WCCW Review 5/21/83

Let me say for the record, I love the conversational chemistry between Michael Hayes and Kevin von Erich. Kevin puts Terry Gordy over huge, and Hayes gives us his "total restaurant experience" metaphor again to explain that World Class was becoming more about the Freebirds v. The von Erichs, as the influx of talent was setting the promotion on fire (Iceman Parsons, the Vachons, ect.) Fine, but let's not fool anyone: WCCW was about the Freebirds v. The von Erichs.



Paul "The Butcher" Vachon v. Tora Yatsu. More of this goofy heel v. heel action. How can you be a dreaded Asian assassin while wearing bicycle pants? Armand Hussien wants Vachon out of the ring so Yatsu can do his warm-up. Of classic heel stalling tactics, that's one of the lamer ones. They test each other off of lock-ups and chops, which Vachon wins. Yatsu tries some dirtier tactics, including a knee lift and a throat thrust, and a power slam finishes this for Yatsu at 3:30. WTF? 2 minutes of that was stalling! I don't think I've ever seen a Vachon job out that fast. DUD



Armand Hussien doesn't sweat Kamala, and Tora Yatsu is ready for him. Lord, that match is going to be the shits. And that's shits plural for you kids out there. That makes it bad, as opposed to the shit.



Chris Adams v. The Mongol. Oh, the Mongol. The low card in the poker hand that is Devastation, Inc. He jumps Adams to start with the dreaded CLUBBING FOREARMS, then settles into a front facelock. Snapmare, but Adams reverses into a hammerlock and works the arm with some fancy flipping in between. Then they do the exact same sequence over again. Meh. Marc Lowrance makes the funny of the night, climing that the Mongol is the warrior that Devastation, Inc. sends out to win matches. Right. Mongol takes over with his earth shattering offense of elbows and forearms, then settles in with another facelock, but Adams reverses again. Shoulderblock sequence and both guys go down, with Adams going to the floor. Mongol sends Adams into the turnbuckle, but he goes out After Adams and gets some kicks and a tope suicida for his troubles. Superkick for Mongol not once, but twice, and the Mongol is trapped in the ropes. Adams charges, however, and gets tied up in the ropes himself. The Mongol unleashes some fearsome choking, won't break, and gets DQ'd at 6:52. Fine on Adams end, but the Mongol was a lump. *3/4

"Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin v. Johnny Mantel. I'll never know why Vince didn't pick Garvin up, because the character and his charisma were incredible considering this is 1983. Jimmy wants David von Erich anytime, in any kind of match. Can he take Mantel's place? Mantel goes for the legs a few times, but gets hammered in the corner for his insolence. Garvin with a few dropkicks, then a sweet flying headscissors into the rest hold, as Jimmy tells the camera how good he is. Note to all the kids who don't know their wrestling history: what WCCW was doing in the early 80's made Vince's show look like it came out of the 19th Century. WWE is still using the setup World Class invented today, just with more expensive cameras. Mantel fights out of the headscissors, fires back with his own dropkicks, then settles into an armbar. Jimmy only tolerates that for a few seconds, then gets bored and drops some knees on Mantel's head. HE'S GARVIN-ING UP!!! Nah, just a slam and another armbar. Lots of armbars in the early 80's. Lots. Mantel reverses the hold into a slam, and it's his turn again to slap on an armbar. Hoo, so many armbars. Heel Mick Foley would be proud. Garvin gets out of the hold, nails Mantel with some knees, but a slam into the turnbuckle gets nothing as Johnny Mantell makes the SUPER BABYFACE COMEBACK! That consists of a few forearms, as Johnny runs the ropes, gets caught trying to execute a cross body block, and Garvin turns it into a side backbreaker for the three count at 6:33. What, no brain buster finish? Too short to be much, but Jimmy Garvin's charisma carries this to at least **. Jimmy looks for that coward David von Erich as we go to break.

Video package for Kevin von Erich. Again, just revolutionary stuff, and something WWE is going back to these days to get their talent over (gotta try something...)

American Heavyweight Championship Match: Kevin von Erich v. Terry Gordy. Man, I miss Terry Gordy. The guys feel each other out at first, doing some classic reversal sequences, as the girls orgasm for Kevin's every move. Headlock takedown by Kevin, and Terry tries to roll through into a pin a few times. But as they say in Bronson, MO "No dice." Shoulderblock and hiptoss by Kevin, and he starts to work the arm. So much arm working. Sooooooo muuuuuuch. Kevin shifts to a body scissors, but Terry decides that punching might break the hold. Well, what do you know? Kevin gets tossed into a few corners, but when Terry goes after him, Kevin hooks him in a standing body scissors in a pretty cool spot. Remind me why Kevin von Erich stayed in Texas, and drug-addled one-footed Kerry von Erich is listed as an IC Champion? A sunset flip by Kevin gets two, but Terry pops him with some elbows. Irish whip turns into a von Erich abdominal stretch, but Terry rolls Kevin across his back to break it. Kevin nails Terry in the corner a few times, then signals for the dreaded Iron Claw. Terry blocks after an epic struggle, and tags Kevin with a few right hands for trying to use such a lame submission hold. Really, both Vince and Bill Watts shit on the Mandible Claw at first ("why couldn't I just bite your fingers off?") yet the Iron f*&%ing Claw is a realistic match-ender? Anyway, Terry throws Kevin to the ropes, but misses an elbow and Kevin is able to slap on a sleeper hold. Terry gets his foot on the ropes for the break, and now he puts Kevin in a sleeper, as the crowd reaction builds to an incredible decibel. Kevin breaks with an elbow, then rams Terry into some turnbuckles. But as with Samoan wrestlers, you don't go after Terry Gordy in the head, and Gordy chokes Kevin on the ropes to remind him. Kevin with shots to the gut, but Terry counters with a knee. They trade dominance for a few seconds as I'm stunned at how good the ebb and flow of this match is. No wonder it carried the territory single-handedly. Suplex by Terry gets two, then he attempts the piledriver a few times, as they do another epic struggle spot. Terry misses Kevin's trademark backwards splash, but Kevin doesn't, and he gets the three count at 12:26. Awesome psychology with some awesome workers. ***1/4.

Mark Lowrance and Kevin von Erich in a post-game recap, talking about Kevin's upcoming match with Ric Flair, and a six-man with the Freebirds.

Back in studio with Michael Hayes and Kevin von Erich. They put over WCCW innovating the video package concept, and Kevin admits that Fritz of all people came up with the idea. Michael with a dig at the legendary von Erich stiff working style, and we're out.

While the wrestling wasn't all that epic, this was a great, quick-paced show with tight focus on all the major angles of the territory at the time. ECW could learn something from WCCW.