Pro Wrestling Love vol. 27: Best of AWA 1983-1990 (Nick Bockwinkel, Curt Hennig, Shawn Michaels)

Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 27:

The Best of American Wrestling Association 1983-1990

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-seventh volume of Pro Wrestling Love is the beginning of the Top 12 countdown of the best matches to take place in American Wrestling Association between 1983-1990. 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 1988-1990 because that’s when the AWA closed. 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.

Rest In Peace, Bock. Thanks for all the entertainment. 

Honorable Mentions

Sheik Ayatollah Blackwell & Sheik Adnan al-Kaisse vs 

Mad Dog Vachon & Baron Von Raschke Taped Fist Match 3/13/83

Verne Gagne & Mad Dog Vachon vs. Sheik Ayatollah Blackwell & Sheik Adnan – 4/24/83

AWA World Tag Team Champions The Sheiks (Patera & Blackwell) vs High Flyers – 11/24/83

Crusher Blackwell & Sgt. Slaughter vs. Sheik Adnan, Masked Superstar & King Tonga 

Steel Cage 4/21/85

The biggest discovery of the AWA set was Crusher Ayatollah Jerry Blackwell. Call him what you will, but you will call him awesome. He looks like the most unathletic tub of goo you would ever see, but looks can be deceiving. He is one of the most agile big men there ever was and one of the most psychologically sound. His “weeble wobble” but they don’t fall down selling is so good and makes every bump mean something. I love how he uses the splash in all his matches. I don’t want to give it away but pay special attention to his splash psychology. His feud with the AWA old timers such as Mad Dog, Baron, Da Crusher (over who the real Crusher is) and of course the Boss, Verne is one of the best of all time. I highly recommend the taped fist against the Baron & Mad Dog. This serves as a lead-in for two arch-enemies, Verne & Mad Dog, coming together against a common enemy, the Sheiks! There is more to come from the Blackwell vs Mad Dog feud and more to come from the Sheiks as a tag team. There is also some great Blackwell pre-1983 that we will get to when I cover US Wrestling from 1978-1982 in a separate blog. Jerry Blackwell is a marvel and should be discussed more as an all-time great in US wrestling.

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Jumbo Tsuruta vs Rick Martel – 5/13/84

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel vs Nick Bockwinkel – 8/16/84

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel vs Mr. Saito – 4/24/85

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel vs Terry Gordy – August 1985

While the rest of the country was debating Hogan vs. Flair, the AWA put their faith in a handsome Quebecois named Rick Martel, who wrestled like a fired up babyface in the vein of a Jack Brisco or a Ricky Steamboat. The results in the ring were awesome. He would have better matches with Jumbo & Bock that will be discussed later, but I definitely recommend seeking out the Saito & Gordy matches. Saito was another gem along the lines of a Blackwell as someone who stood out as a great pro wrestler that does not get much play. Martel brings all the sympathetic selling of a Ricky Steamboat with the offensive firepower of a Tito Santana making him a contender for the greatest pure babyface in the history of US wrestling.

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Jerry Lawler vs Curt Hennig – 7/19/88

AWA World Champion Jerry Lawler vs WCWA World Champion Kerry Von Erich 

Superclash III

Jerry Lawler spent roughly fifteen year of trying to win the NWA or AWA World Championships but could never wrest the title from Bockwinkel, Harley, Flair or Martel. Finally in the death throes of AWA, Verne Gagne had to come to Lawler as the last major free agent and give him the World Championship as Hennig was leaving for New York. Lawler & Hennig had two great matches one in Memphis and the other in the AWA. The rest of 1988 was spent around the underrated Lawler vs Von Erich feud over who the real world champion is. It is funny that the Superclash III is one of the most famous AWA matches of all time even though the AWA was basically running on fumes. The match is great even though the finish is a real stinker.

Hulk Hogan & High Flyers vs Jesse Ventura, Ken Patera & Bobby Heenan – 3/13/83

Nick Bockwinkel & Mr. Saito vs High Flyers – 3/7/85

AWA World Tag Team Champions Midnight Rockers vs. Adrian Adonis & Bob Orton – Jan. 1988

The AWA was a great tag team territory and that will be featured throughout the countdown. I just wanted to make sure these matches got shout outs. You have a wicked fun Hulk Hogan popcorn tag team match against the Heenan Family a year before Hogan vs Heenan Family would be the biggest feud of the 80s in the WWF. Bockwinkel & Saito are one of the all-time great heel tag teams and even though they only have a handful of matches together they absolutely rule. The Midnight Rockers are mostly known for their double hot feud with Rose & Somers, the match against Adonis & Orton gives you some idea of how good they could be against others.

