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The Bushwhackers on How Lucky They Were To Survive The Early Days

Posted: Mar 27th 2019 By: www.prowrestlingstories.com

Many fans remember The Bushwhackers as a comedic tag team in the WWF who licked faces and swung their arms around wildly as they marched to and from the ring. What many fans may not realize is that long before Luke Williams and Butch Miller joined Vince McMahon and the WWF, they were a violent and hated nationalistic tag-team who flushed maps of the United States down the toilet and introduced fans to a hardcore wrestling style long before it became popularized through companies like ECW in the 1990s. Quite opposite to the loveable babyfaces that they would later become, Butch and Luke were involved in many fights, often received death threats and were very lucky to make it out of a lot of situations with their lives!
Butch and Luke of The Bushwhackers, then known as The Sheepherders

Butch and Luke of The Bushwhackers, then known as The Sheepherders
The Bushwhackers: “We were very lucky to get out of a lot of situations with our lives. Very lucky indeed…”

Before joining the WWF, Butch and Luke had a successful career spanning over twenty years as The Kiwis, The New Zealand Sheepherders, and The Kiwi Sheepherders where they amassed dozens of tag titles and even wrestled a 5-star match! Despite their success in the ring during this time in their career, fans despised them.

In an interview with Title Match Wrestling, Luke and Butch discussed how lucky they were to survive their early days.

BUTCH:

“We were very lucky to get out of a lot of situations with our lives. Very lucky indeed…

When you’re young you don’t think about it so much but when you look back on it now, we’ve had so many close shaves over the years. Coming out [after a match] and our tires would be slit, the windshield would be broken. It was pretty miserable in some ways actually…”

LUKE:

“We were heavy heels.

One time in Ponce, Puerto Rico, we were wrestling The Invaders.

This night, we knocked them out with a flag pole and wrapped them up with barbed wire and rolled them and blood was squirting out. The people were in the stands and they started ripping the banks of seats out and throwing them…”

BUTCH:

“We’d always try and work the crowd to that stage, but there was a fine line.

Obviously, being professional and wanting the best house, wanting people to come back, you had them on that line, but sometimes you didn’t really know where that line was and it would just take a little snap and BANG, over the top they went. We’d have to fight for our lives.

They couldn’t break the [dressing room] door down ‘cos we had it bolted – so they were going to BURN the door down. They were gonna get us no matter what.

But one thing they did have in Ponce was a special riot squad that they brought in. They all had sub-machine guns with rubber bullets. They saved our butt there.

Over in Singapore and Bangkok and those areas in Malaysia, it was more dangerous. In Puerto Rico they had soldiers protecting us, [but] in the Far East, once [the crowd] started to come, the security would just vanish…”

LUKE:

“In the Far East, they’d break chairs up in the stadium and furniture would come down on you…”

BUTCH:

“Very dangerous. You didn’t have to do much. If there was just a fraction of blood or something, that was it. You were just mobbed.”
“I can’t remember the finish, but at the end of the match- they came. I’m talking a ball park of 20,000 people.”

LUKE:

“The police would come in the building and put us in their cars and take the outskirts of the area to meet the other boys at the mini-bus or whatever to get back to the hotel.

One time in Trinidad, we were working against the Mighty Igor and the local guy there, the champion from all the Islands. They had to build a makeshift ring on a cricket pitch. For me and Butch, they made us a prefab dressing room away from everyone because people would throw things.

This night, I can’t remember the finish, but at the end of the match- they came.

I’m talking a ball park of 20,000 people.

They came and knocked down the dressing room they’d built for us – they beat down the door and everything. The [promoter] put a pickup truck into the back of it there and we jumped in. They started firing bricks and anything they could find. The truck driver had his foot down – a brick came through the back window where Butch was sitting, into the back of his head.

That was a close call.

I remember that night we sat in the hotel room for about an hour picking glass out of his head with tweezers…”

Supplemental Information

Spotlight in History

1984 Bill Dundee def. Adrian Street for the MSW Television Title
2008 The Gentlemen Thugs (Cast-Iron Cothern & Shane Morbid) def. The Old School Express (Jason Jones & Jake Boulder) for the MStW Southern Tag Team Titles
2009 Dustin Heritage def. Randy Price for the IZW Impact Division Title
2015 The Terror Squad (D Money & Montego Seeka & Marce Lewis, Nytronis A'Teo & MVP) became the IWR Tag Team Champions

