[00:00:00] Speaker A: From title belts to hall of fame Doug and Tommy carved the name Fists of fury and hearts of gold Every story, every fight retold Tales of glory, laugh and cry Tennessee warriors with hearts open wild in the ring on the air Legends living without a care on the map they roar on the map they soar Dangerous conversations Fans want to.
[00:00:43] Speaker B: Know.
[00:00:49] Speaker A: Our gas kings to lie.
[00:00:59] Speaker C: Hey, everybody. Welcome back once again to Dangerous Conversations with dangerous Doug Gilbert. And this week we may get a run in from Wildfire Tommy Rich. But he's up there ruling Kentucky as he tends to do. And so he's a little busy at the moment, but he's going to try to drop in if he can. But Doug, we're going to have conversation nonetheless with me and you, man.
[00:01:22] Speaker D: You're not kidding, Gene. I think we started off with me and you. I believe we'll be fine. But Tommy will probably pop in here in about 10 or 15 minutes. You can never tell though, he's up there. I don't know if he exactly what his title is up there at Wildfire Championship Wrestling. I know he's a talent up there and he still wrestles and that's great and he still loves that. But I don't know if he's the.
If he's the executive vice president or the president or the. What. What would some of the other names.
[00:01:53] Speaker C: He may be the big don of. Of Wildfire Championship Wrestling.
[00:01:56] Speaker D: Well, he. He's for sure the big don there.
[00:01:59] Speaker C: But he's certainly the namesake because I mean they're calling it Wildfire. So, you know, he may be the. Was that what Randy say? The founder, president and owner now?
[00:02:08] Speaker D: That is his time. The founder, president and what. What was the.
[00:02:12] Speaker C: I think it was owner, founder, president. I think was owner, president.
[00:02:16] Speaker D: That's what mean. You need to get him a card and let's put on that. He'd love that. But me and. You'll have to make sure we call him that next week when he's on here. Like I said, if he pops on here in a minute, we'll say that you come up with him in your name. We don't need to say. I know he'll really say something.
[00:02:31] Speaker C: We gotta make sure we put the heat on me. That's fine.
[00:02:33] Speaker D: Yeah, put the heat on Jim.
[00:02:34] Speaker B: But he.
[00:02:35] Speaker C: And then we'll start him. We'll get an angle. Start with Randy because then he'll want to call in and go, I'm the.
[00:02:39] Speaker B: Only one owner, founder, president.
[00:02:42] Speaker D: You ain't kidding. He would tell. I'll tell him. I Say, Tommy's trying to take your gimmick, Randy.
That's all it'll be.
[00:02:49] Speaker C: We'll have a whole show with just those two fighting over the gimmick there.
[00:02:53] Speaker D: There you go. Gan. Everything been going good, man?
[00:02:55] Speaker C: It's been going great.
I am working on a few different projects and time just flying by, man. Another month's gone. I can't believe we're almost to the end of August. Summer is going to be over before we know what's happened. And I know you've. I know you've been busy and I don't know if you've. If you've had great times lately, but you've certainly been some interesting things going on with you.
[00:03:18] Speaker B: Man.
[00:03:19] Speaker D: I've had a lot, a lot of stuff going on and I've talked to a lot of people and got a lot of stuff in the works as far as same as you do and everything. And man, we got a lot of places that we're going to be coming. The the Memphis Mafia Tours 2025 is still ongoing. In September we get real busy. And September 3rd at the Coffee County Fair in Manchester, Tennessee, myself, I'll be there September 10th, myself and wildfire Tommy Rich will be in at the Henderson County Fair in Lexington, Tennessee. My home or me and my brother and my family all grew up and everything. And man, we love wrestling. Lexington, Tennessee. And the good deal is all the people can come out and see us, Gene. And they have got the pay absolutely nothing. It's free, fair, get in and come from five to six to be a meet and greet with Tommy and myself and some of the other NWA champions now. And like I said, there's gonna be a big five big matches that night and everything. Like I said that September 10, the meet and greet starts from 5 to 6. And the rest was like 6, 7, 30 and everything. But man, come on out and see that. Me and Tommy love to see all y' all there in my hometown.
And September 12th, that Friday night right after the 10th, Rickley, Tennessee, me and Tommy will be in Ripley, Tennessee. The Memphis Mafia Tour will be in Ripley. September 13th, Memphis mafia tour will be in Dyersburg, Tennessee. And two of those towns that me and Tommy wrestled at many times for Jerry Promotions, USA CWA Wrestling. Then you go to Sunday night wrestling for one of your friends at the West Tennessee Comic Con on first during the day at the West Tennessee Comic Con. On Sunday, we will be at the Carl Perkins Civic center in Jackson, Tennessee.
And we'll be signing that day and afternoon and that night we will be wrestling. Right, Gene?
[00:05:14] Speaker C: That's it, man. I tell you what, you guys are burning up the road.
[00:05:18] Speaker D: And that is for epw. And Gene does some announcing for EPW and helps him backstage and does some interviews for them. And man, it's a great company.
Neil Taylor, the owner's great guy, the company's a great company and I mean it's family friendly, so you can bring your kids and everything. And man, he puts on good shows, he brings in good talent and everything. But man, that's like I said, that. September 14th, Sunday, Jackson, Tennessee, West Tennessee Comic Con. Then we go on down to September 20th at the Banana Festival in South Florida. Kentucky, myself, Wildfire, Tommy Rich, Jerry the King Lawler, and also the Mouth of the South, Jimmy Hart will be there manifest, which starts at 11am and it ends at 2. Now Jerry Lawler called me the other day. The King called me and said, doug, I said, yes, King, what's going on? He said, me and you're going to this South Fulton, right? And I said, yeah. And he said, did you ask the guy the time?
And I said, yeah, I think it's 11 to 2 or 11 to 1 or something. He said, dang mean, you're going to have to get up early, aren't we? I said, well, King, we got up for how many years early on Saturday mornings and went to tv, so I don't think this is going to hurt me and you. And he started laughing. He thought that was pretty funny too. But anyway, yeah, I told him, but you have the King there, Mouth of the south there, Wildfire there, Dangerous there. So that's going to be a good little group. Like I said, we're gonna have a meet and greet for like two hours and wrestling will start and everything. So that'll be cool. Like I said, that's South Orford, Kentucky, the Banana Festival that night. That is September 20th on a Saturday. That night me and Tommy leave there at 2, drive over to Paragould, Arkansas.
There's a Horicon there at the Green County Fairgrounds in Paragould.
It's a Horicon there. It's all day, all morning, all day. Me and Tommy, I get there probably 3:30 ish or so. We'll sign from 3:30 to I think 6:30 and I think the matches start about 7.
We do the sign in there, then we wrestle that night. So that's September 20th, the Banana Festival, South Fortune. If you're in that area and you could in Dyersburg area, anywhere around there, you can come out and See us in south Fulton. If you own up past in Kentucky, you can come down and see us. Meantime, we'd love to see y'. All. I know the King will love to see everybody. Jimmy Hart will love to see everybody. By the old school fans and new school fans and everything, but that'll be great. And then we're going down to October 3rd. I've got a virtual signing with Captain Scorner with Nick and everything. And man, he's a great guy and he's got a lot of stuff of mine from Japan that's going to be on this virtual sign. So that'll be real cool. Like I said, it's Captain's Corner. Everybody knows how to get to that and everything. Then you go to October 4th.
One of my favorite days as far as wrestling. And like I said, people, they look at me strange when I say that this Gene. But one of my favorite days of wrestling during the years is the Memphis Tigers wrestling night, which I, you know, I'm a huge sports fan anyway, and which I love the teams around here in Memphis is just, I'm right between Memphis and Nashville and I like Memphis Tigers. I love a, a lot of college teams, I love a lot of pro teams, but I've always liked Memphis Tigers, which I'm a huge balls fan. Everybody knows that I've got balls stuff all over my house. But anyway, I love Tigers also. And we'll be there. And we go to Tiger Lane and that's what the road right beside the, the Liberty Bell, what is called Tiger Lane. They set a ring up right on Tiger Lane. And myself and Tommy, I think we're gonna be in a tag match that night and, and they bring all the other talent in. The King will be there, Jimmy Hart will be there. But it's, you know, it's the, the old, the new and everything mixed together. Like I said, it's pretty cool when you look over there and you see the Mid South Coliseum stuff stand there right, you know, right side of you a couple hundred yards away. And that's really neat. And like I said, what's really cool is they set the ring up on Tiger Lane and they put the, the, the steel rails around it and the people walk up to it and it's, it's packed right there. But it's like the old school Memphis atmosphere and everything's really cool, man.
