Pro Wrestling Love vol. 26: Best of World Class Championship Wrestling (Kerry Von Erich, Ric Flair, Fabulous Freebirds)

Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 26:

The Best of World Class Championship Wrestling 1983-1989

Objective:  Break up the Greatest Match Ever Project (hosted at gwe.freeforums.project.net) into more manageable chunks to help me build my Top 100 List for the project.

Motivation: Contribute to the discussion around these matches to enrich my own understanding of pro wrestling and give a fresh perspective for old matches and even hopefully discover great pro wrestling matches that have been hidden by the sands of time.

Subject: This twenty-sixth volume of Pro Wrestling Love is the conclusionof the Top 12 countdown of the best matches to take place in World Class Championship Wrestling between 1983-1987. The time period is set because this was the peak of the territorial era in regards to footage. Footage before 1983 in regards to American wrestling is a dicey proposition. There are some gaps after 1983, but for the most part from 1983 on we have everything. Originally I was going to end this countdown in 1987 as believe that to be the end of the territorial era (Crockett buys out Watts and World Class & AWA are on their death bed), but I figure I might as well include 1988 and 1989 in this because World Class is sold to Jarrett & Memphis in 1989 to form the USWA. World Class had a terrible 1986-87 so you won’t see any matches from those years. There was a slight rebound in 1988 when the Fabulous Freebirds make a return and Jerry Lawler vs Kerry Von Erich feud over who the real world champion is. You can revisit past Pro Wrestling Love Volumes at ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com. You can check out the full version of these reviews in ProWrestlingOnly.com by going to the forums and finding the folders associated with the date of the match.

Contact Info: @superstarsleeze on Twitter, Instagram & ProWrestlingOnly.com.

Bonus Match

I have not explored Southwest Championship Wrestling (San Antonio-based, Joe Blanchard) in great depth, but I did discover a classic on Youtube years back that I think has a very strong possibility of making my Top 100 best matches and I wanted to make sure that it was recognized. I hope to one day explore Blanchard's Southwest Championship Wrestling in more detail. 

Terry Funk vs Bob Orton - Southwest 5/26/83
SCW World Championship Tournament

Kudos to the modern guy who does commentary on this. He was not half bad and got the psychology over pretty well.

Holy shit! Why has no one talked about this match? Probably because it happened in Southwest! This may be the most logically progressive match I have ever seen. Like every move that one did to the other caused a reaction and had a consequence. It was a beautifully constructed narrative. Easily one of the best matches of 80s.

They start off with mutual respect deal and it is chippy, but respectful. Then Funk starts elbowing the back of the neck. Then he slaps Orton. That's the story of the early part of the match. Funk is disrespecting Orton and it backfires on him! Orton gets madder and madder. First Orton whips him into the corner hard and he goes to work on the back. Some of the best bearhug spots you will ever see and again Funk is using elbows and non-technical ways to get out. Finally, when Orton goes for a pin, Funk kicks out and LUNGES at him with a nasty JYD-style headbutt. It was one of the nastiest I have seen Funk throw. He throws two more nasty ones crawling at Orton hard. Orton takes a breather, but now Orton is fucking pissed. He gets in the ring and now he is slapping Funk. He throws Funk out hard right onto the Japanese photographer. Orton basically turns heel mid-match because Funk was being a dick to him! Plus we get two Orton control segments back to back that are totally friggin different!!! HOW COOL IS THAT! Funk's selling is so fucking awesome. Those Orton punches and Funk holding on for dear life on the apron. Holy shit!

BEST PART OF THE MATCH: Funk sort of half falls into Orton and half tries to attack him and Orton sees he is in a position for the piledriver and hits it for two. That's what I mean by logical progression.

Funk single leg pick up and just goes all out on the knee hoping to escape this match with the Spinning Toehold. Rake of the eyes because Orton is a douche. Funk is so sympathetic. Bang heads! HUGE Suplex Struggle! FUNK WINS TO EARN HIS CONTROL SEGMENT! God Bless this match! Funk works over the knee with a variety of toe holds, but is still out of it cant put Orton away. Orton crotches Funk on the top rope out of desperation. Orton is great in this. Orton brutalizing Funk with rights. SLUGFEST! We are getting it all. FUNK BALLSHOTS ORTON WITH HIS LEG! Perfect. Funk atomic drop and punches. Bell rings for a draw!!! NNNNNOOOOOOOOO!!! Still brawling!

