My fascination with Memphis wrestling began in the late ’70s, when the Jerry Jarrett-owned promotion’s “Championship Wrestling” TV show was the main event of a Saturday morning lineup that included Bugs Bunny, Batman and the Fantastic Four. From around 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., my sister and I sat super-glued in front of the TV, munching on sugary breakfast cereals, frosted Pop-Tarts and chocolate milk. (Which could help explain why I was a chubby little bastard growing up.) It was all shits and giggles until the theme from 2001 played as “Guillotine” (the sculpture of the two naked wrestlers) turned to open the show. This was serious stuff. And then Lance greeted us with his usual intro: “Hello, again, everybody, welcome to another BIG day of Championship Wrestling.”

The live Memphis wrestling TV show, shot at the WMC-TV studio on Union Avenue, featured the greatest array of innovative gimmicks in the business, e.g., The Fabulous Ones, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express and Kimala, along with top-notch workers like Bill “Superstar” Dundee, Koko Ware and Jerry “the King” Lawler, the city’s lone hometown “professional” sports hero. (A friend of mine from Northern California asked me about Lawler being my sports idol. My answer: “He was my Joe Montana.” He was amazed that I could hold a professional wrestler in such high regard. But then he didn’t grow up in Memphis.)

Oddly enough, all of those noteworthy performers from my childhood are still wrestling in Memphis. Hell, even longtime referee Jerry Calhoun is back. No, this crew has not been assembled merely for a reunion show, a format gaining popularity in many of the old wrestling territories. But nearly every week. With the occasional appearance by the greatest wrestling announcer of all time, Lance Russell. Thankfully, Russell’s sidekick, TV-5 weatherman Dave Brown is no longer involved. No, he’s been replaced on the microphone by Brian Teigland of all people, a weatherman on the local UPN affiliate, the station now carrying “Memphis Wrestling.”

While it does my heart well that Memphis again has a local wrestling show, the fact that the same stars from 20 years ago are still on top is, well, a little disconcerting. Oh, sure, the show features young guys like the masked Spider-Man and Stan Lee. (Can Steve Ditko be far behind?) But the main focus is still centered around issues like, “What’s the better gimmick … Fabulous Ones or Rock ‘n’ Roll Express?” You can’t escape the old-timers, even when the show goes to a commercial break. An advert for Auto Plan Insurance features Lawler getting double-teamed by the late Curt Hennig with the following voice-over: “I’ve been getting hammered all my life. Don’t get hammered on your car insurance.” The spot closes with a clip of Lawler piledriving the late Andy Kaufman: “Drive home a great deal!” That’s two dead stars in one ad. I’m not making this up. I couldn’t possibly. Then the show returns from the commercial break showing clips of Lawler clearing house on Jim “the Anvil” Neidhart and the late Rick Rude, as the old “Championship Wrestling” music plays. Oy.

Old-time Mid-Atlantic Wrestling fans, think about it. Can you imagine a weekly show that still features Ric Flair, Blackjack Mulligan, Ricky Steamboat, Greg Valentine, the Masked Superstar and Paul Jones? With Bob Caudle and David Crockett calling the action, and Tommy Young as your official? With, say, clips of the late Johnny Valentine used in a commercial to sell affordable health insurance? Seems impossible, doesn’t it?

In a way, I suppose it’s only fitting that Memphis is the city in which time has stood still in the wrestling business. It’s always been a strange town, one whose tourist economy remains centered around Elvis Presley.

It’s not that I mind so much that guys like Dundee are still working, despite being in their 60s. It’s that Dundee insists on still wearing those short trunks of his from the late ’70s that I find a little sad and, frankly, offensive. Can you imagine Maven wearing those same trunks of his in the year 2025? (Of course, nowadays, it’s no guarantee he’ll still be alive then.) OK, Lou Thesz may have done the same as Dundee. But then, he was Lou Thesz, wasn’t he?

Throwback III featured The Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn and Stan Lane) and Corey Maclin, with former promoter Jerry Jarrett in the corner, versus Lawler and the Rock ‘n’ Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson) with Jimmy Hart in their corner. Take Maclin out of the equation and that’s a hot main event … in 1984. In 2004 … well … maybe, maybe not. The Throwback shows have been drawing nearly 4,000 at the Coliseum, an amazing feat for independent wrestling today. (Granted, those $5 tickets don’t hurt.)

Maybe I just need to lighten up. I have to admit that Memphis Wrestling, UPN-style, is now a guilty pleasure of mine. I simply can’t look away — much like a car accident. (Quick, cue that clip of the late Eddie Gilbert running over Lawler in the parking lot.)

In that sense, I suppose it’s a return to my childhood, and perhaps that’s the whole point of today’s Memphis Wrestling. I know that Maclin and company can’t be making much income off this deal. (You can tell Maclin is one of the money men behind this operation because he’s the top babyface as well as the lead announcer.) Nearly everyone involved (except for the young guys like Shock, who must have the misguided belief he has a future in WWE) is doing it out of love for the business. (Well, that and it feeds their ego.) The boys are having fun. Longtime fans are having fun watching it. Isn’t that what it’s all about? I’ll say this: Watching “Memphis Wrestling” is a helluva lot more fun than watching RAW. But then I may be a little biased. Now if only UPN would start airing old Bugs Bunny cartoons right before the show…

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