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Stan Hansen vs Sgt. Slaughter – 2/23/86

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Stan Hansen vs Sgt. Slaughter – Bunkhouse Match 3/9/86

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Stan Hansen vs Nick Bockwinkel – Wrestlerock 4/20/86

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Stan Hansen vs Curt Hennig – 5/31/86

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel vs Curt Hennig – 12/25/86

The Stan Hansen World Championship is mired in controversy behind the scenes, but in front of the screen it is was a smash hit of great matches. Often I wondered, what did Sgt. Slaughter do after leaving the WWF in 1984 and his return in 1991, the answer is have kickass matches with Stan Hansen in the AWA. The big bully Hansen against the big bumping Sarge was a natural combination. Hansen vs Bockwinkel is a combination you might not expect to work, but by 1986 Bockwinkel had become a fan favorite! He had become Minneapolis’ jerk so to speak. Bock as a walking tall babyface against the bulldozing Hansen was a perfect fit. The last cut match from the list was a superb TV match sprint between the champion Hansen and a young white meat babyface, Curt Hennig. Hennig was definitely on the rise, but could he take down the mean, low down Hansen? Two matches from the esteemed Bockwinkel vs Hennig series make the countdown, but this one from Christmas of 1986 is also essential viewing. You see after pushing the Champion to a draw in November. He had hit beat on Christmas with a series of big moves but special referee called for a disqualification due to Bockwinkel going over the top rope. A bullshit call and thus the stage was set for the rematch in 1987 at Superclash II.

 #12. Sheik Ayatollah Crusher Blackwell vs Mad Dog Vachon - Algerian Death Match 5/22/83

As one would expect, an Algerian Death match is a Texas Death match complete with pinfalls necessary to trigger the ten count. The Mad Dog and Blackwell promos before this match are must see as Mad Dog promises to Blackwell in the pine coffin he is building. Also, it is important to note Mad Dog has been out for 2 years due to Blackwell so the feud culminates here in this Death Match.

Also a cool outcome of the last match in this feud is that Verne fulfilled his promise that the High Flyers would not have to worry about Blackwell & Adnan as contenders because Adnan has been transitioned into a managerial role. What they did not count out on was the Sheik’s oil money snagging the contract of Ken Patera who fill the void as Blackwell’s partner.

Interesting, they go the no shone route and immediately hit the heat. I think you can only do that when both wrestlers and their feud are firmly established. Since this was AWA’s hottest feud and two of their biggest stars this is fine. Mad Dog charge, but gets caught up attacking the other Sheiks, who hold him and Blackwell splashes him in the corner. Blackwell hits the powerslam/splash combo to gain the first fall and again for second fall. I have not seen much of cocky Blackwell, but it was fun to watch him count along. He is shocked Mad Dog has made it up twice. Mad Dog tries to make his comeback and Blackwell unleashes some stiff heabutts to bust him open. Blackwell gets another splash in the corner I expected him to miss and it looks bleak for our hero. Until he starts to rev up, one punch huge bearpaw swing after another has Blackwell rocking and reeling. He gets Fatwell down! He starts to bite. Blackwell tries to escape, but you cant escape the hatred of Mad Dog. There is a great struggle over a post shot. Blackwell takes it fucking hard. He blasts Blackwell with the chair, horse collaring him. Mad Dog swings it at the ref! Wow! Mad Dog sends him back in the post and bites Blackwell in the ring. Blackwell is a bloody mess. Blackwell gets a desperation knee up. Blackwell sensing his own end is imminent looks to pull the trigger on his big bomb the top rope splash. When will he learn as this has been his demise so many times, but it would be certain victory in his defense. Blackwell crashes and burns. Mad Dog is up! The crowd roars! Top rope kneedrop seals the victory.

The Texas Death Match stip both helped and hurt this match. I liked Blackwell getting those early falls as I really thought that built up the drama. The fact it took 40 seconds for Mad Dog to get his win did hurt the heat in my opinion, which is a fait accompli in a Texas Death Match. I loved the work in this match. I thought this was an awesome blowoff brawl. Blackwell kicked some major league ass and Mad Dog was wild in the middle. Could have used some more Blackwell bumps in the middle. Short, sweet and spirited brawl!

#11. AWA World Heavyweight Champion Stan Hansen vs Leon White aka Vader - 3/13/86

The first time I actually watched this match was in my dorm freshman year on ESPN Classic and for some reason, two or three dudes were watching with me. I remember describing Stan Hansen as such a sourpuss and how to watch because he will fucking hit the shit out of Vader (Leon White is Vader before he was Vader, it is just easier for me to type "Vader"). Much like the lone douche screaming "boring" they were not interested until the middle of the match and man did they all get behind Vader by the end of it. It was a pretty cool moment. I do disagree with my friends on one thing is that the whole match was awesome from beginning to end.

