Smoky Mountain Wrestling
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- čas přidán 12. 09. 2024
- DAVE KNOWS that Smoky Mountain Wrestling was an amazing promotion run by Jim Cornette, even though it was very short lived. During a time when wrestling was searching for it's new direction and the industry was looking for a third brand, SMW stepped up in a great way. But what made Smoky Mountain Wrestling such a quality wrestling promotion and why did it close so soon? Well let's find out as we examine the history of Smoky Mountain Wrestling.
www.patreon.com/daveknowswrestling
Speaking of SMW: They were on German TV for a while because here in Germany the early 90s were the boom period of wrestling and every TV station wanted to have wrestling even if they showed it in the late night.
Oh absolutely, selling tapes to foreign markets that craved American wrestling was HUGE business back then before the internet
Lil I can just imagine the English to German translators dubs trying to call the action
Unfortunately if I recall correctly, those tapes only got sold after SMW went under. And by like 3 days, if they'd sold a week earlier SMW would have lasted at least another year.
I always wanted to know the history of Smoky Moutain Wrestling thanks Dave!
Thank you for enjoying it!
Yes I agree love Jim Cornette and was always curious
The best SMW moment by far was New Jack giving a shout out to OJ Simpson. "2 less we have to worry about" 🤣
New Jack talking crazy were my favorite SMW moments. Today the censors would have a stroke.
New Jack was great for sure
No need thats what the wife is for
I think Jim was one of the only people new jack said something good about
This kind of content is why Dave is the goat of wrestling focused CZcamsrs.
My favourite SMW stuff was the feud between Al Snow & Unabomb and the Rock n Roll Express. The promos during that were pure gold.
Love this channel. It makes the workday so much easier. Protect Dave at all costs
Thank you so much for appreciating it
Dave is based!
Dave Knows Smoky Mountain Wrestling, and now we all do too
Dave certainly knows wrestling. Thanks for another video Dave keep up the good work and great commentary as always
Dude I love these videos. I grew up during this time and I was, or thought I was, a huge fan. I love hearing all the backstories and especially the history of all the different territories!
I'm not going to lie that old school wrestling hasn't always been something that I've been too interested in and I'm not the biggest fan of Cornette (due to more what he is now as opposed to what he was back then), but I have to genuinely give Cornette credit for trying to make something work even if it was a Mountain to climb...a Smoky Mountain if you will.
Also, any place that recognises the talent of the supremely underrated Chris Candido can't be all bad. Even if seeing a lot of the babyfaces and fans wave the Confederate Flag really, really doesn't age well. Great video, Dave.
F**kin AWESOME, Dave! And you knew I was going to mark out to this video! Smoky Mountain Wrestling was the last GREAT Wrestling promotion. I have a lot of favorite moments. Tracy Smothers defeating Dirty White Boy in a chain match for the SMW Title. Paul Orndorff. Terry Gordy was there. But my favorite TWO are linked together. #1 Beautiful Bobby joins Stan & Jim. #2 - Arn Anderson waa the surprise under the sheet!!!!
Thanks i need this video.
Thank you for enjoying it
SMW and NWA/WCW what are the two wrestling promotions, that I really love the most growing up. I mean I did like WWF eventually, but that wasn’t until about the same time Smoky Mountain wrestling was getting started. I don’t think Smoky Mountain gets enough credit for just how good they were. If you want to talk about what promoter in the first half of the 90s did the best with what they had it was easily Jim Cornette. No they didn’t have big stars like Ric Flair or Hulk Hogan or Rick Steamboat or Sting etc.
