One Year in Knoxville – February 29, 1992

Reviews, Shows, TV Shows

Bob Caudle welcomed us to the show. He was again joined by Dutch Mantell (who had Carl Styles close by to serve as security against Brian Lee). Caudle told us that today we’d be seeing Nitro Danny Davis, Paul Orndorff, Hollywood Bob Holly, we’d see footage from last week’s brawl, and we would also see Dutch Mantell compete.

Mantell promised that he’d show everybody in the back how a real pro wrestled and we headed to the ring.

Bad Boy Barry Horowitz was already in the ring. “TNT” began playing to usher out his opponent – Danny Davis. David and Horowitz locked up with neither man gaining an advantage. They locked up again and Horowitz took Davis down. Both men traded holds with Horowitz finally getting a face full of mat while Davis strutted for the fans.

Caudle announced that today’s main event would see Jimmy Golden take on Robert Gibson as Horowitz backed into the corner for a quick breather. Mantell predicted that Golden would win and the two locked up again. Horowitz hit a forearm and whipped Davis across the ring. The two traded hip tosses and then Davis hit a dropkick, another hip toss, and locked on an armbar.

Davis worked over the arm as Horowitz returned to his feet. A knee freed him and then Horowitz hit a jawbreaker. He stomped Davis, then pulled him up by the ears and dropped him. Horowitz hit a head butt and covered for a two count.

Horowitz hit an uppercut and pulled Davis up by the hair. Horowitz went for another pin and got another two. Horowitz hit a reverse neck breaker, dropped his knee pad, and climbed to the top. Horowitz dropped a leg and Davis rolled out of the way.

Davis whipped Horowitz and dropkicked him. Horowitz tried a handshake and Davis responded with fists and a backdrop that earned a two.

Horowitz rolled up Davis in a small package. Davis quickly reversed and got the win.

We then went to an interview with Jimmy Golden. Golden promised to give Gibson a wrestling lesson and then told him that he hoped Gibson wasn’t planning to dance, because he was going to fight.

We returned to hear Caudle introducing footage from the end of last week’s main event. Ivan Koloff attacked Bobby Fulton and Fulton sent Koloff into the corner. With both men down, they both tried for tags. Golden tagged in but couldn’t stop Jackie. Jackie attacked both opponents first with slams and then dropkicks. Jackie went up top and hit a cross body for a two.

All four men were brawling when Jackie locked in a sleeper hold. Vladimir charged to the ring and nailed Jackie with a boot. Golden fell on top of Jackie and got the three count.

We returned to the present to hear Caudle introduce video of the Koloffs and Golden as well as the Fantastics (who Caudle informed us were on a two week tour of Japan).

We saw the Koloffs and Golden celebrating their win. Golden said that Vladimir had made it back just in the nick of time and then mocked Bobby Fulton. Fulton went after all three men and chased Ivan into the crowd.

Bobby threw Ivan into the ring and hammered him. Golden and Vladimir came in and the brawl was on. Vladimir and Ivan double-teamed Bobby while Golden went after Jackie.

Tim Horner charged out of the back and ran the bad guys out of the ring. The Fantastics and Horner promptly followed and the brawl continued. Horner put Ivan down with a back elbow in the ring while Jackie nailed Vladimir with a chair on the outside.

Ivan quickly fell out of the ring and Golden blasted Horner with his boot. The brawl continued as Jackie fought Ivan over to the commentary set. Bobby came and nailed Ivan with a chair as Golden and Vladimir headed to the back. Golden came back out and helped Ivan up only to get attacked by Horner. Vladimir came back out and attacked Horner, who quickly got the advantage. Bobby nailed Vladimir with a boot and we went to an interview.

Jackie (who was rocking the Ribera jacket, by the way) and Bobby advised Golden and the Koloffs that they were working to find another partner, and they’d be set for six-man action when they got back from Japan.

We returned to the arena to see Caudle preparing to get a word from Bob Armstrong. Armstrong announced that each wrestler who’d been involved in the fight was fined $500. He added that he was willing to give the Fantastics a match against the Koloffs and Golden when they came back.

Armstrong then told Dutch that he’d told Brian Lee to leave Dutch alone while he was at commentary. However, Armstrong warned, if Mantell got into the ring, all bets were off.

After a commercial, Caudle introduced an interview with Ron Wright. Wright advised that he would read one of the thousands of letters he’d been receiving. The letter complimented Wright’s sportsmanship and offered a five dollar contribution. Wright expressed his appreciation.

We headed to the arena to see Tommy Angel waiting in the ring. “Fame” began playing and Hollywood Bob Holly (now wearing a black robe edged with pink feathers) made his entrance.

Angel offered a handshake as Mantell wondered about Armstrong’s warning. Holly arm dragged Angel down and then the two locked up. Holly slammed Angel and played to the crowd for a moment. Another lockup saw Holly get a headlock. Holly was whipped and reversed a hiptoss to send Angel across the ring.

The two locked up and Holly went for a slam but Angel reversed and put Holly down before following up with a couple of hiptosses and a dropkick that sent Holly to the floor. Suddenly Caudle spotted Ron Wright at ringside as Holly returned to the ring.

The two locked up and Angel started working on Holly’s arm before suplexing him down. Mantell put Wright over as Holly flattened Angel with a clothesline. Holly hit a backbreaker and covered for a two as Mantell said he wanted to slap Armstrong in the face for his disrespectful tone.