The whole bout is dripping with struggle. They lock up with such force. Vader takes most of the beginning with a nice side headlock. They do some fun "in and out" spots from headlock base like Vader cartwheeling over a Hansen drop down back into headlock. Hansen is always struggling in the headlock, nice crossface and dropping some nasty knees. They start laying into each other and Hansen really rears back and hits him hard forearm. Hansen takes him down with an armbar and then he starts manipulating fingers. Vader is hollering. Some really nice selling from Vader. Hansen destroys the hand, stomps on it, snapping fingers and smashing hand against hard objects. The fight on the outside was wicked. Vader punches Hansen in the throat and some great selling. They tease double countout. Vader has a really nice offensive stretch late with tackles and body splashes. He charges into the turnbuckle hard and then Hansen TAKES HIS HEAD OFF WITH A LARIAT!!! AWESOME FINISH!

Great, great veteran champion versus young, upcoming rookie. Perfect layout with strong execution, lots of struggle, brutal and the finish was badass. Great, great TV!

#10. Nick Bockwinkel & Mr. Saito vs. Fabulous Ones 

So I am bitching & moaning in the Rock N Roll Express matches that they are too long, well guess what this was way too short. Wow! This was a humdinger of a tag team match. I was absolutely loving every minute of this and did not want it to end. These four were just being absolute dicks to each other. This felt very Japanese. Yes, it was double face in peril with the Fabs playing FIP, Fabs were double teaming and being pricks right with Bock & Saito. Plus there was constant nonstop run ins from the partners and just a general sense of competition and struggle. I really enjoyed it. Bock jumpstarts the match and sets the tone by dragging Keirn over to their corner and they immediately start double teaming and choking Keirn. It was just nonstop asshole tactics. You can hear Lane shout to the ref to restore some order. He had his hands full with these four. Lane bites his tongue for a bit. Bock & Saito are looking for the win early by applying the sleeper repeatedly. Keirn keeps fighting back, but has really been double teamed hard. He has to fight his way over to Lane. Lane kicks some serious ass. Lots of karate and dropkicks. A hot tag that does not end in 30 seconds!!! Thank The Lord! I think the face shine after a short heat segment is a really great idea. I think that's my major malfunction with the RnR matches is the heat segment right into another heat segment it becomes like 80% heat segment. The Fabs just throw everything back in Bock's face in glorious fashion. There is choking, double teaming, teeing off on him and just steeping on his face. Bock is such a champ at selling all this. When Bock makes the ropes, Lane yanks him by the hair and then he puts on the SLEEPER! They paid him back in every way. Saito chop Lane on the sleeper so Keirn yanks Bock back over to their corner. Saito blasts Lane. Bock is able to crawl to get a cover for 2. He then drives his thumb into the throat so Saito can get tag in. Saito promptly goes for the Scorpion Deathlock so Keirn comes over and blasts him! This is fucking awesome! BACKDROP DRIVER! Saito back for the Scorpion Deathlock and Bock pushes on Saito's head and Keirn is exhorting Lane. Lane powers out. Lane tries to crawl over and Bock is right on it with figure-4. Keirn drops the elbow. That means he is not there for the tag! Saito double judo chop and Bock punches him in the gut. One angry women wonders where the ref who she calls a "fat fucker" got his license after that count. They continue to double team Lane in the corner. Lane ab stretch on Bock. Saito baits Keirn in, goes back and then comes crashing down on Lane with a chop. That was a bitchin sequence! They knock heads and Keirn pulls Lane out for the old switcheroo and small packages Bock for the win.

The story of the match is The Fabs went toe to toe with Bock & Saito at their own game and beat them with those underhanded tactics. Sometimes you just got to fight fire with fire. I seriously believe with 5, maybe 10 more minutes this would be contender for best American straight (no gimmicks) tag match of all time. Incredible. I cant go much higher than ****1/2, but cant praise or recommend this enough.

#9. AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel vs Curt Hennig - Superclash II

I did not see any build up other than the matches. I know Larry Z had been feuding with Bockwinkel by basically being the new devious heel on the roster. I don't know if Larry Z was trying to subvert Hennig before the match because otherwise the finish seems out of nowhere. It does make sense from Hennig's growing disillusionment with the system and having been screwed out of the title. Hennig turning heel just seems so fucking stupid. The promotion needed a babyface and the crowd was behind Hennig. Plus the need for Hennig to win by cheating affirms that system is broken and that good cannot triumph. That's not good for the promotion. I think people turning because they have been cheated is a fine storyline but when AWA desperately needed a new face to keep the company afloat that was not one needed. Hennig should have triumphed by right and might with Bockwinkel shaking his hand in respect and passing the torch. Then on top of all this, Hennig did NOT even win the title by hook or by crook. The title was held up. That's just so Death of WCW. No one wins and no one is better for it. The match is damn great, but the booking really leaves a sour taste in your mouth. 

