The Mark Curtis Memorial Weekend of Champions was an annual

professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...

memorial event produced by the

Southern States Wrestling Southern States Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Kingsport, Tennessee. Founded by wrestler Beau James in early 1991, SSW (along with NWA Bluegrass) succeeded Smoky Mountain Wrestling as the top promo ...

(SSW)

promotion Promotion may refer to: Marketing * Promotion (marketing), one of the four marketing mix elements, comprising any type of marketing communication used to inform or persuade target audiences of the relative merits of a product, service, brand or i ...

, and which was held from 2000 to 2003. The show was SSW's tribute to wrestling referee Mark Curtis who worked for the promotion days before his death. The event was part of the

Children's Miracle Network Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals) (French: Réseau Enfants-Santé (RES)) is a nonprofit organization that raises funds for children's hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. Donations support the health of 10 million children each ...

's annual fundraiser. All of the proceeds from the show were donated to the organization and SSW wrestlers took part in the

East Tennessee East Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. Geographically and socioculturally distinct, it comprises approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee. East Tennessee consists of 33 count ...

portion of its national

telethon A telethon (a portmanteau of "television" and "marathon") is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or even days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other purportedly worthy cause. Most telethons f ...

. The 2003 edition was a benefit show for the

American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. Established in 1913, the society is organized into six geographical regions of both medical and lay volunteers operating in more than ...

. The Weekend of Champions was also promoted as a "Legend's Reunion" pro wrestling convention and featured induction ceremonies into the

Kingsport Wrestling Hall of Fame Southern States Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Kingsport, Tennessee. Founded by wrestler Beau James in early 1991, SSW (along with List of NWA territories, NWA Bluegrass) succeeded Smoky Mountain Wr ...

Show results

First Annual Mark Curtis Memorial Weekend of Champions

The First Annual Mark Curtis Memorial Weekend of Champions was a two-day professional wrestling memorial show produced by

(SSW). The first show took place on May 12, 2000, in

Saltville, Virginia Saltville is a town in Smyth and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 2,077 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Kingsport– Bristol (TN)– Bristol (VA) Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a compone ...

and was headlined by "Ragin Bull'" Manny Fernandez. The main show was held the following night at the Civic Auditorium in

Kingsport, Tennessee Kingsport is a city in Sullivan and Hawkins counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, its population was 55,442. Lying along the Holston River, Kingsport is commonly included in what is known as the Mountain Empire, w ...

. "Chief" Wahoo McDaniels was also inducted into the

. The main event was Ricky Harrison and The Iron Cross defending the

SSW Tag Team Championship The Southern States Wrestling (SSW) Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship in Southern States Wrestling. It was first won by Danny and Bam Bam Christian when they defeated The Russian Assassins in Hampton, Tennesse ...

against The Family ("Handsome" Beau James and

K. C. Thunder Kasey Geyer (born August 31, 1965), also known by the ring name K. C. Thunder, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, promoter and trainer. He was one of the top "heel" performers in the Southern United States during the 1990s. Geyer ...

) in a Loser Leaves SSW match. James and Thunder won the match after

special guest referee In professional wrestling, a referee is an authority figure present in or near the ring during matches. The referee's purpose is similar to that of referees in combat sports such as boxing or mixed martial arts, that is, as an arbiter of the rul ...

PJ Sharpe, their former manager, "

turned heel Professional wrestling has accrued a considerable amount of jargon throughout its existence. Much of it stems from the industry's origins in the days of carnivals and circuses. In the past, professional wrestlers used such terms in the presence o ...

" by hitting Harrison with a briefcase from behind and making a fast count. One of the featured matches on the undercard was The War Machine (with Chuck Jones) versus

Tracey Smothers Tracy Stanton Smothers (September 2, 1962 – October 28, 2020) was an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling, Smoky Mountain Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation, and Extreme Champ ...

for the

SSW Heavyweight Championship The Southern States Wrestling (SSW) Heavyweight Championship is the primary professional wrestling championship in Southern States Wrestling. It was first won by The Tennessee Equalizer when he defeated George Hiatt in Elizabethton, Tennessee on ...

, which The War Machine won by pinfall. The other was Manny Fernandez versus Ron Ray and Boris Dragoff in a first-ever 3-Way Mexican Death match, which Fernandez won by climbing the corner turnbuckle and waving the flag.

