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Night of the Legends DVD not quite pure gold
By
JON WALDMAN - SLAM! Wrestling
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The end comes with a botched 'rana, as Kyle was out of position.
Furnas, however, turns the move into an impressive flipping body
scissors, for the three count.
Winner: Doug Furnas
Rating: 4 out of 10 Most of the match was alright action, but a
somewhat paint-by-numbers match from Furnas. You can see almost the
exact same stuff in his WWF matches.
Match 2: Bob
Orton Jr./Dick Slater vs. Ronnie
Garvin/Mongolian Stomper
This match is preceded by promos as well. Orton, in particular, is
strong. Randy
could really learn a lesson from his dad.
This is a legends match, and listening to Cornette wax nostalgia is
worth watching the match all on its own. Usually I'm not a big fan of
voice-overs, but it's definitely worth checking out.
The match itself is a lot of back-and-forth action. At one point,
Stomper inadvertently hits Garvin, causing a mishgefuffle between the
two. Cooler heads prevail, however, and the two attack the heels in a
nice spot. All four of these men, interestingly enough, look very good
in the match, competing at levels that some of today's stars can't.
Orton, whose arm had finally healed at this point, is particularly fun
to watch. The match ends after Stomper goes nuts, taking his boot off
and striking the heels.
Winners: Bob Orton Jr. and Dick Slater
Rating: 5.5 out of 10 - The match was a bit off, as Stomper looked to
be playing a heel most of the time, but it flowed well overall.
Next up, Jim Ross is in the ring and speaks with New Jack and Asafa
Saiid, better known as The Gangstas. New Jack takes control of the mike,
and is on top of his game here. If the WWE is looking for someone for
Teddy Long to manage to the top, New Jack should be their man. The promo
turns into a cut on the Rock and Roll Express, then head off. Not bad at
all.
Match 3: Brian Lee/Chris Candido (with Tammy
Fytch) vs. Rock N' Roll Express (with Ricky Gibson) - Smokey
Mountain Tag Title match
Usual promos before the match, and dear God does Tammy look different
than she does now. This is even before her WWE days to give you a
reference point. Candido also looks different, looking a lot like Dino
Bravo. On the other side of the locker room, it's mullet mania.
The match has Fytch and Gibson handcuffed to each other. The match
starts with a nice spot with Gibson dropkicking Candido off the top rope
to the floor, and the hot moves go from there. All four men bump and hit
high spots like crazy. The spot of the match, however, is Morton in
trouble in the heel corner. Gibson comes in to knock around both heels,
then armdrags Morton to his own corner and makes the official tag.
Genius!
There are a few moments in the match that are very slow, and the
whole thing overall would not be enjoyable if it weren't for Cornette
and Meltzer. Plus, Occasionally, Ricky Gibson attacks Candido and Lee
with his cane, rendering the handcuffs angle ineffective. In the end,
Heel miscommunication leads to a pinfall win, and title victory, for the
R&Rs.
Winners and new champions: Rock and Roll Express
Rating: 6 out of 10 - stalling and bad angle aside, this was a fun
match. Definitely could have been better, but was stellar for what it
was.
The next segment is the inductions of the Knoxville Wrestling Hall of
Fame. This is presented with an opening commentary segment by Les
Thatcher, who does a pretty good job of relating the history of
wrestling in Knoxville, with some clips from old wrestling shows. The
commentaries were regular segments on SMW programming leading up to the
Night of the Legends. This is a really cool segment and is worth
watching if you're a wrestling historian.
The actual ceremony isn't much to speak of. The inductees include
(forgive me if I misspell or butcher any names) Thatcher, Bill Reiny,
Bill Cincade, Sandy Scott, Billy Wick, Sarah Lee, Tommy Weathers, Ronnie
West, Pat McMurray, Bob Pope, Corsica Joe, "Dandy" Jack
Donovan, Jim White, John Cazana (award accepted by grandson Joe Cazana),
"The Angel" Frank Burrell, Jodi Bass (wife of Sam Bass), Ricky
Gibson, Doug Furnas, Dick Slater, Bob Orton Jr (both of whom refuse to
come out because of what happened in their match earlier),
"Bullet"Bob Armstrong (doesn't come out because he is
preparing for his later match), Nelson Royal, Mongolian Stomper, Ronnie
Garvin, Don and Al Green (the original Heavenly Bodies), Ron (who is
named the greatest wrestler in Knoxville history) and Don Wright, and
White Caldwell (whose family accepts the award on his behalf). Some of
the wrestlers get highlight reels, including Garvin with clips of him
against Andre the Giant and Ric Flair, and Mongolian Stomper pummelling
Hulk Hogan. The ceremony was okay, but I'm not sure that it was entirely
necessary for inclusion on a DVD that was released many years later.
