Bob Caudle welcomed us to the show. As always, he was joined by Dutch Mantell. Caudle announced that today we’d be seeing Brian Lee. They’d also try to get more information about Jim Cornette’s mystery tag team and Bob Armstrong would come out to talk about the upcoming heavyweight title tournament. Mantel added that the Fantastics would be squaring off against the Wild Bunch in the tag tournament as well. Caudle added that the Dirty White Boy would be in action and we headed to the ring.
Joey Maggs was waiting in the ring. The Dirty White Boy made his way to ringside with Ron Wright.
The two locked up and Maggs got a headlock. DWB whipped him and Maggs hit a dropkick. DWB started working Maggs’s arm as Wright headed to commentary. Maggs reversed the arm wringer as Wright asked Caudle to put his address for the contributions for his operation on the screen because he hadn’t gotten any money and it was obvious that the fans just didn’t know where to send it. Caudle obliged as the DWB got a hiptoss.
Another lockup saw Maggs get a headlock and hit a shoulderblock after DWB whipped him across the ring to escape. DWB conferred with Wright briefly and locked up before going back to his arm wringer. Maggs took him over and DWB started getting frustrated.
Another lockup saw DWB back Maggs into the ropes and hit a knee to the midsection. Maggs dodged a clothesline but the DWB took him down and started punishing him. DWB raked Maggs’s eyes and then hit a dropkick to flatten him. DWB stomped Maggs and then choked him over the middle rope.
Maggs tried to kick back and reversed a whip but DWB caught him with a boot and followed with a clothesline to the back of Maggs’s head. DWB hit a swinging neckbreaker and got a two. DWB hit a headbutt and then a snapmare. DWB missed a splash and Maggs pulled himself up.
Maggs started throwing punches and hit a backdrop. Maggs followed with a shoulderblock for two. Maggs hit an enziguiri and DWB dodged another dropkick. DWB picked him up and put him down with the Bucksnort Blaster for the win.
We came back from commercial and Caudle was joined by Bob Armstrong, who had a few words about the heavyweight tournament. Armstrong announced that the tournament would take place at the Volunteer Slam on May 15 in Knoxville.
Armstrong announced five of the wrestlers who had been entered: Dirty White Boy, Brian Lee, Tim Horner, Robert Gibson, and Jimmy Golden. There were also six wild card entrants who would face off to earn their slots in the tournament – Dixie Dynomite, Dutch Mantell, Scott Anthony, Hector Guerrero, Buddy Landel, and Paul Orndorff.
Armstrong added that there would be an eight-man tournament to crown the champion.
Mantell joined Caudle to discover that he was only a wild card as we went to a video of Tim Horner, set to “Thunder Road.†The video covered Horner’s life and his title history. It was also announced that in 1985 Horner had defeated Road Warrior Hawk and that he had wrestled in the WWF and NWA. They also spoke of how Horner worked as a volunteer probation officer and enjoyed singing (followed by a clip of Horner singing “Shameless.â€
We came back from commercial to find Mantell scrutinizing the list. Caudle announced that Bob Holly hadn’t entered the tournament and went to Holly to explain why. Holly explained that he hadn’t entered because he’d rather wait and fight the champion rather than face three opponents.
We headed to the ring to see Tommy Angel set to face Jimmy Golden.
Golden and Angel shook hands and then locked up. Golden kicked Angel in the gut and started clubbing him. Angel hiptossed Golden and followed with a slam that sent Golden to the floor to regroup.
Golden came back and went for a test of strength. Angel accepted and Angel took Golden down as Caudle announced that the Koloffs hadn’t paid their fine for their actions last week. Caudle added that Bob Armstrong wouldn’t let them wrestle until they did.
Golden fought back to his feet and kicked Angel in the gut. Angel fought back up and Golden kicked him again. Angel tried again and caught Golden’s foot then hit an atomic drop that sent Golden back to the floor.
Golden slowly returned to the ring. The two locked up and Golden jabbed Angel in the eye, then punched him and hit a hiptoss. Golden whipped Angel and got a backdrop for two.
Golden telegraphed another and Angel slid Golden down for a two. Angel punched and caught Golden with a right that earned a two.
Angel slammed Golden and tried again, getting another two.
Golden reversed another whip and hit a dropkick for the win. After the match Golden popped Angel and started kicking him until he fell out of the ring.
Robert Gibson hit the ring and Golden took a powder as Gibson helped Angel up.
Robert headed to commentary and said that he hoped he’d face Golden in the opening round before we headed to commercial.
We came back to find Jim Cornette with Caudle. Cornette took a second to insult the crowd and started the video.
We saw Phil Rainey on location where Cornette had promised to unveil his new team. Rainey said that Cornette was about 10 minutes late as Cornette came running up.
Cornette told Rainey to stay quiet so that nobody found out where they were. Cornette explained that his team had to come in total secrecy to avoid chaos. Cornette pointed and showed Rainey that they had arrived as a limo pulled up.
The limo pulled away as screaming women mobbed it. Cornette blamed Rainey for blowing the secret as the video ended.
