World Class Wrestling Association April 16, 1988

Taped from Dallas, TX

Airdate: April 16, 1988 (taped 04/08)

Attendance: unknown

Hosted by Marc Lowrance

Can the Simpson brothers retain the Texas tag titles? Or will Tatum and Victory weasel their way toward victory? How will Hayes fare against the Angel of Death? Also, NEWS about the upcoming spectacular at Texas Stadium! Y’all ready for a big hunk of meat with your ‘rasslin’?

Opening montage.

Match 1: Sweet Brown Sugar versus Phil Wylie

Highlights:

  • As far as I know, Wylie’s most prolific match came against a bear.
  • SBS leapfrogged Wylie twice before dealing him a monkey flip.
  • When Tatum and Victory approached ringside, Tatum rang the bell incessantly.
  • SBS slammed Wylie, but Tatum and Victory destroyed them.
  • After a dumbfounded referee Bronko Lubich did diddly squat about it, the former tag champs sent the combatants packing at 2:28.

Rating: NONE

Summary: More angle than match as you will see.

Tatum grabs the microphone and stages a sit-in while demanding someone with some stroke.  While WCWA board member Frank Dusek climbs into the ring, Tatum bitches and complains to him. The Simpson brothers jump into the ring and LET THE SQUEALING BEGIN! As Dusek lays down the law, he sanctions a title match. Tatum and Victory exit the ring having gotten what they wanted. And you thought all the politicking happened backstage.

Promo airs for the Von Erich Family Album. Send $13.95 plus $2.50 shipping and handling to Von Erich Family Album P. O. Box 57589 Dallas, TX 75207. Get yours TODAY!

Prior to the next match, Black Bart steps into the ring but must avoid the wrath of Irwin’s whip. He grabs the microphone and wants Irwin to be his DADGUM partner. He means it, folks. Upon Black Bart’s exit, Irwin dismisses hm entirely.

Match 2: “Wild” Bill Irwin versus Jim Richardson

Highlights:

  • Irwin dumped Richardson with a modified sidewalk slam and nailed him coming off the ropes.
  • As he slammed Richardson, Irwin annihilated him with a bicycle kick.
  • 1-2-3.
  • Irwin won at 2:06.

Rating: DUD

Summary: Showcase match for Irwin.

Promo airs for the 5th annual Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions. It will transpire at Texas Stadium in Irving, TX on May 8. Get your tickets NOW! Since it’s also Mother’s Day, tickets will be half-price, and mothers will receive a special gift.

Video for “Badstreet USA” by Michael Hayes airs.

Next, video airs featuring Kerry.

In the ring, Lowrance interviews WCWA World champion “Iceman” King Parsons who says nothing whatsoever of any particular importance before Lowrance cuts him off. Angel of Death steps into the ring and shares a high-five with Parsons. As Parsons continues his promo, Hayes’ entrance music plays causing Parsons to skedaddle.

Folks, we’ve had a whole TWO minutes of wrestling during 22 minutes of content.

Match 3: Michael “P.S.” Hayes versus Angel of Death (w/o “Playboy” Vince Apollo)

Highlights:

  • This ham’n’egger’s been clogging up my TV, and I never knew his whereabouts until ring announcer Ralph Pulley declared it to be “your last breath.”
  • When the Dallas faithful began chanting “go, Michael, go,” their hero backdropped Angel of Death over the top rope to the floor.
  • Was this a DQ?
  • Nope, referee Bronko Lubich waived it off.
  • As Hayes mounted the second turnbuckle to participate in a test-of-strength, he leaped and pounded Angel of Death into raw hamburger.
  • Angel of Death rebounded with double axe handles followed by a backbreaker.
  • After he mounted the top turnbuckle, Angel of Death leaped but ate a shot to the midsection.
  • Hayes clotheslined him before reversing an Irish whip.
  • While he dealt Angel of Death a kick to the midsection, Hayes planted him with a DDT.
  • Parsons returned and jumped into the ring, but Hayes spotted him immediately.
  • Although Hayes unloaded a ten-punch count-along to Parsons, Angel of Death woke up from the Great Unknown to yank him down to the mat.
  • He powerslammed Hayes, but Lubich called for the bell.
  • As a result, Hayes won by DQ at 4:13.

Rating: *

Summary: I’d call Angel of Death a lump, but that would be insulting to a lump of coal.

After the match, Parsons brandishes some scissors, but Hayes escapes the double-teaming with his mane untouched. Hayes ducks a double clothesline and double-clotheslines the heels to a tremendous pop. Grabbing Pulley’s chair and returning to the ring, Hayes scatters the heels like hash browns on Sunday morning.

Match 4 for the WCWA Texas tag team titles: The Simpson brothers (champions) versus “Hollywood” John Tatum & the “Heartthrob of New Jersey” Jack Victory

Highlights:

  • Finally! Something resembling a decent match!
  • Victory reversed a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
  • As Steve rolled him up, he got 2.
  • Tatum tagged in, but Steve knocked him into the middle of 1991.
  • When Victory tagged in, he got pinballed between the Simpson brothers leading to a 1-count for Steve.
  • Tags were exchanged on both sides, and Tatum used momentum and trunks to send Shaun between the ropes to the floor.
  • After Victory tagged in, Tatum joined Shaun on the floor only to get bombarded.
  • Tatum evened the score by nailing Shaun with some TV equipment. SNEAKY!
  • While Victory suplexed Shaun, he got 2.
  • The Dallas faithful chanted “go, Shaun, go,” but their hero ate a clothesline from Victory.
  • In addition to Victory’s earning a 2-count, he baited Steve into the ring.
  • With referee Bronko Lubich distracted, that enabled Tatum to mount the top turnbuckle and lower some boom onto Shaun. Nefarious!
  • Tatum legally tagged in and pancaked Shaun for 2.
  • Tagging in, Victory tried to back drop him, but Shaun punted on 4th down.
  • Hot tag Steve.
  • Steve dropkicked Tatum, and all four wrestlers were in the ring.
  • Upon ramming the heels together with Shaun, Steve hooked an O’Connor roll on Victory.
  • For some INSANE reason, Lubich, in lieu of counting the pinfall, distracted himself with Shaun and Tatum leading to a false pin for Steve.
  • Instead, Lubich placed Shaun back into the babyface corner allowing Tatum to toss Steve over the top rope.
  • Steve skinned the cat back into the ring, attempted another O’Connor roll on Victory, but got guillotined on the top rope by Tatum. How dastardly!
  • Making the cover, Victory pinned Steve.
  • Victory and Tatum won at 8:01.
  • WE HAVE NEW CHAMPIONS!

Rating: **½

Summary: Thanks to the tag formula and some highly suspicious chicanery, the heels recaptured gold at the expense of the Simpson brothers.

Conclusion: Other than a World title match of SOME type, we’re three weeks away from the spectacular with literally NOTHING to attract a large crowd on Mother’s Night besides a special discount on tickets.

With that being said, the diabolical team of Tatum and Victory regained the Texas tag titles to add another layer to the war between them and the Simpson brothers. Also, in case you thought he might have been involved in the Freebird-World title ruse, Hayes was firmly planted on the babyface side opposite both Angel of Death and Parsons. Black Bart and Irwin were exchanging words, but will they exchange more than that in the coming weeks?

Well, not quite like that.

Next week, another chapter in the Taylor-Adams saga unfolds plus Kevin tags with Hayes if you can believe it.

TV Rating: NONE

Stay tuned for WCCW 04-23-88!

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