Keeping It Classy: A World Class Championship Wrestling Diary

[ReggieLove]

A staple of the Texas wrestling scene since its founding in 1966 by the head of the Von Erich family, Fritz, World Class Championship Wrestling has just finished out a strong 1982 with quite a bang both literally and metaphorically: at the Christmas Star Wars event it looked as if it was time for a Von Erich to finally claim the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship as the "Modern Day Warrior" Kerry Von Erich challenged the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair inside a Steel Cage with fan voted and family friend Michael Hayes acting as a special referee along side David Manning. What should have been a Merry Christmas for the Von Erich family turned into a nightmare, Hayes had become increasingly agressive with both competitors throughout the matchup, to the point where David Manning had to outright instruct the Freebird to not be so physical, those instructions fell on deaf ears, though. Towards the end of the match Kerry had the "Nature Boy" in the famous Iron Claw and appeared to be on the verge of becoming the Worlds Heavyweight champion however Michael Hayes took it upon himself to physically force Kerry off of Flair and moments later would try to leave the cage, however Kerry would try to reason with Hayes, giving Flair a chance to attack Kerry from behind and knocking Hayes from the ring.

 

This is what caused the literally boom: Micheal Hayes Freebird partner, Terry Gordy, had been acting as a guard to the door and after (from his point of view) seeing Kerry knock Hayes out of the ring, with all he had slammed the cage door into Kerry's head.

 

Between Michael Hayes's aggressive and unprofessional behavior and the actions of Terry Gordy, one thing is clear: a war like never seen before in WCCW is going to start off the new year for both the Von Erich family and the Freebirds!

 

 

The Roster

 

Kerry Von Erich

David Von Eric

Kevin Von Eric

Fritz Von Erich (owner)

Michael Hayes

Terry Gordy

Buddy Roberts

King Kong Bundy

Bill Irwin

The Great Kabuki

Gary Hart (booker)

Brian Adias

Frank Dusek

Al Madril

Jose Lathario

Bugsy McGraw

Scott Irwin

The Magic Dragon

Sweet Sugar Brown

Arman Hussain

Checkmate

Billl Mercer

Marc Lowrence

David Manning

Bronco Lubich

 

 

The Champions

NWA American Heavyweight Champion

Kevin Von Erich

NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion

David Von Erich

 

NWA Brass Knuckles Champion

Bugsy McGraw

 

WCCW Television Champion

Al Madril

NWA American Tag Team Champions

The Freebirds (Michael Hayes & Terry Gordy)

WCCW Six Man Tag Team Champions

The Freebirds (Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts)

 

 

Predictions for World Class TV

Michael Hayes Vs Brian Adias

Buddy Roberts Vs Al Madril

David & Kevin Von Erich Vs King Kong Bundy & Terry Gordy

 

Authors Note: I'm using a converted version of the TEW 2016 mod of Death Of The Territories, so the roster you see before you isn't my complete one, I've got a few big names already on my roster who don't show up in WCCW until later on in the year ... in the interest of keeping this realistic I've decided to try and slowly introduce them into my booking plans.

[Levinux]

Love seeing something older.

[Theheel]

Glad to see some old school real wrestling

[ReggieLove]

World Class Championship Wrestling Weekly TV

Thursday, January 6th, 1983

From the Sportatorium, Dallas, Texas

2, 000 People in Attendance (Sellout)

 

The show starts off with our host, Bill Mercer standing at ringside. He wishes everyone a happy a New Year and promises everyone a exciting night of action from the Sportatorium in Downtown Dallas. Cue the Freebird himself, Michael Hayes who walks into the view of the camera followed by a man who isn’t known to the Dallas crowd. Right off the bat Bill Mercer asks Michael Hayes about his and Terry Gordy's behavior towards Kerry Von Erich at the Christmas Star Wars show however Michael Hayes has absolutely no interest in Kerry or the Christmas Star Wars show, instead introducing us to the man standing beside him – Buddy Roberts, not just another Freebird but his brother and like a good brother, he’ll be Hayes's second for his match against Brian Adias tonight. Bill Mercer has very little interest in Buddy Roberts and actually reminds Michael Hayes that Brian is a very good friend of Kerry Von Erich's and he wants Hayes to explain himself. Michael Hayes blows Mercer off but not before calling Kerry a “punk who got what was coming to him.” Bill Mercer tells the viewing audience that Kerry Von Erich is at home tonight recuperating both physically and mentally from the Christmas Star Wars show however he’s sure this is far from over. (76)

 

Michael Hayes Vs Brian Adias

Ring announcer Marc Lowrence barely gets the chance to get the introductions done before we get off and running, Brian Adias, who again is family friend of the Von Erich's is no mood tonight and takes the fight right to the self proclaimed “Toast of the Coast" Michael Hayes with a series of strikes, dominating opening moments of the before Michael Hayes finally gets a break and bails to the outside, where he is greeted by Buddy Roberts. The two make the most of the 20 count with Michael Hayes clearly thrown off his game. When Hayes does get back in the ring, nothing of note happens as he and Adias have a few back and forth encounters, usually followed by some sort of stalling attempt by Hayes. Eventually around the 9 minute mark Hayes, frustrated and frankly young with the young up start right in front of referee David Manning ends the encounter, officially, with a low blow causing the DQ. (50)