Larry Z in all his epic mullet glory challenges the winner. Unfortunately for him, there would be no winner in this match. Hennig is ready to rock n roll in this match. He throws Bock off on top wristlock. Bock tries the slap again to intimidate Hennig like in past matches. Hennig wins a headlock/headscissors battle with a headlock. They make use of movement to keep it entertaining, but Hennig always gets back on top with the headlock. Hennig rams into the post and Bockwinkel is in his element playing King of the Mountain. Bockwinkel is laying in some absolutely massive shots. Bockwinkel targets the arm with big blows and some tight holds. Hennig uses a slam to get out of the hammerlock, but Bock kicks off and gets back to the arm. I really like Bockwinkel's double wristlock takedown into a short arm scissors. I love Bockwinkel smiling and jawing with the fans. It is nice to see him having fun in there. The fans however did not like it and thought it was boring. Similar to how Hennig pried open the figure-4 on the headlock in the March match, he does it here and it leads to some phenomenal leg work. Bockwinkel sold his leg so well in this match. Hennig kicks Bock's leg out from under him and then spinning toehold into figure-4 shades of the November match. Hennig shows his mean streak and continues attacking the leg in the ropes. Bockwinkel uses hair and punches in the midsection to stop his momentum. Bockwinkel hits one of his great kneelifts, but cat capitalize due to the leg work. They slug it out and Hennig unleashes a bevy of nearfalls. It is punctuated with the AXE~! and piledriver, but Bockwinkel was too close to the ropes. They knock the heads and Larry Z gives Hennig a roll of coins to win the match until the ref sees all the dimes on the floor. Leading to the title being held up.

The match is awesome and great display of dueling limb psychology leading to a hot home stretch, but the finish sucked. 

#8. AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel vs Jumbo Tsuruta

AWA Match of the Year, 1985

"ABA - Erm AWA - ABA was something else at some other time" - Rodger Kent? (Maybe Trongard), I lol'd

BOMBS AWAY! Wow! Do these two cut one helluva pace! Neither man backs down and this is a fight from the opening bell to the final three count. This match would not feel out of place in today's wrestling scene in fact I say they blow most matches out of the water. There are a ton of highspots and MOVEZ~! in this match, but everything feels important because it bearing on the next spot. The most critical element is it feels like two guys who are willing to do whatever it takes to win the match not entertain the fans. The fan's enjoyment is a byproduct of their struggle not their direct objective, which separates it from today's scene even if it is highspot-oriented match. The tone of the match is established early Jumbo is pissed and he wants his belt back. He hits these tremendous kneelifts and European Uppercuts and what does Martel do he fights back from his knees twice. You feel how badly these two competitors want to win the world heavyweight championship. It is a total Jumbo full court press early on with the work on the midsection of Martel being the focus (punches there and ab stretch). In one of my favorite spots, Jumbo hoists Martel to hit a piledriver but takes the time revolve so that every section can see what he is about to do. Martel gets a backbreaker to finally break momentum. He just starts ramming his knee into Jumbo's back and does not even give him a ropebreak. Ricky Martel is in a fucking fight and he fucking knows it! He wants it just as bad as Jumbo. Martel applies a Boston Crab, wow, that's a Jumbo spot, ballsy! Jumbo powers out and throws him out to the floor. Martel is PISSED! He nails a dropkick! That's Jim Brunzell level baby! They just starts throwing bombs at each other with each one building on the other. Martel crashes and burns on his slingshot splash. Jumbo abandons bomb throwing for leg work, which may be a smart play with the spinning toe hold and figure-4. Martel sells so well and in what was a bombfest up until this point, this is very refreshing. Having dismantled his knee, Jumbo runs through his offense in the finish stretch, but gets caught with a reverse crossbody for three! Jumbo nails him with a wicked knee post-match. Martel can't catch a break in the post-match. They packed a shit ton of action in this match. I mean there was literally not one dull moment. I did not want to just make this a list of moves so I just highlighted the most critical, but there was a shit ton of high end offense from both wrestlers. This match is highly recommended for those who love action and a ton of bombs in their wrestling. I think both have better classics with other opponents, but as far as a kickass summer blockbuster type wrestling match this is really hard to beat. I will never fault two wrestlers that I truely believe are fighting as hard as they can to win this match.

#7. Midnight Rockers vs Buddy Rose & Doug Somers - Steel Cage 1/17/87

AWA Match of the Year, 1987

LIVING AFTER MIDNIGHT!!!!! The Almighty Judas Priest! This cements the Rockers as my favorite tag team of all time.

