This day in wrestling history: WWF WrestleFest '88

On this day in 1988, WWF presented WrestleFest '88 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at County Stadium in front of nearly 26,000 people headlined by Andre the Giant vs. Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship in a Steel Cage!

Big Bossman pinned Scott Casey

Brutus 'the Barber' Beefcake pinned Hercules

The Rougeau Brothers defeated The Killer Bees

Bad News Brown pinned Bret 'the Hitman' Hart

WWF Intercontinental Championship

"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan defeated The Honky Tonk Man (c) by DQ

Jim 'the Anvil' Neidhart defeated Lanny Poffo

Mr. Perfect pinned Terry Taylor

Jake 'the Snake' Roberts fought "Ravishing" Rick Rude to a Double Countout

Haku pinned Sam Houston

Loser Wears A Weasel Suit

The Ultimate Warrior defeated Bobby 'the Brain' Heenan

WWF Tag Team Championship

Demolition defeated the British Bulldogs to retain the titles

Dino Bravo pinned Ken Patera

STEEL CAGE MATCH

WWF World Championship

Hulk Hogan defeated Andre the Giant to retain the title

Classic Cheap Heat Radio w/guest Downtown Bruno

"Wayne's World" - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (pro wrestling in the South)

Welcome back! Don’t worry, I wouldn’t dare reboot this thing and NOT give everyone something worth reading. Pro wrestling in 2017 has been such a wild ride for all of us and we’re in the middle of another boom period. So many good people are getting shots, young kids are burning up the roads and overall, it’s a good time to be alive. Eh, unless you solely work in the South. It’s ok, this isn’t going to be full of negativity..in fact mostly the opposite. If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter(@MrWatchTheLeft) then you already know I’m not a huge fan of most southern promotions or ideals. In fact, I hate a lot of it. But there are also a lot of good things in the South. The title speaks for itself, so let’s get this train rolling.

The Good-

If you don’t believe our business has cycles, I recommend doing more research. A decade ago, southern wrestling was on life support. Perseverance paid off though and the cycle took an upswing in recent years. Fans of pro wrestling took the leap and got involved. They started running shows, wrestling, and just plain getting involved. I say fans because there is a difference in being a fan and being a “mark” but that’s a whole subject for another day. The bottom line is there are now places for the boys to work almost every single day now. A decade ago, it was hard enough to put together a two or three day loop. These days, in the South alone, you can do a four day loop and usually go home with money in your pocket. Guys like Bert Prentice, James Carver, Jesse Butler, Josh Wheeler, Dan Sawyer, Jack Lord, Kevin Lawler, Jay Andrews, and more are running multiple events monthly. Thanks guys! They’re using some pretty sick talent too. If y’all aren’t booking Marko Stunt, Rey Fury, Alex Cruz, Myron Reed, Curt Stallion, Charles Zanders, Logan Creed, AJ Gray, Deven Dixon, Kevin Zion, and at least a dozen others, I highly recommend doing it before its too late. Because of all the fresh blood being pumped in to the scene, there's no more life support and it's evident in the weekly and monthly shows all over the region. More and more fans are filling up the armories, civic centers, bars and other venues to see what all the talk is about. Whether you're a fan of old fashioned punch and kick wrestling or the newer "evolved" style, there's something for everyone on any given weekend. With social media taking over, it's even easier to find too. Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, Periscope, YouTube and more are exposing more fans to more people than ever before.

The Bad-

Unfortunately, there are still some bad spots in the South. In fact, it’s one of the worst areas for this subject. Let’s face it, the same problems occur in every single region of the country but the South seems to be leading the way. The bad side of our industry, will never go away. There will always be drama and silly problems that when you tell them to outsiders, will likely laugh and shake their head. The “high school drama” is strong in the South. We’re talking about the lack of professionalism and “all about me” mindset. We’ve all experienced the egos of guys and girls that have never traveled more than fifty miles from home and are only stars to their friends and families. We’ve all experienced the subpar venues and lack of staff or office people that know what they’re doing. It’s a situation we all hope to avoid and eventually move on to the next level of our industry but no matter how far we go, we all revisit these places. I’ve met some of the biggest stars in some of the worst situations or venues. It’s going to happen. Either we avoid it or we help it as best we can. Sometimes that means not saying anything unless asked or speaking up when no one else will. Sadly, the good is still outnumbered in this respect but it’s slowly changing. Let’s keep up the good work y’all.

The Ugly-

Ugh. Do we have enough time for this?? It’s the South. For every good company, promoter, wrestler out there, there seems to be a dozen that are a step above backyarders. The worst part is no one realizing that fact. The “shindies” are everywhere but they are strong in the South. There are plenty of seedy venues and even seedier people working there. This is the under belly of our business. The places you start out because it’s not real pro wrestling. These are usually the under trained and poorly trained wrestlers and referees that either don’t care or don’t know. It’s places and people like these that will never go away. We can all band together and pass any legislation we want,  they will still exist. They say only cockroaches will survive a nuclear attack…so will the shindies. This is the place where you see wrestlers with not one athletic bone in their body. Typically wearing t-shirts and generic pleather shorts- they represent every negative image of this magnificent business. They are usually the ones that train people without finishing their own training. These places and people are typically beyond help but keep an open mind if you find yourself there. There might be a diamond in the rough waiting for someone to discover them.

