Wild Bill Irwin continued to reign as Texas Champion. This was definitely the secondary of the two singles titles at this time although the Texas Title would at times be pushed as the top singles title both in the past and future. Irwin mainly defended his belt on the mid-card with Ken Mantell, Al Madril, and the newly turned Bugsy McGraw standing out among his challengers. 

The Television Title was unique in that it was defended and indeed recognized only on the Championship Sports program on KTVT Channel 11 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. This title was defended in Fort Worth, mainly at the Will Rogers Coliseum. The title was otherwise never mentioned or defended on the World Class Championship Wrestling program taped at the Sportatorium and syndicated across the country. The belt tended to change hands on a very frequent basis. 

The Texas Brass Knuckles Champ at the start of the World Class era was Bugsy McGraw. The title befitted Bugsy’s tough, crazy image. After Bugsy’s transformation to a fun loving, clownish babyface, the title still existed, but was defended infrequently and only mentioned on occasion. Bugsy’s wild antics and silly behavior made him a major favorite as he feuded with his former H and H compatriots. 

The Great Kabuki and The Magic Dragon had won the All-Asian Tag Team Title at the Fritz Von Erich retirement show. During the summer of 1982 this title ascended to the status of number one tag team title in World Class during the summer of 1982. While former champs Kevin and David Von Erich established themselves as the top contenders, Kabuki and Magic Dragon mowed down all the competition and totally dominated the tag team scene in World Class. A confrontation was coming. 

The American Tag Team Title began the World Class era in the hands of H and H members King Kong Bundy and Bugsy McGraw. As Bugsy moved towards a babyface turn, they lost the title to Kerry and Kevin Von Erich. After the Von Erich’s title victory the American Tag Team Title was de-emphasized and rarely mentioned. It would return to prominence in the fall. 

Kerry Von Erich and Al Madril held the World Tag Team Title. This was a title that had been defended and feuded over regularly in 1981, but by 1982 it no longer stood out as the main tag team title in the promotion, taking a backseat to the All-Asian Tag Team Title. By mid-summer the title was quietly dropped and neither mentioned nor filled afterwards. While it lasted it did serve to help give the rub to Al Madril. While Al Madril later made a name for himself as an arrogant heel, at this time he was a popular, scientific wrestler. Teaming with Kerry, the biggest star in the promotion, gave Al tremendous credibility with the fans. Al continued to team with Kerry frequently even after the World Tag Team Title vanished. 

Comings and Goings 

Wrestling is a transient business by nature. To that end, a few familiar faces departed Dallas-Fort Worth in the aftermath of the Texas Stadium show. Kim Duk, also known in other promotions as Tiger Chung Lee, had been feuding with The Great Kabuki and Magic Dragon, but now headed on to other endeavors. The Spoiler reigned on the Fort Worth based Championship Sports television program as TV Champion before losing that title and leaving the promotion.  Another veteran departing the World Class wrestling scene was heel Killer Karl Krupp. However, as these men departed, new stars arrived to fill the gap. 

Who was that masked man? 

The babyface turn of Bugsy McGraw left a gap within the ranks of H and H Limited. The gap was filled amply the massive masked man known as The Superfly. The Superfly came aboard to not only punish Bugsy for turning against H and H, but to serve as a weapon in the groups on going battle against the Von Erichs. At 6’3” 350 lbs., The Superfly formed a devastating tag team with King Kong Bundy. Apart from his girth, The Superfly also gained attention for his garish ringwear, twin tone bodysuits and masks in blue and red or green and purple combos. The lasting legacy of The Superfly has been the long debate over his true identity. For many years fans believed that the man behind the mask was James Harris, who would later go on to gain fame and fortune as Kamala the Ugandan Giant. In fact evidence now clearly shows that The Superfly’s alter ego was veteran grappler Ray Candy. Ray Candy was a native of Atlanta who parlayed his size, personality, and love of professional wrestling into a fruitful career. Highlights included his 1978 cage match with Ernie Ladd at The Superdome in New Orleans before more than 30,000 fans and a successful tag team with Leroy Brown in the mid 1980s as the Zambuie Express. In that team Candy took the name Kareem Muhammed and Brown was known as Elijah Akeem. Candy died in the early 1990s due to complications from diabetes and heart troubles. 

The Yellow Rose of Texas Blooms Again 

Another returnee in July was David Von Erich, back in Texas on a fulltime basis for the first time in since mid 1981. David was greeted with open arms by the fans and given an immediate push. He was treated as a returning hero yet it was also as if David had never left. The promotion especially promoted David as the Von Erich boy who most resembled Fritz in size, wrestling style, and temperament. David wrestled various heels in singles competition, but his tag team with his brother Kevin received David’s primary attention.  With The Great Kabuki and The Magic Dragon in possession of the All-Asian Tag Team Title, the feud between this team and Kevin and David Von Erich geared into overdrive. The two teams were on a collision course. 

Other newcomers included Brian Adias, a boyhood friend of Kerry Von Erich who was just at the start of his career. Super Sock Jose Lothario was a veteran Mexican-American star and a Texas wrestling legend. Jose had made his return to the area and would become more or less a World Class fixture over the next two or three years. Apart from these changes the roster basically remained the same otherwise. Kerry and Kevin Von Erich, Bugsy McGraw, Ken Mantell, and Al Madril were on the babyface side. Meanwhile Kabuki, Magic Dragon, King Kong Bundy, Wild Bill Irwin, Frank Dusek, and managers Gary Hart and Arman Hussein comprised the heel contingent. Various preliminary wrestlers filled out the talent pool. 