[00:09:40] Speaker C: That's awesome, man. You got the wrestling, you got the football over there in the shadow of the Mid South Coliseum and all.
[00:09:46] Speaker D: And you know what? I know one guy that'd be there. You couldn't keep him from there. That ridge would be fine. Be somewhere around that parking lot.
[00:09:55] Speaker C: That's right.
[00:09:56] Speaker D: That's my dog. Though. I don't need anybody to say anything about him. I'm the only one saying anything about him.
[00:10:01] Speaker C: If we can ever get him to figure out this thing, we're going to have him on this show. One of these days I'm just gonna.
[00:10:07] Speaker D: Wind up buying him a computer and me programming it where it's just the only time. Only thing you can use it for is to turn on here with us.
Opens up. He'll see me and you and that's the only thing you use it for. So now I'd send that to him.
[00:10:20] Speaker C: Might have to do that because that'll definitely be a fun one.
[00:10:23] Speaker B: Get.
[00:10:23] Speaker C: It's Reggie B. Is always entertaining.
[00:10:26] Speaker D: That's for sure. And then at least maybe G. Me and you get one or two jerseys for. He'd say a good deal, but he had double the price for me and you then say he's putting it on sale for half price. But it. But he. He'll double it before he gives it to us.
But now that region for everybody that's listed. Man. If you want some cool jerseys and stuff. I buy my jersey. Like I said, I'm a huge sports fan. Me and my wife both and everything. But he's got great deals on jerseys. Any. Any sport. I mean, basketball, football, baseball, anything. But I don't. You know, I love the balls and the cowboys. So that's mainly what I'll get from him. But I mean any. Any team all over the country. Reggie's got like. He goes. He's. He's into that and man, he stays at the top with all this stuff.
[00:11:10] Speaker C: Yeah. Look him up on Facebook. Reggie is the guy to hook you up with whatever jersey you want. And if he ain't got it, he'll probably find it. Right.
[00:11:17] Speaker D: Right. He'll find it. And he's not going to send you.
[00:11:20] Speaker C: Iceman King Parsons jersey or very least an autographed picture if nothing else.
[00:11:26] Speaker D: There you go.
[00:11:27] Speaker C: The Iceman.
Well, you know, that's a lot, man. The Memphis Mafia tour is as we get later in the year. It's not slowing down. It's picking up steam, man. I think we're gonna.
[00:11:39] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:11:39] Speaker C: Run all the way through the end of the year here.
[00:11:41] Speaker D: Yeah. That's really cool. And we're supposed to be. I haven't got the dates from our friend Neil yet. Me and Timer supposed to be over in Mississippi in November. I'm not sure what date or what venue, but you're supposed to be one weekend that me and Time are supposed to be for Neil and Mississippi, but he was gonna get back with me on that and. And Gina keep you all informed on that.
[00:12:00] Speaker C: Absolutely. Every week you can check in here on Dangerous Conversations, and we will keep you informed on where you can catch Doug and Tommy each and every week as the tour rolls along.
[00:12:12] Speaker D: And as far as Gene and like, we hadn't said this in a while or whatever, but you know our podcast, y' all know how to get a hold of Gene if you got any questions you want anything for me and Tommy to do any kind of appearances for you, wrestle for you.
Like Tommy said, you've got a party you want us go to. We'll. We'll do whatever you want. But. And everybody, as far as my stuff getting a hold of me. Twitter Real Doug Gilbert Facebook fan page. Dangerous Gilbert, Instagram Real Doug Gilbert pro wrestlingtease.com if you want something from ProRes and tees.com as far as the Memphis Mafia or the Gilbert, you go to Gilbert family and you get to the Memphis Mafia stuff, the Gilbert shirts and everything.
[00:12:51] Speaker B: And.
[00:12:52] Speaker D: And man, it's just like I said, we've got all kind of stuff and everything that's real cool. And Gene's got some stuff on the side also, and it's really neat stuff too. He's giving me a little bit of bit and it's really nice.
[00:13:03] Speaker C: Absolutely. Yeah, definitely. Check those T shirts out. There's some really cool designs. I like the new Memphis Mafia anniversary design that's up there.
[00:13:11] Speaker D: I'm gonna get them one. I'm gonna have send you one of those home with you, Genie.
[00:13:15] Speaker C: Yeah, Yeah. I need to rock one of those, you know? You know I will. So, man, we got a lot of great feedback about last week's show. We talked about the Memphis Mafia invading power Pro in 1999. And, you know, it was such a deep conversation. You know, we didn't get real far into it. We talked about some of it, but we also kind of had circled back and hit on a couple of things that you had remembered about the end of the uswa. And that was a very popular topic. We got a lot of feedback on. Got a lot of listens and downloads and everything. So I thought we'll pick back up because ironically, when we ended the show last week, Tommy had just quit Power Pro. He fired himself.
[00:13:59] Speaker D: I was fixing to say he. He told Randy Hills, he. He doesn't give himself his notice. So he fired himself. But I was going to ask you. He didn't give you his notice last week for us.
[00:14:11] Speaker C: I better go back through my text messages and emails, make sure. Yeah, I didn't get a notice and missed it somewhere.
[00:14:18] Speaker D: Hey, will you tell him if he was to say something that you. You got to find him so that. That would make him come back to work?
[00:14:25] Speaker C: Well, you know, he didn't. He didn't look amused last week when I pointed out that Wolfie was part of the Memphis Mafia and Power Pro. I'm gonna tell him if he don't come back, this is gonna be dangerous. Conversations with Doug Gilbert and Wolfie D.
[00:14:36] Speaker D: Yeah, there you go. That would get him started. But I started asking you just a second ago, Gene, what did. Did you get any feedback? Like, you know, we've got pictures of the original Memphis Mafia, Like I said, my brother, myself, Tommy, Buddy and Brian. And then this version here. Did you get any questions or any statements from people about what they thought about the US? I don't say making up because it's me and Tommy. And then we just added to it what we want to. Which Tony. I love Tony, always did Tony Anthony, and he's great worker and Wolf is great worker. But I thought, you know, to me, if you just put great works now, it don't. It's not always the same. And, you know, as far as. And we don't want it to always be the same. We want people to be their own self. We wouldn't try to get Tony to be 80 or Buddy or Wolfie to be one of them. We want them to. Tony to be Tony and Wolfie to be Wolfie. But we wanted for it to make sense and everything. Did you get any feedback on any of that?
[00:15:35] Speaker C: I did get one. A couple. A couple people messaged me a couple of different things. And one of the more amusing ones, somebody that follows my U.S. nBA podcast, which we're now in 1991 on that one, and we're getting into 2-92-91.
And so the. The last episode that we covered on there, the Fabulous Ones, got, you know, they left town. Eddie had left, and then Eddie came back in, he fireballed Lawler, and their feud was back up and running like that. And in that episode, Jamie Dundee was used as a special referee, but he kept leaning towards the bad guys and. And eventually Eddie Marlin fired him before the end of the show.
And on the episode we're going to be covering this week, somebody messaged me like, hey, have you watched Next Week's episode, because the Memphis Mafia are out there. It's Doug, Dirty White Boy, Uptown Bruno. And they introduced JC Ice Baby. And JC Ice Baby says, yes, I'm now a member of the Memphis Mafia. He's like, so technically, Both members of PG 13 at one time or another have. Of the Memphis Mafia. He said, make sure you tell Doug that. I said, okay.
