local and somewhat expected)
4. Somoa Joe
5. Eric Young
Biggest Heat:
1. SC State Athletic Commission (no real surprise)
2. Angle
3. Robert Roode (and not in a good way, considering the match finish)
Surprisingly they didn't hype nor even mention the Aiken, SC house show.
Nashville Wrestling Tonight!!
Nashville Wrestling
7:45 PM
Tennessee State Fairgrounds
Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Shane Williams & Shawn Shultz vs. The Naturals
Shane Smalls vs. LT Falk
Tracy Smothers vs. Steve-O
Christian Jacobs vs. Keith Knox
Teddy Tender vs. Wayne Adkins
----Good to see Christian Jacobs back in the ring.
Credit: Mempho Yahoo Group
7:45 PM
Tennessee State Fairgrounds
Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Shane Williams & Shawn Shultz vs. The Naturals
Shane Smalls vs. LT Falk
Tracy Smothers vs. Steve-O
Christian Jacobs vs. Keith Knox
Teddy Tender vs. Wayne Adkins
----Good to see Christian Jacobs back in the ring.
Credit: Mempho Yahoo Group
APW Feb. 23rd at 7pm in Searcy Arkansas
American Professional Wrestling (APW) hosted by the White County Police Dept. for the Special Olympics
Feb. 23, 2008
7:00pm
White County Fairgrounds
Searcy, Arkansas
Tickets: $5
Featuring: "The Stryking Image" Chris Stryker, Johnny Hawk, Casino Kid, "Malibu" Matt Boyce, Mark Wolfe, Justice, Halo, Danger Zone (Hot Rod John Ellison and "Dangerous" Dave Cox), "3G" Eric Wayne, Kid Nickels, Gregory King, Eric Slade, and more.
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