I could have watched another 20 minutes of this easy. Nearly perfect wrestling. Only reason not to go ***** is it just does not feel complete. Like they had so much more to give. Awesome, awesome.

Rest In Peace Fritz, David & Kerry.

Top Six Matches of World Class Championship Wrestling 1983-1989

#6. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race vs Kevin Von Erich - 6/17/83

Going into the 80s rewatch, this was my pick for Harley's greatest match and still feel that way. If only Harley would only wrestle Von Erichs in Texas! I think the fact that Von Erichs constantly fight back forces a lot of Harley's bad tendencies out of him. Kevin is such an unusual wrestler. I really cant think of anyone like him. My number one issue with him is that he just doesn't sell. He sells his ass off well rather his arm off here. You combine Kevin's "think shoot, but work" mentality with amazing selling you have a recipe for success. Harley keeps his bad bumping (that bump off the atomic drop is a great example of bad bumping) and his spot-throwing to a minimum instead he focuses on the arm. In the early going, Kevin is working his ass off to win the match. We get a ton of nearfalls around the crossbody, sleeper, throwing over the top rope (legal in this match) and the Claw! Mercer does a great job documenting this onslaught and that Kevin is primed to win. Harley is pretty decent at taking all this. They establish going over the top is legal because it has been a way for the champion to get out of having the title switch hands in Texas. Kevin has been using a lot of Irish Whips to either set that up or his body scissors, which does not always look great. I am pretty sure that the transition spot should have been Kevin going over the top and taking the bump to the floor on his shoulder for maximum effect, but instead went through middle rope, not a huge deal. Kevin is amazing selling the arm and Harley to his credit never relents. Kevin shows he cant do the Irish Whip, which was his staple move of the match. He then varies his offense with dropkick and a bodyscissor to avoid using the arm. I love that shit! He puts his hand down his pants to sort of create a natural sling. It is a bit weird, but I kinda like where his head is at there. Harley would punch the arm whenever in trouble as a cutoff and using a gnarly shouldebreaker. He came off the top and its the Claw with the good arm, but without the other arm to support it, Harley is able to throw him to the floor on his bad arm! Awesome drama. Harley is not letting him come back in so David comes out and to tell his brother to quit before career-altering damage is down. Harley kicks David in the head and he bumrushes the ring and hits a high knee on Harley to trigger the DQ.

Easy way to protect Kevin, sell the next match Harley/David for the next big event. I pretty much loved everything up until the finish. I think a countout victory for Harley would have been fine. One of the all time great Kevin performances and the best Harley match in my book.

#5. Kerry & Kevin Von Erich vs Chris Adams & Gino Hernandez - Hair vs Hair 10/6/85

Definitely lived up to the hype and build of this feud. This was the last shining moment of World Class as it was all downhill from here sadly. 

The Dynamic Duo are not happy that David Manning is the ref. I liked all the quick pins early. This match is not about hurting each other. It is about humiliation. The quick pin means you avoid getting your head shaved and you get to shave your rival's head. it makes sense to go for quick pins. Also, liked that unlike most Von Erich matches we do get some selling from the Von Erichs and real sense of heat. Kevin was fighting hard, but it was a thumb to the throat by Gino that turns tide. Adams really manhandled Kevin to force him to sell and it was a great performance from Kevin. I loved the Iron Claw to the abdomen as a hope spot only for Adams to come crashing down on Kevin. I thought the hot tag was not milked enough, but this is Texas so that is to be expected, but Kerry is so over there is still a huge reaction. The crowd wants to see Dynamic Duo lose their hair and Von Erichs to keep that every nearfall is super hot. Adams sells the Discus Punch so well. Kerry is a great hot tag such a great presence. SUPERKICK~! Damn, I love that move. Great nearfall. Kerry reverses a suplex into a sleeper hey this isn't a Flair match. 