[00:16:44] Speaker D: Hey, and you tell me now, those two at some point think that I've got a problem with them. Hell, tell them they both. I let them both in the Memphis Mafia. I ain't never had no problem with. No, I. I love Wolfie and Jamie both. And if. And we can get either one of them on here. And I mean, you will laugh, Jim, because we. I'll have some stories for them and that. That has some, I'm sure, for me also. But, man, we had some good times, and we was all really tight people. Like I said, me and Tommy worked in program with them for almost a year and a half. And, man, you talking about just, I mean, good territorial feud that. That, you know, was personal. And there were so many different twists and turns in it and everything. Like I said, those guys are a couple. Jamie's is two years younger than me and Whoopies, I think four or five years younger than me. Maybe. Maybe a little more now. I think around that. Five, six, something like that. But anyway, man, we had so many. So many good times and just times that people that we could tell you stories and. And like I said, we'll get Jamie on here, or Wolf, either one, and we'll tell y' all some stuff and we will laugh. Gene, you will laugh. But you. You think, how can this even be? How could this have happened? Or how can it be true? And it's like I tell them, I said, you know, we could tell people this, but that's like, they've got to be making this up. The stuff that you, you know, we wouldn't want to even make up. But it's so funny, man, we had some great times. And like I said, like I told you stories with Tommy before. I mean, we take one of them with us now. It was hard to take both of them with you because you couldn't. You couldn't. You couldn't take both of them because they'd wind up getting in a fight with each other. Yeah, it was kind of a tension thing, but you could take one at a time, and, man, we'd have a blast. Like I said, I'd have to keep Tommy off of him because Tommy was Dadd figure he, he kind of scolded them a little bit and hurt their feelings and. But I'm talking about. You think, Gene, you would have rolled. I'm just telling you it was that funny.
[00:18:50] Speaker C: Yeah, we'll definitely have to. That's been one of our most requested things. There's two different things people have really just beat me to death on since we started this podcast is one, we want to Hear about the PG13 feud and the other is we want to hear about the, the Power Pro event, so to speak. And I keep telling folks, we'll get there, we'll get there, just take it easy.
But yeah, there's, there's so many great stories to tell there. And yeah, this, this promo was funny. I went and watched it after the guy sent it to me and Tony Anthony, kind of. Because, yeah, the week before is when Dundee came out, pulled his belt off and whipped Jamie on tv.
[00:19:28] Speaker D: Right.
[00:19:28] Speaker C: You know, and then. So now Tony Anthony basically has got his arm around Jamie like he's his adopted father now. Like, yes, we're gonna take you in with us now. You know, we new family and everything.
[00:19:38] Speaker D: And, well, I was going to say, hey, Jim kind of had to feel sorry for him after Bill done whipped him and everything in front of everybody.
[00:19:46] Speaker C: He laid it to him. I think there was some, I think, I think he had been withholding some frustrations that he took out on him there on TV that morning.
[00:19:54] Speaker D: Well, I'm sure. So you've talked to Jamie a few times on the phone.
[00:19:58] Speaker C: Oh, yeah, yeah. And say when he turned and goes, I hate you, I hate you. That's about as genuine as ever Jamie, Jamie D promo I've ever seen.
[00:20:06] Speaker D: But that, that, that's it. And Jamie, I tell you, you should have seen how I was raised. I laugh, but the funny stuff is like when him and Tommy, when I get them together and Tommy tell me most of it, what Jamie says is true, but it's like him and Bill piercing Jamie's ear when he 5 or 6 years old or something. Yeah.
[00:20:26] Speaker C: Gave him a st of beer and then Pierce here. Yeah, Jamie loves to tell that story.
[00:20:30] Speaker D: Yeah, but, but there's all kind of cool stories like that and everything. But yeah, we get Jamie on here with us one day, which he told me anytime I want to come on, he'd do it. But now that's Jamie saying that. But, but most time with me, if he does say he's going to do something, he'll do it because like I said, we've had a ton of Cool stuff that we've done together is funny. People just don't believe.
[00:20:54] Speaker C: But you know, watching as much like 1990 and 1991 USWA as I've watched in the last few months, preparing for this new season of the podcast and then watching some of this Power Pro for this episode, and I'm gonna say we haven't talked about it because we talked to Tony himself about it. But you know, most people relate you to, to Eddie and Tommy, but you and Tony Anthony really were a well established tag team for quite some time there.
[00:21:20] Speaker D: Did you think that time period at the end of USWA when Randy was booking and the time the power, Power Pro tv, did you think that resembled.
[00:21:35] Speaker C: Did one resemble the other?
[00:21:36] Speaker D: Yeah, I mean, you know what I'm saying, as far as when Randy was booking USWA and then Power Pro, I'm not saying that, I mean if you thought one was better than the other, but did you think as far as the show, as far as the booking on it or the, the story lines or any of, did you think it resembled any at all or did you not?
[00:21:58] Speaker C: I think so. I think you can look, you can kind of look at that timeline of the last three or four years of USWA and tell when Randy's booking and when he's not and then kind of the same, you know, once you see Power Pro, even though he's the figurehead on tv, but you know, no, he's really booking this. And you can see some times in Power Pro where, you know, Cornet had took over the wwf, was making the calls around there, but I think so did you feel.
[00:22:24] Speaker D: Yeah, and I mean, but to me you can always tell the difference if when Randy was doing it on one show and on the other show, I mean even if you thought one show, if, if there's both equal, or you thought one show was far and above ahead of the other one. But I'm talking about show wise when you was watching it and everything, if you thought if you could tell, and to me I think you can tell, but I think that goes back to a person booking and a good booker. Even though if you don't have the best talent that he had somewhere else, still he can make things a lot better than a lot of people can. And, but I mean, I think you can tell by the tv. I mean like me or you one watching that we know what we're watching for. I think you can tell and I actually think other people would can tell. But what I mean is tell Gene, if they like really like it I think they would probably really like both of them, even though if you don't have as good a talent on one as you had the other. But now the whole thing. I say the whole thing, 90% or 80% your talent and then your booking and everything, as far as getting everything good. But, yeah, I could. I could definitely tell. And like I said, you could tell when other people come in and they was booking also. But, I mean, it was. Randy done some. Some good stuff, and he had some good TVs. And then, like I said, I thought it was good. I thought we done some good, and it was entertaining tv when Tony. And when he brought Tony in, brought Wolfie. And like I said, the thing about it was it was something that the people didn't know what was going to happen.
Now, you know when you start every week and you got the same people every week, well, then they're. They're a part.
[00:24:03] Speaker C: There he is.
[00:24:04] Speaker D: Show up, Genie. But you know, when different people show up, I mean, that's what. Like when we said Tommy in the.
Showing up in the box that day, well, that was the last thing people thought they was gonna see was Tommy coming out of the box. And that's what I'm saying that to me, that's what makes good tv when it's like that.
[00:24:25] Speaker C: Tommy, welcome to the show, man.
[00:24:26] Speaker B: How you doing up, guys? Y' all doing all right, man? Hey, I kind of like, you know, I'm. I might be late, but I'm always there, you know, kind of like the mailman.
[00:24:37] Speaker D: Hey, I told Gene, I said, you give him about 15 minutes, and I think he's gonna show up. And I. I told Gino this and. And you'll hear it later. Also was. I said, you know, when we went off last week, Tommy had just fired himself. He gave his own self his notice and everything. He left. I said, gene, have you checked your emails or anything? I said, I ain't done give his notice to you, has he?
[00:25:02] Speaker B: And I thought Gene gave his notice. I called about the telephone situation he was telling me about, and they said that was a bunch of bull.
[00:25:13] Speaker C: I wish.
[00:25:16] Speaker B: Of all of them.
[00:25:18] Speaker D: Gene said, actually, Tom, it wound up just being his house.
[00:25:21] Speaker B: Oh, is that what it was?
Yeah.
[00:25:25] Speaker D: Everybody else's was good, but just his house. Yeah. Must have been down.
[00:25:28] Speaker C: Turns out if you don't. If you don't get the bill paid on time, then all of a sudden your Internet don't work, your phone don't work, you can't text anybody to tell them when you're Going to do the show.
Just kidding. That's not exactly what happened.
[00:25:41] Speaker B: I've had that problem before. All I did was go up on my roof and hold a little antenna up.