The good, the bad, and the ugly will always exist y’all. There will always be people out there in every category, so help where you can or ask for help when you can. In fact, ask for help no matter where you are because there will always be something new to learn. This crazy business, like it or not, is always changing and evolving. We can stay comfortable or we can step out of our comfort zone. The choice is ours to make.

------

Follow Eric Wayne on Twitter @MrWatchTheLeft for updates. For booking information, e-mail BookEricNow@gmail.com

Cheap Heat: The Story of Twin States Wrestling

The Story of Twin States Wrestling

I have been a fan of pro wrestling for nearly my entire life, but I started following it religiously in late 1985 when I was eight years old.  I always dreamed of being a professional wrestler and I eventually ended up getting to do that on a small level in 1997 when I graduated college.  However, I also always dreamed of running/booking my own wrestling show back to when I was eight years old and booking matches and angles with my large rubber LJN action figures.  Still to this day there's a bunch of notebooks at my parents house filled with hundreds of matches and "events" I booked and acted out with those wrestling figures.  From that time on I always wanted the opportunity to promote and book a wrestling show of my own one day.  Fast forward to 1997, I started wrestling and eventually branched out into managing, ring announcing, doing television and dvd commentary, and even refereeing a time or two.  I got the opportunity here and there to help out and interject some ideas with booking on a few shows but never the chance to book a show exactly the way I wanted to with who I wanted to book.  Seeing as how I was living in Alabama but was originally from Mississippi, I had even picked a name for a promotion if I ever started one, Twin States Wrestling.  After years of wanting to do so I eventually decided the opportunity would never present itself and I would never have the money to gamble on a wrestling show as I'd seen too many friends lose large sums of money on shows they were sure were going to be successful, so I resigned myself to the fact that Twin States Wrestling would never become a reality.  

Then at then end of 2015, I was talking to my buddy Ace Haven who mentioned he wished he could find someone to rent his building and run a show on a different day to help out with the bills and I asked him what he would charge, he said being a friend he would cut me a good deal and he told me what it would cost to get the building, which is "show ready"...everything you need to run a wrestling show is set up in that building seven days a week, 365 days a year.  The price he proposed was beyond reasonable and for the first time I started to seriously consider making this dream happen.  I discussed it with my wife and we talked about what our budget could be...there was no "money mark" and whatever we put into this show was coming from our personal budget and we weren't willing to gamble a lot as we just didn't have it to spend.  Since ProSouth ran the building every Friday night, we decided to try a Sunday show.  The plan was to run every other month to start and see how things go.  I decided the first show would be a tournament to crown the first ever 'Twin States Champion', entitled 'Battle for the Belt'.  The reasoning was two fold..1) A new show needs a champion and 2) more importantly, a tournament would allow me to book less people and have people work more than once.  There were a lot of people to consider...many guys who I consider friends...many who I considered to be great talents who I wanted to book in the future...but I had to narrow it down to eight guys for this tournment.  I knew from the beginning I wanted the show to be a variety of styles, something for everyone.  Not just "memphis style", highspots, strong style, or any one thing....but a variety of the things people come to see these days.  After quite a bit of thought, I decided on eight guys who I felt all brought something different and special to the show and the tournament. "The Last Hero" Ace Haven, Neil 'the Real Deal' Taylor, Eric Wayne, Jeremiah Plunkett, Jeremy Flynt, Chase Owens, Tank, and Donnie Primetime.  I spent a lot of time on the brackets and how each would match up and how I wanted the show to build towards the Main Event and crowning of the first champion.  The toughest part was deciding who to put the title on.  Most folks who know me were assuming I would either put it on Flynt or Neil which meant they weren't an option although either would have made a great champion. (BTW, Neil made the poster which I thought he did an AWESOME job on...it's hanging in my "wrestling room" as we speak).  At one point I was going to put it on Eric Wayne, but then I decided to go with Chase Owens since he was getting a lot of attention as part of the Bullet Club over in Japan and then I would likely move it to Eric later.  I also had a 'Showcase Match' with Charles Zanders and Duke Warfield, two guys who I really like and had a good match. The show went pretty well, not everything came off the way I wanted it to but overall I'm proud of the show....however, it didn't draw worth a shit.  I hung posters all over the area and advertised as best I could, we even did an angle on the Friday night ProSouth show to try to bring in their crowd but it just didn't work.  I talked with quite a few people and got their opinions and I decided to try another Sunday in March but the consensus was I needed a couple of "names" to help draw.

So I scheduled a show in March called 'RAVEolution' headlined by former TNA/ROH star Jimmy Rave challenging Chase Owens for the Twin States title.  I also booked at that time ROH star and former NFL star MOOSE to take on Eric Wayne.  Now this show is when I started to get the full promoter experience.  I started having random guys messaging me on Facebook trying to get booked on the show....we're talking everything from backyard looking guys to guys who were currently working for TNA at the time.  Not to mention guys lobbying to  go over in their matches and shit like that on a show that only drew 35 people the first time around.  Then came the cancellations....I had five guys cancel in one week due to various reasons.  Then a few canceled the day before the show (then a couple un-canceled) it was a freaking nightmare.  I'll write another column (or perhaps do a podcast with Ace Haven) and get more into the booking of matches and some detailed stories about these first couple of shows at a later time so this one doesn't go on forever.  Anyway, the show was good...there were some frustrations on my part with some people who were trying to impose their will on the finishes of their matches and I even changed a couple of finishes because of it but all and all the show was good but again, my wife and I lost a pretty good chunk of money which didn't make either one of us happy.  I wasn't quite ready to throw in the towel just yet, however it was clear that Sunday was not the day to run wrestling in Piedmont, Alabama.