First Night

May 12, 2000 in

Second Night

May 13, 2000 in

(Civic Auditorium)

Second Annual Mark Curtis Memorial Weekend of Champions

The Second Annual Mark Curtis Memorial Weekend of Champions was a two-day professional wrestling memorial show produced by

(SSW). The first show took place on May 11, 2001, as a fundraiser for Central Elementary School in

Johnson City, Tennessee Johnson City is a city in Washington, Carter, and Sullivan counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, mostly in Washington County. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 71,046, making it the eighth largest city in Tennessee. John ...

. The main show was held the following night at the Civic Auditorium in

. The

induction ceremony for the Class of 2001 took place. Wild Bill Canny, one of East Tennessee's most infamous "

heels The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg. Structure To distribute the compressive forces exert ...

" during the 1950s, led the class, which included referees Melvin Johnson and Ron West, wrestlers

Sandy Scott Sandy may refer to: People and fictional characters *Sandy (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Sandy (surname), a list of people *Sandy (singer), Brazilian singer and actress Sandy Leah Lima (born 1983) * (Sandy) ...

Buddy Landell William Fritz Ensor (August 14, 1961 – June 22, 2015) was an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel. He was best known for his work in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories. Early lif ...

Arn Anderson Martin Anthony Lunde (born September 20, 1958), better known by the ring name Arn Anderson, is an American professional wrestling road agent, author, and retired professional wrestler. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a m ...

, and SSW Commissioner Ken Bowles. As part of the Hall of Fame weekend, Ron West refereed a "Legend's match" that same night pitting Don Wright and Wayne Rogers against Hoot Gibson and Indian Harry which ended in a double disqualification. The main event was a

Steel Cage match Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or " gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...

for the

between then-champions

The Batten Twins The Batten Twins were a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of twin brothers Bart and Brad Batten. They performed under the "Batten Twins" name in Central States Wrestling, Continental Wrestling Association, International Championship Wre ...

(

Brad Brad may refer to: * Brad (given name), a masculine given name Places * Brad, Hunedoara, a city in Hunedoara County, Romania * Brad, a village in Berești-Bistrița Commune, Bacău County, Romania * Brad, a village in Filipeni, Bacău, Romania * ...

and Bart Batten) and The Family ("Handsome" Beau James and

), with the added stipulation the losing team would leave the promotion for an entire year. Another featured match was a tag team "challenge match" in which the team of

Tim Horner Timothy Horner (born August 19, 1959) is a retired professional wrestler, best known as Tim "White Lightning" Horner, one half of The Lightning Express with Brad Armstrong. Professional wrestling career Early career (1978–1988) Tim Horner ...

and

Cody Michaels Mark Keenan, better known by his ring name Cody Michaels, is an American former professional wrestler. After suffering a serious neck injury, Michaels retired and has worked behind the scenes as a booker and promoter. Professional wrestling c ...

defeated the team

Buddy Landel William Fritz Ensor (August 14, 1961 – June 22, 2015) was an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel. He was best known for his work in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories. Early lif ...

and

Terry Taylor Paul Worden Taylor III (born August 12, 1955) is an American retired professional wrestler better known by his ring name Terry Taylor and for his time as an in-ring performer in National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling, and Wo ...

. On the undercard, Ricky Harrison and Tracy Smothers fought in a no-disqualification grudge match. An interpromotional Champion vs. Champion match was also held between Nationwide Championship Wrestling's

Bull Pain Frank Vizi (born June 9, 1961) is a German born American professional wrestler, better known by the ring names Bull Pain, Rick Gantner and Psycho. He is best known for his appearances with promotion such as the American Wrestling Association, Worl ...

and NWA Mid-America's Todd Morton, which Bull Pain won.

First Night

Second Night

Third Annual Mark Curtis Memorial Weekend of Champions

The Third Annual Mark Curtis Memorial Weekend of Champions was a two-day professional wrestling memorial show produced by

(SSW), which took place from May 10–11, 2002, at the Civic Auditorium in

. The

induction ceremony for the Class of 2002 took place. Paul Steele, a former Tennessee state athletic commissioner, led the class. Other inductees included wrestlers Kim Birchfied, Charlie Peters and

. Bud Adams, who portrayed

masked wrestler A wrestling mask is a fabric-based mask that some Professional wrestling, professional wrestlers wear as part of their in-ring persona or gimmick (professional wrestling), gimmick. Professional wrestlers have been using masks as far back as 1915 ...

