Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,
Live from the motherland, that's right I am in the Azores BABY! Where you can eat delicious octopus for days and listen to instrumental Fado versions of the classic Bee Gees hit How Deep Is Your Love?
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| I hope we are NOT related?!?!?!?!? |
I will tell you how deep the hate is for the Freebirds is in Texas. It goes right to the bone. The most impressive facets of this series of matches is just how well-sustained the heat is from the moment "Georgia On My Mind" plays to the the bell ringing. Whether it is chanting "Go Home Freebirds" or "Baldie" at Buddy Roberts. the crowd is always on the case of the dastardly Freebirds. On the flip side, the crowd absolutely adores the Von Erich boys. They epitomize the adage, "Men want to be them and women want to be with them." Every offensive moment is met with a pop the size of Hogan slamming Andre. To say Texas was on fire in 1983 would be an understatement. With better resources (money to fill a roster), they could have been the successful national promotion. At the end of the day, the promotion was too thin. The Freebirds, Garvin and bringing in Flair for big shows is a great heel line up going up against Von Erichs, Parsons and Adams. The problem is to fill out these shows; the main event talent often had to pull double duty. 1983 was a molten hot year for World Class, but it would prove not to be sustainable.
As a refresher, I previously looked at Ric Flair and his battles against the three main Von Erich boys. One of those battles was in a steel cage on Christmas Day 1982 and it was here the infamous Von Erich-Freebird War started when the steel cage door was slammed in the face of the beloved Kerry Von Erich ruining his chances of being World Heavyweight Champion. That very night as a last minute substitute for Buddy Roberts, David Von Erich won the Six Man Tag Team Titles with Freebirds Michael Hayes and Terry Gordy. Thus the war began with the Freebirds as the Champions and the Von Erichs seething and vowing revenge.
Each of the 80s territories had their own unique style, but World Class was one that I found hard to describe as opposed to the power-oriented Mid-South or the gimmick-heavy Memphis. I would say more than anything else World Class is deeply rooted in babyface/heel dynamics. Every match is wrestled in such a way that it is very clearly who the face is and who is the heel. The match is driven by these dynamics. Babyfaces are always struggling valiantly to win and are constantly getting the best of the heels. The heels are desperate not to get squashed and used underhanded tactics to gain an advantage. This confluence leads to heated, urgent struggles and the investment of the wrestlers and fans in the outcome.
The work style seems pretty similar to Mid-Atlantic/Crockett, lots of action, but a bit simpler and more focused on the Von Erichs being the superstars as opposed to the heels like Flair and Blanchard being the stars in Mid-Atlantic.
The most interesting observation I made in looking at the first half of important matches in 1983 was understanding the role of Buddy Roberts. You don't know have to be a wrestling fan to get Terry Gordy's role. He was the bruiser and in addition he could bump huge, which was critical in the 1980s. Once you hear Michael Hayes, he understand his role as the mouthpiece. I think his ability to get heat on the mic as been conflated with him getting heat in the ring. When in fact, it was Buddy Jack that was the true heat seeker in the ropes. If you pay attention carefully, the entire heel portion of the match is run through Buddy Roberts. This could be explained as Buddy Jack being the veteran of the team. Every time, there is a transition to a heat segment, it is because of Buddy Roberts' actions. He is the only Freebird with a crowd jeer thrown directly at him. This coupled with a very keen observation by Stone Cold Steve Austin, he was the Freebird that all the men in the crowd thought they could beat up. Now, you got this prick with a ridiculous head gear cheating like a muthafucka that I know I can beat, that is going to cause some serious heat. I would say Buddy Roberts was the workhorse/ring general of the Freebirds.
All these matches are great, but special consideration goes out to the Independence Spectacular where the Von Erichs claim the Six Man Tag Titles from the Freebirds for the first time in a barnburner of a match. So far, I would say this is the best World Class match I have ever seen. It is also one of the top handful of hottest crowds I have ever heard. The level of heat that is sustained throughout this match is unfathomable in this day and age.
Match Listing:
Michael Hayes vs. Kerry Von Erich (2/7/83) ***1/2
Great first match in a feud. Does not give too much a way and leaves you wanting more.
Fabulous Freebirds vs Von Erichs - WCCW 2/18/83 Lumberjack Match ****
This was a Von Erich revenge match through and through. Long and hot shine.