[00:25:48] Speaker C: I thought I was gonna go sit in the McDonald's parking lot and use their Wi Fi to do the show.
[00:25:53] Speaker D: Hey, there you go, Gene. But, hey, our man here is up there at the headquarters. Wildfire Championship Wrestling. Where you gonna be at tonight and tomorrow night, Tommy? Friday night, Saturday night.
[00:26:04] Speaker B: Won't nobody hear this, but we're going to be in Frenchburg, Kentucky tomorrow night, but Prestonsburg, Kentucky, Saturday night. And if you're up in this area tuned in to us, it's going to be a big show. It's big War games. Rock and Roll Express is there.
You know, it's going to be a big show. I mean, and they. They expected a great crowd, too. So anybody out there? We'll be out there early for a meet and greet. So if you ain't got nothing to do, you want to see some. Some good wrestling and you like the war games, you know, it's been. Well, maybe with Doug. He smarted me up last time. I said, the last battle, Atlanta was the last cage match I was in. Dougie said, nope. He said, you and me was in one. I said, oh, okay. So. So I really hadn't forgot how to do a cage match. I'm kind of excited about it, you know, if any head bus is going on, I hope it's me busting they.
[00:26:56] Speaker D: Now, Gene, this drops at midnight, right?
[00:26:59] Speaker C: It does.
[00:26:59] Speaker D: So people will hear this. Tommy, that drops at midnight. So people will hear about you tomorrow night, where you're at. That's why I said, where was it going to be tomorrow night? People will hear this.
[00:27:08] Speaker C: They'll jump straight.
[00:27:11] Speaker B: Kentucky Central High.
[00:27:15] Speaker D: Okay, good deal. And where you at Saturday night?
[00:27:18] Speaker B: Prestonsburg, Kentucky. And that's a big one. You know, I'm pretty fired up about it.
[00:27:25] Speaker D: Yeah, I think there's supposed to be one there in about three years. It's gonna be like Wrestlemania. I'm supposed to be booked on.
[00:27:34] Speaker B: Got you some October dates.
[00:27:36] Speaker D: Okay, good deal.
[00:27:37] Speaker C: I got you.
[00:27:37] Speaker D: Yeah, the October. That's what I'm good in. Hey, Gene. But Tommy, we was kind of going back over the uswa. Gene said a lot of people had sent in some stuff about. Remember us talking about you giving your notice and to yourself and you being Randy Hales assistant booker and everything. I think everybody got a big kick out of that. And I don't think we've really said that to Anybody before. But we was just talking about some stuff and Gene said the people really like kind of hearing some of the behind the scenes stories about that time. And then we went ahead like was talking on the power pro stuff when. When you had done one out and. And we had. Randy brought Wolfie in and Tony Anthony in. But it was like I was telling you what was just talking about right before you pop up here and why I said about the like you being in the box. Well, they didn't know. Randy was asking me who could you get and at that point we couldn't get you at that time. So I said I was going back in the history of this territory. And like Gene had just said, he said well Doug, you know what, you don't talk about it much but you and Tony Anthony was a pretty established tag team in this territory. And I said yeah. And I said that's why I told I'd asked Randy. I said well how about Tony Anthony? We couldn't get Tommy. So I said how about Tony Anthony? I said that'd be great. And people, I mean Tony was over here and me and him was kind of established. And I said how about Tony? So Randy wound up getting Tony and. And Tony was great for the tv. And it's what I was telling you Tommy as far as for like I'll say people says it all different ways. I say I've seen bad tv.
You can have good TV or you can have great tv. Now that's just breaking it down to me in three categories as far as being entertaining and good or entertaining and great are just bad. Now you've seen bad tv. I know before I have. I think Gene probably has and I've seen good and I've seen great. But then I was telling like the following week like when he brought Tony and nobody knew Tony was coming in like that day he was in the box. Nobody. What would anybody said? Gene said he was I think in college or high school wonder when you come out of the box. He was the last person that he thought he would say so that's what to me don't you think Tommy? That's what makes TV entertainment.
[00:29:46] Speaker B: Oh and just I mean the ideas from back then was of course Memphis wrestling. I mean and that's where a lot of great ideas come from. I mean a lot of that stuff is before the time. I mean you look and they using some of the stuff today, you know. But y' all was talking about my man Randy Hales. I just want to go back a little bit in Time and say. Say that Randy Hales, when Dougie and me, we had that heat.
He hated us, but he loved us. Cause we drawed money. But he, he, you know, I know he didn't like us. I mean. Cause me and Dougie, I mean like y'. All, y' all were talking about me. Him want me to be the hacks, man, I hacked myself. But I remember one time we was up in Hendersonville and it was Randy Hale's birthday and ready to go, take us out there. We had Evansville, Indiana that night. And so we go down to the steakhouse and we tell them it's Randy's birthday and they put a hat on him, tie balloons around his wrist. He about flo off twice. We had to pull it.
Yeah. But anyway, it was all fine and good, so.
And. And usually, you know. Well, of course, Dougie, I mean, sometimes he might not want to go, but a lot of times it. Me too. But anyway, we left that steakhouse and we. I don't. And I don't even think we was really going to meet anybody. We told Randy we'd see him at Evansville, Indiana.
And we went down to Trent Delane there and there was a Holiday Inn there and an old bar called Chuggers. And we, we set out. We set out in the parking lot. We never did even go into Chuggers. If we went Chuggers, I might have had a reason for not going.
But we sit there and I looked at Dougie, he looked at me and shoot, four at 4 o'. Clock. That's about the latest 4:30. But we looked at each other and we just kept sitting there. Dougie finally looked at me, he said, he said, do you want to go?
I said, what? I said, if you don't want to go, I don't want to go. I said, but I'm gonna fly back to Atlanta if we ain't going. And back then they had a flight out of Nashville about every hour. I said, but we probably do need to go. I mean, we just wish it ready a happy birthday and everything, you know, we was like candy kid. But I guarantee when he got to Evansville, we wasn't there. I bet he was cussing us and calling us everything he could, you know, but yeah, a lot. And hey, Randy was a smart. I mean, for the business. He had good ideas. And like Dougie said before, I mean, if we had something to make it better, he, you know, he would listen. I mean, so it was kind of a mutual thing. But, you know, we had a heck of A run there, you know, I mean, right.
[00:32:27] Speaker D: And you know the, the cool thing and I mean Gene was talking about this and I said about like how long we had to run with pg. I mean you work with different guys during the middle of that they left and went to Mexico. I mean you work with different guys during that period also. But, but Gene, it was like, like Tommy said, I mean it was funny with, with Randy because. And I was laughing. Like I said we all respected Tommy so much and everything. But, but you know, if I had idea I'd tell Tommy then I'd get, I'd tell Randy, come here, I want to talk to you. Me and Tommy want to talk to you. And I'd run what I had. Then Tommy would have something to go along with it. And we put what we had together and we would think and I swear that that whole program, why it was exciting and entertaining and so personal is because we would throw stuff together. Like me and Tommy with Randy would come up with, with some great stuff and me and Tommy would come up with some stuff and, and at times I. Or you would really laugh at Wolfie and Jamie would maybe say a word or two like while me and Randy and Tommy was talking. And if Tommy didn't want to listen, he'd look at him say get. Get out of this man's conversation or, or something like that. But you talking about funny.
And I'd laugh a little bit. And if they had idea and everything, which you know now they was really Randy's boys. Gene. I mean, you know, I mean, and I don't mean that bad and I'm glad we all got. And like me and Tommy was Randy's guys because he knew he could trust us if he ever called us and he needed something and something was going on or something bad like him want Tommy to be his assistant, like I said. And the funny thing, people would never believe this. Like Tommy let about four or five guys go, but that was thing Randy just was a peaceful guy. He didn't want, you know, no turbulence or nothing. And, and there was like four guys or something and he needed to give him a notice and he didn't give him the notice. Well, Tommy become his assistant booker and Tommy wouldn't give him notice. But I mean Tommy does right when you have to do it. Nobody got mad. They got the two week notice, they worked it out and they left.