Match 4: Thrillseekers vs. Heavenly Bodies (with Jim
Cornette)
The match is preceded by segments involving Jim Cornette and the
Thrillseekers with Cornette cutting a fantastic promo, with Chris
Jericho sounding like an extra from Bill and Ted's Excellent
Adventure. Lance Storm
and Jericho then push Cornette's face into a cake. Another segment
follows, with a mother recording her kids getting autographs from a
wrestler when the Thrillseekers arrive. The Thrillseekers are then
attacked by masked men and Cornette. The other wrestler gets a piece of
it too, while the mother just records everything, after SENDING HER KIDS
to get help. How thoughtful of her to record everything. Jericho and
Storm then challenge the Heavenly Bodies to a match in a pretty good
promo. Heavenly Bodies and Cornette then cut a promo, with the gist
being that they're being forced by the WWF to battle in SMW against the
Thrillseekers. Aside from the hokey autograph segment, the rest of this
was hot, and leads up to one of the bloodiest matches you'll ever see.
One more note before the match: Jericho's arm was broken earlier that
day (as Cornette notes), but he still did the match.
The match starts off pretty hot with some double team moves by
Jericho and Storm, including a Rocket Launcher to the outside. All four
men, naturally, look very impressive, and you have to wonder why Jericho
and Storm weren't picked up by the WWF immediately. Instead, the two
went through international wrestling, then through ECW and WCW before
heading to Connecticut. The early part of the match is all Jericho and
Storm, until the Bodies take over on Storm. The Bodies easily equal the
Thrillseekers in hot tag moves including a modified Demolition Elbow,
making this match a must-see, all this BEFORE the blood spills.
Jericho eventually gets in, but is pulled out by Tom Pritchard, and
sent head-first into the guard-rail. Now we get bloody, as Jericho
blades big time, with blood ending up EVERYWHERE, including the floor,
guardrail, ropes and mat, the Bodies, a camera lens, referee Mark
Curtis, and, as it goes without saying, Jericho, who is absolutely
drenched in the red stuff. Adding to the blood flowing is Del Ray and
Pritchard gouging at the cut with every move. Curtis at one point stops
the match, but on Jericho's insistence re-starts it, and Jericho gets
the roll-up pin to end the match of the night.
Winners: The Thrillseekers.
Rating: 9.5/10 - The match without the blood was good, but Jericho's
determination made this a legendary bout.
As a post-match addendum, Jericho is slumped on the outside and you
can literally see blood POURING out of his forehead and down his arm.
Match 5: "Dirty White Boy" Tony Anthony vs. Terry
"Bam Bam" Gordy for the SMW Heavyweight Title
You might know Gordy best as one of the Freebirds or The Executioner
in the WWF, and Anthony as TL Hopper. The match starts with what seems
like a very long headlock, and then turns to a grounded headlock, all
with Anthony controlling. The variation on a headlock sequence continues
for way too long and had it not been for Meltzer and Cornette's
commentary, I'd be hitting the fast-forward button.
Gordy eventually gains control and the action sort of picks up, but
it's still running slowly. Anthony, after fix or six moves from Gordy,
looks completely blown up, as Gordy can't even get the guy over for a
suplex, having to keep doing stuff in the corner. In an interesting
visual, Anthony ends up on the outside, right where Jericho's blood has
dried.
As good as Gordy is in the match (which isn't exactly Ric
Flair-esque), he can't carry Anthony. A ref bump leads to Chris Walker
coming in, and a DQ mercifully ends the match.
Winner: "Dirty White Boy" Tony Anthony via DQ
Rating: 1.5 out of 10 - Anthony completely made this match a waste of
time, as he was gassed after a couple minutes.
Following the match, the Rock n' Roll Express comes out to aid
Anthony. They should've brought an oxygen mask also.