Rose & Somers are absolutely terrified about the shitkicking they received in the last cage match so they do all they can to avoid it early. They try to prevent them from getting in the cage and then try to climb over the cage. We get some quality Buddy Moonage and he crotches himself. It is another asskicking for Rose & Somers. Poor Buddy & Doug! There are no armdrags and no armbars. Just fists to the head, BABY! Somers tries to tag Buddy and he wants none of it. Cant say I blame him. I did not feel like the energy was at the same level as the previous match. Rose hits a quick low blow and catapult into the cage to turn the tide. Michaels bleeds like a madam. Somers gnawing. Michaels is his usual awesome self at selling. He is peppering in those hope spots while doing staggered selling. Quick low blow. Jannetty tries to saves to the match double noggin knocker. Big punch knocks down Rose and pulls him up. He slams Rose into cage repeatedly and he is bleeding! Big punch and Rose falls back and he pulls him up. Jannetty rakes Rose’s face right in front of the Sherri who sells the horror of watching her charge be brutalized perfectly. Jannetty lets him tag out to Somers. Somers wins the corner battle. Somers and Rose double team Jannetty and gnaw on his forehead and rake it busting him open. Big Marty Chants! Michaels almost like he is sleepwalking comes across and attacks Rose slamming back of head into cage and biting. Jannetty and Somers duke it out tag out to Michaels. He launches an offensive on Somers and tees off on Buddy. Elbow drop on Somers, but pulls up. Shawn is so fucking out of it. Somers tags out. Michaels stops Buddy and tags out. Marty and Buddy fight on top of the cage in dramatic fashion. Buddy falls off and crotches, crazy! Battering ram on Somers looks to be the finish. Michaels pins and Marty dropkicks Buddy. HUGE POP!

Awesome match! I don’t think it was quite at the level of the Brawl in St. Paul, but this was a great cage match. For fans that like heat segments, I can see why they like this one more as Buddy & Doug get some more love in this one. I really liked the Buddy getting his head raked in the cage in front of Sherri spot. Another classic from these four!

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.

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 25: Best of World Class Championship Wrestling (Kerry Von Erich, Ric Flair, Fabulous Freebirds)

Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 25:

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-fifth volume of Pro Wrestling Love is the beginning of 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 terribly pathetic 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.

Honorable Mentions

American Tag Team Champions Fantastics vs Midnight Express – 12/25/84

American Tag Team Champions Midnight Express vs Fantastics – 1/11/85

The Midnight Express vs Fantastics is most famous from their 1988 series in Crockett, but don’t sleep on their work in World Class. It may not be quite as good, but it is still worth the time to seek out. Plus it has a different feel from the 1988 series because this is the Dennis Condrey version of the Midnight Express.

Kevin Von Erich vs Chris Adams – Cotton Bowl 10/27/84

Six-Man Tag Team Champions Chris Adams, Gino Hernandez & Jake Roberts vs Von Erichs – 12/31/84

Kevin Von Erich vs Chris Adams – No DQ 9/2/85

Chris Adams was a true Gentleman when he got his start in World Class. However with the departure of the Freebirds, World Class was in desperate need of heels to put against Dallas’ favorite sons. Thus in the big October 1984 Cotton Bowl show Chris Adams inexplicably turned heel and aligned himself with the evil Gary Hart and would align himself with Gino Hernandez to form the Dynamic Duo. There will be more to be said about this feud later in the countdown.

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Jerry Lawler vs WCWA World Heavyweight Champion Kerry Von Erich – 9/23/88

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Jerry Lawler vs WCWA World Heavyweight Champion Kerry Von Erich – Steel Cage 11/25/88

I really enjoyed the Lawler vs Kerry feud when I finally got a chance to see it on tour. I thought these matches were right on the same level as the famous SuperClash III match. In fact, I thought the September match had a better inconclusive finish (they both deck the ref) and the November Cage match was a great ass kicking match from Kerry and a superb heel performance from Lawler. Really that what this feud comes down to, the consummate babyface in Kerry Von Erich and the consummate heel in Jerry Lawler.

Fabulous Freebirds/Jimmy Garvin vs Von Erichs/Iceman King Parsons – Elimination Match 5/27/83

Six-Man Tag Team Champions Von Erichs vs Fabulous Freebirds – 8/12/83

Six-Man Tag Team Champions Fabulous Freebirds vs Von Erichs – 9/5/83

The Freebirds vs Von Erichs feud of 1983 reminds me a lot of the great Greg Valentine & Tito Santana feud in that their crime is that they had too many great matches together. Thus they all sort of blur together and it is hard for one to stand out from the other. There are definitely more Freebirds vs Von Erichs to come down the line, but these are some of the good ones that should be checked out also.

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Terry Gordy – 2/4/83

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Kerry Von Erich vs Terry Gordy – 5/7/84

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Kerry Von Erich vs Ric Flair – 5/11/84

World Class was a famous stopover for the Nature Boy Ric Flair as he would defend his World Championship against the Von Erich boys. In fact besides Japan, World Class is the best place to get a gauge on what Ric Flair’s first title reign was like. The match that just missed the cut (i.e. the 13^th match) was his defense Gordy which I just thought was really cool because it was a heel vs heel match. The Freebirds had just turned on Kerry on Christmas Day in the steel cage World Title match. The Texas crowd, which normally lustily hated the Nature Boy, was cheering Flair heartily screaming “Go Flair Go” and popped huge for his win. It is not too often to see Flair play the babyface on tour and it worked out well against the huge, athletic Terry Gordy. Also, I am a huge Kerry Von Erich Fan and I was so elated when he won the World Championship from Flair that I had to put that match at #12. It always brings a smile to my face to see him with the Belt. I thought in his short run as Champion he had great matches with Gordy, Flair and Jumbo Tsuruta.

