Cruikshanks was trained to wrestle by his father Bill Dundee and debuted in 1988 in USA Championship Wrestling in Knoxville, Tennessee, a split off from Continental Wrestling in Alabama. In the promotion, he was a manager for the Rock 'n' Roll RPMs (Mike Davis and Tommy Lane). He also fought with The Riches (Johnny and Davey) and the Armstrongs. He wrestled alongside his father in Memphis under the ring name Jamie Dundee. He also was a heel referee in Memphis for a brief time.