[00:34:36] Speaker B: I mean, but that way, I mean in any other territory was like that too. And, and, but like talking about PG13, I mean if you'd have Looked at that on paper, it said that would draw money, especially because that was toward the end too. So you really needed something special. If you'd have said on paper, if you looked at that, you might have thought that wouldn't draw a dime. But all, you know, we all worked our butts off. Plus there was a lot of thought into it, and it draw good with Wolfie and Jamie. I mean, they worked their butts off. I mean, it was. It was just a good combination. And we had drawn all the way around the loop and.
[00:35:14] Speaker D: And Gene, that's what Randy had. Has said to me in the past couple months. He said, you know what, Doug? I could tell when I looked at you and Tommy and I told y' all what I wanted y' all to do, that y' all wasn't very enthused with it. And I said, well, what do you mean, Randy? And he said, I remember the first time I told you and Tommy I wanted to put you on a BIG program with PG 13. He said, you and Tommy just kind of looked at me, he said, and I could tell y' all wasn't very enthused with me. And I said, well, I don't think it was. We wasn't enthused with you.
I said, we just might have been trying to think how this was going to get over, how we was going to do the things and come up with the ideas that we did to get this over as good as it got over, because it got over great. I mean, we made the people believe in them, Gene. And that's the thing I think me and Tommy might have at first thought a little bit about what is it going to take to get the people to believe that they can beat us and us make everything, you know, personal, make it personal and, and make the people think they can beat us. And I mean, Tommy, is that kind of.
[00:36:34] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, and it's, you know, and like Dougie said, I mean, they were. They was Randy's creation. PG 13, right. So when the idea come, you know, it was like, you know, that's his guys. And, and, you know, we might have thought we should have been against somebody else. I mean, did they deserve to break? I don't know if they did or not, but they. Once we did, the angle they. They produced every night. And like I said, I mean, we. We draw money around the loop when it was hard to draw money. So, yeah, hats off to Jamie, Wolfie and Randy Hales, man. Yeah, they're boys. But a lot of times, though, I think he kept Them around him so he'd make sure they showed up.
[00:37:20] Speaker D: Well, yeah, and, and that, hey, that's good logic for him and everything. And he made sure they made it to the towns and everything. But now for sure they was his boys. And I'm not saying that is a bad thing. To me, that was a great thing. I'm glad I like them. I'm glad they got over. I'm glad they made the money they made in this business and got the breaks they got in the business and everything. I have been nothing but, but, but anybody say whatever they want about them. We've all done things maybe we shouldn't have, but man, I've had so many good times with those guys and everything. And you know, it's, they're, they're a trip. Me and Tommy. Tommy, I told you before you got on here that me and you would take one with us at different times, but we couldn't ever take both because they wind up.
We could take one, but we couldn't take both of them. It was just a, a one at a time deal and everything. Now we had great times with, with one of them at different times that we take one and we take the other and have great times. But we love both of them.
But, but I mean, you couldn't have them together or it would. I told Tommy, I told you. And hell, we'd have to keep them from fighting if we took both of them with us at the same time.
[00:38:28] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, yeah, they, yeah, they was definitely.
I think that's another reason Randy kept with him. He was like, he was like the mediator, you know, But Randy loved it. But Randy, like I said, Randy had great ideas and where he seen money, we might not have seen it at the time, but it draws money, you know, so.
And, and, and, and you can't say, I mean, Jamie and Wolfie work their butts off every night, you know, I mean, they, they get in there and give it 110% and, and we did. I mean, shoot, we couldn't have no better match anybody. I don't guess right.
[00:39:02] Speaker D: And Tommy, I mean, Gene, we go out there and say on the Thursday, Friday, say any night actually. I mean, they never. Tommy, I can never remember anybody telling us that, that we had to go home or giving us the time. There was never a, you know, I mean, most everybody, they say, well, the show's got to be over this, that there was never a lot of time we had to put in all the time. But, but what I'm saying is nobody, even if we went on last or next to last. It was not a. It was just, y' all do y' all stuff whenever y' all are ready, what you need. But we knew as far as time wise, what, like, if there was a time and you didn't want the show to be late, I mean, we would cut it down a little bit. But I mean, it was nothing, Gene, for any spot shows or anything, for us to go 30, 40 minutes, I mean, tonight and everything.
[00:39:54] Speaker B: And that's what was so cool, too, because you could go out there and go 15, you know, and that's probably what they wanted most of all. Unless. Unless we was a couple of quick matches and they needed us to go. But, you know, you'd go 12, 15 minutes, and that was about enough. But we'd go with Jamie, Wolfie, and they, you know, we'd go 20, 25 minutes, 30, whatever, you know, whatever. Just. And. But. But the matches were good, and it was different every week. I mean, yeah, they, you know, they were. They were very good tag team together.
[00:40:26] Speaker C: Here's something I want to ask both of you guys, because I think this is a key. Having watched it back then and gone back and rewatched it now and kind of analyze things, I think this is a key to. What really made it work and got them over with the fans was it's not like just they jump into a few with you guys and they're beating Doug Gilbert and Tommy Rich. Like, when it started out, it was kind of lopsided. You guys would beat them down and beat them, beat them. You shave their head. But they kept coming back. They kept coming back, they kept persevering. But if, if. If it. Most of the fans by this time were smart enough that if they just. They got thrown in the feud with y' all and immediately out of the gate, they start beating you guys. They'd be like, oh, the promoter over here is, you know, pushing his boys or whatever. But the way you guys did it. So what I guess what I'm asking was that you guys were smart enough to kind of book it that way. Was Randy, or was it just a conglomeration of all of you just knew this is how this needs to go?
[00:41:20] Speaker B: Well, and. And a lot of that is Dougie and myself, I mean, and Randy, but I mean, like, we'd give them the spots in the beginning, but then we would kick dog stink out of them, and then we'd slip on a banana peel and they. And then people would go crazy. You know, Everybody Loves Good vs Evil, and Doug and me were some pretty good heels back then. And, you know, and they loved, you know, and I don't think they would believe them just beating the daylights out of us where we beat them up for 10 minutes or 15 minutes, whatever it took to get it right. Then when they did make the tag and we come in and got into whatever it was we did, we slipped on that banana peel and they got the three count. I mean, the people went crazy, you know, I mean, it's. It's kind of like a Davey and Goliath thing, I guess. But the people. The people bought what we were selling, that's for sure.
[00:42:09] Speaker D: And Gene, the thing about it was what you just said about it didn't start out with them beating us. Me and Tommy, we beat them. Beat on them. And I ain't saying just beat them like as. As far as finishes and match. I'm talking about just during the match we would actually beat on them. And I mean, we wouldn't kill him or nothing. But believe me, everything was solid and the people knew that. That, you know, that everything was real. And. And we was. I mean, we was beating them and.
[00:42:40] Speaker B: The people could tell.
[00:42:41] Speaker D: But that.
[00:42:41] Speaker B: What does that do?
[00:42:42] Speaker D: That. Cause gets. Gets them sympathy stuff that Tommy talks about that there's not any hardly anymore. But it got sympathy on them and the people freaking started buying them. And the more that we would beat them and. And it would make the people believe in them and make them think even though we was beating them, it would make the people think they were stronger because they was actually standing there with us. And the finishes like Tommy said that we did and came up with. And we'd come up with different finish. And like I said, me and Tommy ride down the road, which. And the good thing is is Randy thought we finished stuff all the time too. But me and Tommy, when we was riding down the road together every day, every other day, I mean, it's every day we'd ride down the road. But say every day or every other day we'd talk about different finishes and stuff and we'd come up with finishes. Randy would have finishes. A lot of time we would throw those finishes together and they would really be good and everything. Or Tommy might have one that was better than all of ours. And I'd say, let's do this, Randy, and knock on wood. Randy would usually. Hell, I'd say 90% of the time, go with what we thought, wouldn't it?
[00:43:42] Speaker B: Time? Yeah. I mean, it was just, you know, the camaraderie or whatever. You say, you know, I mean, because. And. And I think. And probably that's a jack. Of course I knew Jamie. I pierced his ear when he was five years old. So I've known. And. And see, there you go again, getting into the more personal angles and stuff because me and Bill had been partners and like I said, we pierced his ear. Yeah. When he was five years old. I took a pin, we stuck it.
