Southern States Wrestling
Encyclopedia
Southern States Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion
based in eastern 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 Stan Lane
, Steve Flynn, Tracy Smothers
, Killer Kyle, Tom Prichard
, Bunkhouse Buck, Buddy Landell, The Mongolian Stomper 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 titles with both men.
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
, EZ Money
, Andy Douglas
and Edge and Christian
(Edge
& Christian
) spent their early careers there as well. The promotion also runs a wrestling school in Fall Branch, Tennessee
.
, then wrestling for Smoky Mountain Wrestling
, 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
. After the close of SMW at the end of 1995, the promotion expanded by creating two more titles. The junior heavyweight title was abandoned the previous year and replaced by the SSW Appalachin 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. According to the promotion, the show became the highest rated program in the Kingsport-area. The promotion eventually released a series of dvd
s 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
.
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
. 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.
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. This was the first interpromotional event in which both promotion's champions faced each other. In November 2006, Beau James married female wrestler Misty James at the 15th annual supercard Thanksgiving Night Spectacular at the Kingsport National Guard Armory. 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.
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
based in eastern Tennessee. Founded by wrestler Beau James
Beau James
Beau James is a 1957 film based on a non-fiction book of the same name by Gene Fowler.The movie stars Bob Hope as Jimmy Walker, the colourful but controversial Mayor of New York City from 1926-32. American prints of this film are narrated by Walter Winchell; in Britain, the film was narrated by...
in early 1991, SSW (along with NWA Bluegrass) succeeded Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Appalachian area of the United States from October 1991 to December 1995, when it was run by Jim Cornette...
as the top promotion in eastern Tennessee following its close. It featured a number of former SMW mainstays including Stan Lane
Stan Lane
Wallace Stanfield "Stan" Lane is an American professional wrestler, trained by Ric Flair, who started wrestling in 1974 in Championship Wrestling from Florida. For a brief time in Florida, he was nicknamed Nature Boy...
, Steve Flynn, Tracy Smothers
Tracy Smothers
Tracy Smothers is an American professional wrestler.-Early career:Tracy started his career in the Memphis promotion on Saturday morning TV. Steve Armstrong and Tracy Smothers started teaming as The Southern Boys in Florida Championship Wrestling in 1987 where they feuded with The New Breed...
, Killer Kyle, Tom Prichard
Tom Prichard
Thomas Prichard is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, working in their developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling as a trainer using his ring name Tom Prichard...
, Bunkhouse Buck, Buddy Landell, The Mongolian Stomper and The Batten Twins (Bart & Brad Batten). While in the promotion, Ricky Morton
Ricky Morton
Richard Wendell "Ricky" Morton is an American professional wrestler who has worked for such wrestling organizations as Jim Crockett Promotions, the American Wrestling Association, Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and Total Nonstop Action...
teamed with longtime Fantastics rival Bobby Fulton as the Fantastic Express as well as forming a second incarnation of the Rock 'n' Roll Express
Rock 'n' Roll Express
The Rock 'n' Roll Express are a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson. The duo began teaming together in Memphis in the early 1980s, followed by the National Wrestling Alliance's Jim Crockett Promotions . In JCP, they held the NWA World Tag Team Championship...
with Ricky Harrison capturing the promotion's tag team titles with both men.
Others to appear in the promotion have included former National Wrestling Alliance
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
veterans Ivan Koloff, Jimmy Valiant
Jimmy Valiant
James Harold Fanning is a former professional wrestler and author better known as Jimmy Valiant.-Personal life:...
, Junkyard Dog
Junkyard Dog
Sylvester Ritter was an American professional wrestler and professional football player, best known for his work in Mid-South Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation as The Junkyard Dog...
, Pez Whatley
Pez Whatley
Pezavan Whatley was a professional wrestler in the 1980s and early 1990s who wrestled primarily under the ring name Pez Whatley.-Career:...
, Terry Taylor
Terry Taylor
Terry Taylor , is an American retired professional wrestler best known for his time in the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation...
, Shane Douglas
Shane Douglas
Troy Alan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly...
and female wrestlers Sherri Martel
Sherri Martel
Sherri Schrull was an American professional wrestler and manager, better known by her ring names, Sherri Martel and Sensational Sherri....
, Debbie Combs, Brandi Alexander, Lexie Fyfe
Lexie Fyfe
Mary Beth Bentley , is an American professional wrestler. She has wrestled in various independent wrestling promotions, most notably for Shimmer Women Athletes and has had tryouts for both WWE and WCW.-Early life:...
and Malia Hosaka
Malia Hosaka
Malia Hosaka is an American professional wrestler. She is a former NWA World Women's Champion.-Career:Malia Hosaka was trained by Killer Kowalski at the wrestling training camp run by Misty Blue Simmes...
. Jillian Hall
Jillian Hall
Jillian Faye Fletcher is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to Women Superstars Uncensored. She is also known for her tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Jillian Hall or simply Jillian...