But with the roster he had he did much better booking that roster than WWF, or WCW did booking their rosters. There’s a lot of wrestlers. I think that had their best run there, I think Chris Candido , Tracy Smothers and Al Snow all had their best runs there. Dirty White Boy too, and the Heavenly Bodies. All those guys worked almost everywhere but when you watch them in Smokey Mountain where they really just had a chance to be themselves and not trying to be a ridiculous gimmick, they just succeeded so well. Not to mention, it was the start of a lot of wrestlers first time on weekly television. A few of them would sometimes get a tryout or go be enhancement talent somewhere but as far as like their first time being on TV every week this is when they did that. Guys like Tha Gangstas ( NeW Jack , Mustafa and D-Lo Brown) Chris Jericho and Lance Storm ad the Thrillseekers, Al Snow and Kane, Bobby Blaze, Boo Bradley ( Balls Mahoney), Heavenly Bodies, Chris Candido and Tammy aka Sunny, even Bob Holiday was on TV there before he was on WWF.
The only gimmick there that you really didn’t like and you thought was silly was the wrestling mummy that was Rick Rubin Jim was kind of forced to go with it.
great to see some love for Corny and SMW
It was my pleasure to cover the topic
I loved going and watching them when they came to Cookeville Tennessee as a child
Wish they could have stayed open. But Corny said he didn't want to go out flat broke and in debt.
I wonder what it would be like if it happened in another time
@@DaveKnowsWrestling Pretty much OVW from 99-04 was what SMW would have been if it survived
@@KHayes666 Not necessarily.
Dave delivering, yet again
Thank you for taking the time to say so
@@DaveKnowsWrestling thanks to you for always putting out original content, Dave.
Wish I knew you were doing this, I got all the weekly shows on DVD lol
That is awesome! Bet they came in handy in the past year for having something to watch
You gotta put those online man.
@@whynotbrosay Somebody already did
I got to meet the undertaker when I was 9 in 1994 in pikeville ky. He teamed with Tracy smothers and Tim Horner against new jack and his gang. As a kid it was awkward to see his entrance with no theatrics. Also weirdly taker hit the tombstone but smothers got the pin. Also I met unabomb and have an autographed picture of a young Chris Jericho and Lance storm in Canada with their horses. I have another picture of Tracy smothers with me holding the smw title. Most special was my mom and grandma were there. Grandma sadly passed in 2000 and she is largely the reason I'm still a fan. At times she was into the action more than me.
Awesome stuff Dave 💯 ... I loved watching SMW as a kid back in the 90's they had alot of great matches and talent would love to see you do a video on the SMW vs USWA feud 💪
Makes me wonder what Jim's reaction would be if he saw this.
I should hope it would be a positive one
I Had No Clue that Kane was in Smokey Mountain Wrestling
He had to start somewhere
Yeah it's something when you look back on it isn't it
Bring back the Christmas creature!!
do the history of super world of sports a short lived promotion that was the result of ajpw first mass exodus it is also in that promotion where the infamous vader vs koji katao match took place
Japanese wrestling has different copyright laws and has made it clear that they do not want to be represented here
@@DaveKnowsWrestling Screw that, I wanna know what UWF (not the Herb Abrams one, but the one started by Rusher Kimura and Akira Maeda) and/or UWF-I.
Please Do an Episode on the Global Wrestling Federation
Cornette is Wrestling genius. If they could have just got that TV deal who knows what could have happened. I remember when AEW was supposed to be the serious sports based wrestling program to counter WWE's goofy entertainment and just became more of the same.
One of numerous promises of that original press conference that haven't come through
@@DaveKnowsWrestling MLW>AEW. ROH>AEW. CZW>AEW, but not by much. Even Blackcraft>AEW, and Blackcraft was goofy as fuck.
@@funkyweapon1981 Both AEW and CZW are garbage. I hate to say it, but I'd take AEW over CZW. At least there are a couple of guys that try to take it semi-seriously... Mostly FTR and occasionally MJF... When he isn't singing and dancing with the Ayatollah of rock and Rona.
