World Class Championship Wrestling - November 3, 1984
by Erick Von Erich
Fans, we are in Dallas, Texas for the "The Cotton Bowl Wrestling Star Wars Extravaganza"! Not to be confused with "The Wrestling Star Wars Cotton Bowl Extravaganza"! This was held at the same time as the Texas State Fair and in proximity to it, which explains the big crowd. Where else can you see a prize-winning pig, get a funnel cake, eat a fried twinkie, down some Lone Star beer, get your face painted, and see some Rasslin' (in that order)?! We're there, dude! Bill Mercer is at ringisde, and tells us that tonight's main event will feature the World Six-Man Tag Team Championship. But with so much going in World Class Championship Wrestling, let's get to the ring for...
Ralph Pulley Sings "God BLess America"
I guarantee you that about 80% of the people who watch this will say: "wha? He's not singing God Bless America!" He is...as he's actually starting at the beginning of the song and singing the first verse. "God Bless America" does NOT start with the chorus, despite what Congress and any Sunday sporting event will tell you. Oh, and didj'a know that you DON'T have to take your hat off when it's being sung, as it's not the National Anthem?! Yeah, I know... try telling that to 30,000 people at your next Sunday MLB game. *sigh*. If you take your hat off, that's fine, but please don't try starting fights with others because they have their hats on. I mean, I take my hat off and show respect whenever I hear "Crazy Train" or "We Are Family"...and I won't pick a fight with you if you don't. To each their own. 'MERICA!George Wengroff vs. The Missing Link (w/ Gen. Skandor Akbar)
Pulley appears to be our ring announcer for the event and welcomes us to "The First Ever Annual Cotton Bowl Wrestling Star Wars". The upper decks and the end zones of the Cotton Bowl are roped off, but there appears to be a decent crowd on hand. Since they're out in the Texas sun, Akbar is actually smoking a big ol' cigar! I think the Sportatrium had a legitimate fire risk, and that smoking wasn't (officially) allowed. They start out with some rope bouncin' and Wengroff hits a drop-kick. Link then grabs his tuft of hair and begins blasting him with headbutts. Wengroff sells like mad, and stumbles into the ropes. Link charges, slips, has one leg fly out under the ropes, and "hits" (clearly misses) Wengroff's ribs. Wengroff tries to punch Link... in the head...and acts like he broke his forearm. More head-butt variations until Link jumps from the second turnbuckle and hits Wengroff in the back of the head with...yup... a head-butt for the pinfall at 4:25.During the match, commentator Bill Mercer mentioned that Akbar's duo of the Irwin Brothers recently dropped their American Tag Team Championships to the new team of the Fantastics.
The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) vs. Kelly Kiniski and El Diablo
This is the Fantastics' first appearance on the main WCCW show. Edits skip over the introductions, but Mercer tells us that they came out with the tag belts and the Texas flag to get the cheap pop. The high-pitched screams are very noticeable as the duo from "The City of Angels" is introduced. Fulton starts with Diablo, as they hit the ropes, drop down, and Fulton touches Diablo in the tummy. Rogers comes in from the second rope with a fist-drop and then works a brief armbar. Kiniski tags in and gets hit with some quick double-teams and a nice drop-kick from Rogers. Fantastics clap their hands and make rapid, phantom, tags to swap in and out, behind referee Mark Hazzard's back. Hazzard then asks the crowd if a tag was made...but they're in on the ruse and assure him that it was. Kiniski finally slows things down with a shot to Fulton's back, then drops him on the top rope. Diablo with some shots, and Kiniski slams Rogers, hits and elbow and a charging clothesline for 2. Kiniski delivers a reverse atomic drop and Rogers plays face-in-peril for about 5-6 minutes. Bulldog from Diablo gets 2, then Kiniski with a side backbreaker. The phantom tags come back to haunt the Fantastics, as the heels do the same, but Hazzard just assumes they tagged. Rogers get a weak drop-kick (and Mercer mentions that he "misses"), but the beatings continue. During some double-teaming in the heels' corner, Rogers crawls between Diablo's legs and finally makes the Hot Tag. Fulton cleans houses, slams Diablo, then tags in Rogers for a nice flying splash from the top rope for the 3 count at 9:22. Great official debut for the Fantastics. Crowd was immediately into them, and Kiniski actually actually surprised me with some quality work."An Exciting Tour" of the Texas State Fair
Pre-recorded clips of "Iceman" King Parsons and David Manning bumping around the fairgrounds, playing pool, eating carnival fare, and having a blast on a "Matterhorn" ride. Iceman even wins a stuffed teddy bear! The Fantastics (in their tuxedos) win a dart game and select two Texas flags as their prizes. Ah, so THAT'S where they got their flag from. Mark Hazzard eventually joins the fun, as we see that Iceman won another stuffed animal! A super-happy segment, as everyone had huge ear-to-ear grins and seemed to be enjoying themselves.
