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. 

Badstreet: Freebirds vs Von Erichs Rekindled Two More Times ( WCCW 1984, 1988)

Hey Yo Stud Muffins and Foxy Ladies,

Sorry about not posting recently, I have been too busy release a NEW PRODUCT! BOOM~! Ok, it was just recently validated and there is still some paperwork before it is officially released to manufacturing, but still WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BABY!!! I developed a brand new product!

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES! C'MON!

The same cannot be said of World Class post-1983, which time and time again attempted to live in yesteryear by reigniting the Freebird vs Von Eric War to restart business. In their defense, they were able to have a pretty hot late '84-'85 by using Chris Adams and Gino Hernandez as the foils for the Von Erich brothers.

In February of 1984, the first of many Von Erich tragedies occurred as David Von Erich died on a tour of Japan. David's death sparked rumors that exist to this day that he was anointed Von Erich to be the World Heavyweight Champion. Judging based on his work (there is not much else I can), I have a hard time believing this true. I thought he was the least charismatic and entertaining of his brother. I really do not see what he brought to the table that Kerry and Kevin did not. Now, having listened to Kerry talk and I am almost positive he had shit for brains. I can see why they wouldn't want Kerry to be champion because maybe he would have trouble leading a match on top of reliability issues due to drug problems and his lack of experience outside of Texas and St. Louis. Kevin also seems like an unlikely choice, but I found him to be entertaining because of his scrappy, never say sell attitude. It is just a constant war when he is in the ring. The argument I have heard is that David understood the psychology and business better than the other brothers, which seems plausible, but in between the ropes I think he was a distant third to his brothers.

In memoriam of David, World Class presented the hitherto biggest pro wrestling show of the 80s, the Parade of Champions drawing about 35,000 people at Texas Stadium on May 6, 1984. This clearly was the high water mark of World Class Championship Wrestling. In the main event, Kerry Von Erich completed his two year quest to wrest the World's Heavyweight Championship from Ric Flair in a very emotional main event. This match was covered already, but in this blog Kerry's sole Texas title defense against Freebird Terry Gordy is covered. Also on that card was the feud that defined Texas wrestling the Freebirds vs. the Von Erichs. With David's passing and Kerry in the main event, younger brother Mike and father, Fritz, coming out of retirement joined the fray. Mike was wisely hidden, but Fritz was definitely conspicuous. He was the most over of the Von Erichs in that match as the crowd as absolutely bonkers for everything he did. 

The rest of 1984 featured more Von Erichs vs Freebirds six-mans with Mike and Kerry involved. As I clamored for in 1983, we finally got some more violent brawls, but I felt they failed to capture the excitement of their 1983 encounters. Part of the problem with Von Erich matches is they do not really sell and they are booked so strong it is hard to build and sustain any sort of heat in the match. I thought the 1984 brawls were chaotic, but ultimately not their best work. The Freebirds left before the year was out working in the AWA, Memphis and Mid-South in 85-87.

The year 1987 was a horrible year for World Class. I have culled these matches from the DVDVR project to present the 150 best matches and I have taken choice cuts from this 150. Only ONE match from 1987 made the top 150, by far the worst year quality wise and this was reflected in a very poor business year. In hopes of drumming up some business, Fritz tried a very tasteless angle that played off the Von Erich tragedies (Mike committed suicide in 1987). Fritz was attacked by the new Freebirds (Iceman King Parsons replaced Michael Hayes, who was in Crockett) in the cage on Christmas Day and this triggered a worked heart attack. There was quite  a bit of backlash to this angle. This led to the return of the Freebird vs Von Erich wars in 1988. 

Finally in February of 1988, the Von Erichs vs Freebirds had that kickass brawl that I knew they had in them. It is the highest recommended match of this particular post. Lastly, Michael Hayes returned as an incredibly over babyface and feuded with his Freebirds brothers leading to a really fun match with Buddy Roberts.

World Six-Man Tag Team Champions Fabulous Freebirds vs Von Erichs (Fritz, Kevin & Mike) - Parade of Champions 5/6/84 Badstreet Match ***3/4

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Kerry Von Erich vs Terry Gordy - WCCW 5/7/84 ****

World Six-Man Tag Team Champions Von Erichs (Kerry, Kevin, Mike) vs Fabulous Freebirds  WCCW 7/4/84 Badstreet Match ***1/2

World Six-Man Tag Team Champions Fabulous Freebirds vs Von Erichs (Kerry, Kevin & Mike) - WCCW 9/3/84 Steel Cage Elimination Match ***3/4

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

WCCW 2/16/88 Badstreet Match ****1/2

Michael Hayes vs Buddy Roberts - WCCW 5/16/88 ***1/2

World Six-Man Tag Team Champions Fabulous Freebirds vs Von Erichs (Fritz, Kevin & Mike) - Parade of Champions 5/6/84 Badstreet Match

Michael P.S. Hayes is back BABY and in style with the most badass theme song in wrestling history Badstreet USA! The Freebirds returned winning the Six-Man Titles before the big Parade of Champions show, which was the bittersweet highwater mark for World Class Championship Wrestling, which honored David Von Erich and featured Kerry Von Erich fulfilling his two year quest to win the world championship from Ric Flair. It was only fitting that there was a major Von Erich vs Freebirds match. They keep Mike's involvement to a minimum. Fritz comes off as a huge star and a monster face in this. It was the absolute right call to have Fritz in here and to put him over huge. 