Less is hard. If anything wrong would it probably buy the Bill's fault. Yeah, but, you know, so. So we had that, you know, bond, I mean, and. And Doug and myself, I mean, you know, sometimes. Sometimes you might think this ain't gonna do good, but you take pride in what you're doing and so you want to make it good. And then once we worked with them a little bit, the. It all. It all just came together and it all worked good. And no, you know, nobody had no chip on their shoulder. Nobody thought Andre the Giant. I mean, it was all business and they would do whatever you asked to do. I had to say they did it all.
[00:44:48] Speaker D: And that's what Tommy. I. I had told Gene and I actually told Randy Hills a few weeks ago. This when he was talking to me when he said that about. Well, the first time he told me and you that he wanted us to be in a big angle with them, that he could tell we weren't very enthused. And I said, I don't think it was so much that Randy. We was just trying to figure out how we was going to make it as good as we could make it. But then Jamie, Wolfie on the other hand, like I said, and Randy had his plans for him, and I'm glad he did and I'm glad things worked out. But like I said, it made the people believe if me and Tommy did any one thing.
I think we all. I think they trusted us because they knew it wasn't an ego thing with Tommy, with me and with them, it wasn't. Randy knew we was going to do what was best for business and everything, but me and Tommy was trying to do what would be best to get them over to draw money because they hadn't been put in a spot before Gene where they were supposed to be the baby Faces to draw money. Now, Tommy had been in that spot his whole life in Atlanta as far as baby face didn't come back here as a heel and be red hot as could be and everything. But we knew we was going to have to get them over because at this point in time, they. And I don't Mean this bad. But they wasn't at that level to really draw money that Randy was putting them in. And that's where we was going to have to get them ready to draw money. And I'm not saying nothing about their work. Their work was great. But you know what I'm saying, right Tommy? I mean they hadn't been putting at that level.
[00:46:26] Speaker B: And it's. And it, and that's. And that's exactly it. And, and if there was, I mean like, like I said, that's when, you know, that was on the backside when it was getting harder to draw money. And Dougie myself, I mean, I speak for me, but I think Dougie will agree.
I mean we took pride in what we did, you know, I mean it didn't matter if it were 50 people out there or if it was a sold out Coliseum. We'd go out there and bust our butts every night because we had pride in what we did. And I think if it was anything, it was just that we wasn't sure about drawing that we could draw money with them or you know, me and like could you bring somebody else in, Randy? But, but as it ended up, I mean they, they wanted to impress us as much as we wanted them to.
They, they up there, they up their game. They went from say 50 to 75 or 100, whatever, you know, and their game because of respect for us, I think too because they, you know, I mean they, they both, I mean anything we ask them to do, never, you know, Jamie could be smart every now and then. It never was. I mean, yeah, we always good and.
[00:47:41] Speaker D: And Jean Thomas talking about, you know, you know, we didn't care and we wanted to help. I mean look, and you know, size wise and everything when all this started. But it wound up, if you look during this program, it wound up where I would fade in and freaking let of all things Jamie like, like power slam me. Stuff that you could never. And then all of a sudden Tommy start feeding and letting Jamie Pyre slam him. And the people would go freaking crazy. Gene. I mean it was stuff that you didn't think and they didn't think he could do and everything. But I mean me and Tommy knew how to work so we could. He wouldn't really have to be lifting us. But it looked like he done lift us and pyre slammed us and everything. And the people, but they started believing, you know, when they seen that at first. And like I said, we beat them. Beat him, beat him the whole time. We'd beat him a lot as far as during the heat. And it looked like we was killing, but it made the people buy them and it made them stronger. I mean, nothing we did hurt them. Everything we did helped them and they sure didn't hurt us anyway. We could put them on. And that's what Tommy was saying about the finishes. I mean, you do your finishes right, and as far as if you're a good heel, me and Tommy put them over, then get heat back on after matches and leave with more heat after we put them over than we had when we come to the ring.
[00:49:01] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:49:02] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, we did. We did better when we lost. I mean, we would get. People just, you know, they hated us and, and there again, I mean, and, and, but, you know, they, Jamie and Wolfie, they didn't get attitude like, well, they just beating the daylights out of us or something. Yeah, they. So like Jerry Jarrett, like Jerry Jarrett taught me to sell. They would sell that way. It's one thing to be a job guy. Just go in there, get your ass whooped, you know, but, but, but. And that's what helped me on in Atlanta. You know, I. Sometimes they say, well, do this or do that.
And, But I'd say, well, if I go out there and just die. So you, if you fight back and show them people that you, you know, everybody loves the underdog. And Jamie and Wolfie both, I mean, they both. I mean, they're, you know, it. It didn't matter because they knew what was the end was going to be. They knew, you know, they was going to get a little shine in. But the main thing was that the people believed what they were doing.
[00:50:05] Speaker D: They believe what they were saying. And you know, another thing, I think that helps so much, Gene. I mean, me and Tommy could do some.
Put them over or something. And, and the whole thing. Anything mean. I remember if we beat them or we put them over, whatever, we would cheat, lie, steal whatever it was for TV or in the house shows, and we do it behind the referee's back. Me and Tommy talked about this for a little bit now. Now, nobody does anything behind the referee's back, but I mean, if you was a heel then, and you kept good heat and didn't put the heat on the referee, kept it on yourself. I mean, that's kind of a lost art these days, Gene. And, and, I mean, but me and Tommy was talking about different things like that, but there's so many simple things that I think we made the most out of everything that we did. And I think that helped them and helped us. And one of the main things I think really helped us was there. There was no ego. Like, I mean, me and Tommy would talk to Randy and them on the phone, and they'd be with Randy and. And they. Randy tell us the idea this or that. Like Tommy might, like, like I said, might say one. And we get off the phone and we think about it. And I said, man, tell me I like what you said or I like what Randy said. What about if we'd done that and then put this in there with it? And, man, you would really come up with some. You know, with three or four guys thinking. And the good thing, Wolfie and Jamie even thought a lot about it. And every once in a while they would have something great. But now a lot of times they'd have something off the wall also. But. But.
[00:51:36] Speaker B: But.
[00:51:37] Speaker D: I mean, but we was all thinking and we wanted to do good. Like I said, they had just. That was the first time for them to be put in that spot where they were supposed to draw money, where they had actually, I say, had to draw money or it made us all look bad. And me and Tommy had to figure out how to make that work and see.
[00:51:57] Speaker B: And I think, too, you know, I mean, it was like Dougie. Dougie don't really made a reputation for himself. I'd made a reputation for myself.
They, like Dougie said, they might have been semi, but not main event, but. But in my mind, I think that the people. The people. And like Dougie said, like, we would cheat. You know, we'd get a chain out, we'd do this. That. I think in the people's mind, that that made him mad too, because I think they looked at us and thought, well, y' all ought to be able to beat them up and y' all gotta cheat to do it, right. I think that a lot of heat, too. And draw, thank, draw.
[00:52:35] Speaker D: And here's one thing, Gene, that I think me and Tommy might have looked at at the first. After Randy says this, and I think about it now, you got to realize me and Tommy was coming off of working with Lawler and Dundee, Lawler and Brian Lawler and Idol. And then Randy tells us, I'm gonna put y' all in a serious program with PG 13.
And I mean no disrespect, because I love Jamie, Wolfie, and I'm glad. I think this angle got them over like it did. And I mean, I think. I know it helped them anyway, but I think it really got them over and it made the people believe in them. I think this is the first Program as far as me and Tommy now they work with other guys and program stuff, but the program that made the people actually believe in them I think is.
[00:53:28] Speaker B: Oh, and I agree with that because I mean, like, I mean they. After we worked with them, they went from uswa as pg 13 to different areas and draw some money. Yeah, I, I mean, I, I'm a firm believer. I mean, you know, was it a match made in heaven? I don't know, but we turned it into heaven, you know, I mean, I think it, you know, at the end of the day, I think they did a great job. I think we did a great job. I think Randy Hills did a great job.
