NWA Smoky Mountain Cup Live on PPV Tonight 4/26
The long awaited Smoky Mountain Cup Live from Kingsport Tennessee will 
continue another exciting week of wrestling for the National Wrestling Alliance. After a Parade of Champions in Houston Texas, 12 Men will square off in a tournament to crown a new number one contender for the Legendary 10lbs of Gold, the title that the “Iron Man” Rob Conway defended last weekend against Chris Masters. The Tournament features; a Hall of Fame Legend, a former World Junior Heavyweight Champion, a King, The National Champion, The Smoky Mountain Champion, and the 5 Time Former NWA World Heavyweight Champion.
Long before March 9th when Tony Givens joined the Alliance Guys Podcast to promote the Smoky Mountain Cup, a vision that focused on showcasing some of the top talent in NWA Smoky Mountain along with some of the top talent in the World was already set into motion. Although this isn’t the first Smoky Mountain Cup, the show tonight is quite possibly one of the biggest for the group and the fall out from the tournament will have implications felt all across the National Wrestling Alliance.
Although this night is dedicated to determining a Number 1 Contender to the World Heavyweight Title, the biggest match of the night is quite possibly the World Junior Heavyweight Championship match featuring Davey Richards challenging “The Real Deal” Chase Owens. The first time these two squared off, Richards was surprised by the resilience and intestinal fortitude of the wrestling prodigy, Owens. It has been 20 months since Owens had an opportunity to prove himself against Richards and things have changed pretty significantly. Owens refined his abilities and has grown as a competitor, now wearing the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion he is still on a quest to prove that he is the greatest pound for pound wrestler in the World Today… and that quest leads him to Richards, a man who’s done it all.
Owens isn’t the only one with something left to prove.
Jason Kincaid has been the Smoky Mountain Heavyweight Champion for over 500 days. 500 days of defending his title not only in Eastern Tennessee, but in West Virginia, in Mexico. Kincaid was even invited to compete for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship Elimination Match. Seemingly his efforts have gone unnoticed by the rest of the National Wrestling Alliance… and this has displeased the Gift. Kincaid has fallen off the NWA Top Ten Rankings, although he has still maintained his Smoky Mountain Championships as well as competed for titles outside of the NWA. A victory for Kincaid would be the much desired “I told you so!” that many Smoky Mountain Faithful are waiting to tell the rest of the World. Kincaid is the reigning TCW Junior Heavyweight Champion and after tonight could be on his way to becoming the NWA World Heavyweight Champion.
Ricky Morton a Legend; has been wrestling longer than some of these competitors in the tournament have been alive. 27 years ago, The Rock N Roller was battling the “Nature Boy” Ric Flair for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship. Giving Flair all he could handle, Morton was just short many nights of becoming champion. Coming up short against Flair is no sleight; however Morton never received another shot at the World Heavyweight Championship. A victory for Morton would put him in the ring nearly 30 years later for the belt he has coveted his entire career.
Smoky Mountain officials have spent the better part of 2 years trying to bring in the Former 5 time NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion… both while champion and in the hunt for the title. With the fall out of what happened at Warzone and the conclusion of the 7 Levels of Hate, some assumed that Pearce would never compete for the National Wrestling Alliance again. However after some 7 months away from the NWA, Pearce looks forward to his return to the NWA, specifically his debut for Smoky Mountain, as he told us as much on the Alliance Guys Podcast. A Tournament victory for Pearce would place “Scrap Iron” in a very comfortable position, the opportunity to compete for his “Sweet Charlotte” and a chance to face the “Iron man” Rob Conway, a match that has yet to take place.
Of course the duel Champion Damien Wayne never got his rematch against former champion Kahagas, a match that has eluded him since their double count out match in Texas earlier this year. Wayne who has been the NWA DAWG Champion for over a year and the NWA National Champion have been ranked in the Top Ten for quite a long time, but hasn’t been lined up against Rob Conway or the previous champion since January. All Wayne has done since then is destroy the competition. Many already consider Wayne the Number 1 Contender to the World Heavyweight Champion, a tournament victory would make his elusive match materialize in the Smoky Mountain.
My personal pick to walk away from the walk away with the Smoky Mountain Cup is the King of Wrestling… Shane Williams. Although he got his starts in the Smoky Mountains, King Shane made his name by defeating Davey Boy Smith Jr. for the Crossfire Heavyweight Championship. He was also for sometime the TCW Heavyweight Champion. King Shane looks to bring his all of his regal to Smoky Mountain, walk away with the cup and make plans to face Rob Conway and leave with more gold.
The competition will be stiff in the 12 man tournament; former NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion Tony Kozina, Kyle O’Riley, Sigmon, Menace, Fred Yehi and Zac Vincent. The night will be amazing for fans of good wrestling. If you are the Kingsport TN area, be there… if you are unable to attend live, watch on PPV.