The first Fritz punch on Hayes before the match got underway got a massive pop! David Manning, Captain Buzzkill says that even though there are no rules there are still going to enforce tags. The match is booked like most World Class matches with the Freebirds with a ton of babyface heat. This is reminiscent of Hayes/Kerry match with a ton of love for the babyfaces. Freebirds do a good job with double teams and quick cutoffs to make sure that this is a total runaway squash, but overall this is just a great feel good match. Fritz giving Hayes the belt in the ass was awesome. A good example of the Freebirds getting theirs without detracting from the good vibrations was Gordy's stiff punches on Kevin, but still bumping HUGE for Fritz. Kevin goes for the claw, but Gordy blocks. They work a short, but strong heat segment on Kevin with Hayes using his boot (he was really clobbering him) and then Buddy Roberts in all his awesomeness uses his belt buckle. Kevin tags out and Fritz comes in this is a great hot tag. Fritz is kicking ass 3 on 1 and puts the claw on both a bleeding Hayes and that little prick Roberts. Gordy clobbers Fritz with the boot. Kevin comes off the top to hit a cross body on Buddy to win the match. Post-match, Killer Khan debuts as the new monster heel. 

Perfect use of everyone in the match. Fritz got his big spots the belt whipping and double claw. The heels did a great job bumping, but making sure to get theirs. Kevin got the duke because he is sticking around and Mike was super limited. Really fun feel-good, popcorn matches of all time. ***3/4

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

I am such a mark for Kerry to have the belt. I love the title victory and just love seeing the NWA World Championship around his waist. I don't think he would have made a great champion mostly due to personal problems, but I wish it was a bit longer. This match against archrival Terry Gordy is the day after the Parade of Champions.

This match is actually worked like a 90s workrate sprint. There is not a terrible amount of selling, it is mostly about Slam! Bang! Action! I think they do a great job laying in everything and making it exciting. They just don't tell much of a story. I love how Kerry runs through his shoulder block and he works the arm early. Gordy takes a big bump off the turnbuckle shot. Kerry misses a knee and Gordy hits a delayed vertical suplex. Kerry kicks out and looks for a suplex, but it is Gordy that gets it. He is excited. Gordy wants to put him early with a piledriver. Kerry drives him back into the corner. I love how Kerry winds up for his strikes. They do the ab stretch dance and it is Gordy that gets it. Go Kerry Go! Kerry switches into his own ab stretch. Kerry forms the claw and the crowd goes bezerk. He applies the Claw to Gordy's stomach and Gordy collapses. Gordy rakes the eyes and Kerry wins a Irish Whip Battle, but then Gordy gets a cross body off the ropes. Gordy hits a back suplex, but only gets two. Kerry pops up and hits a dropkick. This is Cena vs Owens of the 80s with slightly better selling and transitions. At least they are not actively helping each other into spots. They knock head on a criss cross. Kerry backdrops out of a suplex. Gordy sleeper. I think they are trying to get every 80s spot squeezed into this 15 minute match. Kerry elbows and roll up for two. Gordy nails a big boot. Hell, two Gordy moves in a row I think this qualifies as a heat segment in Texas. :P

Kerry drills Gordy with a right and sends him to the floor. Kerry suplexes Gordy over the ropes, but they kinda botch it and Gordy suplexes Kerry. Kerry kicks out and comes back with a kneedrop. Gordy piledriver!!! The most dangerous move in wrestling! Kerry is FUCKING He-Man!  He fights from his knees with punches. Kerry hits a back suplex only gets two and applies the Iron Claw to the forehead! Kerry hits a clotheline Royale! Drills a middle rope elbow, which felt like a cool spot. Gordy cuts off with a series of punches and Kerry gets a small package, My Dad's favorite move. Gordy backslide shades of the Parade of the Champions! Gordy with an awesome crossbody! I will say this is very dramatic down the stretch. Kerry starts revving up, but misses the Discus punch. Gordy calls for the Oriental Spike! He applies it! Kerry uses the ropes to thrust himself off onto Gordy. Gordy goes up top and Kerry rolls through a top rope crossbody to a HUGE pop!