Fabulous Freebirds/Garvin vs Von Erichs/Iceman Parsons 5/27/83 Elimination Match ****1/4
Mayhem. Awesome finish stretch with Kerry/Kevin vs Hayes/Buddy Jack
Six-Man Tag Champs Fabulous Freebirds vs Von Erichs - WCCW 7/4/83 2 Out of 3 Falls ****3/4
Insane crowd heat! Probably the best match in World Class history! Watch it!
American Champion Kevin Von Erich vs Gorgeous Jimmy Garvin - WCCW 7/18/83 ****1/2
Great championship style 2 out of 3 falls match. Perfect ending that suits all THREE characters.
Michael Hayes vs. Kerry Von Erich (2/7/83)
After hearing about the legendary Freebirds vs Von Erichs feud (I would say the most famous territorial feud), I was very excited to finally watch the feud in action. According to Bill Mercer, this is the first encounter between Kerry Von Erich and Michael Hayes since the dastardly deed was perpetrated on Christmas night 1982. They laid out a very smart first match in the series based on strong face-heel dynamics. With a blood feud that started with such a hot angle, it is tempting to go to the pay windah right away with violent brawl sprints, but they paced themselves well by starting with this match. It is not a classic, but definitely makes you want to see more.
At the outset, Hayes plays the prissy sissy in this match perfectly by taking his robe off seductively and then playing cat and mouse with the red hot Kerry. Once Kerry gets a hold of him, he kicks his ass and Michaels bumps like a madman to the outside. Rinse, lather repeat to great results. Kerry misses a kneedrop. Michael Hayes exhibits the perfect transformation of a prissy sissy heel into a sadistic brute by attacking the knee well. I like that Kerry is always fighting back, but getting cut off. Kerry goes for the vaunted claw, Hayes is quick to throw him out. My one gripe with the match is that Hayes abandons the more compelling knee work for a side headlock and Kerry comes back, but is cut off. Hayes tries to “leap” from middle rope and eats punch to mid section. Hayes takes a breather to break momentum, but in doing so he lost his own. Thus the playing field has been leveled.
He gets back in and Kerry kicks ass. Very nice Stepover toehold by Kerry. Kerry works on the knee and Hayes great verbal selling. Hayes misses a knee drop. Kerry working knee so more and leg lace. Hayes working gritty to get out and has been a consummate heel in this match. Kerry tries to salvage the match with an iron claw, but Hayes rakes the eye rakes. Hayes is thinking piledriver, but back drop. Kerry wants the piledriver, but Gordy attacks for DQ. Great face work by Kerry complimented by awesome heel work by Hayes great match that makes you want to see more. ***1/2
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Fabulous Freebirds vs Von Erichs - WCCW 2/18/83 Lumberjack Match
Go home Freebirds!
Now we get into the meat of the feud by watching some badass six man tag action.
There is a great struggle between these two teams throughout the match. They did not make much use of lumberjack stipulation, but I do not hold that against them. The match starts with Kerry fighting off all three when Gordy is trying to get him in that corner. Kerry unloads on Hayes, who bumps out and thrown back in. David/Gordy is up next, Gordy has a really cool bump off top rope basically Vaderbombs himself and needs to be seen. Gordy was a massive bumper in this early on. OH HELL YEAH! Here comes Kevin with dropkicks galore. Roberts jumping knee to Kevin’s back, fucking asshole. Good heat segment by the Birds. Kevin always trying to get tag compliments it nicely. He tags in Kerry. Kerry gets in his licks with fire. Gordy drives him into the corner. Again, Roberts attacks illegally. They target Kerry’s arm. Hayes really nice arm work on Kerry using ropes and hammerlock backbreaker (that move should be cribbed). Gordy throws him through ropes. Robert/Kerry collision sets up the finish as they both tag out. David applies a sleeper on Gordy. Katie bar the door, there is a pier-six brawl a brewin! David apllies claw, Hayes hits from behind. Freebirds looks like they will win by hook and crook. I totally bite on this finish, but Gordy wants the piledriver first, but Kevin hits from behind. He puts David on top. 1-2-3! Love how the babyface fought fire with fire there. A good start to the six man tag wars definitely not a blowoff, but a damn solids double FIP tag with an innovative finish. ****
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Fabulous Freebirds/Jimmy Garvin vs Von Erichs/Iceman Parsons
WCCW 5/27/83 Elimination Match
This match is not worked Survivor Series style, but basically as a 4 vs. 4 battle royale where eliminations can happen by pinfall, submission or being thrown over the top rope. This match is wicked chaotic and I actually liked that feel a lot.