Match 6:"Bullet" Bob Armstrong/Hawk/Tracy
Smothers (w/Ron Wright) vs. Terry
Funk/Dory
Funk Jr./Bruiser
Bedlam - coward waves the flag rules
Preceding the match we get highlights from 1992 that shows the feud
between Armstrong and Cornette. The clip emanates from a steel cage/barb
wire tag match that had the Heavenly Bodies (Pritchard and Stan Lane)
against Jackie and Bobby Fulton with Armstrong as the ref. The second
set of clips is Lane vs. Bobby Fulton, with a ref bump leading to
Cornette attempting interference, it backfiring, and Armstrong running
in to count Lane down for the pin. Cornette then gives a big-time
interview with Scott Armstrong coming in to chat also, as well as Bob
later on. Next clip is a match called "Rage in the Cage",
which looks like a variation on War Games. As Armstrong helps the cuffed
wrestlers, Cornette attacks Armstrong, and it breaks down into a big
schmozz. This looks to be the model for the DX cage assault on Mick
Foley and Terry Funk years later. Next, we see Cornette vs. Armstrong,
in a lumberjack match, with everyone holding tennis rackets, a match
that was refereed by the Big Bossman, with Armstrong winning. Then, the
commissionership is on the line between Armstrong and Terry Funk.
Various wrestlers try to interfere. Cornette is successful, and
distracts long enough for Funk to get a branding iron and get the pin on
Armstrong.
Our second chapter of clips starts with "The Masked Bullet"
(think of the Mr. America angle for reference) against Funk in an Iron
Man match, in which if Bullet loses, he's out for good. Bullet wins and
becomes the new commissioner. Cornette, Funk and Dory Funk Jr. attack
Bullet, until Anthony Michaels and Tracy Smothers make the save. Then,
we see Randy Savage against Bruiser Bedlam, with Cornette and Armstrong
on the outside. Funk Jr. attacks Armstrong on the outside. More
chicanery leads to Bedlam pinning Savage after a shot with brass
knuckles. More pier-sixery follows the match. As good as all these clips
are, there are a couple too many for my liking. Then, clips of the Funks
vs. the Armstrongs air, with the usuals on the outside. Surprise,
surprise, more shenanigans lead to the Funks winning the match.
Somewhere, there's a transition to a match between Smothers and Bedlam,
which Smothers wins. Yet another clips shows more action involving
Smothers, this time against Killer Kyle, and the locker room empties,
with Armstrong and Cornette again going at it. A promo between Armstrong
and Cornette FINALLY leads to the stipulations of tonight's "coward
waves the flag" stipulation.
One last set of pre-match promos puts the finishing touches on what
has to be the biggest pre-match package I've ever seen.
The majority of the wrestlers in the match are familiar to just about
everyone. Somehow, with all the pre-match stuff, we're joined in
progress. Immediately, chairs are in the ring, and Terry's bringing a
piece of the guardrail. The action starts outside as the cameras do
their damndest to get it all. Eventually, we end up in actual tag-style
format, which mystifies me in a no-rules match.
Make no mistake about it though - the match has some brutal spots. At
one point, the Funks spike-piledrive Smothers on the concrete outside.
He blades early and takes a lot of the early beating. Eventually, the
match breaks down into a pier-six, as it should have been throughout.
Cornette throws powder into Wright's face, grabs his flag and, while
ducking, waves the flag so it looks like Wright is signalling for the
match to end. Referee Mark Curtis doesn't see it, and Wright gets his
flag back. Cornette grabs it again, however, waves the flag around while
trying to hit Wright. Curtis sees this, interprets it as Cornette giving
up, and awards the match to Wright's team.
Winners: Armstrong/Hawk/Smothers
Rating: 2.5 out of 10 - Way too much of a build for the short match it
was. Plus, the match was not nearly as brutal as one would've expected
it to be.
Ross and Thatcher then wrap up the show, as photos are shown of the
stars of the past in Knoxville wrestling.
Smokey Mountain Wrestling 'Night of the Legends' DVD Extras:
First up are bios of Ronnie Garvin, Terry Funk and Terry Gordy, all
by Bryan Alvarez. The bios are in text that appears on the screen, which
is really annoying. The least they could've done was do a voice-over, or
even better, give a link to an exclusive website. In fact, Meltzer and
Cornette's commentary runs at the same time as the text scrolls, leading
to more confusion.
The other main extra are photos courtesy Mike Lano. The photos mainly
show wrestlers that appeared that night, but there are others such as Owen Hart battling
Razor Ramon. That photo appears on the cover of the DVD, which was
really annoying, since it had me thinking there was a bout between the
two on the recording, not just a picture.
As mentioned throughout this review, the DVD also comes with optional
audio commentary by Meltzer and Cornette, which is a geat add-on.
Overall, the DVD is at worth at least a rental. There are a couple
good matches, and Jericho bleeding to all hell is almost worth the price
alone. There are a couple below-average matches on the recording,
however, so proceed with caution.
Buy
Smokey Mountain Wrestling 'Night of the Legends' DVD in our SLAM!
Wrestling store
Jon Waldman has been with SLAM! Wrestling since 2000. Look for
more DVD reviews coming soon.