After losing our ass on RAVEolution, we took a few months off and I decided we would try a Saturday night in Piedmont. I had a friend and former Co-Worker Ted Gilmer who is a huge wrestling fan who had a lot of medical bills to pay for due to cancer treatment that I wanted to do a benefit for so we decided to go for it as the next Twin States event.  It was set to be a Tag Team Title Tournament and I had bunch of people lined up to work the show.  Then the month before the show was set to happen, I got a big promotion at work that changed my schedule to six days a week for the following six months which knocked me out of being able to run or even attend the event.  I was really stressed about what to do, I hated to cancel this benefit for Team Ted but there was no way I could do it.  Luckily, Ace Haven was kind enough to step in and take over the show so it could still take place.  We concocted a "kayfabe" story that Twin States had been "bought out" and they ran the show with a new card and new storylines including crowning a new champion since Jimmy Rave wasn't available.  There would be one more Twin States show under the new regime but it didn't draw any better than the previous shows for whatever reason.  Twin States was "shut down" and the title continued to be defended on ProSouth shows until just recently when Donnie Primetime managed to "unify" the Twin States title with the ProSouth title. 

So is Twin States Wrestling dead forever?? I don't know. In retrospect, trying to run a small town that already had a weekly show that's been going for many, many years in the same building was probably a mistake...however if it wasn't for that opportunity it probably would have never happened at all.  Now that my work schedule has leveled out to mostly five days a week, I wanted to run a show here in Cullman, Alabama to help promote my business but haven't been able to nail down a venue.  I would love nothing more than to find a partner to work with to bring Twin States Wrestling back to life for three or four shows each year in this area..Cullman, Jasper, Decatur, and anywhere else in a reasonable distance someone wanted to run.  If anyone has some money to put in or a ring/set up and would like to go in on some shows together in the future, feel free to contact me and we can talk.  I think Twin States has potential and in a different area could be successful.  I would love to see it through and book some more shows but financially I just can't do it alone (and stay married..lol).  If there's any interest, the matches from both 'Battle for the Belt' and 'RAVEolution' are available to watch on youtube right here!  I think it would make for an interesting/fun podcast in the future to get Ace Haven and maybe another guy or two who was on the show and knows the area to go through the cards of those shows and try to pinpoint where it went wrong and what could have been done differently that would have produced a better result.  Again, check out some of the matches and give your opinion on the matches and the show...Could it have been successful elsewhere? Was it just bad booking? Bad timing? Bad luck? I would love to hear opinions either via email at genejackson95@gmail.com or on facebook at facebook.com/kingofallwrestlingmedia

Let me know your opinion and I will share them here in a future edition of Cheap Heat!

Thanks for reading!

Gene

Jimmy Rave after defeating Chase Owens for the Twin States Title

Pics from Wrestlecade 2016....Look for exclusive coverage of Wrestlecade 2017 here at LocalsToLegends.com this November

Every year we go to Wrestlecade in Winston-Salem, North Carolina...once again we'll be going this year and will provide exclusive photos and coverage here at LocalsToLegends.com!  Click "read more" below to check out some photos from last year's event.....

Ted Dibiase heel turn in the WWF June 1987???

Most folks just assume that Ted Dibiase's debut in the WWF in 1987 was as 'the Million Dollar Man' however that's not the case.  Dibiase had debuted on the WWF shows in Houston as a babyface in a feud with another former Mid South/UWF alumni the One Man Gang.  They went with this for a few weeks on the local shows but had Dibiase turn heel on Sam Houston the day before his new 'Million Dollar Man' vignettes were set to premier on the WWF syndicated shows and on USA Network.  If you've never seen this (and I assume like myself most of you haven't) check it out!

Lance Russell/Dave Brown Tribute - King Lawler's HOF Bar and Grille

Lance Russell/Dave Brown Tribute

Gordon Solie called his final match in WCW, 22 years ago this month and passed away 17 years ago today

Obviously Pro Wrestling has been a huge part of my life since I was about 6 years old.  As much as my favorite wrestlers like Dusty Rhodes, Roddy Piper, Jerry Lawler, and Sting were a huge part of my childhood...the announcers were as well.  The nostalgia I feel when I hear Gordon Solie, Lance Russell, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, and even guys like Sean Mooney and Craig DeGeorge who provided the soundtrack to my childhood remind of when I fell in love with the sport of pro wrestling.  Two of my favorites to listen back then were Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby 'the Brain' Heenan.  Jesse 'the Body' Ventura was always entertaining as well.  I'm really happy to get the opportunity to do commentary and play by play for promotions like New South, IWA Deep South, ProSouth, and past shows like IWF, NWA Mississippi, and LXW. 

"The Dean of Wrestling Announcers" Gordon Solie

It's really cool to get a chance to meet some of the great announcers at the conventions we attend like Bill Mercer, Bob Caudle, and I really wish I would have the opportunity to meet the great Gordon Solie.  You can check out the video here of Gordon's final match he called in WCW alongside Dusty Rhodes and Larry Zybyszko. However if you really want to hear him at his best, check out this youtube playlist and check out classic Georgia Championship Wrestling, Continental Championship Wrestling, and Florida Championship Wrestling.

