World Class Championship Wrestling - January 12, 1985
by Erick Von Erich
Encore Match: Mike Von Erich & Billy Haynes (w/Sunshine) vs. Gino Hernandez and Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Yup, it's a replay of the last match from the last episode. I'm guessing they needed to pad things out to fill a full episode. This time, Mercer introduces the match by highlighting the fact that Mike used the IRON CLAW for the first time. Spoiler: the match of the result is the same.
"Iceman" King Parsons vs. "Crippler" Rip Oliver
This is apparently was the first match on the card, as ring announcer Marc Lowrance welcomes everyone to the show. If you'll recall (and if not, I'm gonna' tell ya'), this is a mild feud, set up when Iceman cleanly pinned Oliver at the Sportatorium, a few weeks ago. Afterwards, Oliver feigned a handshake and attacked Iceman. So, here we are.Iceman controls, early on, with a nice series of armdrags and a flying mare into a headlock takedown. They hit the ropes and Iceman shoulder-blocks Oliver to ringside. Oliver returns and gets slammed. Iceman makes sure to mix in some dance moves and happy feet to get the crowd fired up, as he avoids Oliver's offense. Oliver manages a slam of his own and tries to choke, but Iceman is mostly in control. Momentum swings when Oliver reverses a whip into the corner and Iceman hits his left shoulder on the turnbuckle. Oliver is quickly over to hit Iceman with a shoulderbreaker on his right shoulder...and gets the 3 count pin at 8:28. Yet Iceman sells it and commentator Bill Mercer even plays it up as saying that Iceman's "upper back" was injured. Okay, so they're officially tied at 1-1 in their feud.
NWA American Tag Team Championship:
The Fantastics (c) vs. The Midnight Express (w/Jim Cornette)
(Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton vs. Dennis Condrey and Bobby Eaton)
Whoa! WCCW debut of the Midnight Express; at least on these World Class episodes; and they're right in the thick of things. I'm surprised, because when the Fantastics debutted in October 1984, I knew the MX were on their way, but not this soon and in this position. Cornette has his tennis racket, but is sans glasses, while Condrey and Eaton don't seem to have nicknames. Mercer metnions that the Fantastics know about Cornette and his "history of skullduggery". On the other side, the Fantastics make sure to toss out candy canes to the crowd as they're introduced.
Match starts with Eaton and Rogers in a nice back-and-forth array of moves. They do a little criss-corss (JUMP! JUMP!) and Rogers lands a high dropkick. Fulton and Condrey then tag in. Fulton controls with a headlock takedown and they do the overhead Penultimate Knucklelock Challenge. Condrey gets a cheap shot to break it, then tries something from the top rope...but Fulton is ready and blasts him. More criss-cross (JUMP! JUMP!) and Fulton gets two consecutive flying side headlock takedowns. Condrey rolls away and the MX hug it out in the corner to slow things down. They hit a double-team on Rogers and then go into a clinic on heel tag team wrestling. Condrey with a side backbreaker, hammerlock takedown, and reverse sideways pin for a quick 1. Eaton with a flying reverse elbow, then a kneedrop from the seocnd rope. They drape Rogers on the top rope and work him over in vintage Midnight Express mode. Eaton hooks a camel clutch to slow things down and ue the crowd to chant "Go, Tommy, Go!" Condrey with a clothesline for 2, then back to the hammerlock. Fulton gets rile dup, but the MX do a great job of blocking him, double-teaming behind the ref's back and cutting off the ring. Condrei with a slam and a doubel foot stomp. Eaton drops an elbow for 2 and both bad guys whip Rogers to the rope for a double backdrop. Rogers dives over both of them and we get the HOT TAG. For real/ Fulton cleans house and Rogers miraculously covers as a 4-way brawl breaks out. The MX try a whip and double clothesline on Fulton, but Rogers trips up Condrey from the outside. Fulton then flies onto Eaton with a bodypress and gets the 3 count to retain the titles at 13:10.
Oh man. Match was mostly a showcase for the newly arrived Midnight Exprees, but this was excellent mid-80's tag team wrestling. We'll get a lot more of these dudes over the next 4-5 months. No offense to the Rock & Roll Express, but I always think of the Fantastics as the main rivals of the Midnight Express. Oh, and Dennis Condrey kinda' has an Arn Anderson thing going on, in that no matter his actual age, he always looks he's pushing 50.
Recap of the Kevin Von Erich/Chris Adams Feud
Clips of their 3 big incidents, thus far. First, the actual turn from September 1984, when Adams turned on Kevin, due to shenanigans involving Gary Hart and Stella Mae French. Second is their Cotton Bowl match, when Kevin left in a stretcher. Final segment is "Kevin Von Erich's Revenge" at the Sportarium, when he pummeled Adams and chased him away with a wooden chair. It's all a set-up to get us primed for...
Lumberjack Match: Kevin Von Erich vs. "Gentleman" Chris Adams
I'm curious if this was before or after last week's big 6-man elimination match, because Buddy Roberts and Mr. X are two of the lumberjacks. Right side is Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts. Left side seems to habe Mr. X, Kelly Kiniski, Buck Zumhofe and maybe one or two others whom we can't see clearly. Near (camera) side is Billy (Jack) Haynes, Mike Von Erich and the Fantastics. Far (back) or top of ring) is Gino Hernandez and the announcing table of Bill Mercer, Marc Lowrance and Ralph Pulley...so I guess you could technically call them lumberjacks, too. However, I'm guessing that Adams or Von Erich will conveniently NOT tumble out to that side. As expected, they start with a hate-filled brawl at the bell. Adams tumbles out to the babyface side and is instantly tossed back. KVE with a slam, then diving keens to the shoulder. KVE whips Adams to the corner and applies the IRON CLAW. Adams ducks underneath and KVE rolls to the apron, but gets pushed back in. Adams connects with a lame version of his super-kick, then a kneedrop for 2. Adams then hooks a vicious sleeper into a headlock takedown to the mat. KVE begins to power up from the mat and turns it into an airplane spin! KVE tries for his top-rope reverse bodypress, but eats canvas. Adams then attacks with a verical slam, kneedrop and a piledriver for 2. He goes up top, but KVE is up to block him. Adams slips off the top and "hangmans" himself on the top rope. Might have been a slip by both guys. Regardless, KVE is over to cover him and get the 3 count pin at 5:00. Sort of a "slip on the banana peel" finish, but you didn't really expect anything to be settled in this match, did you? Afterwards, KEV still wants REVENGE and applies th IRON CLAW again. Gary Hart hops in the ring to distract and KVE attacks him. Somehow, Adams ends up with Terry Gordy's famous Freebird Boot and smacks KVE with it. Mike Von Erich then hops in the ring for the sabe.Why'd You Watch This?
Replay/encore not considered, but to quote Great American Orator and Philosopher Robert Marella: "Ho! I love it!". This was a very solid and entertaining "Holiday Rasslin' Star Wars" card. It doesn't feel like anything was just slapped on and not a minute was wasted.
Minor house-keeping item for long-time (suffering) fans of Da' Site. Our next sequential episode is back at the Sportatorium and was first recapped, by yours truly, way back in 2008 via "WWE 24/7". Apparently, the date was presented incorrectly, back then, as it was listed as "January 11, 1985". This original 2008 recap is still in the World Class archives, for now. I'll probably go back and touch it up with some clarify edits ...and to clean up some of my old crappy writing with NEW crappy writing. You're welcome.
Boom-da-da-da-boom, da-da-da-boom, da-da-da-boom
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