Taped from Dallas, TX
Airdate: October 18, 1986 (taped 10/12)
Attendance: 5,835
Hosted by Bill Mercer
Can Kevin finally win a World title? Or will Black Bart get in his way? Will Warrior and Simpson unseat the World tag team champions? What in the blue hell is up with that attendance figure?
Opening montage.
From the Cotton Bowl, Mercer describes the current weather as COLD and potentially WET. Checking weather history, the high temperature of the day was only 46° whereas on the 1st it was 92°. Not quite the optimal conditions for an outdoor wrestling event.
Match 1: Scott Casey versus the Grappler
Highlights:
- Casey blocked a kick and fed Grappler an atomic drop.
- When Grappler gave Casey a cross corner whip, he came up empty on his follow-through.
- Casey dealt Grappler a shoulder breaker for 1.
- As Grappler rebounded by ramming Casey face-first into the mat, he got 2.
- He clotheslined Casey and followed with a swinging neckbreaker for 1.
- After the rain began to pick up, umbrellas filled the stands.
- The broadcast team had to drape a tarp over Mercer and ring announcer Marc Lowrance to protect the electronic equipment.
- While Grappler reversed a cross corner whip, he ate boot on his follow-through.
- Casey bulldogged and pinned Grappler at 5:32.
Rating: *
Summary: While Casey won, the fans lost with the rain making its presence felt.
Match 2 for the WCWA World tag team titles: “Mad Dog” Buzz Sawyer & “Maniac” Matt Borne (champions w/ Percy Pringle) versus Lance & Mike Von Erich
Highlights:
- This match occurred on 10/6 in Ft. Worth and was joined in progress.
- As Sawyer leapfrogged him, Lance scored with a cross body block for 2.
- Borne made the save, and all four wrestlers were in the ring.
- When Mike and Borne flew over the top rope to the concrete floor, referee Rick Hazzard became collateral damage.
- Mike’s left boot got caught in the top rope, so Borne grabbed the chain.
- After Sawyer slammed Lance, he and Borne clotheslined him with the chain. How dastardly!
- Sawyer made a cover but only got 2 thanks to a save by Mike.
- While Mike fed the champions a double noggin knocker, he dragged the befallen Lance over to the babyface corner and smartly tagged himself into the match.
- Mike sent Borne between the ropes to the concrete floor and applied an Iron claw to Sawyer.
- Attempting to make the save, Borne got kicked away as the Iron claw remained on Sawyer’s head.
- Sawyer was BUSTED OPEN!
- Before Sawyer lost consciousness, Borne grabbed the chain again and BLASTED Mike with it.
- Hazzard called for the bell to disqualify the champions at 2:38 shown.
Rating: *
Summary: Strong physical and mental showing by Mike, but the champs used chicanery to save the titles.
After the match, the champs double-team Mike until Dingo Warrior saves his bacon. Warrior throws them away like yesterday’s newspaper and rips his shirt off. As he slams Borne, Warrior deals the same fate to Sawyer. Mike sends Borne out of the ring, and Warrior gives Sawyer some more punishment. To close the segment, Mike checks on his cousin who remains OUT COLD.
From the locker room, Mercer interviews Warrior and Simpson. While Simpson believes the team has cohesion, a perturbed Warrior wants revenge!
Match 3 for the WCWA World tag team titles: “Mad Dog” Buzz Sawyer & “Maniac” Matt Borne (champions w/ Percy Pringle) versus Dingo Warrior & Steve Simpson (w/ Sunshine)
Highlights:
- Sawyer tried to bite him, but Warrior powered him up into a military press slam.
- When Borne ambushed him, Warrior fed him one too.
- Warrior gave Sawyer a cross corner whip followed by a standing choke.
- As Borne tagged in, Warrior dealt them a meeting of the minds.
- He slammed Borne and delivered a pair of clotheslines.
- After Simpson tagged in, he evaded a Borne elbow drop.
