World Class Championship Wrestling: The Trump Era

[St. Templar]

The second week of February takes us from Dallas on Tuesday night for TV to New Olreans on Sunday night for the "NOLA Special". Let's start with the sixth episode of Big Time Wrestling of the season.

 

https://imgur.com/a/OPlyfBV

 

In the pre-show, we had a four-way match, with the young Bret Hart (with his whole retinue of brothers in tow) beating Frenchy Martin, Larry Lane, and Ted Heath. Then, we had Toni Rose going over Ruth Hudson.

 

As the main show starts, a debuting Gene Okerlund is backstage to interview "top World Class investor" Donald Trump, who says that while he likes Dallas and the fine people and wrestling in Texas, it can't really hold a candle to what they're doing in New York.

 

Then, we go to the commentary table, where Bill Mercer, Boyd Pierce, and Jim Ross welcome the fans. Mr. Mercer and JR defend the honor of wrestling (and of people in general) here in Dallas while Boyd says that "Mr. Trump is right that they're doing bigger things in New York!"

 

Paul Boesch is in the ring with Craig DeGeorge to announce that, as Dusty and Murdoch went to that double countout in Odessa, the Championship Committee has little choice but to hold up and vacate the NWA American Brass Knuckles Championship. But, this Sunday, in New Orleans, the two will have a rematch for the vacant title.

 

The first match of the evening sees El Tigre teaming with the brother tandem of Dean and Joe Malenko (sons of Boris Malenko, natch) to defeat the trio of Jose Lothario, El Sicodelic, and the debuting "Blackbelt" Chris Adams (whose valet is a gorgeous woman that goes by Blossom).

 

Craig DeGeorge is now backstage to interview "The Big Cat" Ernie Ladd, who says that his man Butch Reed will face Junkyard Dog tonight and, if JYD can get the win over the young stud of the stable, then he can have a shot at the Big Cat at Pride and Glory.

 

The Blackjacks are out next to successfully defend the NWA Texas Tag Team Championship against the young British Bulldogs.

 

And, next up, Junkyard Dog faces Butch Reed. It's a more competitive affair than his matches against Iceman or Sugar Bear, but JYD's definitely on his way to victory...until the other three jump him in the ring. This leads to a four-on-three beatdown as Bearcat Wright and Akio Sato go to defend JYD, only to get cut off by the Power.

 

In a match that's part of the drive to find an opponent for Mae Young at Pride and Glory for the NWA American Women's Championship, Peggy Lee Leather beats Susan Green.

 

And that brings us to the main event: Dusty Rhodes teaming with David, Kerry, and Kevin Von Erich to take on Devastation, Inc. (Dick Murdoch, Killer Tim Brooks, Harley Race, and Bruiser Brody). Skandor Akbar is at ringside for the heels, while Fritz prowls ringside for the faces. And it's David Von Erich that takes the duke by pinning none other than the NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race.

 

Mr. Mercer closes us out as he reminds the fans in Beaumont, Texas, and Nachitoches, Louisiana, that World Class will be in town on Friday and Saturday, respectively. And, he reminds the audience that the special show from New Orleans this Sunday will be broadcast widely on Sunday night.

 

St.T

[St. Templar]

House shows for the second week of February (Sunday's NOLA Special will get a full breakdown).

 

Friday in Beaumont, Texas: https://imgur.com/a/SsiU2CY

Saturday in Natchitoches (bonus points for pronouncing it correctly ): https://imgur.com/a/VcE4DeY

 

Some highlights:

 

Friday:

Kerry Von Erich goes over Gene Anderson to retain the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship

Hector Guerrero conquers Ted Heath to retain the NWA Texas Junior Heavyweight Championship

Paul Orndorff defeated Wahoo McDaniel to retain the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Texas Version)

And, Kevin Von Erich defeated Stan Hansen in the main event

 

Saturday (my first, and a rare occurrence in real life history, Louisiana show):

Roddy Piper's debut match in the territory being a victory over Mr. Hito

Mike George retaining the NWA Louisiana Heavyweight Championship against Bob Sweetan

The Freebirds going over the Guerrero Brothers

And, in the main event, Ted DiBiase defeating Jerry Lawler (on an alliance loan) to determine who gets a shot at Orndorff and the NWA North American title tomorrow night in New Orleans

 

St.T

[St. Templar]

And, the NOLA Special from the New Orleans Municipal Auditorium (a sellout, natch):

 

https://imgur.com/a/j34JQZa

 

It's Bill Mercer, Boyd Pierce, and Jim Ross welcoming everybody to the show, the first time that World Class has held a show in New Orleans.