Gino interferes and Kevin trips over Kerry to get to Gino. I love that type of chaos. The heels switch out. Adams comes up short on the Superkick and DISCUS PUNCH! Does anyone sell it better than Adams? Kerry charging into corner and Kevin is great trying to corral his brother into his corner. Gino slams a chair into Kerry and KEVING IS PISSED! Everyone arms themselves with chairs. Kerry milks the count. Gino applies sleeper on Kerry. They knock heads the favorite spot of the 80s. Both tag out and Kevin meets Adams in the middle and overwhelms him. Nice dropkick and big bodyslam. Misses kneedrop. Kevin never hits those moves. Adams hits a great suplex really gets some nice force on it. Kerry and Adams slugfest. CLAW~! Gino interefers. Kerry fighting with Gino. SUPERKICK~! Powder into Kerry's face, but Kevin cross body. Powder into Adams' face and Kerry rolls up for win.

The hair cutting post-match is great. Adams gets the Friar Tuck hair cut and Chris Von Erich tackles the escaping Gino and they give him the Missing Link haircut. You cant separate the great post-match from the great match together they form a classic wrestling moment.

#4. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kevin Von Erich
Parade of Champions 5/5/85

WCCW Match of the Year, 1985

Kevin Von Erich is my favorite Von Erich! Dude is just fucking relentless. Talk about "thinking shoot, but working" he personifies it. I watched this match on a plane to Italy last summer and I was floored by it then and still am. This is just nonstop fighting between two wrestlers who hated each other and wanted to be champion. The entire match is Flair trying to figure out a way to get through Kevin's perpetual motion, which is his usual strategy. Kevin Von Erich is the epitome of a good offense is a good defense mantra. He is just always coming forward and attacking. Every other Von Erich would break on the ropes or not use a closed fist. Kevin Von Erich just flies with reckless abandon. In the beginning, Kevin frustrates Flair with an O'Connor Roll, besting him in a test of strength and fire right back at him in the corner (Flair's domain). Quickness, strength and aggression, what the hell is Flair going to do? Flair just keeps going at it and Kevin traps him in the sleeper. Flair might be the best ever at selling a sleeper at this point in his career. He looks to be at a total loss. "WE WANT THE CLAW" is the chant goes up and Flair does all he can to avoid that. Flair catches him with a running atomic drop that buys him some time, but not much as Kevin Von Erich puts on the best abdominal stretch ever I mean he hooks his foot behind his own foot. Finally, I know what Gorilla was talking about! There is a great struggle over the Irish Whip out of a corner. Everything in this match is earned. Flair is putting forth a kickass effort and is just being beaten by someone who is wrestling like a man possessed.

There is two rings at this event. Flair does his Flip in the corner and falls into the other ring. KEVIN HITS A SPLASH FROM ONE RING TO THE OTHER! HOLY SHIT! There is no rest for the wicked, Flair! Kevin kicks some more ass and Flair can just Flop. Iron Claw, oh so close! Flair gouges the eyes and throws him to the outside. Finally, Flair gets a chance to recuperate. This has been a war! Wait, here comes Kevin again. Oh, hell! Flair tries to escape into the other ring. Flair gets his short knee. He is going up top, oh no, this is not going to end well. Press slam off the top! Kevin just takes his foot presses Flair's face up against the ropes. Kevin might be the most underrated asskicker of all time. Goes for the Iron Claw so Flair goes for his bridge sequence, which ends in a backslide that is how Kerry won it 1-2-NO! Texas Stadium erupted for that nearfall! IRON CLAW! They tumble to the outside. There is a melee with Flair restraining Kevin from returning to the ring triggering a double countout and retaining his title. Kevin loses his fucking shit. He decks the ref and that puts the Iron Claw on Flair and will not let go. It takes David Manning, his brothers Kerry & Mike and his father Fritz to finally convince him to let go before he kills Flair.

Wow! Kevin Von Erich kicked the shit out of Flair, but it never felt like a squash or an exhibition. Kevin was determined from the outset to win the match. You truly believed that this was the most important thing in the world to Kevin and he was going to do whatever it takes to win. It was never a squash because Flair was just as invested as Kevin. He wanted to win the match and was constantly fighting back, but Kevin was fighting through his offense. It was a truly great brawl by these two badass wrestlers.

#3. Terry Gordy vs Killer Khan - Texas Death Match 11/22/84

WCCW Match of the Year, 1984

World Class' Rocky IV moment that predates Rocky IV by a year as a Freebird and Von Erich shake hands at the end of this bout proving that there is hope for all of us to just get along.

