Andrew Lutzke
This is being reviewed from the WCCW TV show, so the matches may not be in order.
From Dallas, Texas at the Reunion Arena
Bill Mercer excitedly announces ‘WRASSLIN’ is about to go down!
Iceman Parsons vs. Rip “Crippler” Oliver
Marc Lowrance makes me smile by announcing Oliver has “a sinister in-ring record”. Parsons uses a headlock to control the first several minutes before exploding with a series of hip tosses in rapid succession. Oliver uses roughhouse tactics to garner a brief bit of control before Parsons shows he can play that game too and fires back with his own strikes. They continue to trade momentum, each utilizing brawling tactics.
Parsons proves the wrestling trope of minorities having hard heads to be true as he no sells some turnbuckle shots and gives Oliver the business in return. Parsons ends up running into the turnbuckle shoulder first, and the crafty Oliver snags the duke at 8:28 following a shoulder breaker. Decent enough of a bout for being an early prelim encounter.
American Tag Champions The Fantastics vs. Bobby Eaton and Dennis Condrey
The Fantastics have candy canes in their top hats, giving the fans a treat as they enter ringside. Rogers controls the early going with Eaton. This gives him a chance to challenge Cornette, who shows his bravery by hiding behind a ring post next to Condrey, while screaming insults with defiance.
Neither of the heels can find a pathway to success as both Rogers and Fulton outshine them. The heels regroup with a hug, drawing a big reaction from the Texas homophobes. The break works in their favor as the challengers start to use quick tags to keep Rogers in their corner and in trouble. Eaton delivers a beauty of a elbow before attempting to crush Rogers’ sternum with a flying knee drop. Rogers teases several tags, and the women squeal each time Fulton nearly gets a chance to save the day. His heat segment goes on for over five minutes before Fulton is finally able to come in as a house of fire.
The heels double up on Fulton to quell his momentum, but it fails as Fulton snags the win at 15:10 with a flying crossbody. Corny throws a quality tantrum after the match, screaming at the ref “I’ll kill you!” then laying on his back and kicking his legs like a toddler. The Express get him to compose himself and they soak in the jeers. Good match, which used the standard tag team formula to near perfection to generate crowd heat and entertain the masses.
Lumberjack match: Kevin Von Erich vs. “Gentleman” Chris Adams
The pre-match video highlights why these men had to do so many drugs as both endure stiff chair shots to the head from one another. Concussions are fun. Von Erich and Adams circle each other before the bell and began brawling right away because they HATE each other! Adams takes a quick trip to the floor to establish the psychology of the lumberjack rules.
Kevin dominates the early going and locks on a claw. Adams dumps him to the floor. Mercer reminds us that Kevin was voted “Man of the year” Kerry was “Most popular wrestler of the year” and Mike was “Rookie of the year”. Fritz stuffed the ballots!
Adams nails the superkick to down Von Erich. Von Erich fights out of a headlock, but misses a long range splash attempt. Kevin is downed with a piledriver and the ladies look on with worry as Adams goes for the kill as he climbs the ropes. Kevin manages to dump him throat first on the top rope instead and snags the win at just past the 5-minute mark.
Kevin tries to do more damage with a claw, but this leads to a brief brawl with the lumberjacks, leaving Mike and Kevin Von Erich alone in the ring to soak in the adulation of the crowd.
After having a ton of matches with one another over the past several months these guys could probably have this match in their sleep. Solid outing, with great crowd heat.
Elimination: Buddy Roberts, Terry Gordy and Chic Donovan vs. Skandor Akbar, the Missing Link, and Mr. X
This is going under the rules that anyone who does not survive is gone from WCCW. The rules are relaxed as this is also under “Texas Tornado” rules where all six-men are going at it at once, and battle royal rules apply, along with pins and submissions.
Everyone pairs off and brawls. It appears Mr. X is just a jabroni in a mask, as even the internet doesn’t seem to have a grasp on who he was. We get several teased eliminations via top rope tosses until finally the heels gang up on Donovan and he goes out. Roberts pins Mr. X almost right after. Roberts is surprisingly tossed moments later. Akbar and Link try and gang up on Gordy, but he’s big and tough, which allows him to punch both men into retreat.