Rest In Peace, Von Erichs

#12. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich 

 Parade of Champions 5/6/84

Great match? Not really. Awesome moment? OH HELL YEAH! I have seen this match a handful of times, but watching after seeing the other Von Erich bouts in order really hit home for me last night. I was as excited as every one of those 32,000 people in Texas Stadium (announcer claims 50k and the largest audience ever in attendance to watch pro wrestling) to see Kerry Von Erich capture the World Championship achieving his dream and honoring his late brother. The entrance was perfect with Kerry coming out with the Yellow Rose and wearing "In Memory of David Von Erich" on his jacket and the yellow trunks. The crowd starts up with a Go Kerry Go! Even though they are in stadium, the crowd is just as rocking as an intimate arena crowd. Flair does not seem psyched out, but maybe he is as he is brings the fight to Kerry trying to go for amateur takedowns. Or maybe it is the fact that he can lose title by DQ thus stripping him of his champion's advantage and forcing him to wrestle more like a challenger. I think he knows the moment and he needs to hush the crowd and bring Kerry down. On May 6, 1984, Kerry would not be denied. Kerry in a criss cross stops on a dime and hits a nice dropkick. Flair breaks his rhythm by retreating to the corner. We are getting the more standard Flair vs power wrestler here. Kerry gets the big punches and huge press slam that is such a great picture and gets a huge pop. It makes sense to work a bigger match in front of a stadium crowd. They work their usual spots like the sleeper and the tussle over the ab stretch. Flair tries to create motion to get something going, but Kerry gets the CLAW out of nowhere for the big pop! Flair knee to gut and then press slammed off the top and Flair Flip as we get now trademark Flair spots. He is desperate looking for the figure-4 with no prep work to salvage this match, but Kerry kicks him off twice. They go through the hiptoss sequence, but Kerry gets a backslide and 1-2-3! WOW! WHAT A POP! One of the loudest pops you will ever hear. Just an amazing moment for Kerry and his family after the heartbreak of the loss of David. It serves as the climax to the first half of Flair's reign as he transitions away from the travelling champion to Horsemen Flair. It is also a satisfying conclusion to the Flair/Von Erich program. Of course, Kerry would drop title back in Japan and Flair/Von Erich would continue in other territories, but this was a great moment for this series.

#11. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kevin Von Erich - 4/1/83

It is always Kerry, Kerry, Kerry and David, David, David, what about Kevin Von Erich!!! Kevin is an aggressive offensive dynamo. He is not going to take any shit and quite frankly does not give a shit. He is going to punch and claw his way through any situation. He does not wait for Flair to cheat, he just attacks. I love it! Kevin Von Erich does not believe in clean breaks. He believes in winning goddamnit! I love that spunky, high energy babyface of the 80s and Kevin was probably the best because he had the cool moves, he laid his shit in and he had the aggression. Kevin is telling Flair to put up his dukes early and is totally crowding the Nature Boy. I think Flair the master of the corner in setting up a transition is really thrown off by Kevin not giving him a clean break. Their brawl out of the corner is a great heated exchange. Kevin also adds dropkicks and flying headscissors to make him a dual threat. Kevin was definitely the best brawler of the family. Flair punches Kevin right in the face and Kevin yelps "I think my nose is broke!" Flair is in the ropes and Kevin calls for the Claw. The other brothers would be dissuaded not Kein who applies and yanks Flair out! Flair desperately gets out only to be put in a sleeper, he rakes the eyes. Great selling by Kevin! We get our first Flair press slammed off the top rope. On a kick out, Kevin lands on Bronco and when he moves Flair elbows the ref. Flair sends Kevin over the top and they do a great job teasing the countout. Flair works in his high impact blow like that nasty elbow. In the middle of a backbreaker, Kevin just punches Flair in the side of the head. This is a fight! Kevin kicks him legs up, but Flair has it scouted. Kevin starts teeing off on Flair. I love when the Von Erichs grab Flair by his mane and just start going off. Kevin runs through the ref. Kevin sends Flair over the top, but that is not the right side because the ref ain't over there so Flair gets him to toss him over the other side. Back in, Kevin hits a tremendous reverse crossbody. 1-2-3! THE CROWD GOES WILD! I am so confused and excited at the same time! Of course, Bronco reverses the decision since he saw Kevin dump Flair over the top. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! That is just cruel to do that with your fanbase. I hate, hate, hate those finishes. I am usually very open minded when it comes to a finish if a DQ or countout sets something up that is a good finish. This is cruel and stupid. Great match otherwise, I am so, so, so looking forward to more Kevin Von Erich. Everything he does is perpetual struggle. Him and Flair could have some Flair vs Garvin level encounters if they really let them go. I love the dynamic with Kerry being able to wrestle that long championship style while Kevin wrestles these high energy sprints. Flair is of course a master of it all. The finish brings the match down, but the work beforehand was World Class! 