World Class 6-Man Tag Team Championship:
Kerry Von Erich, Mike Von Erich & Bobby Fulton (c) vs. "Gentleman" Chris Adams, Jake "The Snake" Roberts & Gino Hernandez (w/Andrea the Lady Giant and Gary Hart)
Special ring announcer is the DJ from Eagle97, Rich Bryant. As he's introduced, Adams gets a lot of heat, including some middle finger salutes! Adams also reiterates that he's still after "that gold around the waist of Ric Flair". Wait...Fulton? Yeah. Mercer tells us that he's substituting for Kevin Von Erich, who was injured in a match against Adams, earlier in the card. Dude, spoilers!? I'm guessing they split up this Cotton Bowl show, out-of-order, so it could fit in multiple 45 minute episode slots.
Tempers flare, as we get a big brawl before the bell, with the faces clearing the ring. Kerry gets the mic and demands that Adams start the match. In typical heel fashion (and to build heat), they strategize and get Gino to start. A mild "Chris is a traitor" chant sounds from the crowd. A fan even has a homemade shirt with the Union Jack and the words "Traitor" ironed onto it (and also, apparently, her name: "Brandi", FWTW)! Gino gets drop-kicked by Kerry, and Jake tags in to ram Kerry into the corner. Jake counters an Irish whip to the corner, by hopping up on the second rope and displaying how "smart" he is...but then he turns around and walks right into a slam from Kerry. Mike tags in and leaps from the rop tope with an elbowsmash for a 2 count. Gino comes back in to quickly renew his rivalry with Mike. Fulton comes in for a bit, but when Adams tags in, he immediately runs over to tag Kerry. Adams bails...and we're left with Kerry vs. Jake. Kerry accifdentally hits the ring post, and NOW Adams tags in to work him over! Bad guys target Kerry's right leg and trap him in their corner. Adams cleanly hits the SUPER-KICK, but lets Jake return. Kerry finally gets a discus punch on Adams and makes the luekwarm tag to Mike. Cheap shot from Gino lets Adams gain control and backdrop Mike. Then it's Mike's turn to get worked over in the opposite corner. Adams appears to try another backdrop, but Mike simply somersaults and hits the mat. Egads.
Fulton's up next to get worked over, including a suplex from Gino. Gino goes upstairs for his flying reverse elbow, but misses and Mike is tagged in. Mike hooks a sleeper on Gino, but Adams makes the save. Kerry and Jake square off, and then all 6-men brawl in the ring. In the midst of the melee Kerry lifts Jake up for a vertical suplex, but Adams SUPER-KICKS him right in the mush. Kerry is out and a groggy Jake falls on top to make the cover for the 3 count and NEW 6-Man Tag Team Champions at 11:45! We get a good shot of Adams gloating, after the bell:
Why'd You Watch This?:
This Cotton Bowl event is off to a good start, highlighted by the main event in this epsiode. Adams' heat is off-the-charts and he works the crowd well by sneaking around the ring and getting in vintage heel cheap shots.Including a biggie that won his team the championship. Add in the debut of the Fantastics and the whimsical field trip to the state fair and this episode gets a solid recommendation.
Boom-da-da-da-boom, da-da-da-boom, da-da-da-boom
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