We returned to the studio as Cornette promised yet again that next week he would take the Smoky Mountain cameras to a secret location to introduce his new team.
We came back from commercial to find Mantell complaining about his failure to earn a guaranteed berth in the tournament. Mantell was especially upset that Lee had earned one and then promised to sue the company.
With that, we headed to the ring, where Joe Cazana was waiting for his opponent – Brian Lee. Lee made his entrance and the bell rang. Cazana didn’t wait and attacked Lee immediately. Cazana whipped Lee and put him down with a back elbow. Lee and Cazana started trading punches and Lee took advantage of a telegraphed backdrop. Lee hit a hiptoss and then another. Lee put an armbar on Cazana.
Lee punched Cazana’s arm and took him back into the armbar. Cazana punched his way free. Lee reversed a whip and planted Cazana with a powerslam. Lee doubled Cazana over with a kick and hit the Cancellation for the three count.
Mantell warned Lee off as he made his way to commentary. Lee made an offer to Mantell – he’d face him next week with his tournament berth on the line. Lee then said he’d give up his seed if Mantell would wrestle him. Lee added that he’d have to beat Mantell and all Mantell would have to do was get in the ring. Mantell agreed and we headed to commercial.
We came back to see Mantell and Caudle at commentary. Caudle sent us to video of last week’s match where the Fantastics defeated Jimmy Golden and the Wild Bunch. The brawl was on when Tim Horner hit the ring to help out the Fantastics.
With that, we headed to the ring as the Wild Bunch (Joel Deaton and Billy Black) made their entrance. Their opponents, the Fantastics, soon followed.
Bobby and Black started off. Black took Bobby down and Bobby reversed into a pinning combination that sent Black into the ropes to escape.
Black got a waistlock that Bobby reversed and took him down with an amateur takedown. Black took a powder and came back in to tag Deaton.
The two locked up and Deaton started cranking on Bobby’s arm. Deaton took Bobby down into an armbar. On commentary, Mantell promised to take Lee apart next week.
The two locked up again and Bobby tagged in Jackie. The Fantastics hit a double hiptoss and then Jackie grabbed Deaton’s arm and barred it. Deaton tagged Black and then took Jackie down with Black dropping a leg to follow up.
Black hit a suplex and covered for a two count. Jackie dodged a clothesline and hit one of his own. Jackie got a two count before Deaton broke up the count.
Bobby tagged in and Jackie whipped Black into the corner. Jackie then whipped Bobby into Black and Bobby sent Black into a Jackie dropkick. Black hit a side suplex on Black and brought Deaton back in.
Deaton hit a Russian leg sweep and got a two. Deaton got a face lock and Bobby fought his way back up. Bobby got free and hit a back elbow on Deaton, then tagged Jackie. Jackie hit a monkey flip and the Fantastics followed with a double drop kick.
Jackie took Black down and dropped a leg on him. That sent the Wild Bunch to the floor to regroup. Black picked up a chair and the ref stopped that.
Deaton came back in and offered a hand to Jackie. Jackie didn’t fall for it but Black attacked from behind. Bobby changed Black around the ring as Deaton choked Jackie in the corner.
Deaton hit a knee to Jackie’s gut that flipped him and followed with an attempted piledriver. Jackie backdropped Deaton and tagged Bobby. Deaton caught Bobby coming in and tied up his legs. Bobby reversed and was punching Deaton when Black came off the top and started hitting moonsaults on Bobby for two.
Black followed with a suplex that earned another two. Deaton came back in and whipped Black into Bobby. Black hit a cartwheel back elbow and Deaton followed with a clothesline.
The Bunch whipped Bobby and Black hit a monkey flip. Deaton dropped an elbow and got a two.
Deaton missed an elbow drop and Bobby started for his corner. Deaton and Bobby traded blows until Deaton raked Bobby’s eyes and slammed him. Deaton followed with an elbow drop from the second rope.
Jackie hit the ring and the Bunch swapped. Black dropped a knee on Bobby and choked him until the ref broke it up.
Bobby kicked Black in the head and Black tagged Deaton then kept Bobby from making one. Deaton tried for a Boston crab and finally got the hold locked in. Bobby reversed the move and Deaton kicked Jackie. Deaton then pitched Bobby through the ropes and Black dropped an elbow from the apron before sending Bobby into the safety rail. Black choked Bobby with a chair and threw him back into the ring.
Deaton missed an elbow charge and Jackie got the tag. Jackie dropkicked Black down and hit a back elbow on Deaton. Jackie got a suplex and covered for two before Black broke it up. Black caught Jackie from behind and Deaton hit a DDT.
Black headed up the ropes and hit a moonsault. Bobby broke up the pinfall attempt and the Bunch attacked Bobby before pitching him out of the ring.
Bobby pulled Deaton out of the ring and Jackie rolled up a distracted Black for the win.
We came back from commercial to find the Maulers with Caudle. Morgan said that it was a fluke that the Fantastics had won and when they squared off in two weeks the Fantastics’ luck would run out.
Caudle reminded us that Lee and Mantell would wrestle next week and said goodbye for another week.
