WCCW #26 Page #2
These teams played off one another perfectly. They brought the best out in each other and raised the excitement level to the point that even their shortcomings could be easily overlooked. Chris was the traitorous ingrate. Gino was the braggadocios big mouth. Kevin had the intensity and the fire. Kerry had the confidence and the charisma. All together it worked. And it all was for a point. Since July 4, 1985, the date, place, and match on everyone’s mind was the hair vs. hair match between both teams at The Cotton Bowl on October 6, 1985. The Dynamic Duo vowed to shave the Von Erichs bald. To prove their point, they carried a pair of gold plated scissors with them to the ring and cut off locks of hair from anyone unfortunate enough to cross their path. The Von Erichs rushed to the rescue whenever possible, but never stopped their enemies entirely, only upping the stakes in a great rivalry.
That wasn’t all that was
happening. Bruiser Brody had returned and where he went, chaos followed. It only
seemed natural that Brody would target the biggest, meanest, toughest men in
town. Thus he went into battle with Gary Hart’s stable, especially One Man
Gang. Iceman Parsons still looked to avenge Mike Von Erich and also targeted
Hart’s men. Apart from his big feud with The Von Erichs, Gino Hernandez
battled with Brian Adias over the Texas Title. Adias also started feuding with
Jack Victory. To be honest, one feud was really carrying the promotion at this
time. World Class really needed some fresh faces and some new feuds and matches
to break up the monotony. Some relief would soon arrive, but in retrospect the
eventual fall of the promotion was evident even during a time when business was
still outstanding.
World Class Championship
Wrestling, and indeed the entire wrestling community, was shocked when Mike Von
Erich nearly died in early September of 1985 of Toxic Shock Syndrome. TSS is an
illness that is caused by bacteria. These bacteria release toxins into the
bloodstream of the afflicted. Those toxins then literally poison the ill person
and if untreated, can kill them. In Mike’s case the disease stemmed from an
infection resulting from shoulder surgery. Shoulder problems had plagued Mike
from the start of his career and he had recently suffered another injury while
wrestling Gino Hernandez on a tour of Israel. As is often the case with TSS
victims, Mike did not realize he was ill until the symptoms had become quite
severe. Soon Mike was admitted to Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas and
placed in the intensive care unit. His weight and blood pressure and dropped
dramatically while a fever rose to dangerously high levels. It seemed that Mike
would surely die. Yet somehow he pulled through and began to make a slow, but
steady recovery. Sadly there is no happy ending to this story. Mike would be
dead due to suicide in about a year and a half. However in the early autumn of
1985 Mike's recovery was considered and amazing comeback story.
Labor
Day Wrestling Star Wars, Monday September 2, 1985, Tarrant County Convention
Center, Fort Worth, Texas
World Class returned to Fort
Worth for one of its periodic supercards with this particular Wrestling Star
Wars event drawing more than 8,000 fans. The event seemed less a culmination of
feuds than stop on the road to the Cotton Bowl, but it still provided some top
action.
It seemed as if every Star
Wars card in the mid 1980s opened with a match featuring Kelly Kiniski. This
show was no different. Kelly got the victory over the departing Powers who had
never lived up to his initial hype in World Class.
Tatum was really starting to
come into his own during this time. Casey still had Sunshine in his corner and
great fan support. In short order the addition of Missy Hyatt to Tatum’s
corner would move this feud from the undercard to near the top.
Before losing the title to
Adias in July, Gino had held it for more than a year. This was his revenge,
using powder to steal a win and regain the championship.
This bout was as
uncontrollable a brawl as one would expect from these two monsters. Blood and
mayhem naturally ensued with even Gang’s chain getting into the bout. The idea
was to promote a chain match between the two down the line.
Just shy of one year earlier,
Chris had turned on Kevin. Since then Kevin had battled for revenge with Chris
always just slipping away to fight again. One big problem was the constant
interference of Gino Hernandez. Gino always bailed out Chris when The Gentleman
seemed nearly beaten. A fair match with Chris Adams seemed impossible. To
counteract this problem, the promotion ordered a stipulation. For the duration
of the bout Gino had to watch from a small cage suspended from the ceiling.
Chris and Kevin would battle one on one.
And
what a battle it was. These two had some great bouts, but this is arguably the
best. From start to finish it was a nonstop, action packed brawl. Gino
helplessly watched his friend go into battle. Eventually Kevin gained the pin,
but he wasn’t done. Kevin called on staff to lower the cage. He wanted Gino!
The Handsome Half Breed was reduced to cowering in the cage, trying to hold it
shut to avoid a certain beating. Kevin ultimately forced the door open and
ripped the suit off of Gino’s back. Just when Gino’s situation seemed
helpless, luck turned his way. Chris revived and clobbered Kevin. Gino blinded
Kevin with powder then took out the gold plated scissors and cut a snippet of
hair. Kerry arrived to save the day, but The Dynamic Duo had already claimed
their trophy.
With
Iceman Parsons’ American Title reign essentially going unrecognized by the
promotion, his title was not at stake in this bout. This was a typical bout for
Lewin in this era. He could no longer wrestle as he had in the past, but was
still able to brawl and incite the crowd with “yeutz” bark and by passing
foreign objects to and fro with Gary Hart.
Kerry
and Kevin Von Erich and Brian Adias defeated One Man Gang, Maniac Mark Lewin,
and Jack Victory to win the Six Man Title
Two substitutes wrestled this
match. Brian Adias stood in for the ill Mike Von Erich. Jack Victory pinch-hit
for the absent Killer Tim Brooks. Kerry and Kevin and Adias (also subbing for
Mike at that time) had lost the Six Man Title to Gary Hart’s men in the first
place, so for them, this was a truly a successful chance at redemption.
From July 4, 1985 onwards
World Class Championship Wrestling put all of its promotional muscle behind one
match at one card, Kerry and Kevin Von Erich vs. Chris Adams and Gino Hernandez
at The Cotton Bowl in Dallas on October 6, 1985. In our next edition we’ll
take a look at the final push towards that event and the big match itself. See
you then.