RIPLEY, TN -
(WMC-TV) - Superstar Bill Dundee made a name for himself in the wrestling ring. Now, he's lending his name and his wrestling skills to help bring back old-fashioned wrestling to small town West Tennessee.
For years, Dundee took it to the ring live on Channel 5. Sharing the screen with Dave Brown and Lance Russell, Dundee wrestled with some of the best in the Mid-South.
"Lance and Dave to me were the best at what they did, and Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee were the best at what they did, so that's why to me it was a good combination," Dundee said.
Dundee, who's been in the ring now for fifty years, is about to publish a book about his wrestling career.
"I've never wanted to do anything else, not a movie star, president, never wanted to be a fireman," he said.
Dundee is working to bring back old-fashioned wrestling to small towns, like the ring Ripley.
"Vince McMahon's not gonna be here, John Cena isn't gonna be here, so that's what we're trying to do is bring back old style Memphis wrestling," he said.
Right now, matches take place every Saturday night just off Ripley's square. Event organizers hope the family style entertainment catches on.
"We want to keep it clean, a family show, no wrestlers coming in drunk or high or no wrestlers cussing," said organizer Randy Hales.
Hales hopes this kind of small town wrestling venue will create future stars like Jerry "The King" Lawler and Superstar Bill Dundee.
"This is an old time feeling, grassroots is how I describe it, the way wrestling used to be," Hales said.
Superstar Bill Dundee's book is being released December first. To find out more about his book, click here.
Click here to read more about Dundee's career.
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