"10 Count" featuring NWA Mid-South's Jakob Edwin

In wrestling, talent comes and goes but the show must go on. The shows that were once filled with stars like Buddy Rogers opened the door for icons like Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan who paved the way for The Rock, HBK and Stone Cold. Without those talents, we may have never known John Cena, AJ Styles, The New Day or the host of other characters in the wrestling world.

With that being said, WHO will lead us in to tomorrow? WHO will teach us about the past? WHO is out there putting a body every 18 inches?

On "10 Count", you'll be introduced to some of the best talent in the wrestling world today.

Jakob Edwinn   

(pictured at NWA Mid-South vs. "Ironman" Rob Conway) 

Jakob has been wrestling for 5 Years & trained by "Wildman" Robbie Paige.

1. What made you start/choose wrestling?

It was the only thing to ever motivate me. No other ideas, concepts or practices appealed to me until someone said that I could be a wrestler.

2. Did you enjoy wrestling as a kid? If so, your favorites (workers, territories, promotions, venues, etc) and why.

Since before I can remember I liked wrestling. My earliest were Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock. Since I've been watching, William Regal, CM Punk, and my all time favorite is The Undertaker. I never watched anything else other than WWE when I was younger.

3. Who has influenced you most, outside of wrestling?

My uncle, easily. We would spend hours wrestling on the trampoline, or watching the ppv, or playing the video games. He's has a huge influence on me in life and has been my biggest supporter.

4. What/who influenced your ring style?

Probably studying CM Punk and William Regal. It just seems like there is always something to watch. At this point I wouldn't be the wrestler I am were it not for Robbie, Shane Shadows and Greg Anthony.
 British Grappling, the World of Sport. Daniel Bryan, Stone Cold, Jake the Snake, The Rockers and Brainbusters.

5. Pick one wrestler/team/manager from the past to work with or against and why.

The Undertaker. For the longest time he was the measuring stick. I have to know how I measure up.

6. Who have you worked that you would say is your "Perfect Opponent?"

Chris Gatton. For 5 years we've wrestled each other, and he's my perfect folly. We have learned new things just to keep each other guessing.

7. If someone has never seen wrestle you, what is the first thing that you would tell them about yourself?

You just met your new favorite wrestler, and I'm better than your old one. I'm the perfect role model and wrestling will soon launch my political career.

8. Best thing about wrestling?

There's literally nothing like it. No matter how close you come to it, it has some other layer that isn't replicated. In stage theater you have to do the same play every night, and if you watch Macbeth Friday night, and try to go back Saturday, you'll see the same play. If you watch Jakob Edwinn vs Greg Anthony on Friday, and come back Saturday and see Jakob Edwinn vs Greg Anthony, it will be different without a doubt.

9.Why do we need to know Jakob Edwin?

If you sleep on me now, you'll just miss the bandwagon and be a day behind everyone else. The devil you know is better than the devil you don't.

10. What is the plan for Jakob Edwin? 2017?

Expansion. Taking the Campaign to new heights and spreading the word. While maintaining my roots in NWA Mid South.

STS Special Edition !! Flashback about Memphis Heat ! Storytime with BT

It’s Thursday and it’s time for a special edition of STS. Episode 38, Season 3 is a “Flashback” episode with audio from 2011 with Gene Jackson’s podcast “Cheap Heat Radio.” Gene is joined by Brian Tramel, Derrick King, Cody Melton and Kevin Lawler to review the movie Memphis Heat and talk about Memphis Wrestling. Brian also discusses why people still are stuck in the past and presents “Story time with BT.” This action packed episode is SUPER SIZE with 48 minutes !! Make sure to listen to the whole episode for details on SUPER SUMMER SIZZLER SHIZNIT GIVEAWAY!!! SHARE!

ESPN 30 for 30: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair preview

New Episode of Shooting the Shiznit !! Famous wrestling photographer !!

It’s Tuesday and time for Episode 37, Season 3 of Shooting The Shiznit! It’s long time photographer and fan Dr. Mike Lano ! Brian and Mike talk about Philly fan gathering, PWG, current indies, first time he photographed wrestling, old fan clubs, smart fandom origin, caricature of him on another podcast, photos of Mick Foley and much more. 40 minutes of fun!! SHARE!!

The Journey of a Journeyman: Psycho, Sellout, Smasher, Smoky Smothers

Country/state fair wrestling events are a staple of the Southern independent pro wrestling scene.  Every summer, it seems work booms as promoters secure contracts to sell independent wrestling as an attraction to fair boards across the South.  Yesterday was no different as I made my way to Madisonville, KY for the Hopkins County Fair.

Fair shows are always a gamble.  Will we be indoors or outside?  What size crowd will we have?  Will they care?  Will it rain?  These questions ran through my mind as I made the 150 mile trek to Madisonville for All Star Wrestling.

All Star Wrestling is promoted by Randy Conrad, a gentleman I just recently met.  Randy was an old time wrestler, trained by Saul Weingroff, and is a great guy.  Very cordial, seemingly always smiling, with a big white/blonde mustache.

I arrive at the fair around 4PM with a 7PM start time.  I make my way to the arena, which I quickly realize is a very loose term.  In the middle of a dirt field, surrounded by a chain link fence, I see the finishing touches being put on this evening's ring.  I am the first of the talent to arrive, so I'm directed to my locker room for the evening, which is a tent about 75 yards away from the ring.  With the heat index pushing 100 degrees, I quickly get into my ring attire, as the less clothes, the better, and I spend time listening to music and doing some stretching and calisthenics while awaiting the other talent to arrive.

