Southern States Wrestling

Last updated
Southern States Wrestling
AcronymSSW
Founded1991
StyleWrasslin'
Headquarters Fall Branch, Tennessee (1991-1998)
Kingsport, Tennessee (1999-present)
Founder(s)Beau James
Owner(s)Beau James (1991-present)
Parent National Wrestling Alliance
SisterChampionship Wrestling
FormerlyNWA Championship Wrestling
Website SouthernStatesWrestling.com

Southern States Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Kingsport, Tennessee. Founded by wrestler Beau James in early 1991, SSW (along with NWA Bluegrass) succeeded Smoky Mountain Wrestling as the top promotion in eastern Tennessee following its close. It featured a number of former SMW mainstays including Steve Flynn, Tracy Smothers, Killer Kyle, Tom Prichard, Bunkhouse Buck, Buddy Landell, The Mongolian Stomper [1] and The Batten Twins (Bart & Brad Batten). While in the promotion, Ricky Morton teamed with longtime Fantastics rival Bobby Fulton as the Fantastic Express as well as forming a second incarnation of the Rock 'n' Roll Express with Ricky Harrison capturing the promotion's tag team title with both men.

Contents

Others to appear in the promotion have included former National Wrestling Alliance veterans Ivan Koloff, Jimmy Valiant, Junkyard Dog, Pez Whatley, Terry Taylor, Shane Douglas and female wrestlers Sherri Martel, Debbie Combs, Brandi Alexander, Lexie Fyfe and Malia Hosaka. Jillian Hall, [2] E. Z. Money, Joey Corman and Samir and Andy Douglas. The promotion also runs a wrestling school in Fall Branch, Tennessee. [3]

In 2015, Beau James began cutting back SSW's schedule due to his commitments to Appalachian Mountain Wrestling as manager of The Progressive Liberal, however, the promotion continued to hold events at county fairs and high school gyms. Later on in 2022, Beau James announced that SSW would resume to full time competition, with a tournament to crown a new Southern States Heavyweight Champion, a tournament won by Lord Murphy Costigan.

History

Southern States Wrestling was founded by Beau James, who began promoting wrestling events in Kingsport and Fall Branch, Tennessee. The promotion crowned its first heavyweight champion when The Tennessee Equalizer defeated George Hiatt in Elizabethton, Tennessee on February 16, 1991. A junior heavyweight title was created the following year when Eddie Golden defeated Jamie Gibson in Banner Elk, North Carolina. In 1995 the promotion expanded by creating two more titles. The junior heavyweight title was abandoned the previous year and replaced by the SSW Appalachian Heavyweight Championship won by Eddie Golden when he beat Tracy Smothers in a best-of-three series in Meadowview, Virginia on May 11, 1996.

Four years later, Mike Cooper won the SSW Young Guns Television Championship in Kingsport coinciding with the promotion launching its weekly television program which aired regularly on WAPK-CA from January 1999 until October 2003. The promotion eventually released a series of dvds from the program, most notably, Superstars and Legends, Vol. 1, which featured Don Wright, Ivan Koloff, The Equalizer, Jimmy Valiant, Wahoo McDaniel, Killer Kyle, Jimmy Valiant and Stan Lee. [4] On May 10, 2001, the promotion held the Mark Curtis Memorial Weekend of Champions in Kingsport, Tennessee in honor of World Championship Wrestling referee Mark Curtis with the proceeds donated to the Children's Miracle Network. Among those headlining the event included Arn Anderson. [5] The next year, the Mark Curtis Memorial Weekend of Champions and Legends Reunion featured Jimmy Valiant, Ivan Koloff and Sandy Scott. Family members of the late Whitey Caldwell were also in attendance. [6]

Southern States Wrestling became involved with AWA Superstars of Wrestling during the early-2000s, although not an official affiliate promotion, and has held interpromotional events with its sister promotion Tennessee's Championship Wrestling. In April 2005, Beau James, Tom Prichard and The Super Destroyer faced Championship Wrestling's "Adorable" Danny Ray, Nick Hammonds & Wayne Adkins at the Night of Grudges supercard at the National Guard Armory in Kingsport. [7] This was the first interpromotional event in which both promotion's champions faced each other. [8] In November 2006, Beau James married female wrestler Misty James at the 15th annual supercard Thanksgiving Night Spectacular at the Kingsport National Guard Armory. [9] Both would participate in mixed tag team matches during the next year. In early 2008, he and his wife were involved in a major interpromotional feud with AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion Brian Logan. [10]

Southern States Wrestling Network

In August 2017, Beau James announced that SSW had signed a deal with a VOD service to provide online streaming platform for the promotion. [11] It took nearly a year to transfer the entire SSW Video Library from VHS/DVD to a digital format. The Southern States Wrestling Network made its debut on July 15, 2018. [12] In addition to SSW television and supercards, the network also has rare footage from Continental Championship Wrestling and other Territory-era wrestling promotions from the Tennessee area. [13]