Week of Sun 11-01 to Sat: 11-07

11-01 1960 Tony Jiminez & Jesse Jiminez became the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Champions
11-01 1981 Ted DiBiase def. Paul Orndorff for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
11-01 1982 Al Madril def. Frank Dusek for the WCCW Television Title
11-01 2008 El Hoto def. Martin Justice for the OECW Southwestern Title
11-01 2008 The New Age Syndicate (Scott Sanders & Shawn Matthews III) def. The New York Express (Jeff Knight & Thomas Knight) for the OECW Tag Team Titles
11-01 2013 Steven Sterling def. Bobby Starr for the ComPro Showtime Title
11-01 2014 Guy Atticus became the IZW Impact Division Champion
11-01 2014 Kevin James Sanchez def. Kareem Sadat for the SWCW Hardcore Title
11-01 2019 Brock Landers def. Tego for the ASP Inter-County Title
11-01 2020 Double D became the EPW Heavyweight Champion
11-01 2020 Drake Gallows became the EPW All-American Champion
11-01 2020 Revan became the EPW Internet Television Champion
11-01 2020 The Sidekicks (Kevin James Sanchez & Gemini [2nd]) became the EPW Tag Team Champions
11-01 2020 High Times (Father Padge & Dean Lambert) def. The Sidekicks (Kevin James Sanchez & Gemini [2nd]) for the EPW Tag Team Titles
11-01 2025 Iron Mountain (Duke Blanchard & Jack Davenport) def. The Trendsetters (Andre West & Nelly Rivers) for the WFC Tag Team Titles
11-02 1978 Ray Candy def. Ernie Ladd for the TSW Arkansas Title
11-02 2002 Terry Montana def. Shadow of Death for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Title
11-02 2003 Ty Magnus def. John O'Malley for the ACW Hardcore Title
11-02 2003 John O'Malley def. Ty Magnus for the ACW Hardcore Title
11-02 2003 X-Cal def. John O'Malley for the ACW Hardcore Title
11-02 2003 Outcast def. X-Cal for the ACW Hardcore Title
11-02 2013 Kevin Morgan def. Drake Gallows for the IZW Impact Division Title
11-02 2013 What Wrestling Should Be (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) def. Team Bull (The Bronze Bull & Bobby Starr) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
11-02 2013 Miss Diss Lexia def. Erica for the IZW Queens Title
11-02 2014 Les Mayne def. Rick Russo for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
11-02 2019 Clint Poe became the EmpCW All American Champion
11-02 2019 War Party (Gorgeous Garcia & Nytronis A’Teo) def. The Saints of Pro Wrestling (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders) for the EmpCW Tag Team Titles
11-02 2019 Dexter Hardaway def. Double D for the EmpCW Heavyweight Title
11-02 2019 Karnage def. Naiomi Sanders for the BPW 365 Title
11-02 2019 Unicorn def. Karnage for the BPW 365 Title
11-02 2019 Karnage def. Unicorn for the BPW 365 Title
11-02 2019 C. M. Burnham def. Karnage for the BPW 365 Title
11-02 2019 Karnage def. C. M. Burnham for the BPW 365 Title
11-02 2019 Naomi Sanders def. Karnage for the BPW 365 Title
11-03 2001 The VIP Crew (Rocco Valentino & Vinnie Valentino) def. The Texas Outlaws (Beau Dalton & Butch Dalton) for the OPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
11-03 2001 Splash Jackson def. Big Daddy Moore for the OPW Oklahoma Hardcore Title
11-03 2012 The Old School Suckas (Randy Price & Bryan Cruize) def. Big Business (Damon Windsor & Kevin Morgan) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
11-03 2012 Erica def. Angel Blue for the IZW Queens Title
11-03 2018 Damon Windsor def. Randy Price for the WCR Revolutionary Title
11-04 1985 Rick Rude def. King Parsons for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
11-04 1988 Kerry Von Erich def. Jerry Lawler for the WCCW World Title
11-04 2005 Beau Dalton & Bobby Dalton became the SRPW Tag Team Champions
11-05 1979 Jim Garvin & Herb Calvert def. Oki Shikina & Sugar Bear Harris for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
11-05 1980 Hector Guerrero & Ron Sexton def. Ron McFarlane & Doug Somers for the TSW Tag Team Titles
11-05 2002 Jeffrey Parker def. Li'l Joe for the ACW Hardcore Title
11-05 2004 Luc Lapointe def. Prophet for the SRPW Boys and Girls Club Title
11-05 2004 Dirty Harry Sanchez def. Beau Dalton for the SRPW Hardcore Title
11-05 2004 Beau Dalton def. Dirty Harry Sanchez for the SRPW Hardcore Title
11-05 2005 Justin Lee & Michael Faith became the TPW Tag Team Champions
11-05 2011 Michael York & Ignition became the ComPro Tag Team Champions
11-05 2011 Brandon Walker def. Steven Sterling for the ComPro Showtime Title
11-05 2011 X-Rated (Kevin James Sanchez & David Kyzer) became the SWCW Tag Team Champions
11-05 2016 Kareem Sadat def. Dean Lambert for the EmpCW Independent Hardcore Title
11-06 1977 Dick Murdoch def. Jerry Oates for the TSW North American Title
11-06 1978 Jerry Stubbs became the TSW Mississippi Champion
11-06 1999 Joey Casanova became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
11-06 2010 Jermaine Johnson def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Title
11-06 2010 Awesome X (Kevin Morgan & Xavior) def. Aerial Assault (Ky-ote Joe & Eric Rose) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
11-06 2021 Koko became the WAH Living Hope Champion
11-06 2021 Tino Valentino became the NCWO Oklahoma Champion
11-06 2021 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Cpl. Punishment) def. Most Wanted (Dan Webber, Reese, & T-Arsenal) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
11-06 2021 Danni Bee became the NCWO Women's Champion
11-06 2021 Samedi def. Tommy Dean for the CPW Heavyweight Title
11-06 2021 Ky-Ote became the NCWO Choctaw Nation Champion
11-06 2021 Tino Valentino became the NCWO Heavyweight Champion
11-06 2021 Akbar Farat def. Tino Valentino for the NCWO Heavyweight Title
11-06 2022 Jason Jones def. Dimitri Alexandrov for the WFC Prime Title
11-06 2022 Leo Fox became the ASP Mid-American Champion
11-06 2022 Olivier Vegos def. Skylar Slice for the ASP Women's Title
11-06 2022 High Ratings (Maui Mike & Beau Betten) def. Chosen Influence (Malik Mayfield & Luke Richmond) for the ASP Tag Team Titles
11-06 2022 Gatekeeper def. Mr. Nasty for the ASP 5-Star Title
11-06 2022 Tino Valentino became the ASP Heavyweight Champion
11-06 2026 Ronnie Morton def. Nate Bourne for the RDW Na'Cho Momma's Hardcore Title
11-07 1984 Bill Dundee def. Adrian Street for the MSW Television Title
11-07 2008 The Gentlemen Thugs (Cast-Iron Cothern & Shane Morbid) def. The Old School Express (Jason Jones & Jake Boulder) for the MStW Southern Tag Team Titles
11-07 2009 Dustin Heritage def. Randy Price for the IZW Impact Division Title
11-07 2015 The Terror Squad (D Money & Montego Seeka & Marce Lewis, Nytronis A'Teo & MVP) became the IWR Tag Team Champions