The heels do eventually use the numbers game to batter Gordy for a bit before Link accidentally headbutts Akbar during a charge. This allows Gordy to toss them both for the win just after the 10-minute mark. This was fine as a match, and an interesting way to freshen up the roster. Akbar and Link had been working on top long enough and flushing them out was probably for the best.
Kerry Von Erich cuts a promo. He’s in the best shape of his life and David would want him to win the World title. Good enough.
NWA World Champion Ric “Nature Boy” Flair vs. “The Modern Day Warrior” Kerry Von Erich
Von Erich controls the early feeling out process, using his speed and strength to out point the champion. After working over Flair’s arm, Kerry frustrates his foe by blocking the champ’s suplex attempt. The first five minutes are all Von Erich. Kerry shows off his athleticism by taking Flair down with a flying head scissors. Flair successfully wiggles free and gains his first sustained advantage by bending his challenger’s legs backwards into unnatural positions.
This forces a reset on their feet, and Kerry shines again with another flying head scissors takedown. Flair makes it to the ropes and cheap shots Von Erich to take control. Ref David Manning shoves Flair for his actions. Flair drops a knee across Von Erich’s chest for a near fall. A suplex shakes Kerry up, and Flair follows that up by tossing the challenger to the cement.
A series of stiff chops from Flair seem to awaken Kerry as he roars back with punches and entraps Flair in a sleeper. The champ knows all the tricks, and maneuvers his body to set up Von Erich for a knee breaker. The adrenaline is raging through Kerry and he quickly press slams and suplexes Flair for the 3-count. The crowd explodes, but it is quickly evident that Flair’s foot was under the bottom rope. This nullifies the pin.
Flair tries to use the ropes for leverage for his own pin and David Manning rips him off Von Erich. Kerry whips Flair over the turnbuckle and snares Flair in the claw hold briefly. Both men are down from exhaustion. Flair tries a knee drop, but Von Erich catches his leg and flips the script by locking Flair in the figure-four. Flair apparently bladed from the claw as his head is gushing blood. Flair tries to save his title by tossing Manning out of the ring, but the ref refuses to call for the bell. Flair manages to force the hold to be broken by getting to the ropes.
Flair is caught trying to climb the turnbuckle and is slammed off. Kerry locks on the claw in the middle of the ring! Flair maneuvers towards the ropes and tosses Von Erich over the top for the DQ at 18:05. Manning didn’t want to make the call. BIAS officiating!!! The fans go crazy because DQ’s equal title changes in WCCW, but this title is defended under NWA rules, no WCCW rules.
A commissioner calls Manning over as they try to make sense of the ending. We take a commercial break, and when we return it is announced that NWA president Bob Geigel has declared an immediate rematch must happen in Texas, and if Flair is disqualified he will lose his title. These guys knew each other well, and Kerry had the goods to be guided by Flair to exciting matches.
Billy Jack Haynes and Mike Von Erich vs. Gino Hernandez and Jake Roberts
Von Erich slams Jake quickly and follows up with an elbow drop that misses. Mike executed his flop sloppily. Both men tag out, but Haynes and Hernandez collide, leaving Roberts to tag right back in. The heels double up on Haynes briefly, before he is able to make a (hot?) tag. They are moving along at a rapid pace, as if they are out of time.
Mike misses a dropkick and all four men end up brawling. Mike locks in the claw on Roberts (apparently the first time he ever used the move according to Mercer) and Roberts is pinned at 3:30. The pace was too fast, and nothing really set in psychologically – it was just moves with zero real selling.
Two matches took place that did not air: Jose Lothario beat El Diablo and Kelly Kiniski bested Buck Zumhofe.
Final Thoughts: The Von Erichs have been feuding with Chris Adams and Gino Hernandez since late in the summer, and (unfortunately?) that same feud will not see a conclusion for a full year yet. The One Man Gang is coming in to freshen up the heel ranks. Overall, the WCCW roster presented a much faster paced show than the WWF was, but there is serious depth concerns.