I am pleased to learn that I have some friends booked for the event, as Hayley Shadows, Charlene McNally, and JD Thunder (my opponent for the evening) arrives.  Along with JD is possibly my favorite person in the wrestling business, "The Wild Eyed Southern Boy" Tracy Smothers.  

Ask anyone in the business about Tracy Smothers, and you'll be hard pressed to hear a bad word.  If there is a place that has ever had a wrestling ring set up, Tracy Smothers has probably wrestled there, earning him the moniker of "The Hardest Working Man in the Business".  As the car pulls up, I hear Tracy singing "Jeremiah was a Bullfrog", and my face instantly lights up.

Tracy is the most giving guy in the business, and I consider it a privilege to call him a friend.  The match that evening quickly became secondary, as the joy of my night was catching up with Tracy.  Hearing stories of his recent adventures on the indie scene, to stories of his glory days, I find myself unable to wipe the smile off my face anytime Tracy is around.

As we were saying our goodbyes, Tracy said something that really stuck with me.  He said "Don't ever change, Jeremiah.  You're a human being.  In this business, that's hard to come by."  That really resonated with me.  Wrestling is an interesting business, an at times cut-throat industry in which deceit is common place, and back stabbing can be the norm, people often forget basic human decency if it means elevating themselves.  It meant a lot for Tracy to say that, and I thought about those words a lot on my 150 mile trek to the Homestead.

If you're like me and you love you some Tracy Smothers, show Tracy some love by visiting one of the links below:

School of Smothers Podcast   

Tracy Smothers's Pro Wrestling Tees Store

And, if you'd like to support my journey, you can click on any of the below links:

Jeremiah Plunkett's Pro Wrestling Tees Store

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Facebook

Twitter

Website

YouTube

Booking Inquiries

COLLARxELBOW (My Sponsor - Discount Code: PLUNKIE saves 10%)

Goodbye my friends.  Never change.  Remain human beings, and enjoy your journey!

- Jeremiah Plunkett

     

Cheap Heat returns soon here at Locals to Legends.com!!

Hello folks! 

First off, I want to welcome everyone to LocalsToLegends.com. I'm super excited about all the great content we have in store here at the site.  A lot of great wrestlers and personalities have come onboard to contribute to the site in the form of columns, results, upcoming shows, podcasts, videos, and tons of other fun pro wrestling related stuff!  I can't wait to see how big this can grow into and help everyone invovled promote the sport they love...pro wrestling.

As for me, I plan to contribute in a variety of ways....perhaps a new podcast of some sort until Neil and I can bring back Locals to Legends Wrestling Radio.  I plan to post various features old and new but something I'm excited about is I'm going to bring back my old column from years past 'Cheap Heat'!  This is just an introductory column like some of the other guys have been doing but starting next week I plan to start posting weekly about random topics. Hopefully it will be as fun as it was in past incarnations on other websites.  If you'd like to join in on the fun, shoot me an email at genejackson95@gmail.com and I'll make you an author so you too can share to the page whether it's a column, posters for your upcoming shows or links to your wrestling podcast or youtube videos..we'd love to have you on the team!!

See ya next week!
Gene

Add/Follow me on social media:

www.facebook.com/kingofallwrestlingmedia

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www.youtube.com/cheapheattv

 Mid South Indy Calendar [Remainder of 2017]

Here is the calendar I've been working on for fans and workers alike. Thought it would be handy for some of you trying to fill some dates. I'll try my best to update it every week or so. gonna limit this to MS, TN, AL, AR, KY, SC, NC, GA, FL, LA, OH, IL, IN and TX. Message me here or on Facebook to add or remove dates. Maybe some of you can make some use of this.