, EZ Money
Jason Broyles
Jason Broyles is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in Extreme Championship Wrestling under the ring name EZ Money...
, Andy Douglas
Andy Douglas
Andy Douglas is a retired American professional wrestler. He is known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling where he was a member of The Naturals alongside his tag team partner Chase Stevens.-Career:...
and Edge and Christian
Edge and Christian
Edge and Christian was a tag team made of real life best friends Edge and Christian , who performed in WWE and the Canadian independent circuit. They won the WWF Tag Team Championship on seven occasions...
(Edge
Adam Copeland
Adam Joseph Copeland is a retired Canadian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Edge. He is currently signed to WWE under a Legends contract....
& Christian
Jason Reso
William Jason Reso is a Canadian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Christian and Christian Cage...
) spent their early careers there as well. The promotion also runs a wrestling school in Fall Branch, Tennessee
Fall Branch, Tennessee
Fall Branch is a census-designated place in Washington and Greene counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 1,313 at the 2000 census....
.
History
Southern States Wrestling was founded by Beau JamesBeau James
Beau James is a 1957 film based on a non-fiction book of the same name by Gene Fowler.The movie stars Bob Hope as Jimmy Walker, the colourful but controversial Mayor of New York City from 1926-32. American prints of this film are narrated by Walter Winchell; in Britain, the film was narrated by...
, then wrestling for Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Appalachian area of the United States from October 1991 to December 1995, when it was run by Jim Cornette...
, who began promoting wrestling events in Kingsport
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...
and Fall Branch, Tennessee
Fall Branch, Tennessee
Fall Branch is a census-designated place in Washington and Greene counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 1,313 at the 2000 census....
. The promotion crowned its first heavyweight champion when The Tennessee Equalizer
Glen Day
Glen Edward Day is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.Day was born in Mobile, Alabama, and raised in Poplarville, Mississippi, by his mother Jeanne Bass Day. Jeanne was widowed at the age of 28 when Glen was approximately 2 years of age. His grandfather Glyndol Bass, was...
defeated George Hiatt in Elizabethton, Tennessee
Elizabethton, Tennessee
Elizabethton is the county seat of Carter County, Tennessee, United States. Elizabethton is also the historical site both of the first independent American government located west of both the Eastern Continental Divide and the original thirteen British American colonies.Elizabethton is also the...
on February 16, 1991. A junior heavyweight title was created the following year when Eddie Golden defeated Jamie Gibson in Banner Elk, North Carolina
Banner Elk, North Carolina
-Attractions:During summer time there is hiking, whitewater rafting, fishing, and other activities. The largest lake in the area, Watauga Lake, is a favorite spot just 30 minutes away for boating, fishing and wake boarding. In the winter the main event is skiing and snowboarding. There are two...
. After the close of SMW at the end of 1995, the promotion expanded by creating two more titles. The junior heavyweight title was abandoned the previous year and replaced by the SSW Appalachin Championship won by Eddie Golden when he beat Tracy Smothers
Tracy Smothers
Tracy Smothers is an American professional wrestler.-Early career:Tracy started his career in the Memphis promotion on Saturday morning TV. Steve Armstrong and Tracy Smothers started teaming as The Southern Boys in Florida Championship Wrestling in 1987 where they feuded with The New Breed...
in a best-of-three series in Meadowview, Virginia
Meadowview, Virginia
Meadowview is a census-designated place in Washington County, Virginia, United States. The population was 967 at the 2010 census...
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
WAPK-CA
WAPK-CA is the Class A MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for Northeastern Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia that is licensed to Kingsport, Tennessee. It broadcasts a low-powered analog signal on UHF channel 36 from a transmitter on Holston High Point at Holston Mountain in the Cherokee...
from January 1999 until October 2003. According to the promotion, the show became the highest rated program in the Kingsport-area. The promotion eventually released a series of dvd
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
s from the program, most notably, Superstars and Legends, Vol. 1, which featured Don Wright, Ivan Koloff, The Equalizer
Bill Dannenhauser
Bill Dannenhauer is a retired American professional wrestler better known as Dave Sullivan or The Equalizer.-Career:Bill Danenhauer started out in college football as the Offensive Coordinator at Washburn University...
, Jimmy Valiant
Jimmy Valiant
James Harold Fanning is a former professional wrestler and author better known as Jimmy Valiant.-Personal life:...
, Wahoo McDaniel
Wahoo McDaniel
Edward "Wahoo" McDaniel was a Choctaw-Chickasaw Native American who achieved fame as a professional American football player and later as a professional wrestler.-Early life:...
, Killer Kyle, Jimmy Valiant
Jimmy Valiant
James Harold Fanning is a former professional wrestler and author better known as Jimmy Valiant.-Personal life:...
and Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
.