I might have scratched my heads a couple of times when Randy suggested it, you know, but that's. Cause I knew Jamie when he was a little kid, you know, I mean, it's. He grew up and I think there again, I think all of that people knew that we grew up just like me and Dougie grew up. I knew, you know, of course, Wolfie. I never knew Wolfie that good. I know he's a good friend of yours, Gene. I'm trying not to say nothing bad about him because I me like Randy would.
[00:54:26] Speaker C: You know.
[00:54:27] Speaker B: Oh, are you still here? I'm sorry.
[00:54:29] Speaker C: Something, something people may overlook or not understand, you know, and you said this earlier and you said, you know, what a knock and it's not, but like you had this hierarchy in Memphis and so you had Lawler, Jeff Jarrett, Brian Christopher and these people up at the top. But at this time, Randy was apparently smart enough to see, well, Lawler's, you know, back and forth at wwf. Jeff's just flat gone. The WWF Brian's going to be mostly in singles, upper level singles matches. Somebody had to rise up over here to fill those voids and if it could be a home hometown team, if he ain't gotta pull somebody from another territory in and pay a bunch of money to trans them in here and all this stuff. If you guys can raise PG13 up to your level and make them main event stars, then, I mean, that says a lot to me about the faith he had in you guys. That they're like, hey, I know everybody's gonna roll their eyes at this point. First, I'm sure when Lawler heard it, Lawler's like, yeah, all right, you're gonna put them in them. Okay, whatever.
[00:55:26] Speaker B: I bet Lawler snickered.
[00:55:28] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah.
I've heard Randy say that it, that he was determined to make this work because so many people. And I'm sure He's referring to the Jerry's. Lawler and Jarrett both told him, like, it. No, it's never gonna happen. It's never gonna happen. And you guys all got together and made it happen.
[00:55:44] Speaker B: And two, like you said. I mean, it wasn't like. Like we said was on the back end of the business then. And. And you couldn't bring, you know.
You know. You know, tag team was out there, and they. And they wouldn't go, pack up, move. So they had to be on a guarantee. So Randy took. You know, Randy took a situation, and what was a bad situation, he took. Made a good situation out of it. Yeah. I'm proud to say we work for PG13, draw money, you know, and me, too.
[00:56:13] Speaker D: And I can say one thing. Me, Tommy and Jamie Wolf, you're all friends. Friends to this day.
And. And, man, I love watching some of that stuff. And the cool thing is a little bit of it. I don't remember just watching it back, man. I. I told Randy Hills one day, and I've told Tommy this before I watch something, I'll call one in and say, man, that was freaking good. I can't believe I didn't remember. I mean, there's certain spots of it that I don't remember. But I mean, when I watch it back, I think, damn, that's a lot better. Which I think used to.
Like, me and Tommy told you before, we. We. I don't say we overthought it, but we want everything to be so good. Because when you're making guarantees, you got. You're thinking so much about that night, whatever night it is, about that town drawing. And once me and Tommy would leave that town, well, then what we're thinking about, we're gonna go out and have a good time that night. But then we're thinking about that next night and that town drawing, what we're doing, drawing money. And that's what I think a lot of people don't realize, you know, that they think what is our minds on? Or, like, it's all just fun and. And everything. But you're thinking when you're in situations like me and Tommy was, and. And here, then, I mean, you got to think about it, and you got to think about next week, what you're doing. And like I said, that's. Me and Tommy throw ideas around. Randy Hills is thinking his stuff. And then, like, during midweek, he would talk to us about Wednesday night or something, say, hey, this is what I'm thinking.
Y' all got anything that y' all would like to add to this or you think would help. And then like I said, we'd get together and after we'd leave Evansville or something, we'd start talking about different things and we'd get with Randy like on Friday. But I mean there's so many different things. If we, we like if we went on here week through week of that, that angle, that, that feud, man, they some cool stuff through there.
[00:58:03] Speaker B: And, and, and see at that time, I mean you look around, you look around, that's when Territories were starting to shut down too. Oh, territories were shutting down. So. And we had our, I had our guarantee.
Maybe we grew up a little bit, matured, whatever. But job security plus, you know, was right there in our backyard. I mean, so, so, so we wanted it to work. And like I said at first, you know, I might not have been on board all the way, but at the end of the day, you know, like Doug said, we'd ride and say, well what can we do? You know? And I mean. And we just come up with some stuff and Jamie and them ever now like Dougie said, a lot of times, some of it be off the wall, but sometimes some of it would stick too, you know. So it was a. And just like I said, with the territories around you shutting down and stuff and you still going around drawing some decent money, I mean we might not been selling everything out, but we sure drawn a lot better than everybody else was.
[00:59:05] Speaker D: Yeah. And I mean Gene, during that time everybody else had done closed. We was the last other than the big two that was still running territorial weekly nightly towns and everything. And you got to realize. And me and Tommy and we laugh about this and say this and Jamie and Wolfie listen to it and shake their head. But now Jamie and Wolfie was still kind of kids at that time too. At this. When Randy Hills first got him on there, I was really young kids. So I mean that's, that was another thing. I mean and you know, people says and like I said, and I sure don't mean no disrespect because I respect Jamie, Wolfie and everything. But what I guess when Randy was saying to me and what I guess me and Tommy might have been looking at was and the people at first I looked at. But, but I think it's what made them believe in PG13 was because they seen me and Tommy wrestle Lauren Dundee at the Coliseum at Louisville Gardens the night the weeks before Lawler and Idol or Lawler and Brian. And then you, Randy puts this hard solid program with me and Tommy and PG but that's when I said, and I don't remember me and Tommy really looking at him funny. It just might have been an expression on her face or something. But he said that to me a couple weeks ago and I laughed. I said, randy, I don't think it was that. And he said, well, I remember you and Tommy looking at me like y' all weren't very happy.
[01:00:25] Speaker C: I'm sure that was in his head. I'm sure short of you guys jumping up and down clapping, he was going to say, yeah, they're not happy about it. You know, that's just, he already just assumed that was going to be your thoughts, you know.
[01:00:35] Speaker B: Well, when I seen him come out with them hubcaps and a chain, that hubcap around that neck, you know, I did scratch my head a little bit like, what in the world is that? But they were like blue eyed soul boys. I mean, everybody loved them, you know, I mean, I mean, you go down to Beale street or something, Everybody knew who PG13 was.
[01:00:56] Speaker D: Yeah.
[01:00:58] Speaker B: So they, they drawed, you know, they drawed really good.
White, black, pink, whatever color, it didn't matter. But you know, but like I said, they were blue eyed soul boys. I mean, black folks like them, white folks liked them. And I think that was what, what made him good too because they got over with everybody and, and Gene, what.
[01:01:17] Speaker D: What'S so cool about this now? I mean, this totally different. But listen, before Tommy, before you holler at me. But when Tommy went, when Tommy went to Atlanta, he was a young white me baby face that people could get behind the sympathy. Well, Jamie and Wolfie was little compared to us little young kids that when me and Tommy beat on, they could get behind them. Yeah. And, and, and everything. And you know, if you kind of look at that, I mean, like Tommy said, what was cool, their gimmick was so, you know, kind of the rapper type deal and everything. So different people would get behind them. But, but it really got over. And like I said, I mean it was a pleasure, the program. And like I said, there was no, there was no big heads to me. That's the thing. And everybody was trustworthy. We didn't have to worry about. Randy didn't. I think that was a good thing that, that also helped him out. He knew that he could call me and Tommy and ask us whatever and we'd tell him if he needed something, he'd call me and Tommy, we'd come where he was at if he needed something. But he knew he didn't have to worry about Jamie and Wolfie, because they was his creation and he could trust me in Tommy. So, you know, it wasn't going to be there. There was never. There was never one argument about, you know, how people don't do finishes and this and that or something. I don't ever remember there being an argument except us playing with one another, arguing with them and, And.
[01:02:41] Speaker B: And like, you know, it ain't nobody ever had all their matches good. And I'm sure that we had a bad match or two in. In that mock. But nobody ever.
It wasn't like, well, you did this and you didn't do that.