Holly raked Angel’s face and started kicking him in the corner. Holly whipped Angel across the ring and locked in a bear hug. Angel slapped Holly’s ears and Holly slammed him into the corner. Angel landed a kick and Holly raked his eyes again. Holly sent Angel’s head into the turnbuckle and put him down with a big boot.

Holly pulled Angel up and snapmared him down before dropping a leg for a two count. Angel began clubbing Holly and Holly raked his eyes again. Holly went for a backdrop and Angel hit a kick. Angel then put Holly down with a back elbow. Another whip saw Angel hit a backdrop of his own as Wright watched.

Angel hit another slam and started to the top only for Wright to grab him by the boot and hold him until Holly could suplex him back into the ring. Holly headed up top and hit a missile drop kick for the win.

We came back from commercial to see Caudle having a word with Paul Orndorff. Caudle alluded to a heavyweight title tournament and Orndorff agreed that he was looking to win that belt. Orndorff quickly ran through the titles he’d held in the past and said the proudest he ever was had been after he defeated the best in the world. Caudle then brought up that Orndorff’s piledriver had been ruled illegal. Orndorff said that he was going to talk to Armstrong to try and rectify that.

Caudle then introduced the rules for SMW. Throwing an opponent over the top rope, a low blow, or a piledriver would result in an immediate DQ. Hitting a referee or using a foreign object would result in a DQ and a five hundred dollar fine.

We came back from commercial to hear Dutch talking about how poorly he was starting to feel. We went to an interview with Brian Lee who said that he could get suspended for attacking Mantell at commentary, but all bets were off if Mantell was in a ring.

Mantell coughed and declared he was coming down with the Chinese flu and couldn’t wrestle. Mantell sent Styles to the ring because he had a 105 degree temperature.

Reno Riggins was already in the ring as Carl Styles climbed in and Dutch kept coughing. The two locked up and Riggins got a headlock. Styles whipped him and wound up taking a hip toss and a snap mare. Styles bailed out of the ring as Mantell kept trying to elicit compassion from Caudle.

Another lockup saw Riggins go back to the headlock and put Styles down with a leapfrog that sent Styles out again. Styles toyed with the idea of using a chair, dropped it, and climbed back in.

Styles backed Riggins into the corner and started chopping away before having a whip reversed to the far corner. Riggins somersaulted in and Styles moved, then started slugging away. Styles pulled Riggins up and whipped him, then flattened him with a clothesline. Styles slammed Riggins and dropped a knee before choking Riggins.

Styles hit another clubbing blow, then snapmared Riggins down and worked a chin lock. Styles slammed Riggins again and went for an elbow drop and missed. Styles tried and missed again as Riggins started slugging him.

Riggins hit a clothesline and got a one count. Styles hit a power slam and got the win as Mantell cheered for him.

Brian Lee came out and called Mantell out to finish their business. Dutch protested since he was sick and Styles attacked Lee from behind. The two were fighting around the ring when we headed to commercial.

We returned to an interview with Jim Cornette. Cornette said everyone in Smoky Mountain was terrified of his new team. Cornette bragged that no one would know who his team was until the tournament started.

We headed back to the ring to see Jimmy Golden on his way down the aisle (while Dutch had a miraculous recovery at commentary). Robert Gibson soon followed to a much warmer reception.

The two locked up and Golden got a headlock. Gibson escaped and went after Golden’s wrist until a hair pull by Golden settled that matter.

Gibson tried to fight free again and got his hair pulled again. Gibson sent Golden across the ring and put him down with a hip toss.

Golden returned to his feet as Mantell attributed his recovery to four Advil and a Motrin. The two locked up and Gibson got a headlock. Golden went after Gibson’s hair and slammed Golden down. Gibson kicked him and took him down before starting to work on Golden’s arm.

Golden got to the ropes to break the hold and Gibson took him down again. Caudle revealed that Terry Gordy would debut next week as Golden hit a big boot and started stomping Gibson. Golden whipped Gibson and back dropped him down. Golden covered for a two.

Golden raked Gibson’s eyes and started punching him. Golden whipped Gibson and a big boot caught. Gibson hit an atomic drop that sent Golden to the floor where Ivan and Vladimir Koloff had appeared.

Ivan helped Golden up as Gibson kept an eye on both Koloffs. Golden returned to the ring and Gibson got another headlock. Golden whipped Gibson and Ivan tripped him, allowing Golden to slam Gibson’s face into the mat.

Golden kicked Gibson in the gut and landed a quick punch. Golden locked in a bear hug as the crowd cheered Gibson on. Gibson fought free and Golden went back to a punch. Gibson went for a big boot and landed an enziguiri. Gibson took Golden down with a bulldog and covered for a two before the Koloffs attacked. Golden joined in the fun and all three stomped Gibson. Tim Horner and Hector Guerrero came out of the back and the Koloffs and Golden bailed out.

After a commercial, we headed to commentary where Caudle was with Robert Gibson, Brian Lee, and Bob Armstrong. (Dutch had heard that Lee was coming out and had decided to depart.)

Caudle mentioned that keeping order would be a daunting task. Armstrong agreed and told Lee and Gibson that if they wanted to fight back against the Koloffs, Golden, and Dutch then he’d look the other way.

Gibson promised payback and Lee announced that he’d face Carl Styles next week. Lee also mentioned that he was looking to get his hands on Mantell. Caudle then quickly said goodbye for another week after reminding us that Terry Gordy would debut next week.