#10. Kevin & David Von Erich vs Terry Gordy & Jimmy Garvin 

Two Out of Three Falls 8/15/83

Kevin is PISSED at Garvin for parading the American Championship that he stole (I did not watch the rematch, but it is clear Garvin won the held up title). Ring jackets aren’t even off and he just pulverizes Jimmy Jam sending him packing. Then they send Gordy packing again and again. Red hot start! Garvin, Gordy and Sunshine regroup.

Garvin is antagonizing the crowd and Von Erichs. Even getting his ass kicked, he won’t let up. Gordy wants him to calm down figuring otherwise he was going to have clean up his mess. Gordy whipped into buckles and dropkicked out. Garvin is only making things worse with his attitude. Kevin takes a swipe at Garvin and then headscissors on Gordy. Garvin wont shut up. Easy to talk when you ain’t in the ring, Jimmy Jam. David lays one in on him try speaking with a knuckle sandwhich in your mouth. Kevin in the headscissors still clawing towards Garvin and shooting daggers at him. Awesome! Kevin is the man; he is a constant state of pissed off. He is the Tito Santana of World Class. Gordy makes the tag and holds him down while Garvin repeatedly knees him. Kevin headscissors on Garvin and the girls in the front row lose their shit for a headscissor. Imagine that today! Again, Kevin gets in wrong corner and they stomp away on him prone. Kevin makes it to David in and bombs away. Garvin sells well for David. David kneedrop for two, but misses next one and Garvin tags out and lets Gordy take care of him. Garvin single leg pick up and Gordy presses advantage. Gordy gets knees up in corner and flying kneedrop takes the first fall! Birds 1-0. Relatively clean win for the Birds. Garvin and Sunshine are such a great heel act. Gordy was at his best being the muscle, but also realizing he cant fight the Von Erichs two on one so shut up, Jimmy! The Von Erichs rage was very entertaining. Surprised how clean the fall was. Gordy & Garvin celebrate.

Garvin picks up where Gordy left off and kneedrops on David. David tags but ref doesn’t see it. Garvin hits the chinlock. Gordy goes a clubberin’ with David fighting back. Kevin blasts in and Kevin is the man! Gordy overwhelms dumps him to outside with trunks. Kevin keeps comin’. Hot shot by Gordy. Gordy Tags Garvin. Kevin keeps comin’! Love how chippy this is. Fighting in corner. Criss cross and Kevin tags in David hits a high knee and wins second fall. 1-1 Tied. Kevin constantly fighting back is what pro wrestling is all about. I love exasperated the heels were they just could not keep this fucker down. Great stuff!

Wild start to the third fall. David thinks piledriver then Gordy is inspired and thinks the same thing. Neither can wrangle it on the other. David applies the claw and Garvin saves and Kevin obliterates Garvin. Fight over suplex and David wins. David applies Claw and Garvin rakes eyes. Kevin attacks Garvin again. Double sleeper and ref rings the bell. Von Erichs win?!!?!? Double dropkick on Gordy after bell. Double DQ! Booooooooooooooo.

Shitty finish aside, this was a fucking war. The second best tag match of the Von Erich vs Freebird war after the Independence Day match. What an incredible fucking year and feud for these seven men! Watch as much Freebirds/Garvin vs Von Erichs in ’83 as you can.

#9. American Heavyweight Champion Kevin Von Erich vs "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin - 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! 

#8. Kerry & Kevin Von Erich vs Chris Adams & Gino Hernandez - 2/22/85

Call me crazy, but I think the Dynamic Duo had better matches with the Von Erichs than the Freebirds. They were more willing to meet the Von Erichs with fire rather just feed and bump. This match felt downright Japanese. Everyone was just running into each other and breaking stuff up. It was total chaos and I loved it.

The beginning was great with Adams hitting a superkick out of nowhere on Kerry. So Kerry had to scramble for the tag. I love how Kerry had the presence of mind to hold Adams for Kevin. Kevin was a total madman in this match. This match is a perfect example why I love Kevin (and at times I hate him). He goes at everyone full force, but sometime he recovers too quickly. He takes some big missed splashes. You know that lamest spot in wrestling, you know the one where, a wrestler is on his back and the opponent is coming off with a double axehandle I think and eats a boot. Like honestly what did you expect to hit. Well Kevin takes that bump with full on splash! Kevin is the man! The problem is Kevin does not sell these for long and is ready to get right back on offense. At the same time, this is just a chaotic fight. This would not feel that out of place in All Japan 1980s. Kerry nails Adams with a wicked discus punch. As soon as Kerry gets the ab stretch, Gino interferes and Kevin comes flyin in to smack Gino. There is one time where Kevin so desperately wants to attack Gino he trips over Kerry and Adams' bodies. It was awesome. Gino & Adams have to fight for their lives just to get offense in. Kerry was great at selling and definitely needed to do that since his brother just straight refuses to. I loved the kneecrusher as a set up for the abdomen claw. Adams attacks and here comes Kevin! Adams cant prevent the tag. Kevin and Adams have this great clash before a wicked Kevin dropkick. This is just gnarly how they are fighting for everything. Kevin's bodyscissors, which I love is the first time the match has not been an all out-sprint. Adams selling and Kevin working it into covers makes it a great spot. Gino finally gets tired of it and elbows Kevin. Kerry just blasts Gino. Kevin drags in Gary Hart into the ring and Adams hits Kevin hard in the back of the head. The ref calls the match off, which I totally buy because this match was a melee. Don't have a problem with that finish.