I can totally understand why this finished number one atop the Texas poll even if it will not finish there for me (Top 5, no doubt). This match epitomized everything Texas has been lacking hatred, violence and blood (notable exception the awesome Kerry/Hayes Cage match). Texas (non-NWA Championship matches) is characterized by insane crowd heat, big time babyface offense, lots of heel bumping and feel good matches. I love action blockbuster, popcorn, feel good matches, but there were times when I just wanted the Freebirds/Von Erichs to cut loose and really brawl with each other. As much as I love 7/4/83, the closest they got to that brawl was in 1988, but man alive if they could have done that in 1983 that would have been something else.

The vast majority of Killer Khan's offense was biting the forehead and Asiatic Spikes to the throat of Gordy. Now that's heel offense! This is not a spring brawl, but a war of attrition that feels like a clash of the titans. When Gordy takes for a bit, Khan throws him to the outside smashes his face into the post and Gordy does a big time blade job. Khan gets the first pin with a knee drop, but Gordy makes the ten count. Now it is Gordy's turn to throw Khan out and ram his head into the post busting him open. Gordy nails a piledriver, but now Khan makes the ten count. This is minimalistic brawling at its finest. The suplex struggle between these two bloody warriors late into the bout is a great testament to machismo. Khan misses the kneedrop that won him the first fall. Gordy applies the Oriental Spike to the throat. This is an all time great finish as he digs his thumb into the neck of Khan who is grunting and struggling only to struggle less and less as his life force is being drained. It is pretty poignant. It is Magnum/Tully in its levels of brutality and uncomfortableness. Kerry counts Khan down. Khan is choking and not going to make the ten count, but Akbar interferes to Kerry kicks his ass and now Missing Link. Gordy and Kerry fend off Devastation Inc. Kerry declares Gordy the winner and sticks out his hand. No handshake, Gordy calls Kerry back to the ring ostensibly to rumble, but instead we get the Handshake to end all Handshakes.

The Handshake and Oriental Spike finish with Khan's selling make this an all-time classic. It was just missing a spark from the beginning of the match until the finish. I thought everything was really well-worked from beginning to end, but it could have used just a little more pep. I would say Top 25 US match from the 80s and Top five for Texas, pretty easy.

#2. Kerry Von Erich vs. Michael Hayes - Loser Leaves Town Steel Cage 11/24/83

Off the top of my head, I can't think of a better sub-ten minute match! Absolutely electric match that pays off the entire angle in one incredibly climax! They met in the very structure that caused this blood feud a steel cage and after a year it is time for the ultimate blowoff, a Loser Leaves Town match. Kerry and Michael play their roles to perfection and cut a terrific pace. Michael never once backs down from Kerry and this makes for one helluva fight, Those fists were flying early and love the early attempt at the Claw. Hayes throwing Kerry into cage and choking him with the bandage was perfect heel wrestling, Even better was Kerry using these tactics against Hayes and Hayes is busted wide open. I love the Sleeper in the 80s it is such a BIG move in the sense of a titanic struggle. Hayes applies it first to break Kerry's momentum only to see Kerry power up and apply his own. I love this tit for tat, taste of your own medicine wrestling. Here comes the big Hayes push for victory, suplex, bulldog and piledriver in succession, but Kerry gets foot on ropes. I think thats lame in a cage match. It is Loser Leaves Town just hotshot everything BABY and kick out of the piledriver BABY! Kerry nails a suplex out of a suplex struggle. Here comes BAM BAM! The very man that slammed the door into Kerry's head in shot heard round the world. Head collision and both are out. Buddy Roberts scales the cage and tosses in knux. Hayes catches them, but Kerry nails a discus punch and the knux go flying. Fritz slams Gordy into the table. Kerry obliterates Michael Hayes. Buddy climbs to the top to save Michael, but crotches himself on the cage and falls pathetically to the ring. Love it! Kerry 1-2-3! Banishing Michael from Texas! Fritz slams the door on Gordy to tie up that loose end and finally Von Erich vengeance is achieved!

The match is a little too short and there are a couple details I did not like that keep this from being absolutely perfect like DiBiase/Duggan. In terms of blowoffs and paying off multiple elements of a blood feud, this is hard to beat and it is like the DiBiase/Duggan of World Class! Really fucking awesome and not talked about enough!

#1. Six-Man Tag Team Champions Fabulous Freebirds vs Von Erichs 

Two Out Of Three Falls 7/4/83

WCCW Match of the Year, 1983

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.