Saving East Tennessee Wrestling History Video Footage and Print Material YOU Might Be Able To Help

If you know me, have read my books, heard me on a podcast, or even know anything about me you know I have an undying love for pro wrestling from the territory years. Especially for my home area that had two different offices for decades in Kingsport and Knoxville.

I have spent years researching the history of  Pro Wrestling not only in my home area of East Tennessee but also East Kentucky and West Virginia. I have thousands of hours in libraries and on line reading news papers. I have searched every Kingsport paper from 1919 to 1976. I'm starting in the near future of finishing the 1970s.

I have also have spent years searching for any and all videos of Wrestling from East Tennessee. Unfortunately not a lot survived. Thanks to The Caldwell Family we were able to save the only known footage of Whitey Caldwell.

Thanks to  a couple of fans, Ken Cantrell , Kris Zellner, and Ben Straughn  I have been able to put together several hours of Knoxville TV and Arena Footage. I truly do think that there is more out there that we don't know about. There was episodes of Southeastern and NWA Championship Wrestling taped off of Channel 10 from Knoxville. Those episodes that I have are over a year apart and I believe were taped by the same person. Problem is we don't know who that is.

If they did come from the same person chances are that is not the only episodes they taped. There might be a slim chance someone has much more and doesn't realize how important it is to get it over on to digital formats to make sure it survives for history sake.

East Tennessee was a proving ground and a hot bed for wrestling for years. A who's who of the sport came through here or homesteaded here. So here is where I need help. If you have anything from Knoxville's Southeastern (1975-81) or NWA Championship Wrestling (1981-82) please do not hesitate to let me know. Also if you know who taped the weekly studio program let me know. My email is at the bottom of this blog.

The other items that I know that are out there is the weekly Southeastern Programs that were sold at the matches. I have copies of several but I'm always looking for more for my research on my upcoming book on Southeastern Championship Wrestling. If you have any of these and are willing to send me scans or copies please let me know.

I have been putting together the weekly newspaper ads from not only Knoxville but other areas they ran regular like the Tri-Cities, Eastern Kentucky, and Bluefield WV. The programs help put together what all was going on in the Territory at the time.

I'm also looking for anything related to Ron Wright's All Star Wrestling (1979-80). I have a few posters from ASW and the only Know footage that survived. I also have the ads from the Knoxville paper. I think there is more posters out there somewhere.

I have every episode of Ron Fuller's USA Championship Wrestling except one. It's the third episode of the run. Air date was the weekend of March 19, 1988.  For some reason no one I deal with has it and I did not tape it. Once again if you have it please let me know.  

Here is a list of what we know has survived and that I have.

One episode of John Cazana's Wide World of Wrestling from 12-02-1972 

Tommy Gilbert vs. Sam Bass in a 2 out of 3 falls match

Interviews with Ron Wright, Jerry Lawler, Tommy Gilbert

Jerry Lawler vs. Tommy Gilbert in a 2 out of 3 falls match

From the WTVK TV 26 studio hosted by Jim Hess

Ron Wright's All Star Wrestling 1979 Footage from Knoxville TV

Col. Yan Ky&Randy Savage vs Lanny Poffo&Terry Gibbs

The Assassin (roger Smith) w/ Boris Malenko vs. Jim Pride

Terry Gibbs and Ronnie Garvin vs. Bob Roop and Bob Orton JR.

Interview with Garvin and Gibbs

Randy Savage vs. Jim Pride

 Assassin & Col Yan Ky vs Hoot Gibson & Jim Pride

Randy Savage vs. Rick McCord

Savage Interview

Lanny Poffo vs George McCrary

Terry Gibbs vs. The Assassin

DVD 1

Arena footage from mid 70s - 1980 featuring

Ron Fuller, Ronnie Garvin, Ron Wright, The Funks, Jack Brisco, Robert Fuller, Jimmy Golden, Big Bad John, Bob Armstrong, Mongolian Stomper, and many more

DVD 2

3/22/80

Southeastern TV Title: Troy T. Tyler  vs. The Seraph

Promos from The Matador, Ron Slinker, Steve Travis & The Great Mephisto.

Clips from Georgia of Tommy Rich/Austin Idol/Harley Race 

Les Thatcher talks about Tommy Rich's return after being injured for 5 weeks

Tommy Rich promo about a match against Harley Race in Knoxville

Troy T. Tyler. promo

Ole Anderson vs. John Irving (Squash)

The Manchurians (Tapu & Tio) vs. Mark Hill & Rex Stone 

3/29/80

Ron Slinker vs. Terry Taylor

Killer Karl Kox promo on Ole Anderson

The Manchurians (Tapu & Tio) vs. The Matador (Jerry Stubbs) & Jerry Roberts (Jacques Rougeau)

Stan "The Lariat" Hansen vs. The Seraph 

Troy T. Tyler promo

Southeastern TV Title: Dirty Dutch Mantell vs. Troy T. Tyler

Stan Hansen promo on Harley Race

DVD 3 

4/5/80

Don Diamond vs. Rick Connors

Promos: Dutch, Matador, Steve Travis, Troy T. Tyler, Don Diamond & Ron Slinker

Southeastern Tag Titles & Great Mephisto's Hair vs. Tyler's hair & Matador's mask: The Manchurians vs. The Matador (Jerry Stubbs) & Troy T. Tyler