July 25 – All Star Wrestling – Madisonville, KY

July 26 – NCW – Cornelia, GA

July 27 – Memphis Wildfire Wrestling – Memphis, TN

July 27 – RSWF Student Showcase – Memphis, TN

July 28 – Pro Wrestling 2.0 – Orlando, FL

July 28 – NWA New South Championship Wrestling – Franklin, KY

July 28 – ARW – Chester, SC

July 28 – NWA Mid South – Ripley, TN

July 28 – USA Championship Wrestling – Selmer,TN

July 28 – SGWA – Southaven, TN

July 28 – SWF – Tullahoma, TN

July 29 – GCW – Pell City, AL

July 29 – MACW – Jonesboro, AR

July 29 – Southern Violence & Wrestling – Monroe, GA

July 29 – New Dawn Pro Wrestling – Osceola, IN

July 29 – CCW Anniversary – Cape Girardeau, MO

July 29 – EPW – Booneville, MS

July 29 – USA Championship Wrestling – Brownsville, TN

July 29 – TWE – Chattanooga, TN

July 29 – NWA Mid South – Dyersburg, TN

July 29 – All Star Wrestling – Lewisburg, TN

July 29 – SWAG – McKenzie, TN

July 29 – RSWF – Memphis, TN

July 29 – SPWA – Pocahontas, TN

July 29 – TIWF – Trenton, TN

July 29 – UCW – Union City, TN

July 29 – Metroplex Wrestling – Bedford, TX

July 30 – AWE – Atlanta, GA

July 30 – Kentucky Elite Pro Wrestling – Frankfort, KY

July 30 – OSCW – Charleston, SC

August 1 – Real Pro Wrestling – Fort Myers, FL

August 3 – USA Championship Wrestling – Jackson, TN

August 3 – RSWF Student Showcase – Memphis, TN

August 4 – WECW – Ripley, MS

August 4 – Rockstar Pro – Dayton, OH

August 4 – NWA Mid South – Ripley, TN

August 4 – SGWA – Southaven, TN

August 4 – SWF – Tullahoma, TN

August 4 – VIP Wrestling – Arlington, TX

August 4 – Gulf Coast Wrestling Alliance – Corpus Christi, TX

August 5 – South Eastern Pro Wrestling – Hanceville, AL

August 5 – Rocket City Championship Wrestling – Hazel Green, AL

August 5 – Southern Legacy Wrestling – Munford, AL

August 5 – MACW – Jonesboro, AR

August 5 – House of Lucha – Largo, FL

August 5 – GWE/AIWF – Albany, GA

August 5 – Downtown Throwdown 3 – Columbus, IN

August 5 – oWo – Amory,MS

August 5 – EPW – Booneville, MS

August 5 – Pro Wrestling EGO – Byram, MS

August 5 – Firestar Pro Wrestling – Greensboro,NC

August 5 – NWA Mid Atlantic – Nashville, NC

August 5 – Shockwave Wrestling Entertainment – New Bern, NC

August 5 – TWE – Chattanooga, TN

August 5 – NWA Mid South – Dyersburg, TN

August 5 – SWAG – McKenzie, TN

August 5 – RSWF – Memphis, TN

August 5 – SPWA – Pocahontas, TN

August 5 – MSWA – Rockwood, TN

August 5 – Memphis Memories – Scott’s Hill, TN

August 5 – TIWF – Trenton, TN

August 5 – UCW – Union City, TN

August 5 – Metroplex Wrestling – Bedford, TX

August 6 – WOE – Centreville, IN

August 6 – Prime Time Wrestling – Georgetown, KY

August 6 – Southern Underground Pro presents Maximum Over…Dive – Nashville, TN

August 8 – WCWO Young Guns Tournament ’17 – Indianapolis, IN

August 10 – RSWF Student Showcase – Memphis, TN

August 11 – SGWA – Southaven, MS

August 11 – NWA Mid South – Ripley, TN

August 11 – SWF – Tullahoma, TN

August 12 – MACW – Jonesboro, AR

August 12 – Viral Pro Wrestling – Thomson, GA

August 12 – Outlaw Championship Wrestling – Whitesburg, GA

August 12 – Pro Wrestling Blitz presents WrestleFest 8 – Romeoville, IL

August 12 – EPW – Booneville, MS

August 12 – Premier Championship Wrestling – Cleveland, OH

August 12 – TWE – Chattanooga, TN

August 12 – NWA Mid South – Dyersburg, TN

August 12 – SWAG – McKenzie, TN

August 12 – RSWF – Memphis, TN

August 12 – SPWA – Pocahontas, TN

August 12 – TIWF – Trenton, TN

August 12 – UCW – Union City, TN

August 12 – SOAR Championship Wrestling – Dallas, TX

August 12 – Lucha Pride – Quitman, TX

August 13 – StrictlyNsane Pro Wrestling – Crossville, IL

August 18 – Central All Star Wrestling – Callaway, FL

August 18 – SGWA – Southaven, MS

August 18 – NWA Mid South – Ripley, TN

August 18 – SWF – Tullahoma, TN

August 18 – TEXOMA Pro – Sherman, TX

August 19 – New South – Hartselle, AL

August 19 – Rocket City Championship Wrestling – Hazel Green, AL

August 19 – Southern Legacy Wrestling – Munford, AL

August 19 – MACW – Jonesboro, AR

August 19 – Southern Fried Championship Wrestling – Monroe, GA

August 19 – NWA Southeastern presents Vengeance – Pavo, GA

August 19 – EPW – Booneville, MS

August 19 – Maximum Championship Wrestling Superstars – Eupora, MS

August 19 – TWE – Chattanooga, TN

August 19 – NWA Mid South – Dyersburg, TN

August 19 – NWA Mid South – Jackson, TN

August 19 – NWA Smoky Mountain – Kingsport, TN

August 19 – SWAG – McKenzie, TN

August 19 – RSWF – Memphis, TN

August 19 – Freedom Pro – Nashville, TN

August 19 – SPWA – Pocahontas, TN

August 19 – TIWF – Trenton, TN

August 19 – UCW – Union City, TN

August 20 – UCPWS – Holly Springs, MS

August 20 – PWX – Concord, NC

August 20 – Warzone – Knoxville, TN

August 25 – SGWA – Southaven, MS

August 25 – Megaslam 2017 – Murfreesboro, TN

August 25 – NWA Mid South – Ripley, TN

August 25 – SWF – Tullahoma, TN

August 26 – MACW – Jonesboro, AR

August 26 – Sunbelt Wrestling Entertainment – Sparks, GA

August 26 – CCW Homecoming 2 – Cape Girardeau, MO

August 26 – EPW – Booneville, MS

August 26 – Pro Wrestling EGO – Jackson, MS

August 26 – TWE – Chattanooga, TN

