Journeyman Journals: Rekindling the fire!

EDITOR’S NOTE: We are pleased to welcome Jeremiah Plunkett to SlamWrestling.net, where he will be offering up a column we are calling “Journeyman Journals with Jeremiah.”

Journal Entry – 10/20/2024

This week’s journey takes us to my home territory, NWA Joe Cazana Promotions – Southeast (NWA JCP-SE) for their “Terror-tory” event in Kingsport, TN, at the Beautiful Bobby Eaton Arena!

Before we dive into the details, let’s catch up anyone who may be unfamiliar. NWA JCP-SE is an NWA territory based in East Tennessee, promoted by long-time wrestler and promoter Joe Cazana (as the name suggests). The Cazana family legacy in professional wrestling stretches back nearly 100 years, making them one of the most storied names in East Tennessee’s wrestling history, with AJ Cazana the current generation. Working with Joe has always been a pleasure, and calling NWA JCP-SE home feels as natural as a snug headlock.

The Beautiful Bobby Eaton Arena. Photo courtesy NetPro Studios LLC

The Beautiful Bobby Eaton Arena is a venue born from a love for professional wrestling. It serves as both a show-ready arena and the home of NetPro Studios LLC, a wrestling school run by Daniel and Erica Jones. What they’ve accomplished is nothing short of incredible—transforming a dilapidated storage space into a fully functional wrestling venue. Their dedication is unmatched, and if anyone lives by the phrase “leave it better than you found it,” it’s Dan and Erica.

Danny Dealz and Jeremiah Plunkett, circa 2010. Photo by Shawn Wilkins

Onto the Journey!

This weekend, I was joined by a few of my favorite people. First, my wife, Christie, made the four-hour trip to Kingsport with me (because home promotions aren’t always close to home). Now, Christie isn’t a wrestling fan—she’s just a Jeremiah Plunkett fan (everyone’s got at least one, right?). Since this was her birthday weekend, she decided to come along for the ride.

Also joining us was the one and only Danny Dealz. A road trip with the Deal-Machine makes the miles fly by. Danny has done just about everything in professional wrestling—wrestling, managing, production, stage management, and commentary. He’s wrestling’s ultimate five-tool player, not to mention a world-class storyteller. I’ve shared countless road trips with him, filled with more laughs than I care to admit, and I couldn’t be more grateful for his friendship.

Danny Dealz stands between Crazzy Steve and Jeremiah Plunkett in October 2024. Photo by Amy Scott

The Match: Plunkett vs. Crazzy Steve

At the top of the card, the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship was on the line—and my opponent was none other than Crazzy Steve, half of the reigning AAA World Mixed Tag Team Champions and a standout from TNA/IMPACT Wrestling.

Steve and I have a lot of history. From 2015 to 2017, we were practically married on the road, putting on wild matches all over the country, especially for Tried-N-True Pro Wrestling in Clarksville, TN. One of the highlights of that run was the casket match at Zero Hour, which served as the finale of our feud. If you’re curious, you can check it out here:

Seven years have passed since our last encounter, and both of us are older—and hopefully wiser. The big question going into the match was, could we recreate the magic we had back then?

Well, that’s not for me to say, but judging by the crowd’s reaction, we hit the mark. We gave it everything—big suplexes, whiplash lariats, stiff strikes, risky moves, and a ton of emotion. You’ll be able to catch the full match in the coming weeks on the NWA JCP-SE YouTube Channel.

Crazzy Steve and I rekindling our battles … this time with “Miss Christine” on the line. Photo courtesy NetPro Studios LLC

As we lay there after the match, exhausted and sore, the crowd’s appreciation wrapped around us like a warm blanket on a cool autumn night in the East Tennessee hills. As I clutched the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship and made my way to the back, Steve grabbed a microphone.

He spoke from the heart, sharing words that brought a few tears to my eyes. Those moments meant the world to me, but I’ll keep them between us and the live audience—unless NWA JCP-SE chooses to include them in the match footage.

The Road Back Home

After the lights went down and the adrenaline faded, it was time to pack the bags and hit the road for another four-hour drive back home to the quiet of the countryside and the comfort of our bed.

If this match with Steve turns out to be the final chapter in our story, I think I’d be okay with that. But deep down, I can’t help hoping it’s just the start of a new chapter.

JEREMIAH PLUNKETT LINKS