Summer Star Wars, Reunion Arena, Dallas, Sunday August 15, 1982 

Throughout the summer the promotion built towards this big show and its massive main event. Here is a quick rundown of the results, with a closer look at the main matches:

Jose Lothario defeated Frank Dusek
The Superfly defeated Brian Adias
Al Madril defeated Wild Bill Irwin
Lola Gonzales defeated La Pantera Serena
Bugsy McGraw defeated Gary Hart and Arman Hussein

This bout was Bugsy’s revenge on his former co-managers, both of whom had accomplished wrestling careers, especially Hussein. 

Kevin and David Von Erich defeated The Great Kabuki and The Magic Dragon to win the All-Asian Tag Team Title

This match was literally months in the making, the final conflict. The promotion did a fabulous job of making this championship, and by extension this match, hugely significant on an international scale. Fans loved and rooted for Kevin and David as much as they ever had. Making the Von Erichs look like underdogs could be a daunting task in World Class. On this occasion it worked. Kabuki and Magic Dragon came into the card pushed as an internationally renowned super team that had mowed down all competition. Kevin and David were pushed as the fans’ last hope. Needless to say, the heat for the match was intense and Reunion Arena exploded with joy after Kevin and David won the belts. 

King Kong Bundy and Harley Race battled to a double disqualification; Bundy retains the American Heavyweight Title

Harley Race made a rare appearance in World Class. This bout was significant for being incredibly intense and very stiff. Even years later on the Legends of World Class Championship Wrestling program, Marc Lowrance made a point of mentioning how tough this match was during his wrap around segments. This bout certainly showed that Bundy could really hold his own with a legend like Race. 

Ric Flair defeated Kerry Von Erich 2 falls to 1 to retain the NWA World Title

This was the big one. All year long, even before World Class Championship Wrestling came into existence, Kerry had been pushed as the uncrowned World Champion. He had defeated all comers, including Harley Race. Now Kerry finally received his long awaited NWA World Title shot. These days the WWF World Title is on the line constantly, but back during the territory days a visit from the NWA World Champion was a rare and special treat. Flair recognized Kerry as a threat and to that end sent in interviews declaring his desire to have Kerry wiped out before the big World Title match. With a $10,000 bounty on the line, H and H Limited decided a chance to take out a hated enemy and earn the bounty was too inviting to pass up. It led to a big tag team bout with King Kong Bundy and The Superfly facing off against Kerry Von Erich and Al Madril in early August at the Sportatorium. Flair himself was in Dallas seconding the heels. Slick Ric saw an opportunity to not only put out Von Erich, but also take out Madril who had given an overly cocky, under prepared Flair a tough match recently in Dallas. Not only did Kerry and Madril win, but Kerry bodyslammed both Bundy and Superfly who had a combined weight of over 750 lbs. After the match Kerry challenged Flair then and there. Flair refused the offer. The battle would wait until Reunion Arena. 

Calling the atmosphere for this bout intense would be a tremendous understatement. The fans were electrified before the bell ever rang. 18,000 fans were convinced that they were about to see history made, that they would witness Kerry Von Erich fulfill his destiny by winning the NWA World Title. In this setting Ric Flair was truly a master. The Nature Boy always knew exactly how to carry himself and which buttons to push to draw in the crowd and how to make his opponent look like $1 million. This bout would be best of three falls with a one hour time limit for the NWA World Title. The referee assigned to the match would be Alfred Neely. Neely made his living in the neighboring Mid-South territory. He had rarely appeared in World Class if at all. Take note as this factored hugely into the result of the match. 

Flair cheated his way to winning the first fall, incensing the crowd. Now Kerry needed to win two consecutive falls to claim the title. When Kerry took the second fall Reunion Arena became a cauldron of joy. The fans just knew that Kerry would win the big one. During the deciding fall Kerry locked Flair into the full nelson and as he shook Flair to increase the hold’s effectiveness, Kerry accidentally swung one of Flair’s arms into Neely. As Neely called for the bell, fans erupted believing the title had changed hands. In fact Neely, who had been throwing his weight around and flaunting his authority all night, disqualified Kerry for deliberately swinging Flair into him. Kerry could not believe what had happened and World Class Wrestling’s head referee David Manning nearly got into a fistfight with Neely as he begged Neely to change his decision. Neely refused and the decision stood as called. Ric Flair retained the NWA World Title two falls to one. The fans were disappointed, but undaunted. Kerry almost did it and he could go all the way with just one more chance. With Kerry vowing to win the NWA World Title in the name of his loyal fans, World Class Championship Wrestling was in for hot fall of 1982.  

NEXT MONTH:

According to an old saying, a single snowflake can start an avalanche and a single raindrop can start a tidal wave. In World Class Championship Wrestling the controversial finish to the Kerry Von Erich vs. Ric Flair match was that snowflake or raindrop. Next month as we continue our journey through 1982 we’ll see how the ramifications of the NWA World Title match between Kerry and Flair helped change World Class Championship Wrestling forever.