It was. It was a joint effort. We all. And we just sit down and say, hey, we need to do this next time. And it wasn't. Yeah, it wasn't no egos. I mean, it was all. It was strictly business. I mean, and. And I think they wanted to make money, too. They knew if it drew, they'd make money. And I think it was out of respect for us, too, because they knew we'd work with Lawler and I'd work with Bill. Me and Bill been tag team partners. Dougie worked with Bill.
I mean, you know, it's kind of like a family tradition there.
You know, I was the only one outside looking in. And of course, the Gilbert took me in his family and. And, you know, Jamie, Wolfie were like brothers. I mean, so, you know, it was just. Just Memphis territory was great, but the personal angles, I think, was what really made it rock and roll.
[01:03:39] Speaker C: Well, we didn't end up talking about Power Pro, but we had a really fun discussion. It's something people have been wanting to hear about. So I.
I think it's good sometimes when we come in and just go off the script and just let the conversation goes where it may. So.
[01:03:54] Speaker D: Oh, yeah, Gina. And one of the. Just one of the stories. There's many other stories. We'll talk about this whole another episode. But the. One of the stories me and Tommy took. What Tommy. Wasn't it Jamie that we took with us at night, or was it Wolfie? When we went up to Kentucky and we just called the guy that was on the radio station, there was a. They was promoting condos, and it was a new deal being opened. And. And Tommy said, let's go there. And I said, hell, I don't think it's open. But they had the number. So I said, here, Tommy. And I give Tommy the cell phone. I said, call this guy and tell him who you are. So he. Tommy called him and told him who he was, and Said that I was with him and we wanted to come and stay in. The place wasn't even open yet, Jim.
[01:04:31] Speaker B: No, it was shut down, man. They brought us in. I think it might have been Jamie and Wolfie. Both might have went there.
But anyway, we went and what? There was a lake there. I mean, it was.
[01:04:45] Speaker D: Yeah.
[01:04:45] Speaker B: Really? Yeah. I mean, we did. Yeah.
Hung out the whole day. Had a great time, of course, but nobody there. So, you know, we had a lot of fun. I mean, you know, the.
[01:04:56] Speaker D: The guy. The guy give us a condo, Gene, to stay in for the night. And it was just one of them. I think it was. I think it might have been Wolf at this time. It won both them. Of them. But he wound up. They had a race car track where you. You know those cars that would slide sideways around the track. He had one of them and he said, I'm gonna tell you what, I'm gonna let y' all three race and I've got a trophy for the winner. And Tommy wound up winning the trophy. But we raced and he let us go like 30 or 40 laps around this racetrack.
[01:05:26] Speaker B: I'm gonna tell you what, I'm gonna tell you what. By the time we got done racing, my legs was wore out for me. Tried to outrun.
[01:05:35] Speaker D: And. And the cool thing we got there, and it was in the middle of the country and we was hungry and Tommy had some beer, but we didn't have no food. I asked the guy, I said, you don't have a restaurant there? You. Which I didn't realize this place was closed down. He said, well, yeah, I've got a little store up here that I make pizza. So he opens the store up, turns the lights on. Now, this is after midnight, and makes us a pizza pizza, like a large or two large pizzas, and we carry them and he. We try to give him some money. He won't take no money. He's a huge wrestling fan. We go out, we go to a condo.
We walk out in front of that lakes there. We go around and pick up wood. Gene and we build us a campfire out in front of that condo. We sit out there and eat pizza and drink beer and have a good time. You talking about. That's just. I mean, just us riding down the road, listen to the radio and hear a phone number and us call people. That's just. That's the way things was.
[01:06:31] Speaker B: But that.
But that's guys getting along on the road together now. I mean, and there was some that went their own separate ways. I mean, but hell, we'd pile up, you know, I mean, because we all got along good. I mean it's like the Memphis Mafia, man. You know, we, we'd ride, we'd ride five in a car if we had to. You know, we didn't, we didn't care because if we all got along good.
[01:06:52] Speaker D: Together, well, didn't have to worry about nobody telling on nobody.
[01:06:56] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
[01:06:59] Speaker C: Well, guys, I guess we're getting to the end. We want to thank the owner, founder and president of Wildfire Championship Wrestling, Tommy Rich for joining us here all the way from Kentucky.
How's the weather up there, Tommy?
[01:07:12] Speaker B: Hey, it's nice.
Well, Richard Rich, he, he, he's, he's the owner. I'm not no owner. I'm. I'm just praying is all I am.
[01:07:20] Speaker D: No, no, no hygiene. What Gene's talking about is, that's what Randy Hill says. He is the owner. What is the Gene?
[01:07:29] Speaker C: The owner, founder and president of Power Pro Wrestling. That's how he always introduced himself on tv.
[01:07:34] Speaker D: So, yeah, and I told Gene, I said, well, that may be what I said. Well, I ain't sure what Tommy's title is. If he's the vice president or the president or the.
The. And Gene said, no, he's the owner. The what? Is Gene the owner?
[01:07:49] Speaker C: Owner, founder and president. Because we gotta outdo Randy. If Randy hears that, you're gonna have heat.
[01:07:53] Speaker B: Because he's like, I'm the only owner, founder, president.
[01:07:56] Speaker C: You get a hateful phone call, you're still in his gimmick.
[01:07:59] Speaker B: Actually, actually, I've got the same job Randy gave me. I'm the assistant booker and fire people.
[01:08:06] Speaker D: You the hatchet man?
[01:08:07] Speaker B: Yeah, I'm the hatchet man.
[01:08:09] Speaker C: That's pretty good because you can't get mad at Tommy, Doug, you know what I mean? Doug's, I mean, Tommy's one of those people like you've heard said that. He's the kind of guy I can tell you to go to hell in a way that make you look forward to the trip. That's, that's Tommy.
[01:08:21] Speaker B: I don't know about all that, but you know, it was just business back then too. And I mean notice, I mean, it's, you know, I mean we had, we left territories and sometimes we not even got a two week notice.
This business.
Hey, Wildfire Championship wrestling this weekend. Frenchburg, Kentucky.
Prestonburg, Kentucky, Saturday night. Frenchburg's Friday night. Hey, if y' all up in the area or y' all want to make a drive and see some heck of a wrestling and we'll be there for a big meet and greet. Y' all come on out, man. And hey, I'm sorry I was late, but hey, I'm glad I made it.
[01:09:01] Speaker D: Hey, hey, listen, everybody up there in Kentucky, go see Wildfire Fire Championship Wrestling. See my partner, Wildfire, Tommy Rich, and a lot of other superstars that'll be up there this weekend. Listen, y' all support Wildfire Wrestling because it's one of the hottest promotions out there. Listen. We appreciate everybody for listening and tell all your friends and if you need anything from me and Tommy, just shoot the stuff to Gene and we'll get with you. Me and Tommy can come for appearances, for wrestling matches, for parties, like Tommy says, for anything. But listen. Peace. Thanks, everybody for listening.
Relive the glory days of Memphis wrestling.
[01:09:49] Speaker B: With the Retro Wrestling Review USWA Podcast.
[01:09:52] Speaker D: Each week we go back in time.
[01:09:54] Speaker B: To review USWA Championship Wrestling from the.
[01:09:56] Speaker D: 1990S, episode by episode. Join us for watch alongs, behind the scenes stories and exclusive interviews with people.
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[01:10:22] Speaker A: In the heart of Tennessee on Friday Doug and Tommy taking rings in stride Memphis legends never backing down Wrestling warriors they wear the crown.
[01:10:43] Speaker D: You.
[01:10:44] Speaker A: Scurry away Glory in their veins.
[01:10:50] Speaker D: Fighting.
[01:10:50] Speaker A: Legends break in chains in the square circle they made their name Podcast champions it's their claim to fame on the map they roar on the map they sold dangerous conversations Fans wanting more gas kings ruling the waves Memphis wrestling raising the stadium from title belts to hall of fame Doug and Tommy carved the name Fists of fury and hearts of gold Every story, every fight retold Tales of glory laughed and cry Tennessee warriors with hearts open wide now in the ring on the air Legends living without a care on the m they roar on the map they saw dangerous conversations Fans wanting more gas chains away if it's wrestling raising the stage.