As I said in the body, this feels like an 80s All Japan tag with Kevin playing the role of Hansen just an absolute madman. The offense and general story is not as high quality, but it is immensely entertaining. Adams & Gino have to fight for their lives to stay on top. They bump when they have to see Adams on that Discus punch and there are some other times, but they are willing to meet the Von Erichs toe to toe, which gives these matches more of a gritty, fight feel than the feel-good Freebirds matches. Really, really looking forward to hair vs hair now!

#7. Kerry & Kevin Von Erich vs. Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts) 

Badstreet Match 2/16/88

World Class Match of the Year, 1988

Finally, the Von Erichs and the Freebirds have the brawl that I always knew they had in them. I think scaling it back to 2 vs. 2 was a big boon. Another big difference was Gordy was working way bigger in this match. His first instinct was to stand his ground rather than bump. There are two reasons for that. Probably the biggest was his knees were shot as he two giant metal braces on them. I would hazard having worked Japan for at least five years now had rubbed off on him and he definitely seemed more offense-focused which made more a more awesome stand up battle rather than the usual feel-good Von Erich/Freebird battle. A note the Freebirds were sans Michael Hayes and incorporated Iceman King Parsons as the third member. This coming off the infamous Christmas 1987 where Fritz faked a heart attack to try to kickstart business.

The beginning of this match is why I fucking love pro wrestling. Kerry and Gordy just go fucking nuts on each other. They were really throwing haymakers at each other and it felt like a real struggle. I loved Kerry's discus punch to Gordy and his first bump came off that. Gordy clinches with the house of fire Kerry and throws a nice belly 2 belly when Kerry was trying to loosen up his belt. Gordy tags in Roberts and Kerry catches his boot and rips off his belt and just goes crazy on Buddy. This is fucking awesome! Kerry discus punch and tags in Kevin. He is like lightning punching both Birds right in the mouth. A melee breaks out in the corner and Kerry jumps on the pig pile. Gordy throws Kevin over the top rope for a nasty bump. Then he suplexes Kevin on the floor. So Kerry tries to give him a taste of his own medicine only to have Buddy clobber Kevin with his boot so Kerry nails Buddy with his belt. Just when you think how can this any crazy, you have to watch the next spot. I really cant do it justice, but I will try.

You know how when someone hits someone with a chair usually there is enough delay to give the other person some time to prepare. In real life, if you were armed with a chair against assailant, you would just start swinging for the fences while the assailant charged you. That's what fucking happened. I mean Gordy fucking smashes Kerry in the head as he charging him. It looked like a fucking shoot. This match is so damn good. 

Kevin slams Buddy on the floor and ground and pounds him. He tries to apply the claw. My biggest problem of the match is Kerry does not really sell those awesome chair shots. Buddy with a quick knee to the midsection allows him to tag in Bordy. Gordy shows his new no-selling attitude. He absorbs Kevin's punches. Kevin rolls away takes off his boot and Gordy no sells those shots going after Kevin's eyes. Kevin gets a foreign object from Kerry and Gordy is finally disoriented. Kevin looks for the claw to the head and settles for the stomach. Kerry leaps over them and decks Buddy! Kerry is looking for his belt and cant find it. Love it! Gordy a little quickly gets up and piledrives Kevin and gives a great maniacal laugh. Now backdrop driver, yep Japan definitely has taken a hold of him. One more time?!?!?!? Kevin back drops out and here comes Kerry house of fire! He immediately piledrives Gordy and then piledrives Buddy! I love it! Kerry has found his belt and attacks Buddy. Gordy decks kerry so here comes Kevin with a boot to clobber Gordy. They both deck Gordy with a belt. Iceman and Adams brawl on the outside and the ref calls the match off. 

Lame finish aside, this was a fucking war! For one night in 1988, they totally recaptured the magic of the Von Erichs vs Freebirds as the crowd was absolutely electric for this match. I think Gordy working a lot stronger with his first tendency to fight back rather than bump made a huge difference. This is one Kerry's best individual performances in terms of just being a total asskicker. There was not enough selling to take it to the next level for me, plus the bullshit No Contest in a Badstreet match was lame. Still the second best Von Erich vs Freebirds match and Ill be shocked if it is not in my top tier of matches for Texas.