EDITOR’S NOTE: Jeremiah Plunkett writes a weekly column SlamWrestling.net, where he offers up stories of his travels in “Journeyman Journals with Jeremiah.”
Journal Entry 12/7/2024
After six days at The Most Magical Place on Earth, it feels incredible to be back on the road for professional wrestling! I love my breaks and am forever grateful to my wife for insisting we take vacations (considering I didn’t take a single one from 2005-2016). But as much as I enjoy the downtime, I feel my true place is out on the road and inside the ring—at least for as long as the ol’ meat suit holds up.
This week brought me back to my unofficial home promotion, Tennessee All-Pro Wrestling (TAPW) in Morrison, Tennessee. With such a short travel distance, it’s an easy week for the schedule, which is always nice.
TAPW is gearing up for its big “Morrison Mayhem” event on December 21, where I’ll be defending the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship. This puts them on the fast track to building hype for that show, and it’s exciting to be part of the process.
I usually like to get to TAPW shows early to catch up with the boys and lend a hand where needed. TAPW is in a state of transition right now, shifting from being a typical weekly local promotion to focusing on improving production value and strengthening its social media presence. The goal is to grow attendance and increase the overall value of the brand. I love being around for the brainstorming and discussions about how to make those goals a reality. The TAPW crew is one of the hardest-working groups I’ve encountered. Their effort is second to none.
Before the show, I had the chance to help with some in-ring training. Coaching has always been a passion of mine, and I genuinely enjoy breaking down the nuts and bolts of the craft, especially for beginners. So much gets lost over time—things like safety, footwork, and timing. Being able to give back in even the smallest way, by focusing on those fundamentals, is something I don’t take for granted.
My history as a coach goes back a ways. From 2009 to 2012, I worked as an assistant coach under Dutch Mantell, Chase Stevens, and Jeff Daniels, helping run their training classes. In 2014, I took over at the House of Pain Wrestling Academy in Lewisburg, TN, when Shane Morton was injured. I coached there until 2015, when I had to step away due to my own injury. From 2018 to 2021, I was the head coach for the beginner’s course at the Tried-N-True Academy, where I had the privilege of helping shape talents like Big Strong Mims, Rush Freeman, Magic Jake, and others you’ve likely seen on NWA programming. While I miss coaching, it’s a huge time commitment, and with my own career still rolling, it’s something I’ve put on hold for the time being.
As for tonight’s event, I found myself in the main event: an eight-man tag team match. My team—Gregory McDaniel, Drew Weatherby, Matt Starr, and I—took on Tyler Thorn, LBK, Mr. Yay, and Shawn Hurley. It’s wild to look at that lineup and see how many connections I have with these guys.
Drew was just a kid running around ringside back when I wrestled for his dad, TJ Weatherby, at NWA Southern All-Star Wrestling (2011-14). Gregory McDaniel was the mischievous little kid hanging out at Fusion Tradition Wrestling when his dad, Daddy Mac, and I were working there from 2009-2011, before becoming TAPW when his dad took over and rebranded.. Tyler Thorn’s father, Chris (“Papa Thorn”), and I worked together for years. Shawn Hurley broke in with his dad, “Juggernaut” John Hurley, at Farron Fox’s NWA New South where I was working in 2015. And then there’s Matt Starr, who, along with his twin brother Nate, debuted at NWA SAW in 2012 wrestling Drew Haskins and me before moving on to Bert Prentice‘s USA Championship Wrestling. It’s a unique feeling to now share the ring with guys I’ve watched grow up, and even wilder that we’re doing it now inside promotions they are running.
The TAPW crowd was hot tonight. Despite three competing shows and two local Christmas parades, the turnout was respectable, and the energy was electric.
Eight-man tags like this can be a blast, and tonight’s was no exception. The action moved non-stop, both in and out of the ring, leaving poor Adam the referee struggling to keep up. In true Memphis wrestling fashion, the match ended in chaos when Shawn Hurley scored a quick roll-up on McDaniel—his opponent for Morrison Mayhem. But Hurley’s celebration was short-lived, as he found himself on the receiving end of a brutal trio of piledrivers, leaving him lying motionless to close the match.
On top of everything else, I had a surprise reunion tonight. A former student of mine from the House of Pain Wrestling Academy was in the crowd. She’s looking to return to the ring and asked if I could help knock off some of the ring rust. Stay tuned—you might see some coaching updates in the near future!
After the show, we wrapped things up with a special moment. It was Tyler Thorn’s birthday, so we celebrated with cake and a round of “Happy Birthday” before heading our separate ways.
With a short drive home, this week in wrestling comes to a close. Just a couple more dates left to finish out 2024, and then it’s on to 2025!
Until next time, my friends, stay well.
Yours in wrestling,
Jeremiah Plunkett
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