EDITOR’S NOTE: Jeremiah Plunkett writes a weekly column SlamWrestling.net, where he offers up stories of his travels in “Journeyman Journals with Jeremiah.”
After an off week, it was time to get back on the road. I still haven’t figured out whether time off is good for my body or if I’m better off staying active and keeping myself callused to the ring. Either way, just one week away had me itching to slide on the boots again. With two opportunities to step into the squared circle, it’s time to load up.
Friday, November 15 – NWA Kross Fire Wrestling
By mid-day Friday, I had the wheels rolling toward Kross Fire Wrestling’s “Night of Murdoch” in Maryville, TN. Kross Fire Wrestling is an NWA territorial promotion run by Kenzie and Kylie Paige, alongside their family. The Paiges’ family has a long history in East Tennessee wrestling. I vividly remember wrestling for their dad, Tommy Henry, back in 2012. Now seeing Kenzie and Kylie take over the family business and watching the hard work they put into making it their own is incredible. If you’ve ever seen them in the ring, you know they’re naturals, and I’m betting that talent and hard work will lead to success far beyond performing.
The evening kicked off with a Trevor Murdoch seminar, where I was pulled off the bench to referee training matches. It’s always cool to take that role and watch matches develop from a different perspective. A lot of guys in my generation broke into the business by refereeing, but that’s job I never had. It’s fun when I get to put the stripes on—but I don’t plan on making a second career out of it.
My opponent for the night was Hunter Drake, a young, incredibly athletic wrestler who fans of NWA Powerrr will remember from our Fatal Four-Way at Back to the Territories. That night, I walked away with the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship, but I didn’t eliminate Hunter, so this match practically booked itself.
The Bird and the Book Tavern, KFW’s venue, was packed, and the fans were loud. East Tennessee loves Hunter Drake, and he came ready to either fly or fight—whichever got the job done. I’ll spare the details since the match was taped for Title Match Network, but I can tell you this much: Miss Teeny didn’t change hands. That said, I don’t think Hunter is ready to be finished with me just yet.
After our match, I got to sit back and take in the rest of the show. Watching the behind-the-scenes effort—from cameras to commentary to production—was a great reminder of how much work goes into running a quality promotion. Once the night wrapped, I said my goodbyes and hit the road back home.
Saturday, November 16 – Tennessee All-Pro Wrestling
After just a few hours of sleep, I was up early for a 9 a.m. gym session. A good lower-body workout, some cardio on the Death-scalator (aka the Stair Master), and 20 minutes in the sauna later, and it’s time to clean up and get the car rolling.
By evening, I was on my way to Morrison, TN, for Tennessee All-Pro Wrestling. If I had a home promotion, TAPW would be it. I’ve been wrestling for TAPW since 2010-11 when it was promoted by Richard “Daddy Mac” McDaniel and Lee “Uncle Byf” Byford. Now, the show is run by Greg McDaniel, Richard’s son. That’s two nights in a row working for second-generation promoters. Is it a sign I’m getting old?
Tonight’s opponent was Majestic, a young talent from the FXE Academy in Hendersonville, TN, where I briefly coached. This was our first time sharing a ring, but I was impressed. Majestic has a natural physical charisma and doesn’t beg the crowd for cheers—a pet peeve of mine.
The crowd in Morrison was lively and accepting of Majestic. I’d stirred up some heat in my last visit, which I’m sure didn’t help my case. Majestic held his own, especially for someone so early in their journey, and I’ll be keeping an eye on where his path takes him next, but confidence doesn’t win championships, and at the end of the night, Miss Teeny was still firmly in my possession.
After some pre-tapes, laughs, and goodbyes, I packed up and made the late-night drive home.
With the end of 2024 approaching, I’m looking forward to wrapping up my wrestling calendar, spending the holidays with family, and seeing what challenges the new year holds.
Thanks for riding along. Until next time.
RELATED LINKS
- Tennessee All-Pro Wrestling links: Facebook * X
- NWA Kross Fire Wrestling kinks: Facebook * Instagram * X
- NWA LinkTree
JEREMIAH PLUNKETT LINKS
- Jeremiah Plunkett story and column archive
- Jeremiah Plunkett socials via LinkTree