The Faces start off hot. They shoot all four Birds into the center for a 4 way collision. Gordy goes for piledriver. Kevin hits a crossbody and they pig pile on top for him for three. Loved the pig pile! I did not expect Gordy to be the first eliminated. That’s a huge coup for the Von Erichs. The eliminations are rapid fire. Parsons gets pig piled by Hayes/Roberts. Garvin tosses David out. Kevin dropckicks Garvin out when he turns around. DAVID/Jimmy fight to set up their wager match in about a month. Thus it is down to Hayes & Roberts vs Kerry & Kevin. This stretch is just fucking awesome.
It starts with double Von Erich sleepers. The theme is that Hayes has to keep saving Roberts lest he go down 2-1 to the Von Erichs and be at there mercy. Kevin nails his finish, a big flying bodypress, but Hayes saves. He sends Kevin out but through middle rope. Kevin is able to recover to save Kerry from double teams. Roberts accidentally strikes Hayes and I bit on that as a finish. The Iron claw is applied on Roberts, but Hayes saves again. Hayes sleeper on Kerry! Roberts tries to throw Kevin out, but Kevin skins the cat to a big pop. Kerry reverses into his own sleeper. Double Claw! Kevin misses big splash. Buddy tries neckbreaker or backbreaker to win. Hayes tries bulldog. Nothing doing for the Birds. Von Erich double dropkick sends Hayes outside. They try to do the same to Roberts, but Hayes trips Roberts up. Cool spot with both Von Erichs crashing and burning. Hayes comes crashing down on Kerry and 1-2-3. WOW! Kerry basically did a clean job for Hayes right there! This leaves Kevin alone. Hayes tees off on Kevin. Pig pile kickout by Kevin to a big pop! They both try to put Kevin out over the top rope, but Kevin skins the cat. They try to push him over, but Kevin uses legs to send them both over and skins the cat to win the match. I was surprised they went with Kevin in this role, but then it clicked when I remembered the commentary stating he was getting the title shot against Flair. Really great booking to get him over and ready to face Flair in a month or so. Once this got down to 2 on 2 this was an awesome action-packed sprint. ****1/4
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Six-Man Tag Team Champions Fabulous Freebirds vs Von Erichs - WCCW 7/4/83 2 Out of 3 Falls
Huge July 4th event! Freebirds come out to “Georgia On My Mind” and the first mention of Georgia draws a lusty chorus of boos! Georgia vs. Texas is in full swing! The Freebirds have their Confederate sequined robes and the Georgia state flag. They sure know how to make an entrance. The places blows up for the Von Erichs.
This is the loudest, most sustained heat I have ever heard. The crowd LOVES the Von Erichs and HATES the Freebirds. This is the ultimate wrestling atmosphere. The opening of this match is about as basic as you get but they were popping for every Von Erich offensive move like it was Hogan’s legdrop. Roberts has his headgear/wig deal. The crowd is all over him with chants of “Baldie”. Gordy drives Kevin into corner and Roberts gets heat on Kevin. It is a titantic struggle as the Birds are using strong heel tactics to try to keep the superhero-like Von Erichs down. Kerry explodes out of his corner illegally because of Gordy jawing at him. WOW what a hot moment! The heat really is tremendous. Kevin makes it to David who opens a can on Buddy complete with high knee, but Buddy tagged out and a Gordy cross-body wins the fall for the Birds. Big time Birds celebration and after how the Von Erichs started off that was huge for the Birds to go up 1-Nil.
David lets his brothers know that was his bad and he wants to redeem myself. Kicking ass, gets lured into Freebirds corner, but slips out before Hayes can get a hold of him and Hayes is pissed. Nice bit of psychology. Hayes goes up to jaw with fans and David beats him up. David is too tempted by getting his licks in on Terry and Buddy. Short heat on him, but Buddy misses dropkick and Kerry is in to a huge reaction. Kerry is just rocking n rolling. Roberts blindsides Kerry. I have noticed in a lot of these matches most of the heat ends up on Buddy. He is the one that causes the heat segment through dirty tactics. Heat segment on Kerry. Trying to get tag, but Hayes stops. Double arm clothesline by Birds and Kerry kicks out to big pop. Kevin cant handle it and he dropkicks everyone and Claws Gordy. Ref tries to break it up Kerry and David double arm clothesline on Buddy to knot it up at one piece. I loved the symmetry of Kerry kicking out of the illegal double clothesline and then here the Von Erichs fight fire with fire to win the match.