On May 10, 2001, the promotion held the Mark Curtis Memorial Weekend of Champions in Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...
in honor of World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
referee Mark Curtis
Brian Hildebrand
Brian Curtis Hildebrand was a professional wrestling manager, wrestler and referee who sometimes went by the name of Mark Curtis...
with the proceeds donated to the Children's Miracle Network
Children's Miracle Network
The Children's Miracle Network Hospitals is an international non-profit organization that raises funds for children's hospitals, medical research and community awareness of children's health issues. The organization, founded in 1982 by the Osmond family and John Schneider, is headquartered in...
. Among those headlining the event included Arn Anderson
Arn Anderson
Martin Anthony Lunde better known by his ring name Arn Anderson, is a former American professional wrestler and author. His career has been highlighted by his alliances with Ric Flair and various members of the wrestling stable, The Four Horsemen, in the NWA/WCW...
. The next year, the Mark Curtis Memorial Weekend of Champions and Legends Reunion featured Jimmy Valiant, Ivan Koloff and Sandy Scott
Sandy Scott
Angus Mackay Scott , better known by his ring name Sandy Scott, was a Canadian professional wrestler. He worked with his older brother George from the 1950s until the 1970s as The Flying Scotts in North American regional promotions including the National Wrestling Alliance, particularly the Midwest...
. Family members of the late Whitey Caldwell
Whitey Caldwell
J. C. Caldwell , better known as Whitey Caldwell, was a multiple SSW heavyweight champion....
were also in attendance.
Southern States Wrestling became involved with AWA Superstars of Wrestling
AWA Superstars of Wrestling
Wrestling Superstars Live is a governing body for a group of independent professional wrestling promotions and sanctions various championships. It was founded in 1996 by Dale Gagner and Jonnie Stewart.-History:...
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
Tom Prichard
Thomas Prichard is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, working in their developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling as a trainer using his ring name 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. This was the first interpromotional event in which both promotion's champions faced each other. In November 2006, Beau James married female wrestler Misty James at the 15th annual supercard Thanksgiving Night Spectacular at the Kingsport National Guard Armory. 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.
Roster
|
Jason Broyles Jason Broyles is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in Extreme Championship Wrestling under the ring name EZ Money... Glen Day Glen Edward Day is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.Day was born in Mobile, Alabama, and raised in Poplarville, Mississippi, by his mother Jeanne Bass Day. Jeanne was widowed at the age of 28 when Glen was approximately 2 years of age. His grandfather Glyndol Bass, was... |
Andy Douglas Andy Douglas is a retired American professional wrestler. He is known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling where he was a member of The Naturals alongside his tag team partner Chase Stevens.-Career:... & Kelly Charles) Ricky Morton Richard Wendell "Ricky" Morton is an American professional wrestler who has worked for such wrestling organizations as Jim Crockett Promotions, the American Wrestling Association, Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and Total Nonstop Action... & Bobby Fulton) Rock 'n' Roll Express The Rock 'n' Roll Express are a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson. The duo began teaming together in Memphis in the early 1980s, followed by the National Wrestling Alliance's Jim Crockett Promotions . In JCP, they held the NWA World Tag Team Championship... (Ricky Morton & Ricky Harrison) |
Current champions
| Championship | Current champion(s) | Previous champion(s) | Date won | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSW Heavyweight Championship SSW Heavyweight Championship The Southern States Wrestling 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... |
Danny Ray | Beau James | March 25, 2005 | Kingsport, TN |
| SSW Junior Heavyweight Championship SSW Junior Heavyweight Championship The Southern States Wrestling Junior Heavyweight Championship is a secondary professional wrestling championship in Southern States Wrestling. It was first won by Eddie Golden who defeated Jamie Gibson in Banner Elk, North Carolina on March 30, 1992... |
Clay Connors | Shane Matthews | November 26, 2004 | Kingsport, TN |
| SSW Appalachian Heavyweight Championship SSW Appalachian Heavyweight Championship The Southern States Wrestling Appalachin Heavyweight Championship is a secondary professional wrestling tag team championship in Southern States Wrestling. It was first won by Beau James who defeated Tracey Smothers in a best-of-three matches in Meadowview, Virginia on May 11, 1996... |
Eric Darkstorm | Super Destroyer | April 23, 2004 | Greenville, TN |
| SSW Young Guns Television Championship | Bunkhouse Buck | Beau James | July 20, 2005 | Kingsport, TN |
| SSW Tag Team Championship SSW Tag Team Championship The Southern States Wrestling Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship in Southern States Wrestling. It was first won by Danny and Bam Bam Christian when they defeated The Russian Assassins in Hampton, Tennessee on October 1, 1990... |
Robbie Cassidy and Tony Givens |
Super Destroyer and Josh Cody |
March 4, 2005 | Kingsport, TN |
Defunct championships
| Championship | Current champion(s) | Previous champion(s) | Date won | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TWA/NWA Tri-State Championship | Ryan Phoenix | August 2000 | September 2004 | |
| SSW International Cup | Chris Walker | March 13, 1999 | N/A |
Further reading
- Valiant, Jimmy. "Woo...Mercy Daddy!" Welcome To My World: The Jimmy Valiant Story. Shawsville, Virginia: Self-Published, 2006.