Championships

Current champions

ChampionshipCurrent champion(s)Previous champion(s)Date wonLocation
SSW Heavyweight Championship "Sensational" Wayne AdkinsLord Murphy CostiganJune 11th, 2023Kingsport, TN

Defunct championships

ChampionshipCurrent champion(s)Previous champion(s)Date wonLocation
TWA/NWA Tri-State ChampionshipRyan PhoenixAugust 2000September 2004Title is officially renamed the NWA Tri-State Championship after Tri-State Wrestling is bought by NWA Championship Wrestling in 2003. [14] [15]
SSW International CupChris WalkerMarch 13, 1999N/ADefeated Heinrich Franz Keller in tournament final to win the International Cup. [14] [16]

Kingsport Wrestling Hall of Fame

The Kingsport Wrestling Hall of Fame (also known as the East Tennessee Wrestling Hall of Fame) is an American professional wrestling hall of fame maintained by the Kingsport-based promotion Southern States Wrestling (SWW). It was established in 1999 [17] to honor select personalities in East Tennessee wrestling history. The induction ceremonies are held as part of its annual "Weekend of Champions and Legends Reunion".

#YearRing name
(Real name) [a]
Inducted byInducted forNotes [b]
11999Sam Bass
(Fred White)
Managing
21999 Jim White Wrestling
31999Don Wright Wrestling
41999Tony Peters Wrestling
51999 Masked Superstar
(Bill Eadie)
Wrestling
11999Earl Walters Wrestling
12000 Wahoo McDaniel
(Edward McDaniel)
Wrestling
22001Wild Bill Canny
(William F. Canny)
Ken Bowles Wrestling Posthumous inductee:
32001Melvin JohnsonKen Bowles Refereeing Longtime referee for the NWA's Tennessee and Mid-Atlantic territories
42001Ron WestJim White Refereeing and Promoting
52001 Sandy Scott
(Angus Scott)
Pam Hildebrand Wrestling
62001 Buddy Landell
(William Ensor)
Beau James Wrestling
72001 Arn Anderson
(Martin Lunde)
Tim Horner Wrestling
82001Ken BowlesBeau James Wrestling
92002Paul Steele Wrestling Former Tennessee state athletic commissioner
102002The Spoiler
(Bud Adams)
Wrestling
112002Kim Birchfield Wrestling
122002Charlie Peters Wrestling
132002 Tim Horner Wrestling
142003 Sensational Sherri
(Sherri Martel)
Managing and Wrestling
152003Fuller wrestling family Wrestling Posthumous inductee:
162003Golden wrestling family Wrestling Posthumous inductee:
172008The Iron Cross
(Mike Samson)
Mike Cooper Wrestling
182008Carl FergieJimmy Valiant Wrestling
192008Johnny Rich
(John Richardson)
Beau James Wrestling
202008 Davey Rich
(David Haskins)
Beau James Wrestling

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ricky Morton</span> American professional wrestler

Richard Wendell Morton is an American professional wrestler, currently performing on the independent circuit. For most of his career, Morton has performed with Robert Gibson as the Rock 'n' Roll Express, described as "the consummate babyface tag team". Morton has wrestled for multiple promotions in the United States including the Continental Wrestling Association, Mid-South Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions/World Championship Wrestling, Smoky Mountain Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation, and Extreme Championship Wrestling, as well as the Japanese promotions All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and Wrestle Association R.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teijo Khan</span> American professional wrestler (1956–2020)

Thomas Leroy Kasat was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Teijo Khan/Teijho Khan. As Khan, Kasat portrayed an Asian savage despite being Caucasian. He worked as part of Paul Jones' Army in Jim Crockett Promotions and also worked for the American Wrestling Association (AWA). He was married to J. Elizabeth Freeman from 1996-2003.

William Fritz Ensor was an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel. He was best known for his work in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Valiant</span> American professional wrestler

James Harold Fanning is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Jimmy Valiant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manny Fernandez (wrestler)</span> American professional wrestler

Emanuel Fernandez is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "The Raging Bull" Manny Fernandez.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Dundee</span> Scottish-born Australian professional wrestler and author

William Cruickshanks is a retired Scottish-born Australian professional wrestler and author better known by his stage name Bill Dundee. Cruickshanks is the father of Jamie Dundee and was the father-in-law of wrestler Bobby Eaton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Continental Wrestling Association</span> Former professional wrestling promotion

Continental Wrestling Association was a wrestling promotion managed by Jerry Jarrett. The CWA was the name of the "governing body" for the Championship Wrestling, Inc. promotion which was usually referred to as Mid-Southern Wrestling or the Memphis territory. This promotion was a chief NWA territory during the 1970s and early 1980s while operating out of Tennessee and Kentucky. The CWA was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance until 1986 and affiliated with the American Wrestling Association until 1989. In 1989, the CWA merged with the World Class Wrestling Association to form the United States Wrestling Association thus ceasing to exist as a separate entity. Lance Russell and Dave Brown were the television commentators and hosts for the Memphis territory, including the Continental Wrestling Association.