 

In the ring, we have Ross Hart (with everybody) in the ring to challenge Mike George for the NWA Louisiana Heavyweight Championship (my logic here is that you can't really justify that these titles can only be held by someone from that state, but you can say they're only to be defended in that state, so the Louisiana Heavyweight Championship is on the line here in New Orleans). And Ross, after a distraction from manager Gary Hart (no relation), gets a quick roll-up to make the pin and get the win.

 

We go backstage, where Craig DeGeorge has "Cowboy" Bill Watts and David Von Erich. Cowboy and David talk about their match in the main event tonight against NWA American Heavyweight Champion Bruiser Brody and World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race. Cowboy and David vow to be victorious.

 

And it's to the ring, where Gene Okerlund has Florida's Eddie Graham (another alliance loan), speaking on behalf of the National Wrestling Alliance. Eddie says that NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion Alfonso Dantes is currently injured, so he's unable to be here tonight to defend the title. However, his inability to do so has necessitated that he vacate the title, which will be awarded in the next match between Gino Hernandez and Mike Sharpe (IRL, the NWA World Light Heavyweight, Welterweight, and Middleweight titles were the province of EMLL, now CMLL, in Mexico...but the Light Heavy title did originate in the NWA where the other two were Mexican/Texan in origin...so, my logic was that the Light Heavyweight title could be returned pre-game to NWA management/oversight, while the Middleweight and Welterweight titles could stay in Mexico as they did in real life).

 

And, it's the Gorgeous One going over Iron Mike to win the vacant NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship in the second match of the night.

 

Now, DeGeorge has Skandor Akbar, who talks up his clients Bruiser Brody and Harley Race while talking down David Von Erich and the Cowboy.

 

"Dirty" Dick Murdoch beats Dusty Rhodes to win the NWA American Brass Knuckles Championship after Rhodes is attacked by Murdoch's stable-mate Harley Race.

 

In a three-way tag team match (I know, a rarity in those days, but go with it), Bob Orton, Jr., and Greg Valentine go over the Fabulous Freebirds and Ernie Ladd and Butch Reed of the Power to win the vacant NWA Louisiana Tag Team Championship (the only titles I got from MSW that I vacated; they were held by Terry Gordy of the Freebirds and Ernie Ladd of the Power when I bought the promotion, so I vacated them). Valentine pinned Reed to get the duke after Reed was attacked by Akio Sato and Ladd was attacked by Bearcat Wright.

 

Ted DiBiase won a heel-vs-heel match over Paul Orndorff to become the new NWA North American Heavyweight Champion (Texas Version), but Orndorff is starting to show signs of morphing into a good guy. This might become something later.

 

In a match that's part of the American Women's Championship Contender tournament, Wendi Richter went over Monster Ripper in a match designed (successfully) to cool the crowd down a bit.

 

And that brings us to the main event. It's Devastation, Inc., out in force (Harley and Bruiser in the ring with Skandor Akbar, Killer Tim Brooks, and NWA American Brass Knuckles Champion "Dirty" Dick Murdoch prowl ringside), and the Von Erich's (temporary) ally "Cowboy" Bill Watts joins all four Von Erich men (Fritz, David, Kerry, and Kevin) as they come down to the ring. David and Cowboy are in on one side, and Bruiser and Harley are on the other. And the match is a hard-hitting, brutal affair. In the midst of the chaos, Dusty Rhodes is out to attack Harley, brawling with the NWA World Heavyweight Champion. In the confusion, Killer goes to attack David only to accidentally hit Bruiser Brody, giving David an opening to hit a big boot on the American champ and get the pinfall.

 

And, David and Cowboy might be victorious, but it's a huge brawl all over the ring area as the show signs off, with Bill Mercer reminding everyone to tune in next week to see the aftermath of tonight in New Orleans!

 

St.T