The SmarK Rant for Smoky Mountain Wrestling – 02.29.92

The SmarK Rant for Smoky Mountain Wrestling – 02.29.92

Originally written 06.26.26

Fish & Chips seems to be having trouble tonight, so it’s back to SMW tonight.

Taped from Knoxville, TN, all the way up to 02.01.92 this time. Which is interesting because their last taping was in November of 1991, which means they went three months between shows. They’re now in a TV studio instead of the high school gymnasium, and honestly the gym looked better.

Your hosts are Bob Caudle & Dirty Dutch Mantel

“Nitro” Danny Davis v. Barry Horowitz

Not to be confused with the referee, of course. Not sure why they changed him from “Nightmare” Danny Davis, unless this was Cornette’s idea to make sure he was a babyface. Davis takes Barry down with the quickness, as they’re really putting over Danny’s speed as his main weapon here. They fight for a lockup and Barry slugs him, but Davis gets a hiptoss and goes to work on the arm. Barry takes him down with a jawbreaker and a cradle for two. Another cradle gets two. Inverted DDT sets up a flying legdrop, but that misses and Davis makes the comeback with a backdrop for two. And a small package finishes at 4:13.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Golden has words for Robert Gibson before the main event tonight.

Last week, the Fantastics brawl with the Russians and Jimmy Golden to end the show. Luckily Tim Horner is there to save us from too much excitement.

Bob Armstrong joins us and he’s reviewed all the footage and he’s fining everyone $500, EACH. And he’s also booked a six-man match to settle things, with the Russians & Golden v. Fantastics & Mystery Partner. Damn, $500 is a lot of money. That’s like $700,000 in 2026 money if my math is correct.

Meanwhile, Ron Wright reads us a letter from a fan, who loves the good sportsmanship shown by Mr. Wright when all the demented babyfaces would try to maim and cripple him. So the fan has enclosed $5 to help Wright find a good Christian competitor to manage. Wright is just hilarious in this role.

Hollywood Bob Holly v. Tommy Angel

At least Bob now has a proper pink and black robe instead of the cheap jacket he had during his debut at the last tapings. Bob wins a hiptoss battle, but Angel comes back and dropkicks him out of the ring while we see Mr. Ron Wright watching at ringside. Angel works the arm, but Bob puts the boots to him in the corner and then goes to a bearhug, as you’d expect from Bob Holly. Bob with a big boot and legdrop, but it only gets two. Like anyone named Hollywood would ever win matches with a big boot and legdrop. Angel comes back again with a back elbow, but he tries to go to the top and Wright pulls his leg. Bob suplexes him and goes up with a missile dropkick for the pin at 5:29. Bob Holly is not exactly a super charismatic heel.

Mr. Wonderful joins us, playing full babyface, even though his piledriver has been ruled illegal in SMW. So this leads to a discussion of the RULES OF WRESTLING in the promotion: No over the top rope, no low blows, no piledrivers.

Brian Lee joins us and he’s coming after Dutch should he ever step in the ring in the promotion again.

Carl Styles v. Reno Riggins

Sadly, Dutch has now come down with a deadly virus and is unable to work his advertised match this week. Reno works a headlock, but Styles runs him into the corner. Dutch: “GOOD, CARL! TAKE IT TO HIM, CARL!” Styles with a clothesline and he follows with a gut wrench slam and drops a knee on him before going to a choke and then switching to a chinlock. Reno makes a comeback, but Styles powerslams him for the pin at 4:00. But then Brian Lee comes out to go after Dutch, and Dutch points out again that he’s running a fever of 108 and can’t fight, at which point Carl attacks Lee and they brawl into the commercial break.

Meanwhile, Jim Cornette points out that everyone is scared of his new mystery team, who will debut as a part of the tag team title tournament.

Jimmy Golden v. Rock N Roll Robert Gibson

Golden is using the Black Crowes’ version of “Hard to Handle” in case you needed a clue that this was from the early 90s. They trade wristlocks and Golden cheats to win that while Dutch clarifies that he took 800mg of Advil to recover from his fever during the break, which is why he’s back out here on commentary again despite his crippling viral load earlier. Robert takes him down and works the arm on the mat, but Jimmy puts him down with a big boot and backdrops him. Robert puts him on the floor with an atomic drop while the Koloffs join us at ringside to keep an eye on things. And Ivan trips up Robert, but Gibson makes a comeback and bulldogs him out of the corner for two. And then the Koloffs just run in for the DQ at 6:00 anyway. This never really took off but it was fine.

Bob Armstrong joins us again, and he’s gonna let Gibson and Lee get some guys and even up the odds against those Russians!

Next week: Brian Lee v. Carl Styles!

I know it’s slow moving so far and there’s not a lot of interest in them, but man there’s just something so charming about the old school 80s territory vibe and I love these.