The Southern States Wrestling (SSW) Heavyweight Championship is the primary professional wrestling championship in Southern States Wrestling. It was first won by The Tennessee Equalizer when he defeated George Hiatt in Elizabethton, Tennessee on February 16, 1991. The title is generally defended in the Southern United States, most often in its home base in East Tennessee, but also as far away as Virginia and West Virginia. In August 2004, then champion Ray Idol began wrestling for rival promotion NWA Championship Wrestling. Although he was immediately stripped of the title, Idol continued defending a different NWA Championship Wrestling-version under the SSW name. However, this was short-lived and the title became a regular title within the main promotion. There are 41 recognized champions with a total of 69 title reigns and 8 vacancies.Wayne Adkins is the current Champion in his second reign. He won the title off of Lord Murphy Costigan at a house show in Kingsport.

Richard Link is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, trainer and promoter. He wrestled throughout Canada and the United States for the National Wrestling Alliance during the 1970s and 80s under a number of ringnames, most notably, as M.E.B. in NWA Central States and as Man Mountain Link in the Continental Wrestling Association where he was among the "monster heels" who challenged AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Jerry "The King" Lawler and was involved in the ongoing feud between Lawler and Andy Kaufman. Other promotions Link competed in included Georgia Championship Wrestling, International Championship Wrestling, the International Wrestling Association, Jim Crockett Promotions, and Stampede Wrestling. He was also part of the NWA's 1983 visit to New Zealand, frequently appearing on the country's long-running wrestling programme On the Mat, and remained undefeated throughout the tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bunkhouse Stampede (1988)</span> Jim Crockett Promotions pay-per-view event

The Bunkhouse Stampede Finals was the third Bunkhouse Stampede professional wrestling event produced by Jim Crockett Promotions under the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) banner. It was the only Bunkhouse Stampede event to air as a pay-per-view (PPV) event. The event took place on January 24, 1988 from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York in direct competition with the WWF's Royal Rumble television special.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Great American Bash (1988)</span> Jim Crockett Promotions pay-per-view event

The 1988 Great American Bash was the fourth annual Great American Bash professional wrestling event produced by the National Wrestling Alliance's (NWA) Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP). It was the first Great American Bash event to air on pay-per-view (PPV), as the previous events aired on closed-circuit television. The event took place on July 10, 1988, at the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. This was the final NWA event produced by JCP and the third and final NWA event to be produced as a pay-per-view, as JCP was purchased by Turner Broadcasting System in November 1988 and was rebranded as World Championship Wrestling (WCW). This was also the first Pay Per View produced under the Turner Home Entertainment banner as the other two events were produced by The Wrestling Network.

Death & Destruction was a professional wrestling tag team composed of Frank "The Tank" Parker and "Ruthless" Roger Anderson. They competed in numerous regional and independent promotions throughout the Southern United States in the 1990s, and were arguably one of the region's top "heel" teams during this period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CWF Mid-Atlantic</span> American independent wrestling federation

Carolina Wrestling Federation Mid-Atlantic is an American independent professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Rudd in 2000. The promotion is based in the southeastern United States, largely covering the Carolinas and Virginia, with its headquarters in Burlington, North Carolina. It is one of the oldest "indy" groups in North Carolina, succeeding Count Grog's Southern Championship Wrestling as the state's top promotion shortly before its close in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Golden</span> American professional wrestler

Harold Edward Cox, better known by the ring name Eddie Golden, is an American professional wrestler. A member of the Golden wrestling family, he is the father of Evan Golden and the nephew of Bunkhouse Buck.

The Batten Twins were a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of twin brothers Bart and Brad Batten. They performed under the "Batten Twins" name in Central States Wrestling, Continental Wrestling Association, International Championship Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions, Southern Championship Wrestling, Texas All-Star Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Council, and the name U.S. Express in World Class Championship Wrestling. The team also appeared in various independent promotions during the 1990s including, most notably, Atlantic Coast Championship Wrestling, IWA Mid-South, Smoky Mountain Wrestling and Southern States Wrestling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starrcade '84: The Million Dollar Challenge</span> 1984 Jim Crockett Promotions closed-circuit television event

Starrcade '84: The Million Dollar Challenge was the second annual Starrcade professional wrestling closed-circuit television event that was produced by Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) under the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) banner. It took place on November 22, 1984, at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, North Carolina. The main event of the show was billed as "the Million Dollar Challenge" as the storyline was that the winner of the match would not only win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship but also win a $1,000,000 purse, part of the illusion that professional wrestling was a legitimate sporting competition.