The Spoiler, was inducted posthumously. Other special guests included

Ivan Koloff Oreal Donald Perras (August 25, 1942 – February 18, 2017) was a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by the ring name "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff. He was the third wrestler to hold the WWWF Championship. Early life Perras was b ...

and the family of the late Whitey Caldwell. Prior to the show, a ten-bell salute was held for

Randy Anderson Randall "Pee Wee" Anderson (July 17, 1959 – May 5, 2002) was an American professional wrestling referee and amateur wrestler who worked for the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA)'s Jim Crockett Promotions and World Championship Wrestling. Profe ...

Lou Thesz Aloysius Martin "Lou" Thesz (April 24, 1916 – April 28, 2002) was an American professional wrestler. He was a three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion and held the title for a combined total of 10 years, three months and nine days (3,749 ...

, and

Wahoo McDaniel Edward Hugh McDaniel (June 19, 1938 – April 18, 2002) was an American Choctaw-Chickasaw professional American football player and professional wrestler better known by his ring name Wahoo McDaniel. He is notable for having held the NWA United S ...

, the latter a 2000 inductee. The main event was Ricky Harrison's

retirement match Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or " gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...

against

, which Harrison won. There were two other featured bouts on the undercard. The first was a tag team bout between Beau James and The War Machine and SSW Tag Team Champions

and Steve Flynn. The other was a match between

Shane Douglas Troy Allan Martin (born November 21, 1964) is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name Shane Douglas. He is best known for his tenures in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), World Championship Wrestling (W ...

and

, which Douglas won via disqualification.

Jimmy Valiant James Harold Fanning (born August 6, 1942) is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Jimmy Valiant. Early life Fanning was born in Tullahoma as the youngest of five children of James and Effie Fanning. He later incorpo ...

defeated

George South George South (born September 7, 1962) is an American professional wrestler. In the course of his career, South has wrestled for professional wrestling promotions such as Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestl ...

in a "Legend's match".

First Night

May 10, 2002 in

(Civic Auditorium)

Second Night

May 11, 2002 in

(Civic Auditorium)

Fourth Annual Mark Curtis Memorial Weekend of Champions

The Fourth Annual Mark Curtis Memorial Weekend of Champions was a two-day professional wrestling memorial show produced by

(SSW), which took place from May 9–10, 2003, at the Civic Auditorium in

. Unlike previous years, the 2003 edition was held as a benefit show for the

. The

induction ceremony for the Class of 2003 took place.

Sensational Sherri Sherry Schrull ( née Russell; born February 8, 1958 – June 15, 2007) was an American professional wrestler and manager, better known by her ring names, Sherri Martel and Sensational Sherri. Martel began her professional wrestling career in t ...

, who spent her early career in the NWA's Memphis territory, led the class. Other inductees included the Fuller and Golden wrestling families. Robert Fuller and

Jimmy Golden James "Jimmy" Golden (born August 1, 1950) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under the ring name Bunkhouse Buck. He also appeared in WWE as Jack Swagger Sr. A member of t ...

accepted the award on their families behalf. Ken Bowles, a 2001 inductee, announced his resignation as SSW Commissioner and named ring announcer Joe Wheeler as his successor. The main event was an impromptu

match between Robbie Cassidy and Jeff Tankersley. Cassidy had won the title from Jesse Taylor the previous night in

Greeneville, Tennessee Greeneville is a town in and the county seat of Greene County, Tennessee, United States. The population as of the 2020 census was 15,479. The town was named in honor of Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene, and it is the second oldest town i ...

and was originally scheduled to face him in a rematch. Cassidy retained the title via disqualification when Sensational Sherri, who had teamed with Tankersley in a

mixed tag team match Much like the singles match, tag team professional wrestling matches can and have taken many forms. Just about any singles or melee match type can be adapted to tag teams; for example, hardcore tag team matches are commonplace. Tag team ladder ma ...

earlier that night, hit Cassidy with a "low blow" and allowed his opponent to steal the heavyweight title. Another featured bout was a No Holds Barred tag team match between the team of Beau James and

(with "The Duke" Allan Barrie) and the team of Robert Fuller and Jimmy Golden, which saw James pin Fuller. Also on the card,

successfully defended the

against Flex Armstrong and Thorn, and

(with Jim White) defeated The Assassin in a "Legend's match".

First Night

May 9, 2003 in

Second Night (Afternoon)

May 10, 2003 in

(Civic Auditorium)

Second Night (Evening)

May 10, 2003 in

(Civic Auditorium)

References

{{Reflist Professional wrestling memorial shows Professional wrestling shows in Tennessee Kingsport, Tennessee 2000 establishments in Tennessee 2003 disestablishments in Tennessee