Wonder how Jim would feel about SMW if it was still around, that'd be an interesting take I'd definitely want to hear from Cornette
I would like it if it were possible for it to come out today. I wonder how a really old school promotion would fair
@@DaveKnowsWrestling it would definitely be interesting, I think it'd have to evolve which Jim would dislike but may appreciate more since it's his baby because the old school style isnt everyones cup of coffee, although NWA is doing well with the old school style, so who knows
@@TWProWrestling Well... OVW, which Corrny had a small hand in, is still going today.
Dave is the king. Always wondered where he stands on the jim Cornette Vince Russo debate
Well lucky for you I have a podcast debate on this channel about that exact topic
@@DaveKnowsWrestlingcool. I'm searching for it now
Smokey Mountain was definitely not outlaw mud show bullshit.
It was a different kind of wrestling that what we have today
Love some SMW
Thanks Dave, I appreciate the SMW recap. Wish they had gotten more of a chance, but timing was not in their favor.
Yeah timing is def everything
SMW the 3rd promotion that could go before ECW.
Sure was
How did you know I wanted an ep on this ?
Magic?
I respect Cornette, racism aside. But when he says SMW was better than ECW, he's either ribbing, or delusional: The Rise & Fall of ECW DVD is the best selling DVD in WWE history. Meanwhile, SMW reels are collecting dust in Stamford.
Dave Knows Wrestling.
Big fan of yours.
And I just subscribe to you.
Welcome to the Know-It-All Nation, glad to have you here, Thanks so much
Dave for sure knows wrestling
Do you think SMW would be successful in the territory days of wrestling?
People usually forget that SMW existed briefly in the 90s so the USWA wasn't the only territory left in that decade.
Huh... If someone told me that ECW and SMW were linked, I would have called them a liar, and thought they were on drugs.
Great content
I grew up on USWA wrestling but SMW always seemed like the minor league version of uswa. They had a ladder match that both guys coulda reached the belt on rung 2 lol
Its not as fast pace as todays stuff . But it had really good psychology . They knew how to work the fans up. At least in the South . I like a more modern style mixed with the basics and fundamentals which are tried and true . I think Jims right about a bunch if you follow his podcasts . However , times have changed and you got to evolve . I agree , i hate the silly obviously phony bullshit . But you can STILL have great highflying spots done sparingly , or at least executed right . In the right context . I am a HUGE fan of the Kings Road style as well as 80s NWA and Memphis . I even like PWG without the fake hand grenades etc... Mix what i said with early serious ROH and a touch of ECW wildness and passion , that would be incredible . Maybe thats just me .
one of the Armstrong Brothers versus Terry Bam Bam Gordy?, Shawn Michaels vs buddy landell and the Unabomber versus undertaker. Ohhhh and maybe the thugs attacking the heavenly bodies after the super bowl of wrestling
Randy Savage worked SMW as well. I love that Michaels/Landell match.
You mentioned the Beat The Champ Television Title briefly as a belt, but I'm not sure if there ever was a physical belt. I think it was just for money, which I kind of dig as a concept.
You are correct. I just said belt out of force of habit
As good as SMW was, wrestling was always going to change and move forward and I don't think Cornette has ever really gotten that. He has a good mind for how the business was, but there's a reason why he isn't apart of any modern day promotion. I think there are elements from the past that you can take and apply to the product today, but you have to be flexible and now when the dial and times have changed.
modern day wrestling has millions less people watching it today so not everything changing is for the better.
I agree but he booked roh people forget that he did that so it’s not that he doesn’t like modern wrestling
Holy shit, i never new the legendry Rick Ruben was involved.
Yep just another interesting tidbit of information
I really enjoyed The Thrill Seekers Chris candido his matches against Cactus Jack and Tracy Smothers learning about a lot of the talent before they went to WWE or ECW
Ah yes, when Jericho broke his arm for no good reason.
Ultimo dragon or liger told Chris Jericho to do the Shooting Star Press
That's the move broke his arm
@@dalesanteford7432 He broke his own arm. He decided to practice it for no reason before a match. I want to say it was their debut? Against the Bodies? Can't remember if they were going over, but still... There was no reason for him to be practicing it that night. He wasn't going to do it in the match.