 

Winner by DQ: Brian Adias

 

With the match over, Buddy Roberts jumps in the ring and the two put the boots to young Brian Adias as the bell continues to ring. Buddy Roberts then picks up a prone and vulnerable Brian Adias and Michael Hayes mockingly applies an Iron Claw on Brian as Bill Mercer puts over how disgusting of an act this is on Michael Hayes's part and he’s sure Kerry Von Erich is at home watching. However this doesn’t last long as the popular Al Madril hits the ring, causing the Freebirds to stop their attack on Brian Adias and bail from the ring as Al Madril checks on his fallen friend. David Manning gets on the microphone and lets everybody know that since both Buddy Roberts and Al Madril are already out here, that we might as well have the next match: Al Madril and Buddy Roberts, however, in the interest of fairness since Al Madril has no one as a second that Michael Hayes must hit the showers! On the outside, Michael Hayes spends a moment or two protesting Manning’s decision however at the encouragement of Buddy Roberts he eventually goes to the back as we are set for our next contest. (50)

 

Al Madril Vs Buddy Roberts

Buddy Roberts and Al Madril don’t get off to the hot start that Michael Hayes and Brian Adias did, however Al Madril does take it to the more experienced Buddy Roberts who tries to slow the pace down with a more technical approach. This works but eventually Madril makes a comeback, sending Buddy to the outside in frustration. Madril, much like Adias before him is in no mood for games and gives chase to Roberts, getting him back in the ring. Near the end of the match it looks like Al Madril has Buddy Roberts right where he wants him, however, the loud boos alerts Al Madril to the reappearance of slowly moving Michael Hayes, he never enters the ringside area but his appearance alone is enough of a distraction to allow Buddy Roberts to roll him up with a handful of tights for the three count! Buddy Roberts can’t get out of sight with his Freebird brother, knowing he has stolen this one. (56)

 

Winner: Buddy Roberts

 

In a pre-recorded interview in an empty Sportatorium Bill Mercer is with King Kong Bundy, Mercer brings up the big main event which will see King Kong Bundy team up with Terry Gordy of the Freebirds to take on the Von Erich Brothers of Kevin and David. Bundy instantly comments on how he thought what happened at Christmas Star Wars was hilarious but he has no interest in petty Von Erich drama, which is why he no longer has Gary Hart as his manager. Gary promised him the world but just used him in his endless war against the Von Erich’s and it had come to the point not only was it embarrassing that Gary Hart couldn’t give up the grudge but it was becoming a detriment to Bundy’s career, he’s in World Class to win championships and make some money, not partake in petty never-ending drama. Tonight he reminds everyone whom he is: he is King Kong Bundy. He is: walking devastation on two legs, and soon, he will be the American Heavyweight Champion again.

 

David & Kevin Von Erich Vs King Kong Bundy & Terry Gordy

Our main event is picks up just where our opening match left off as Kevin & David Von Erich take on King Kong Bundy and Terry Gordy. This is just a wild brawl, as the understandably emotional Von Erich boys take the fight to the two big men right off the bat. Bundy and Gordy take to the outside to regroup and come up with a game plan, which quickly becomes very clear to everybody: Terry Gordy avoids the Von Erich’s as King Kong Bundy does all the heavy lifting, which to causes the sold out Sportatorium to start a “Go Home Freebirds” chant. The majority of the match is less of a tag team match and more of a handicap match, if that’s possible when the guy with the handicap is the large King Kong Bundy, however, near the 15 minute mark the entire match just completely devolves again into chaos as David Von Erich has finally had enough of Terry Gordy and his avoidance of the brothers and goes after him! David Von Erich and Terry Gordy end up brawling to the locker room area, but as this is going on King Kong Bundy catches Kevin Von Erich coming off the top rope and with his sheer strength and determination to get his career back on track is able to pin the American Heavyweight Champion with first a powerslam followed by a huge splash! King Kong Bundy has just cleanly pinned Kevin Von Erich, the American Heavyweight Champion! (69)

 

Winners: King Kong Bundy & Terry Gordy

 

The show comes to the close with Kevin & David Von Erich joining Bill Mercer at the commenter’s desk, they both talk about how they brought the Freebirds, moreso Micahel Hayes and Terry Gordy into World Class and trusted them and this is what they get? David looks straight into the camera and leaves us with this: “sooner rather than later boys you three, me and my brothers, we’re all going to be in the same ring, at the same time and I promise you, Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, Buddy Roberts, if it’s the last thing we ever do, I promise that we will show you not only why you don’t mess with the Von Erich’s, but you don’t mess with Texas.”. As the Von Erich’s make their way to the locker room, Bill Mercer thanks you for tuning in and we’ll be back next week with another action packed hour of World Class wrestling! (71)

 

Show Rating:

62