August 26 – NWA Mid South – Dyersburg, TN

August 26 – SWAG – McKenzie, TN

August 26 – RSWF – Memphis, TN

August 26 – SPWA – Pocahontas, TN

August 26 – SWF – Tullahoma, TN

August 26 – TIWF – Trenton, TN

August 26 – UCW – Union City, TN

August 31 – 5 Star Championship Wrestling – Clarksville, IN

Sept 1 – GIWA – Milledgeville, GA

Sept 1 – SGWA – Southaven, MS

Sept 1 – NWA Mid South – Ripley, TN

Sept 1 – SWF – Tullahoma, TN

Sept 2 – Southern Legacy Wrestling – Munford, AL

Sept 2 – MACW – Jonesboro, AR

Sept 2 – DCCW Burgers & Brawls – MacClenny, FL

Sept 2 – EPW – Booneville, MS

Sept 2 – Championship Wrestling – Lula, MS

Sept 2 – WECW – Ripley, MS

Sept 2 – NWA Mid South – Bethel Springs, TN

Sept 2 – TWE – Chattanooga, TN

Sept 2 – NWA Mid South – Dyersburg, TN

Sept 2 – SWAG – McKenzie, TN

Sept 2 – RSWF – Memphis, TN

Sept 2 – SPWA – Pocahontas, TN

Sept 2 – TIWF – Trenton, TN

Sept 2 – UCW – Union City, TN

Sept 7 – Southern Fried Championship Wrestling – Monroe, GA

Sept 8 – SGWA – Southaven, MS

Sept 8 – NWA Mid South – Ripley, TN

Sept 8 – SWF – Tullahoma, TN

Sept 9 – Sunbelt Wrestling Entertainment – Sparks, GA

Sept 9 – Elev8 Pro – Cecilia, LA

Sept 9 – EPW – Booneville, MS

Sept 9 – TWE – Chattanooga, TN

Sept 9 – NWA Mid South – Dyersburg, TN

Sept 9 – SWAG – McKenzie, TN

Sept 9 – RSWF – Memphis, TN

Sept 9 – SPWA – Pocahontas, TN

Sept 9 – TIWF – Trenton, TN

Sept 9 – UCW – Union City, TN

Sept 15 – AIW – Cleveland, OH

Sept 16 – Southern Legacy Wrestling – Munford, AL

Sept 16 – Central All Star Wrestling – Callaway, FL

Sept 16 – RWF WrestleWars 3 – Princeton, IL

Sept 16 – MEW presents AIWF Mid South Title Tournament – Memphis, TN

Sept 16 – RSWF – Memphis, TN

Sept 23 – Southern Fried Championship Wrestling – Monroe, GA

Sept 23 – Southern Violence & Wrestling – Monroe, GA

Sept 23 – Primal Conflict Wrestling – Ranson, WV

Sept 30 – CWG – McDonough, GA

October 1 – OSCW – Charleston, SC

October 7 – Southern Legacy Wrestling – Munford, AL

October 14 – Southern Fried Championship Wrestling – Covington, GA

October 21 – Southern Legacy Wrestling – Munford, AL

November 4 – Southern Legacy Wrestling – Munford, AL

November 18 – Southern Legacy Wrestling – Munford, AL

December 2 – Southern Legacy Wrestling – Munford, AL

December 16 – Southern Legacy Wrestling – Munford, AL

Happy Birthday Neil 'The Real Deal' Taylor!!

The Nightmares vs. Dirty White Boy/Jerry Stubbs- CCW Tag Title Cage Match 3/21/87

GCW Pro Wrestling TV Season 5 Episode 31 featuring Charles Zanders, Mike Posey, Veronica Fairchild, and more!!

The Journey of a Journeyman: Introduction

Happy Monday everyone!

I want to thank Gene Jackson and LocalsTo Legends.com for the opportunity to write this blog.  I do not have a set guidelines for what I will discuss here, as this is a new experience for me.  My plan is to bring you a view of the independent wrestling business through a self-proclaimed "journeyman" wrestler.  New towns and new experiences, as well as my views and opinions on things, which admittedly can be polarizing.  Also, I want to use this as therapy, of sorts.  The journey is not always a positive one, so at times the blogs may be a bit of a downer.  With that said, I think it is important to document both the good and the bad, as it is the hills and valleys that define the journey and mold the man.

With that said, allow me to tell you a little about me.  My name is Jeremiah Plunkett.  I was born in raised in Murfreesboro, TN, the geographic center of the state.  I began wrestling in July of 2005.  I was initially trained by "Mean" Mike Woods, Buzz Dupp, and "The Outlaw" Lee Condry.  I have performed all over the South, Midwest, and a little in the Northeast, as well as 1 tour of Western Australia.

Outside of "the business", I am a cat dad (Monkee and Elephant).  I currently live in Lascassas, TN, where I reside in a 39' Fleetwood Mallard travel trailer (which offers it's own set of quirks and frustrations that I'm sure will make it's way into the writings).  I'm a fan of horror movies, podcasts, and, of course, professional wrestling.

I look forward to sharing my journey with you, the reader.  I look forward to sharing my experiences with you, and potentially meeting new people through this looking glass.  So I invite you to jump in the passenger seat, reach in the ice chest, and enjoy the ride.  We have some towns to make.

- Jeremiah Plunkett

My Links
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Plunkitis
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/plunkitis/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Plunkitis/
Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/user/JeremiahPlunkett
Website:  http://jeremiahplunkett.weebly.com/
Pro Wrestling Tees:  http://www.prowrestlingtees.com/wrestler-t-shirts/jeremiah-plunkett.html
COLLARxELBOW:  www.collarandelbowbrand.com  DISCOUNT CODE:  PLUNKIE

NWA Mid-South Saturday, July 29, 2017: The OFFICE reigns supreme

"Wayne's World" - Introduction

Welcome to the reboot of "Wayne's World" here on L2L. Thank you to Gene Jackson for the opportunity and to all of you taking time to read my thoughts and opinions.