I think the thrill-seekers would been put over against the heavenly bodies it was a bloody match to
If my departed Great Grandmother knew that I listen to the Cornette podcasts she would disown me.
Why what did Cornette do?
Someone send it to cornette, see if he can add anything.
How many hours do you have? Lol
I'm sure he can add a ton. He was actually there after all
@@DaveKnowsWrestling have you ever considered getting in contact with cornette to make a new segment.
"Dave Learns Wrestling"
How/Why was Dan Severn able to win the title, but not be present often to defend it?
He was the NWA champion and had no obligation to SMW
"They were never able to secure a tv deal that was profitable enough to keep things going."
I mean... That hasn't stopped TNA/Impact/Global Force Wrestling/Anthem Sports and Entertainment
Ouch.. TNA went out of business years ago just no one has told them yet
@@DaveKnowsWrestling Well apparently no one has told Tony Kahn either...
@@dbone3356 it was a different time and a different situation for SMW. I don't think stations were paying them but SMW was paying for TV.
Remember Vince started paying money to local TV stations across in the 1980's when he was expanding. So it kind of became a thing that wrestling promotions had to pay local TV stations.
This historical timeless underrated well planned creative of past and future old fashioned thinking business like passionate wishfully thinking could be successful and unsuccessful product wrestler video
Probably one of the more notable and controversial acts in SMW was the Gangstas. New Jack was an absolute force of nature on the microphone and cutting some insane promos.
I'm not a fan of angles that use race baiting to get heat and even Cornette has admitted that it drew the wrong kind of heat. But there's no doubt that New Jack was excellent on the microphone.
I liked SMW, it was old fashion and I think WWF should've helped them financially to keep it going
Well they did help them with talent exchanges to draw. As for actually giving them money, in 1995 when SMW folded, WWF lost money that year. It would have been unwise for them to do so. While they did give money to ECW, that wasn't until after things got better
SMW did have some good talent, like Chris Candido
Chris Candido what a great wrestler
@@DaveKnowsWrestling He needed no stupid gimmicks. Imagine SMW Candido in current NJPW.
I'm not even going to lie I didn't even know Chris candino was on smoking model wrestling maybe he was on there after it was off air in the city of Detroit at 1995 or 96.
Hey Dave can you do a video on Ohio Valley Wrestling?
👍🏻Good Job DAVE, I find iT interesting aT this Time and wonder iF CORNETTE
would oF started running a schedule like ECW STILL was in 95/96, wouLd they have survived & Experienced the BOOM!
ECW would have a show aT The ECW Arena abouT Every 3 weeks & would ediT in Music Vids, Promos, Ints, Backstage Angles, Fan Cam Clips, and geT 3 weeks oF TV out oF 1 ECW ARENA Show.
IF SMW would oF moved to its Best City, I think it was JOHNSON CITY & another CITY were always on fire for wrestling, just keep their BEST towns oR
run that one town every 3 weeks...
WouLd SMW STILL Be n Business?
The Reason I wonder is BC w/ouT a doubt, whether you were a fan of so.style
oF wrestling: Guys NEED places to work.
Wrestlers need repetition it’s the ONLY way possible that they get Better. Some oF smartest & more educated in the actual psychology of how to control an
audience ‘rooTs’ comes from southern wrestling.
Also whether YOU Love oR HATE JC one cannoT deny the success He had in OVW helping develop the LAST 2 STARS WWE has made in the Last 15 years:
▪️CENA & ▪️BATISTA. Along with PPL STILL on the Roster Today Like:
▪️ORTON▪️LESNAR ▪️BENJAMIN
to name a Few.
It wiLL NEVER 🛑 shocking ME that WWE, VINCE MCMAHON, & ESPECIALLY JOHN LAURENITIS thinks that GREAT Trainers/Mentors grow on trees. I don’t
care what kind oF ‘eccentric’ or hard to work with problems JOHNNY has with
some of these trainers. You find a way foR It to work BC This is a Business.