The Mark Curtis Memorial Weekend of Champions was an annual professional wrestling memorial event produced by the Southern States Wrestling (SSW) promotion, and which was held from 2000 to 2003. The show was SSW's tribute to wrestling referee Mark Curtis who worked for the promotion days before his death. The event was part of the Children's Miracle Network's annual fundraiser. All of the proceeds from the show were donated to the organization and SSW wrestlers took part in the East Tennessee portion of its national telethon. The 2003 edition was a benefit show for the American Cancer Society. The Weekend of Champions was also promoted as a "Legend's Reunion" pro wrestling convention and featured induction ceremonies into the Kingsport Wrestling Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Innovate Pro Wrestling</span> American independent professional wrestling promotion

Innovate Pro Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Kingsport, Tennessee. The company was established in 2004 and until 2017 it was associated with the National Wrestling Alliance. During its time in the NWA, NWA Smoky Mountain Wrestling was considered the flagship promotion of the National Wrestling Alliance.

Kasey Geyer, also known by the ring name K. C. Thunder, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, promoter and trainer. He was one of the top "heel" performers in the Southern United States during the 1990s. Geyer is perhaps best known for his tenure in Southern States Wrestling where he is a former SSW Heavyweight Champion and a five-time SSW Tag Team Champion with real-life cousins Beau James and Steve Flynn. He was also a member of Count Grog's stable "The Brotherhood" in Southern Championship Wrestling and was the promotion's first-ever SCW North Carolina Champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crockett Cup (1986)</span> American professional wrestling tournament

The First Annual Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament, also referred to as Crockett Cup (1986), was held on April 19, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The first portion of the event was held in the afternoon and the second portion was held in the night. The event was co-promoted by Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) and Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF). The tournament featured 24 tag teams. The concept of the Crockett Cup was a single elimination tag team tournament, with the storyline prize of $1,000,000.00 given to the winning team along with a large trophy. The tournament was won by The Road Warriors, as they defeated Ron Garvin and Magnum T. A. in the finals to win the tournament.

References

  1. Nevada, Vance; Rodgers, Mike; Rose, Barry; Taylor, Becky; Will, Gary (2008-05-11). "Wrestlers Results Archive: Archie "The Stomper" Gouldie". SLAM! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. Xamin, Mark (2007-06-18). "Jillian Hall". SLAM! Sports. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. Macika, Dominic; Cal Jewell (1994). "Wrestling Schools". Professional Wrestling Online Museum.
  4. "Southern States Wrestling Releases "A Night to Remember" on DVD". IndyWrestlingNews.com. 2008-06-28.
  5. Lane, Matthew (2001-05-10). "Wrestling Legend Arn Anderson Heads Ticket". The New WAWLI (Wrestling As We Liked It) Papers, No. 173-2001. WrestlingClassics.com.
  6. Kenyon, J. Michael (2002-05-19). "Sunday Punches (edition of May 19, 2002)". Archived Sunday Punch Columns. Cauliflower Alley Club. Archived from the original on September 19, 2008.
  7. Bauer, Ben (2005-04-07). "Dates for upcoming WWE DVD releases + Jack Brisco and Tom Prichard". WrestleView.
  8. Tremley, Matthew; Givens, Tony (2005-04-17). "Championship Wrestling "The Conclusion" this Saturday in Kingsport, TN". LordsofPain.net.
  9. "Misty James". Misty James' G.L.O.R.Y. Wrestling Profile. GloryWrestling.com. 2008.
  10. "World Champion Brian Logan Has A Target on His Back". News Articles. TheRealAWA.com. 2008-06-06.
  11. James, Beau. "We are very pleased to announce that we have finalized a deal with a VOD service to bring you many classic SSW events". Facebook. Southern States Wrestling.
  12. James, Beau [@kingofkingsport] (July 15, 2018). "I'm excited to share hundreds of hours of never before seen video. Big announcement coming tomorrow about @SSWWrestling1 streaming network. 27 years of footage! We are ready to share the memories with the World. Major Events, classic TV episodes, Best of Series, and much more!!" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  13. "Southern States Wrestling Network". Pivotshare.com.
  14. 1 2 Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN   0-9698161-5-4.
  15. Williams, Brett (2005). "TWA/NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Title History". Solie's Title Histories.
  16. Benaka, Matt; Westcott, Brian; Roelfsema, Eric (2005). "SSW International Cup History". Solie's Title Histories.
  17. "The Wrestling Booking Sheet, Issue #222". The Wrestling Booking Sheet. April 21, 1999.

Further reading