I suppose an introduction is in order before we go down this road. My first match was in November of 2006,but for twenty years before that I was fortunate enough to grow up in this crazy business. My grandfather was Buddy Wayne, who was synonymous with the Memphis territory for decades, first as a wrestler and later as a promoter. My father traveled North America working in Canada  for Stampede, as well as most of the United States and Mexico, was a semi-star in Continental in the mid-80s as 1/2 of the Nightmares with OVW founder Danny Davis. His last big run was in 1995 for WWC in Puerto Rico, where he tragically found his childhood friend Eddie Gilbert after dying in his sleep from a heart attack.

Eleven years later.. after helping promote shows, setting up and tearing down rings and chairs, refereeing countless matches, and hundreds of hours of training in the ring and gym..I finally wore light blue spandex trunks and made my debut in front a sold out 40 people at a VFW in Arkansas. Since then, I've been lucky enough to meet legends, Hall of Famers, current stars and the next generation of wrestlers all over the country. I was  privileged to have a few extra spots for WWE in 2009, 2010 and a random last minute spot in 2014. While it didn't result in a contract, learning from the absolute best in our industry is worth it and something I'd suggest to anyone who takes their craft seriously.

I've called this a "reboot" because not long after my debut, I was asked to start writing for a now-defunct website. At the time, I thought I was going to change the world with what I had to say. I'd watched something I loved so much transform in to something that made me bitter and angry. I hated the people that made this business a joke and essentially threw away my filter when writing. I made my point very quickly and made people hate me in the process. But I learned from it, A LOT..mostly that while there are lots of people that want help and to improve, there are more that simply don't care. Negativity doesn't help anyone and while I inadvertently slowed my career with the columns, I learned that none of us improve alone.

Fast forward to 2017 and I've developed the attitude I should have had years ago. Helping others benefits more than just the ones we help. Being open minded in criticism and new ideas will help all of us and the fans will only appreciate what we do even more. Don't be shocked though, we all have opinions and over the course of these columns, I'll be sharing them as well as anything else that might be interesting.

Thanks for spending a few minutes reading my rambling ..if you enjoy this please share! (If not, please share so others know what you're burying)

------

Follow Eric Wayne on Twitter @MrWatchTheLeft for all updates and for booking info email BookEricnow@gmail.com

GCW Pro Wrestling Season 5 Episode 30 featuring Cabana Man Dan, O'Hagan, Corey Hollis, and more!

The Fabulous Ones vs. Jerry Lawler & Bill Dundee from the Fairgrounds in Nashville, TN.

This day in wrestling history: July 23, 1989 NWA Great American Bash '89: The Glory Days

On this day in 1989, The Great American Bash pay-per-view took place.  One of my favorite pay-per-views of that year.  Here's the results:

The Skyscrapers won a Two Ring Triple Chance King of the Hill Battle Royal

"Flyin" Brian defeated "Wild" Bill Irwin

The Skyscrapers (Sid Vicious/Dan Spivey) w/Teddy Long beat The Dynamic Dudes (Shane Douglas/Johnny Ace)

Jim Cornette defeated Paul E. Dangerously in a "Tuxedo Match"

The Steiner Brothers (Rick/Scott) beat The Varsity Club (Mike Rotundo/Kevin Sullivan)

Sting defeated The Great Muta w/Gary Hart to retain the NWA World Television Title

"Total Package" Lex Luger retained the NWA United States Title by DQ against Ricky 'the Dragon' Steamboat

The Road Warriors/The Midnight Express/"Dr. Death" Steve Williams defeated The Fabulous Freebirds/The Samoan Swat Team in a WARGAMES Cage Match

"Nature Boy" Ric Flair pinned Terry Funk to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Title

STEEL CAGE MATCH to headline New South 2nd Anniversary Show on August 19th!

Another amazing night at New South Wrestling last night as 'Americana' delivered everything that was promised!  A hard hitting technical main event featured New South Champion Baron Black successfully defending against Independent stand out Fred Yehi in one of the top five New South matches in the promotion's history.  It was announced that the Main Event of the New South 2nd Anniversary Show will be a STEEL CAGE MATCH for the New South Championship as the champion Baron Black defends against the #1 contender and his #1 rival Odinson!  Also the first ever New South Tag Team Champions will crowned in a Ladder Match as the Monarchy (Prince Apollo/AJ Gray) take on The Dumpster Divers (Cabana Man Dan/Dump Sanders) and the Violent Gentlemen (Scott Morgan/Ayden Andrews).  The Violent Gentlemen made their debut at 'Americana' earning 8 points in the standings of the Southern Grand Prix and the respect of every fan at the Civic Center in Hartselle, Alabama.  For more info on the New South 2nd Anniversary Show and all things New South, follow them on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NewSouthprowrestling/

Pics from Saturday night's OWO SuperShow featuring Scott Steiner!

OWO SuperShow returned to Amory, Mississippi on Saturday night headlined by "Big Poppa Pump" Scott Steiner & "Bad Attitude" Tony Dabbs taking on the "Hollywood Clique" (Neil 'the Real Deal' Taylor & Cameron Valentine) w/"Hollywood" Jimmy Blaylock.  A great night of action once again from OWO.  Locals to Legends.com was sad to learn that Cameron Valentine suffered a neck injury during this match and everyone here at the site wishes him a very speedy recovery!

Photos courtesy of Whit Chailland