11-07

Keith Watkins Nov 7th Today!
King Kong Bundy Nov 7th Today!
Joey Ryan Nov 7th Today!
Faded Ghoul Nov 7th Today!
Silverado Nov 7th Today!
Dominik Whiteheart Nov 7th Today!
Nigel Rabid Nov 7th Today!
Treach Phillips, Jr. Nov 8th
Rika Wildlee Nov 8th
Austin Mulitalo Nov 8th
Dizzy Davis Nov 8th
Kolossus Nov 9th
Lance Osburn Nov 9th
Joyce Grable Nov 9th
Gil Knutson Nov 9th
Menace 2 Society Nov 9th
Jean-Claude Boudreaux Nov 9th
Nick Patrick Nov 9th
Danny Savich Nov 10th
Kinzer Keel Nov 10th
Marshall Von Erich Nov 10th
Prince Tapu Nov 10th
Bob Orton, Jr. Nov 10th
Green Dragon Nov 11th
Luigi Columbo Nov 11th
Brandon Moxley Nov 11th
Little Cloud Nov 11th
Alex Perez Nov 11th
Varik Vayne Nov 12th
Austin Tacious Nov 12th
Terrale Tempo Nov 12th
Ty Thunder Nov 12th
Brett Taylor Nov 12th
Thud Powell Nov 12th
Vickie Lynn McCoy Nov 12th
Gary Tool Nov 12th
Big Smooth Nov 13th
L. J. McDaniels Nov 13th
Kyle Kelly Nov 14th
Tiny Bell Nov 14th
Shane Sanders Nov 14th
Kirk Castle Nov 14th
Super Beast Nov 15th
Killer Cross Nov 15th
Armin Syzlack Nov 15th
Killer Cross Nov 15th
Sean Pearl Nov 15th
Brieanna Bringle Nov 16th
Drake Gallows Nov 17th
Josh Hogan Nov 17th
Snowman Nov 17th
Kenny K Nov 17th
Johnny Graves Nov 17th
Johnny Weaver Nov 17th
Kikutaro Nov 17th
Chase Bristow Nov 17th
Brent Wall Nov 17th
Chris Russo Nov 18th
Reaper Nov 18th
Everett Kibbons Nov 18th
Turnbuckle Tim Nov 19th
Ricky Gibson Nov 19th
El Matador Uno Nov 20th
Red Berry Nov 20th
Casey Platinum Nov 20th
S. L. U. G. G. Nov 20th

1984 Bill Dundee def. Adrian Street for the MSW Television Title
2008 The Gentlemen Thugs (Cast-Iron Cothern & Shane Morbid) def. The Old School Express (Jason Jones & Jake Boulder) for the MStW Southern Tag Team Titles
2009 Dustin Heritage def. Randy Price for the IZW Impact Division Title
2015 The Terror Squad (D Money & Montego Seeka & Marce Lewis, Nytronis A'Teo & MVP) became the IWR Tag Team Champions

More Look Back In History

Card Results

Current Champions

Empire Pro Wrestling

Tag Team Champions
DeathKnoks

Heavyweight Champion: Gideon Vane
All-American Champion: Jay Hazzard
Internet Television Champion: Killaman Jaro
Hardcore Champion: Max Mercer
Wrestle for Joy Cruiserweight Champion: Elijah Sparks