WCCW 1985: Every Rose has its Thorn

[Blodyxe]

Jake Roberts versus Mike Von Erich

Jose Lothario and Rick Steiner versus The Long Riders

Arn Anderson and Kelly Kiniski versus The Fantastics

Brian Adias versus Randy Savage

David Von Erich versus Hercules Hernandez

The Dynamic Duo versus Kerry & Kevin Von Erich

 

WCCW Championship Sports (TV)

 

Brian Adias and Mike Von Erich versus The Long Riders

Chris Adams and Jake Roberts versus Hercules Hernandez and Jerry Blackwell

NWA Texas Brass Knuckles: Gino Hernandez © versus Terry Gordy

[KyTeran]

WCCW Live!

Jake Roberts versus Mike Von Erich

Jose Lothario and Rick Steiner versus The Long Riders

Arn Anderson and Kelly Kiniski versus The Fantastics

Brian Adias versus Randy Savage

David Von Erich versus Hercules Hernandez

The Dynamic Duo versus Kerry & Kevin Von Erich

WCCW Championship Sports (TV)

Brian Adias and Mike Von Erich versus The Long Riders

Chris Adams and Jake Roberts versus Hercules Hernandez and Jerry Blackwell

NWA Texas Brass Knuckles: Gino Hernandez © versus Terry Gordy

[OGpistolpete]

<blockquote style=”background-color:#FFFFFF;color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:4px;border-color:#000000;max-width:1000px;”>

 

WCCW Championship Roll Call

April 1985

 

 

 

NWA American Heavyweight

Reigning Champion:

Kerry Von Erich [5]

(def. Gino Hernandez on 10/29/1984 in Ft. Worth, TX)

 

Originally established as the NWA United States Heavyweight title in 1967, by patriarch of the title, Fritz Von Erich, the American Heavyweight title as it quickly became called by 1968 is usually thought of as the premier singles title in the Texas territory. Fritz Von Erich can be closest associated with the title, having won it twenty times in his in-ring career. Memorable bouts for Fritz involving the American Heavyweight title include the likes of: Bruiser Brody, Johnny Valentine, Ox Baker, Baron Von Rasche, The Great Kabuki, and many others. By 1978, a new generation of Von Erichs were crowned title holders, first by Kevin Von Erich, who won the title three times between ‘78 and 1980, followed by Kerry Von Erich earning his first title win at the end of 1980, substituting in for his injured brother to face Gino Hernandez after the belt was held up following a showdown between Gino and Kevin earlier that year.

 

Fritz Von Erich won the title one last time in June of 1982, beating champion King Kong Bundy in his retirement match, and immediately vacating. A week later, Bundy was awarded the belt, leading to Kevin Von Erich winning it off of him in September. Kevin feuded with Terry Gordy briefly in late 1982, before the title was held up after a match against Jimmy Garvin in July of 1983. Their rematch just a week later saw Garvin earn the title, after which “Gorgeous” Jimmy Garvin made himself one of the biggest heels in World Class only second to the Freebirds throughout all of 1983 and 1984, during which his famous feud with “The Gentleman” Chris Adams took place. Gino Hernandez would eventually get his hands back on the title 4 years since his last run, dropping it to Mike Von Erich in a shocking loss, only to win it back a month later. Gino then lost to Kerry Von Erich a month after that in October of 1984, and “The Modern Day Warrior” has been the American Heavyweight champion for the past five months, one of the longest championship runs in recent memory for the belt.

 

 

 

NWA Texas Heavyweight

Reigning Champion:

Gino Hernandez [4]

(def. David Von Erich on 03/13/1984 in San Antonio, TX)

 

Touting a longer lineage than the aforementioned singles title, the NWA Texas Heavyweight title has been around since its vague establishment in the 1930s, making it one of the oldest championships in the sport of professional wrestling today. Throughout many different eras of American history, the Texas title has remained a staple of Texas professional wrestling and is typically only defended in the borders of the Lone Star state. Ed McLemore’s Southwest Sports carried the title from the 1930s into the 1960s, operating shows in the Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio areas of Texas. After McLemore’s death, when Fritz Von Erich took over the territory, he would continue to highlight the Texas Heavyweight title as a preliminary centerpoint of his booking.

 

David Von Erich’s first title win over Bruiser Brody in 1978 kickstarted a new era for the Texas title, as he would then begin a long two year feud with Gino Hernandez throughout 1978 and 1980 as the two battled over the belt. After the two traded the belt back and forth six-times in three years, David fell out of the title scene in 1981 as wrestlers like Killer Tim Brooks, Al Madril, Jose Lothario, and Bill Irwin al have reigns at very points in time. David would win the title again for a fifth time in 1982, beating Bill Irwin, eventually losing to Jimmy Garvin six months later in MArch of 1983. Garvin and David would run a program all throughout 1983 in which David won the belt another three times following consecutive title belt hold ups, eventually giving way to Gino Hernandez in March of 1984 before departing for Tokyo. Throughout 1984, Gino has remained champion, reaching the one-year mark of his reign in March of 1985, making this reign one of the most dominant in recent Texas Heavyweight championship history.

