SMW #12 Page #2
Buddy Landel started his face turn on this card, as Cornette cost Bud-ro the WWF Intercontinetal Title in his match with Shawn Michaels.
The Heavenly Bodies returned on this card and won the SMW titles from The T.H.U.G.S. to reclaim the " killer " heat they once had (Tracy and Tony were supposed to wrestle Ricky and Robert, but Ricky told SMW to kiss off due to some behind the scenes problems and Cornette replaced the RnR with Prichard and Del Ray). Because of the sell out crowd, Cornette could pay his bills and keep running, at least for a little while.
The faces now include Buddy Landel, Robert Gibson, The T.H.U.G.S., SMW Champion Brad Armstrong (who defeated Landel at Fire on the Mountain to win the held up SMW title) while Cornette's " Militia " were the top heels.
Unabomb had left SMW for a " dental appointment up North..." (he became Issac Yankem, D.D.S. in the WWF) and Al Snow went solo for awhile. Rich, Gordy and The Punisher tore heads for Corny as well at this point. Jim Cornette, one of wrestling's most brilliant minds was running out of steam... and finances.
Cornette had nothing for Robert Gibson as a solo babyface, but as "The King of Rock" heel Cornette thought that might breathe new life into the promotion. Gibson is as solid a worker as there is today, but becoming a heel was not one of his stellar moments. No matter what, he was STILL Robert Gibson and that translated into "babyface"... it was kinda like having someone say "... darn it to heck... pardon my language...". Gibby just wasn't cut out to be a heel.
Was it finances or was Corny just plain out of ideas? The Wolfman ACTUALLY WON A MATCH! From his days begging guys like Tony Anthony and Buddy Landel to help train him, I could see this one coming... Wolfman was going to make it after all. He DID with a big win over A MAJOR SMW STAR... LOL... I THINK the guy he beat was named Ron Davis, but I'm not sure... it was the guy billed from a P.O. Box (no joke...) who worked Sgt. Rock in her debut... Wolfman, congrats, brother... a win in SMW and seven years later, I mention you in my column... you made it, brother!
A drill sergeant in SMW? Woulda been a great idea... except it was Jackie, from the WWF, also known as Miss Texas in the USWA. Five two and a hundred and thirty pounds? Just don't have the effect that a six four G.I. with a buzz cut does when HE barks orders, you know? How about Butch Cassidy feuding with Corny over some spilled ketchup? Geez, it got bad the last couple of months... pardon me while I cry.
All in all, though, SMW had a great run and even though 1995 was its last year, 1995 had some great memories. To a kid watching from Methodist College in Fayetteville, NC at four in the morning, there was none better... Wolfman, Butch Cassidy? Hmmm... not exactly my FAVORITE memories of SMW, but I will take them over Jean Pierre Laffitte and Waylon Mercy... ya know what I mean???
NEXT MONTH:
THE SUPERBOWL OF WRESTLING... SMW'S LAST STAND