Melee breaks out after the second fall. David Manning says fuckk all you all, I will DQ you muthafuckas if it comes to it and brings out another ref to a pop and Hayes protests. Kerry kicks some Roberts ass and falling Tenryu elbow. Roberts hits headbutt to midsection with Kerry up against ropes (again Buddy getting that heat started). All the Birds working on Kerry’s midsection is great. We get a string of bearhugs. Buddy does not phase him and goes for headgear, but that gets him in trouble. Kicks Hayes on telegraphed back drop and tags out to Kevin. Kevin is a house of fire and claw on Hayes. Gordy buries a knee in Kevin’s back. Kevin obliterates Manning and also falls to outside. Melee. Kevin trips up Hayes from outside. Top rope reverse cross body on Hayes wins the titles! CROWD EXPLODES!
Loved this match. Both teams use face/heel dynamics perfectly to make every simple move look like the most important move ever. This match is definitely buoyed by one of the greatest, hottest crowds ever. The reason not to go full monty is because the work was a bit too simplistic and minimalistic. As a pure character piece and indulging a rabid crowd, it is hard to beat this match. ****3/4
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American Heavyweight Champion Kevin Von Erich vs Gorgeous Jimmy Garvin - WCCW 7/18/83
Zack Galfinkas clearly took his grooming cues from the sleeziest man in wrestling, “Gorgeous” Jimmy Garvin. Garvin and Sunshine were a tremendous heel act and perfect as the top singles heel down from the Freebirds and as their ally. My love for Kevin Von Erich is well-known and one of the first matches I ever watched of him was this one. I was excited to re-watch it and it did not disappoint.
Kevin outclasses the preening, cocky Jimmy Garvin in the beginning with a dropkick out of chain sequence then bodyscissors. Kevin Von Erich is one of the wrestlers that has a credible body/head scissors. There is something about the way he does it that has me believing. Maybe part of that is Garvin’s great verbal selling in the hold. Garvin shows he can wrestle with a drop toehold and Indian detahlock and Garvin tries a pinning combination. Von Erich, always fighting, punches out. Garvin does not let up with good vicious knees to back. Garvin hits the chinlock.. Kevin blocks and throws Garvin into turnbuckle and Irish Whip. Kevin reverse crossbody from top rope to win first fall! Garvin is pissed at himself and rightfully so he dominated the first fall and let it slip right through his fingers.
Kevin starts the second fall with a nice armbar takedown. Kevin applies a headscissors. Sunshine is such a fun valet. Good facial expressions and reacts well to events in the ring. He basically piledrives Garvin when he tries to escape headsicssors. Garvin pops up, but ends up in a hammerlock, love foiling the heel like that. Great verbal selling by Gorgeous Jimmy again. Kevin is really working it and wrenching it, so good. Nice reversals in hammerlock with Kevin getting the best of it. Kevin now applies the double wristlock. Garvin powers up and hangs Kevin up on top rope, but Kevin keeps fighting. Big splash and Kevin eats feet to face. NASTY! KEVIN WENT FULL BORE INTO THAT! Tied 1-1. Kevin looked to have this title defense against Jimmy Jam all sewn up, but he blows it in the second fall.
Garvin presses his advantage clubbering and drops Kevin throat first in the top rope. Garvin back to the chinlock. Michaels Hayes is on apron and at first I thought it was Sunshine. Lets be honest, Hayes has way better than Sunshine so sorry for dissing you, Michael! Kevin throws Garvin’s head into turnbuckle and great selling by Garvin knowing what is coming next! Kevin applies the vaunted Iron Claw to the head of Gorgeous Jimmy. Is that perm enough of a helmet? Garvin gets to ropes. Kevin dropkick sends Jimmy Jam out to the floor. Sunshine slaps Kevin so Kevin spanks Sunshine! Garvin comes crashing down on him for the victory!!!
Sunshine taking one for the team! Kevin is a total hothead in the ring and that’s what makes him great. Sunshine and Garvin parlayed that into an advantage of their own. Great action in there, loved the symmetry of the first two falls and a super hot finish run. Another great Kevin Von Erich match! ****1/2
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