 

 

 

NWA American Tag Team

Reigning Champion:

The Midnight Express

(def. The Fantastics on 2/27/1985 in Dallas, TX)

 

Similar to the original NWA American Heavyweight title, the tag titles were originally established as the NWA United States Tag Team titles in 1966, eventually changing over to their more well-known American Tag Team title recognition in 1968. And similar to the singles belt, Fritz Von Erich played an important role in the late 1960’s, establishing the tag title in his territory alongside the likes of Waldo Von Erich, Billy Red Lyons, Gary Hart, and many others. The title reached a period of inactivity in 1974, until Kevin Von Erich and David Von Erich won the titles against Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk in 1978, the first time the belt was fought for since it’s inactivity. Unlike other titles, however, the Von Erich family name is not incredibly frequent on the title history list since 1978, instead owed to many other successful tag team combinations such as Jose Lothario and Tiger Conway Jr., Mr. Hito and Mr. Sakurada, and Gino Hernandez featured with different assortments of partners.

 

In 1982, the Fabulous Freebirds: Terry Gordy and Michael Hayes, won the belts in late 1982, and eventually lost in the summer of 1983 to Kerry Von Erich and Bruiser Brody in a much-anticipated match-up featuring the return of Brody to the territory. Unfortunately, an injury to Brody forced a them to vacate the belt, leading to a tournament in Detroit during which Roddy Piper and Bulldog Brower won the belts, only to lose it to the Super Destroyers a few nights later in Indianapolis. Returning back to Texas as the champions, the Super Destroyers began what can now be considered perhaps the most dominant few years in the title’s long history, highlighted by the famous reveal of the masked Super Destroyers to really be Bill and Scott Irwin in 1984 after losing to the combination of Iceman King Parsons and Buck Zumhofe.

 

Since 1983, the Irwin Brothers have become four-time tag team champions, eventually losing to the Fantastics in October of 1984, leading to a brief hiatus from the Texas territory. The Fantastics,, earning their first tag title win in that match, have since become the most popular true tag team in the region, and were on their way to establishing themselves as the most dominant tag team in the region before losing to The Midnight Express in February of 1985 thanks to interference by their manager’s newest surprise client, One Man Gang! Unfortunately for the Midnights, however, the Long Riders (as they became to call themselves), Bill and Scott Irwin, are back in Texas with tag team gold on their minds and a chance to continue their historic run.

 

 

 

NWA Texas Brass Knuckles

Reigning Champion:

Gino Hernandez

(def. Jose Lothario on 6/4/1984 in Ft. Worth, TX)

 

The Brass Knuckles title was specifically established for famous brawler Bull Curry in 1953, making it one of professional wrestlings oldest active belts. Curry was known for intense brawls that shocked the audience with it’s raw action, and he would go on to win the belt an incredible 27-times, with his final victory coming in 1969. As you can imagine, he became synonymous with the Brass Knuckles title, working the territory one an incredibly consistent basis defending the title all throughout the fifties and sixties. Following Bull Curry’s incredible 15-year run as champion, other stars like Jose Lothario, Blackjack Lanza, and even Fritz Von Erich frequently won the title, until Bruiser Brody first earned a reign in 1977 after defeating Big John in Houston. Brody would continue to win and lose the title throughout 1978, and 1980, with his last reign ending in December of 1980 after losing to Bugsy McGraw in the same city he first won the belt. Maniac Marc Lewin was a frequent foe for Bruiser, eventually winning his eighth title reign in 1980 as well. Since the early 1980’s, however, the belt’s frequency in use has declined slightly, but has featured champions such as the Great Kabuki, Terry Gordy, Chris Adams, and most recently Gino Hernandez, who beat Jose Lothario to win the title in June of 1984. For all intents and purposes, the Brass Knuckles title has always been known as the “hardcore title”, and frequently features bloody brawls and heavily officiated bouts.

 

 

WCCW Television

Reigning Champion:

One Man Gang

(def. Kerry Von Erich on 3/12/1985 in Dallas, TX)

 

The Television title was established in 1982, adding another singles belt to the mix, mainly to be defended during television programming. The Spoiler, don Jardine, was the first champion, earning it in a battle royal in Ft. Worth, TX. Since then, many famous names in World Class have won the title, including Bill Irwin, Al Madril, the Great Kabuki, Iceman King Parsons, Chris Adams, Jimmy Garvin, Scott Irwin, and many more. In 1984, Kevin Von Erich was given his first reign with the belt after a DQ win over Killer Khan, but declined the title pending a rematch a week later. Their rematch would then end in a double DQ, leading to both wrestlers being barred from competing for the title ever again. Chris Adams began his second reign soon after that, losing to Jake Roberts in August of 1984, eventually winning it back a month later. Adams would then lose to Kerry Von Erich in January of 1985, who would then quickly lose the belt to One Man Gang in March of 1985.

 

 

 

NWA World 6-Man Tag Team

Reigning Champion:

Kerry, Kevin, and Mike Von Erich

(def. Chris Adams, Gino Hernandez, and Jake Roberts on 12/31/1984 in Ft. Worth, TX)

 

The six-man title was specifically established in 1982 to help flame the fire that was the Von Erichs and Freebirds feud. The Freebirds first earned the titles in December of 1982, giving them a prop to instantly solidify themselves as a big deal. They would then go on to trade the title multiple times with the Von Erich family, which featured multiple arrangements of family members, a stunning seven-times in just three years. The title is synonymous with the Von Erich and Freebird rivalry, and since the Freebird Buddy Roberts and Michael Hayes have since departed the territory, the Von Erich combination of Kevin, Kerry and Mike have remained champions, only losing it briefly in October of 1984 to the combination of Gino Hernandez, Chris Adams, and Jake Roberts.

 

</blockquote>