They went out there to have an action-packed match and never let the crowd get bored. They succeeded. At the very least, they still worked towards finishers and there was a great sense of urgency that lent itself well to a dramatic ending. They did not really have a story or a hook that you could really sink your teeth into and selling was pretty much non-existent. Fans of the modern style would lose their shit over this match. I really liked it, but I had higher hopes for it. ****

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World Six-Man Tag Team Champions Von Erichs (Kerry, Kevin, Mike) vs Fabulous Freebirds  WCCW 7/4/84 Badstreet Match

Absolute raucous mayhem! I love a chaotic brawl. Tornado style tag with boots and belts being thrown around willy nilly. This is Kevin's element as he is a real firecracker. I thought Hayes was also real good. They were really slugging each other with those boots. I thought the triple dropkick on Gordy was a real highlight. Gordy needing to hit a low blow on Mike was hilarious. Lance Von Erich was not a horrible idea in principle. Maybe not selecting a standout local high school star. I guess Steve Simpson didnt work either. Maybe just sticking Chris Adams in as a friend of the Von Erichs. My favorite spot was Kerry accidentally flung his boot into the crowd and they threw it back to him to keep wailing on Gordy. The finish is Killer Khan interferes hitting the Asiatic Spike on Kerry to give the Freebirds the win. Very entertaining match. ***1/2

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World Six-Man Tag Team Champions Fabulous Freebirds vs Von Erichs (Kerry, Kevin & Mike) - WCCW 9/3/84 Steel Cage Elimination Match

Another raucous, chaotic brawl this time in the confines of the smallest steel cage in the history of pro wrestling. Gordy was taller than the cage. Mike had suffered a shoulder injury so this Kerry and Kevin going against their bitter rivals, the Freebirds. I liked this even better than the previous Badstreet match because the numbers game added an interesting wrinkle. Any time the Von Erichs looked to get on a roll, the free Freebird would bust it up. Also, the Von Erich would focus on things like double noggin knockers and other ways to incapacitate two opponents at once. It added some cool strategy. Of course, there was a ton of heel miscommunication. Lots of cage shots and boots. The big climax to the shine was Kerry applying the double claw on Gordy and Buddy while Kevin had it on Hayes. Hayes busted that up. Gordy applied the Oriental Spike on Kerry which weakened him for the Spike Piledriver. I was shocked that Kerry was the first to be eliminated. Kevin going up the seemingly insurmountable of 3 vs 1 definitely made things interesting. Kevin is the scrappy fighter of the Von Erich clan so he was perfect for this role. I loved him on the top rope with a boot in his hand. He has a weapon and the high ground. He dives into the fray and it was Buddy choking him with a belt that looked to do him in. He was able to get a quick roll up on Hayes, but it was evident that the 3 on 1 advantage meant quick pinfall break ups. He would some how have to incapacitate all of them. His only ally was the cage and he started throwing the Birds into it. He was able to get a pin on Hayes! It was down to 2 on 1. Gordy and Roberts beat the shit out of him and werent playing any games. Gordy nails a piledriver. He pulls up Kevin ruh roh. Robert scales the cage seemingly for the Super Spike Piledriver. However, Kevin backdrops Gordy as Mike shakes the cage. Kevin splashes Gordy and Mike pins Buddy after his long fall on his nuts. Von Erichs win!

I was not super enamored with the finish. I hate to speak ill of Mike Von Erich because by all accounts he never wanted to be a wrestler, but it did not feel like he earned his stripes and it was just a hokey finish. I really like the heated and energetic flow of the match. The '84 matches definitely do not hold a candle to the '83 matches. Definitely the case of diminishing returns. Texas was flying high in 1983, but by 1984 the cracks were showing and it was getting stale. Still a great match. ****

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

WCCW 2/16/88 Badstreet Match

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. ****1/2

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Michael Hayes vs Buddy Roberts - WCCW 5/16/88

Holy shit! Was Michael Hayes over! I know he was coming off a house show run with Flair in Crockett in early 88, I think a lot more could have been done with him as a singles babyface. I think they had the right idea by turning Hayes face against the Birds to freshen things up. I would go one step further and I acknowledge that would NEVER happen, but they should have turned Kevin heel against Kerry. Kerry & Hayes vs Kevin, Bam Bam & Buddy Jack would have probably given them business for at least another year. Then they could have used Lawler like they used Flair before.

This was an absolute blast. Hayes was awesome playing to the crowd was actually a pretty damn good asskicking babyface. He was just drilling Buddy who could not find refuge anywhere. I loved the moonwalk away from the corner just come flying back with more punches. He even landed a stiff chop. He looks to end it with a bulldog on the concrete, but goes flying into the post. Buddy choked him with a rope that Hayes sold really well. It becomes one of the better ECW brawls you have ever seen with each slamming the other into the table. Then Hayes cracked Roberts in the back of the head with a chair. Heyman was an incredible promoter. He took a style totally prevalent in the South and just repackaged it for Northern audiences and sold it as completely original. Hayes kicks some more ass, but ref gets bumped and Roberts nails him with a foreign object to win. The crowd heat was off the charts for this. They LOVED Michael Hayes. Another option would be to run face vs face Hayes vs Kerry, which I think could have been electric. Wicked fun match. ***1/2