WCCW- March 12, 1983
by erick von erich
World Class comes to you again this week from the Sportatroium. For whatever reason, this episode is only 20 minutes long. Probably a scheduling crunch on the original airdate. It's not a problem, as it simply means NO Al Madril or Brian Adias, this week.
Bill Mercer is standing by at his desk to preview tonight's card, which is a double main event of Freebird/Von Erich matches: Kerry vs. Michael Hayes, plus David & Kevin taking on Buddy Roberts & Terry Gordy. But suddenly, "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin and Sunshine crash the opening. Garvin has decided to suspend his refusal to wrestle on TV...if he can get a title shot at David Von Erich and the Texas Heavyweight Championship. Garvin says he'll teach a lesson to "that scrawny punk".
Back from the commerical break, Mercer introduces a promotional piece on "Iceman" King Parsons. Most of it features Iceman hauling....ice at an...icehouse. Including Iceman "breaking" a block by placing two pieces in front of his head! Then he busts into a stack of ice blocks with his flying butt-butt! We get some footage of Iceman at a nightclub, gettin' down and bringing the funk. I'm not sure, but it looks like he's hanging out with Dallas Cowboys legend Ed "Too Tall" Jones. Jones gives a thumbs up to let us know that he approves of Iceman.
Back from another break as David Von Erich has joined Mercer at the desk. He accepts Garvin's challenge, as it appears we'll have that match, next week. But (finally), with so much going on in World Class Championship Wrestling, let's get down to ringside for...
Match 1: Kerry Von Erich vs. Michael Hayes
First time Kerry's had Hayes in a one-on-one match since the Christmas Night Cage Incident!
Kerry storms the ring, dropkicks and backdrops Hayes. Kerry brings the fans to a frenzy as
he chases Hayes all around the ring. He misses a kneedrop, which allows Hayes to take over
and work on Kerry's surgically repaired knee. Hayes even yanks off Kerry's kneepad, then
unfurls the Magic Ace Bandage and works away. As Hayes cranks on the knee, the fans are inspired
to chant "Go, Kerry, Go!" Kerry makes it his feet and swings a wild roundhouse punch. Hayes ducks
and lifts him up for a reverse atomic drop. But Kerry flips over Hayes' shoulders and rolls him
up from behind to score the 3 count.
Post-match, Buddy Roberts and Terry Gordy run to the ring for a beatdown, until the Kevin and David Calvary arrive. The Von Erichs clear the ring, as David grabs the house mic and demands that they start the next tag match, right now!
Match 2: David & Kevin Von Erich vs. Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts (The Fabulous Freebirds)
Things have settled down a bit, as we get a commercial break and a proper introduction before the match. Kevin pounds away
on Roberts and delivers a drop-kick. Tag to David for a high running knee and a 1 count. David whips
Roberts to the ropes for a backbreaker and the drawn-out stretch for another 1. Roberts gets a low-blow and tags Gordy, who
clamps on a sleeper. Resthold, which means it's time for "Go, David, Go!" David manages to get a rope break,
then slaps on his own version of the sleeper (really the same move, but it's applied by a
goofy looking redhead). Gordy manages to stretch and tag in Roberts, who kicks David in the noggin. Roberts whips
him to the ropes, but David counters with a flying bodypress for a 2 count. Kevin comes in for a
backdrop, then motions for the CLAW. Gordy fights it off with a headbutt, then Roberts returns to
slam Kevin. Roberts misses a follow-up elbow drop, so David comes in and monkeyflips him out of the corner.
Tag to Kevin who comes off the top rope with an awesome twisting flying splash! 2 count only, as all
four men enter for brawling shenanigans. Gordy does the Andre the Giant Special and gets his arms caught in the ropes.
Kevin hooks on the CLAW and won't break! Referee Bronco Lubich tries breaking it, but Kevin has SNAPPED
and kicks him away. Lubich disqualifies the Von Erichs, while David stomps a mudhole into Roberts in the opposite corner.
Back from a break, as Mercer has all three Von Erichs at ringside. David doesn't care about the loss, because they simply "destroyed 'em and hurt 'em"! Kevin grabs the mic and challenges Gordy to a no disqualification match. Kerry mutters something about "getting in the belly with a snake". Time is rapidly running out, so Mercer plugs next week card as the DRUMS hit!
Why'd You Tape This??
In the WWE 24/7 studio, Hayes chides Kevin Von Erich, saying "did you guys EVER learn to behave?"! This was a quick
episode, but still entertaining. The fun thing about the Von Erichs and Freebirds was how you could book
so many different combos of the teams. They also seemed to have a new incident every week. A run-in and
a nasty interview were usually enough for the typical feud, but these guys added another incident, week in and week out.
The Kerry-Hayes match is rather poor, in the ring. But it works due to the heat between the two, plus the psychology of the rule-breaking Freebird going after Kerry's injured knee. The tag match is much better. It's about 80% Von Erichs, but Kevin's big twisting top-rope dive is really quite astounding. I think I read somewhere that Kevin wrestled barefoot because it gave him a better feel for the ring and the ropes. After seeing his leap, you can't argue that. Good booking, too; as the Von Erichs "snapped", didn't care about losing, and just wanted to beat the crap out of the Freebirds.
This show is just another stepping stone in the big Von Erichs-Freebirds feud. But Garvin's challenge to DVE shouldn't go unnoticed, as that becomes another big (and memorable) feud for World Class, next week.
Boom-da-da-da-boom, da-da-da-boom, da-da-da-boom
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