Post by Ringside Junkie on Mar 8, 2005 22:22:31 GMT -5
What if Continental didn't fold?
Some people question my interest in the Southeastern/Continental territory. I've never really thought about it until today. What if Continental didn't fold? What stars would've been made? Who would've went on to hold the Continental and Southeastern Championships? How far could've Continental expanded their product? I think about these things for some strange reason. Believe it or not, I actually watched Continental Wrestling TV before I ever tuned into NWA/WCW or WWF(E). One of the first matches I remember seeing involved "Nightmare" Danny Davis against Nelson Royal. It was a classic match up and these guys had battled all over the southeast before this match up in Montgomery at the Civic Center. I bugged my dad all the time about taking me with him to the shows in Montgomery and Birmingham and sometimes even the trip to Dothan. From the ages 3-6 I probably witnessed at least 20 wrestling shows from Southeastern/Continental/Austin Idol's USA Wrestling era. Though I don't remember much I went back and bought some of the video library that I could find. Seeing wrestlers such as Dr. Tom Prichard, The Armstrongs, The Stud Stable, The Nightmares, Mr. Olympia, "The Dirty White Boy" Tony Anthony, "Dirty" Dutch Mantell, "Wildcat" Wendell Cooley, The Flame, Willy B. Hurt (Pistol Pez Whatley), and so many others. I remember my dad turning it on a NWA wrestling pay-per-view that featured War Games with The Four Horsemen and I asked him who they were and he laughed at me. He was a fan of the Horsemen but at the time I felt the Stud Stable was far superior. The one thing that kept my father and I so close was wrestling and he saw my passion for it so he supported me going on the road to witness and live what I admired. If Continental was still running today what it be as big of a force of WWE or TNA? I think so, there's no doubt in my mind Continental could've went through the down period and made a comeback. I think in '92 they could've gotten everything squared to return to the arenas but I was wrong. There would be many shows that immatated the legends past though a great live event nothing of the unique card making of the past. I remember when Tony Anthony smashed the bottle over Dr. Tom Prichard's head in the back while brawling. By ringside Southern Boys and Nightmare Danny Davis tried introducing the newcomer "Superstar" Shane Douglas who would go on later to win the ECW World Championship and simply known as The Franchise. Probably my biggest inspiration to wrestling to date is Douglas. I was such a fan of the Continental days and never really caught onto WCW or WWE until the Monday Night Wars. I was flipping channels one night trying to find something to watch and I pass what seems to be a wrestling match. And it's Terry Funk vs. Shane Douglas in a pin falls count anywhere match on TV. I was like holy crap, went and woke up my dad who wondered what was wrong with me for waking him up at 1am. I couldn't believe it was the Franchise battling another great the Funker! I saw a couple other guys I noticed and I was sold. Then I see Paul E. Dangerously, and find out he's running the show. I might be wrong but I think Paul Heyman and "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert booked Continental during the end at the CWF era. It's an interesting note just a couple years after CWF closed shop a promotion in PA opened up named TCW/TWA or something like that owned by Tod Gordon who then brought in Paul Heyman and Eddie Gilbert. Heyman would ultimately take TCW while joined to the NWA rename the promotion to ECW. ECW would later be bought by WWE who owns rights to the ECW, WCW, & AWA library. So wondering if Continental would've went on? In ways it did. Smokey Mountain was also a great period of wrestling history which we will talk about another day. Also Fuller's Knoxville Smackdown which was booked by Ron Fuller and James E. Cornette as part of a WWE development summer program. All coming soon here in the memories of Continental Wrestling.
Some people question my interest in the Southeastern/Continental territory. I've never really thought about it until today. What if Continental didn't fold? What stars would've been made? Who would've went on to hold the Continental and Southeastern Championships? How far could've Continental expanded their product? I think about these things for some strange reason. Believe it or not, I actually watched Continental Wrestling TV before I ever tuned into NWA/WCW or WWF(E). One of the first matches I remember seeing involved "Nightmare" Danny Davis against Nelson Royal. It was a classic match up and these guys had battled all over the southeast before this match up in Montgomery at the Civic Center. I bugged my dad all the time about taking me with him to the shows in Montgomery and Birmingham and sometimes even the trip to Dothan. From the ages 3-6 I probably witnessed at least 20 wrestling shows from Southeastern/Continental/Austin Idol's USA Wrestling era. Though I don't remember much I went back and bought some of the video library that I could find. Seeing wrestlers such as Dr. Tom Prichard, The Armstrongs, The Stud Stable, The Nightmares, Mr. Olympia, "The Dirty White Boy" Tony Anthony, "Dirty" Dutch Mantell, "Wildcat" Wendell Cooley, The Flame, Willy B. Hurt (Pistol Pez Whatley), and so many others. I remember my dad turning it on a NWA wrestling pay-per-view that featured War Games with The Four Horsemen and I asked him who they were and he laughed at me. He was a fan of the Horsemen but at the time I felt the Stud Stable was far superior. The one thing that kept my father and I so close was wrestling and he saw my passion for it so he supported me going on the road to witness and live what I admired. If Continental was still running today what it be as big of a force of WWE or TNA? I think so, there's no doubt in my mind Continental could've went through the down period and made a comeback. I think in '92 they could've gotten everything squared to return to the arenas but I was wrong. There would be many shows that immatated the legends past though a great live event nothing of the unique card making of the past. I remember when Tony Anthony smashed the bottle over Dr. Tom Prichard's head in the back while brawling. By ringside Southern Boys and Nightmare Danny Davis tried introducing the newcomer "Superstar" Shane Douglas who would go on later to win the ECW World Championship and simply known as The Franchise. Probably my biggest inspiration to wrestling to date is Douglas. I was such a fan of the Continental days and never really caught onto WCW or WWE until the Monday Night Wars. I was flipping channels one night trying to find something to watch and I pass what seems to be a wrestling match. And it's Terry Funk vs. Shane Douglas in a pin falls count anywhere match on TV. I was like holy crap, went and woke up my dad who wondered what was wrong with me for waking him up at 1am. I couldn't believe it was the Franchise battling another great the Funker! I saw a couple other guys I noticed and I was sold. Then I see Paul E. Dangerously, and find out he's running the show. I might be wrong but I think Paul Heyman and "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert booked Continental during the end at the CWF era. It's an interesting note just a couple years after CWF closed shop a promotion in PA opened up named TCW/TWA or something like that owned by Tod Gordon who then brought in Paul Heyman and Eddie Gilbert. Heyman would ultimately take TCW while joined to the NWA rename the promotion to ECW. ECW would later be bought by WWE who owns rights to the ECW, WCW, & AWA library. So wondering if Continental would've went on? In ways it did. Smokey Mountain was also a great period of wrestling history which we will talk about another day. Also Fuller's Knoxville Smackdown which was booked by Ron Fuller and James E. Cornette as part of a WWE development summer program. All coming soon here in the memories of Continental Wrestling.