- Borne hit a belly-to-belly suplex and tagged in Sawyer.
- While Simpson evaded another elbow drop, Sawyer leapfrogged him twice.
- A criss-cross ensued, and Simpson connected with a cross body block for 2.
- Tagging in, Borne ate a ten-punch count-along from Simpson.
- Borne thwarted any further damage with an inverted atomic drop.
- Following a clip, Sawyer earned a 2-count on Simpson.
- He suplexed Simpson for another 2 while the Cotton Bowl faithful chanted “go Steve go.” They had to do SOMETHING to keep warm.
- Applying a bear hug, Sawyer got his bell rung.
- Sawyer powerslammed Simpson but couldn’t get 3.
- Rejoining the match, Borne decimated Simpson with a backbreaker for 2.
- Sawyer gained referee Bronko Lubich’s attention which led to a false tag.
- With Warrior’s arguing against it, he distracted Lubich.
- In the meantime, the champs obliterated Simpson in their corner. SNEAKY!
- Sawyer tagged in, attempted another suplex, but ate one himself.
- Evading yet another elbow drop, Simpson made the HOT TAG.
- Warrior backdropped Sawyer and clotheslined Borne.
- Slamming Sawyer, Warrior belted Borne out of the ring.
- He clotheslined and hoisted Sawyer above his head.
- Without thinking, Warrior tossed Sawyer down to Borne on the astroturf.
- Lubich called for the bell to disqualify Warrior and Simpson.
- As a result, Sawyer and Borne retained at 10:21 shown.
Rating: ***
Summary: Since the titles are merely a month old, it makes sense to keep them on Sawyer and Borne while Warrior’s popularity soars its way over to Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. Speaking of flying, Sunshine did NOT make her helicopter entrance like last year and wasn’t a factor whatsoever.
Following the match, all four wrestlers were in the ring, and the babyfaces sent the champions scurrying.
Match 4 for the WCWA World title: Black Bart (champion) versus Kevin Von Erich (w/ the “Modern Day Warrior” Kerry Von Erich)
Highlights:
- For those curious, Kerry stood on the apron with crutches by his side.
- Kevin soared with a cross body block and got 2.
- As Kevin reversed a cross corner whip, he backdropped Black Bart.
- Kevin applied a standing bodyscissors and got 2.
- When Black Bart guillotined him with the top rope, he suplexed Kevin.
- Black Bart tossed him down to the turf, and upon Kevin’s return, he fed Kevin a leg lariat for 2.
- After Kevin mounted the top turnbuckle, he launched a missile dropkick. Woohoo!
- He splashed and pinned Black Bart at 6:58.
- WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!
Rating: **
Summary: Abbreviated title match where Kevin looked like a million bucks. Thankfully, more folks showed up in the stands for the main event.
In the post-match celebration, Mike joins his older brother in the ring while Kerry roars from ringside. The babyface locker room empties to congratulate Kevin on his monumental achievement. Adorning both David’s Yellow Rose of Texas Jacket and the World title belt, Kevin receives tremendous adulation from the Cotton Bowl faithful.
Following a commercial break, Mercer tries to interview Kevin in the locker room, but everyone gets showered with sparkling wine. Kevin believes that it’s the greatest day of his career. Fritz and Doris join and congratulate him. While Doris is delighted, Fritz jokingly (or perhaps not) mentions that he asked Mike “when are you going to do it for us?” C’mon, man!
Chris accompanies his older brother who hands the belt to him. To end the episode, the Von Erichs head on their way for further jubilation.
Conclusion: Kevin wins the big one albeit in a cold and wet setting that kept many of the Dallas faithful at home. Also, Sawyer and Borne found different paths to retaining their titles. One by their own hands, and one by Warrior’s. For all you Von Erich fans, I wholeheartedly endorse watching this episode.
Next week, Bruiser Brody battles Abdullah the Butcher in a steel cage, but who will be the referee?
TV Rating: NONE
Stay tuned for WCCW 10-25-86!
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