Smoky Mountain Wrestling - 02/01/92 - Part 1

[55pimp]

Mark "Killer" Kyle couldn't find a good identity during his wrestling career. The promoters had him as a "Russian" at one time and then somebody determined he would be the mobster "Killer Kyle". That was a horrible deal. However, he was one of the strongest men I have ever known. He could lift cars of the ground. He came from a great family. All around good guy. I hope he did well after his wrestling career ended.

[rtisi]

A great product. Unfortunately SMW failed only because of the time that it was trying to get going. This was during the Hulk hangover period when everyone was looking for something glamourous as opposed to "throwback" themed wrestling.

[ar4216]

@rtisi I wonder if something like this could work today? Cornette is a smart guy- I wonder if he could make it with a second go round, learning from his past mistakes. I'd love to see something like this. And look how excited the crowds were. The crowds were much better than TNA crowds. The production values suck but I think you need that sort of crowd energy to make the product exciting. If I ever won the lottery I'd love to start something like this- but have people like Cornette in charge.

[pronkb000]

The production values weren't good but there was a grittiness about it that I liked over today's overproduced stuff--though I admit "gritty" doesn't tend to fly today. That said, what sunk SMW was the costs of TV time. Cornette was essentially paying for airtime, which territorial promotions in the early '80s and before didn't have to worry about (the old FCC limits on commercial time = no infomercials).

[ar4216]

@pronkb000 I read that the producer Rick Rubin was one of the big investors in this. Thought that was pretty cool. And Billy Corgan, the guy from Smashing Pumpkins, just started a wrestling promotion. Anyway, I think there's something really cool about putting on wrestling shows in all these small Appalachian communities where there are plenty of wrestling fans. Sucks that didn't work. I had no idea Cornette was paying for airtime. There's a video on YouTube where he makes a pitch to stations.

[04littlebird]

@rtisi SMW failed because Cornette wanted to work for the WWE

[NWAfan]

@04littlebird He went out because the wrestling was at a all time low in 1995. Cornette had money from investors wanting to keep it going but turned it down.

[darkpatriot85]

Brian Lee looks like Barry Windham. If I didn't hear the ring announcer I would've thought it was Windham.