[1995-11-26-SMW-Thanksgiving Thunder] Ricky Morton & The Thugz vs Robert Gibson & Heavenly Bodies

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

The body of the previous night's match was better, but this one was still fun and had a more satisfying finish. Plus, it was the end of SMW. Again, the Morton/Gibson interaction isn't nearly as played up as it should be. Morton pins Gibson to win the match for his team, and we end with all six wrestlers from both teams taking turns beating up Cornette, which is lots of fun, but happens in front of such a small crowd that it is -- quite simply -- time to move on. Unless '94 is better, the last year of SMW was the best year of SMW. And with that, the Little Promotion That Could closes shop. Godspeed.

[Tim Evans]

RIP SMW. The finish to this was a little weird. Who was the guy that joined the other 5 in attacking Cornette?

[FLIK]

Morton pins Gibson to win the match for his team

When exactly did Morton turn heel & split up with Gibson?

[Tim Evans]

Gibson turned heel after Morton no showed and was fired/quit. I think they were going to turn the RNR's to feud with the Thugz until Morton left.

[PeteF3]

No subterfuge with the sheet this time--it's Ricky Morton underneath, to another squealing crowd pop. This match isn't as good as the previous night's, but it's still a competent match done by 6 professionals despite the state of the company. Cornette accidentally hits Gibson with the racket and Morton gets the pin, and all 6 wrestlers (plus Buddy Landell) gang up on Cornette afterward. Mark Curtis gets credit for the last pin in SMW history, a spot that wasn't by accident--Curtis was as responsible for anyone for making SMW go, and he gets a just reward in the end. We get a nice little post-credits scene with the Bodies heeling it up one more time, as they tease beating up on Cornette some more before deciding to help him back to the locker (though both guys visibly fight the urge to clobber him while he's hugging their partner). Fare thee well, SMW. You weren't as good at the end as USWA-TX was in '90, but you'll be missed all the same.

 

If I had to rank the years in order, I think I'd go '94, '93, '95, and '92. But it was a remarkably consistent promotion considering the era and budget Cornette had to work with.