Problems aside, YOU DONT NoT Take advantage of having JC, JIM ROSS, AL SNOW, LANCE STORM, & DR.TOM to name a Few...So You can trade them for jackasses Like DEMOTT. IDIOTIC.
I see Dave; I give a like.
Thank you so much for that. It means a lot to have such support!
The only wrestling Jim Cornette knows
Well it's his favorite that's for sure
🔥🔥🔥🔥
Great video Dave! Jim Cornette :The Only Heat Magnet In Wrestling.
Smokey Mountain Wrestling created talent such as New Jack, Mustafa Saed and Kane.
banger
Honestly smw biggest down fall was from lack of abishion
Cornette Master of Cross Promotion had SMW westlers on the Big 3 shows in the US,,,what Dirt did he have on the owners to do this 👀
SMW > AEW
I love hearing Jim Cornette talk about Rick Ruben. He was the real life Mr Krabs,that cartoon cheapskate. It was like pulling teeth to get money out of him. He wanted to offer Ric Flair 100,000 to go there instead of The WWF when he left WCW and acted like that was a lot of money. lol
Let's see how much money you're willing to keep investing in a product that is not turning profit
@@DaveKnowsWrestling That was a year into it. If you don't wanna spend money is a wrestling show something you really want to get into?
Oh I see, so when it's Vince McMahon doing whatever to save money even though he's a billionaire.. it's okay. Rick Rubin doesn't want to spend 100K and he's wrong
@@DaveKnowsWrestling Vince one bought a $200,000 car just to fill with concrete.That is bologna. Vince will spend money if needed. WWE Haters like to tell that story. He released wrestlers during a pandemic to save money BS. He gave each one a check for a year of their contract and told each one they would be brought back later if they wanted. That is to cut costs?
That's not the same story that the released got this year. They specifically said it was for budget cuts. And you're still avoiding the point. You defend Vince but not Rubin
Smoky Mountain is Jim Cornette's ultimate fanboy thing, he thinks it was the gold standard best promotion (which it is)
Jim says he hates outlaw mudshow but seeing SMW, it was the original outlaw mudshow.
How so?
Frankly would be interesting to see Jim start a promotion again. He could reopen Smokey Mountain. People love nostalgia. I want to see if he would actually run a good promotion, because he has old school ideas, and I want to see if it’ll hold up/Gain an audience.
I think WWE owns the rights to it now, but I'm not sure
Dave Knows Wrestling yea I think WWE has their tape library?
I guess Cornette wasn't the promoter he thinks he is.
He's admitted he's not the best business man. Same thing with Paul Heyman and ECW
Pretty much the only Promoter not to go out business was Vince. To start a new promotion from the ground up when interest in wrestling was at an all time low was impressive
@@lawless130 And Vinnie Mac kept up by kissing every non-wrestling fan's ass. I miss WCW and ECW, and now I miss SMW, since I missed out the first time around.
I think Cornette is fine as a promoter, he still has a great wrestling mind. It seems the business side he has issues with, especially with his apparent tendency to not suffer fools gladly.
@@ra0929 In the end really he was a smart businessman in that he knew when to end it. Unlike Heyman he didn't owe anyone any Money and wasn't even forced to end Smokey Mountain he chose to.
Good Video Dave, I'm really critical of Corny, for several reasons, and ultimately, for all his experience, he didnt do any better than any other promotion in the end.
To me, that justifies my opinion that 1, Corny isnt looking very hard at modern wrestling to see what he wants there be. 2) 3/4ths of every word Corny says is a work, and 3) Corny is too old and out of touch to really have his finger on the pulse of today's wrestling fan.
If the majority of what he's saying is a work then how could you assess that he's out of touch?
@@DaveKnowsWrestling Fair question, but I think his hatred of modern wrestling is always genuine.
Dave really knows his wrestling