Bobby Eaton vs. The Beast

Personality Profile: Harley Race

Austin Idol promo

Matador promo

Killer Karl Kox vs. Terry Taylor

4/26/80

Dutch Mantel promo

Randy the Mountaineer vs. Rick Connors

Replay of Bad News Harris vs. Ole Anderson

Promos:Ole Anderson, Bad News Harris, Austin Idol

Dirty Dutch Mantell vs. Tim Horner

Promos: Mephisto, Killer Karl Kox, Troy T. Tyler, Dutch Mantel, Matador

Don Diamond/Dutch Mantel confrontation

Terry Taylor vs. The Matador

DVD 4

1970s Ronnie Garvin profile

1970s Mongolian Stomper Profile

1979 Studio Matches

David Shultz and Eddie Mansfield vs. Dean Ho and Mike Webb

Jimmy Golden vs. Ted Allen

interview Norvel Austin

Norvel Austin vs. Ted Allen

5/3/80

Mark Lewin w/ Mephisto vs. Larry Clark

5/10/80

The Manchurians (Tapu & Tio) vs. 'Golden Boy' Chick Donovan & Ken Wayne

Memphisto open challenge for Manchurians, Troy T. Tyler answers

Ginger the Wrestling Bear drinks a Coke

Southeastern TV Title: The Matador (Jerry Stubbs) vs. Terry Taylor

Personality Profile: Randy the Mountaineer 

Clips of Tommy Rich vs. Austin Idol from Knoxville

Dutch Mantell vs. Len Owen

5/24/80

Troy T. Tyler shows a burn on his chest from The Great Memphisto's fireball in Knoxville

Terry Taylor sitdown interview

Dutch Mantell vs. Chick Donovan

Bad News Harris (Kamala) vs. Don Graham 

Bob Polk announces that Mark Lewin can return to the area but is barred from using sleeper

Ivan Rapaputski vs. Tim Horner 

Southeastern TV Title: Dennis Condrey vs. Terry Taylor

Handicap Match: T-John Thibbedeaux vs. Rick Connors & Ken Hall

Troy T. Tyler/Bad News Harris promos on each other

DVD 5

6/7/80

Dutch Mantel/Dennis Condrey/Terry Taylor segment

Troy T. Tyler vs. Rick Connors

The Manchurians (Tapu & Tio) vs. Don Diamond & Tim Horner

Personality Profile: Austin Idol

Randy the Mountaineer (Randy Culley) vs. Ivan Rapaputski

Southeastern TV Title: Terry Taylor  vs. Bad News Harris (Kamala)

6/14/80

Terry Taylor challenges Dutch Mantel

Ivan Rapaputski vs. Tim Horner

Kevin Sullivan promo

Southeastern Heavyweight Title: Terry Taylor  vs. Dennis Condrey

DVD 6

1979 Southeastern

Sterling Golden (Hulk Hogan) vs. Bob Armstrong from The Coliseum

Jerry oberts and Buzz Sawyer vs. The Angel and Mike Barber from the studio

Ric Flair and Blackjack Mulligan's SWI (NWA Championship Wrestling)

Nov. 28 1981

Interview Kevin Sullivan

Sullivan vs. Denny Brown

Jackie Laken vs. Ron Sexton

interview Rick Connors

Cowboy Young vs. Blackjack Mulligan Jr. 

interview izzp Slapowitz and Ray Candy

interview Johnny Weaver

Ricky Steamboat vs. Deke Rivers (from Charolette) 

Jimmy Valiant Son of A gypsy Video

Jay Youngblood vs. Deke Rivers

interview Youngblood

Bonus Matches

Jeff Sword and Doug Vines vs. Ken Hall and Jackie Laken

Jeff Sword and Doug Vines vs. Tim Horner and Ron Sexton

Jeff Sword and Doug Vines vs. Ken Hall and Jackie Laken (rematch) 

USA Championship Wrestling March- August 1988

Every Episode but One

Featuring The Bullet, Scott Armstrong, Ron Wright, Mongolian Stomper, The Rich Cousins, 

Terry Gordy,  Moondog Spot, Bill and Jamie Dundee, The RPMS, Wendell Cooley, 

Buddy Landel, Nelson Royal, Héctor Guerrero, and more

hosted by Gordon Solie and Ron Fuller

Thanks for reading and any help you might can give to the effort to save The History. If you have anything you might think I'm interested in email me at kingofkingsport@gmail.com

The Knoxville Studio/Arena Set and USA Set are available at the right hand side of the page. Buy either one and I'll throw in the Wide World of Wrestling and All Star Wrestling DVDs in for free

Also check out my book about Wrestling in Kingsport from 1960-69. It is on sale here, Amazon, and Amazon Kindle. 

THANKS!!! Again. Only we can keep the History Alive.