Jones and Deaton were re-christened "The Bruno Brothers" and were the company's top tag team winning the titles.
After a disastrous tour of the West Indies, the company was on the verge of folding, the Deatons left and joined the rival Georgia Championship Wrestling.
Unfortunately Joel was involved in a head on car accident and was sidelined, he and David left JCP for the last time.
In 1988 Joel returned to action in Joe Pedicino and Jerry Blackwell owned, Buck Robley booked Southern Championship Wrestling where he won the SCW Heavyweight title 8 times and the tag team titles 7 times (with Dave Deaton) and feuded with Georgia Power (Nightmare Ted Allen & Jimmy Powell) & Terry Gordy.
July 1991 was Deaton's finest hour as he and Billy Black (aka The Wild Bunch) teamed up to win the All Asia Tag Team Championship in All Japan, and in 1992, The Wild Bunch made their debuts in Smoky Mountain Wrestling.