World Class Wrestling Association November 1, 1986

by

Taped from Dallas, TX

Airdate: November 1, 1986 (taped 10/24)

Attendance: unknown

Hosted by Bill Mercer

Can Warrior topple Borne? Or will Pringle get involved? What happens when Adias faces Mike? How will Simpson fare against the behemoth Crusher? And who is this newcomer? You don’t want to miss this episode, so rustle up some grub and enjoy!

Opening montage.

Woah! They placed a big blue carpet over the wooden floor of the Sporatorium.

Match 1: Lance Von Erich versus Spike Johnson

Highlights:

  • Lance leapfrogged Johnson and followed with a hip toss.
  • When he dropkicked Johnson, he monkey-flipped him out of the corner.
  • Lance gave him a cross corner whip, but Johnson blocked a second monkey flip.
  • As he dealt Lance a back elbow, Johnson slammed him.
  • He mounted the second turnbuckle, leaped, but there wasn’t any water in the pool.
  • After Lance clotheslined Johnson, he got 2.
  • Holy fire drills, Batman! The Sportatorium looked rather EMPTY. Perhaps a monumental high school football game stole the attention away from this taping.
  • Nevertheless, Lance countered a slam attempt with an inside cradle for another 2.
  • If you’re wondering why Lance wasn’t booked for the Cotton Bowl, he suffered a concussion at the hands of Sawyer and Borne as well as having a bout of pneumonia. Yikes!
  • The Dallas faithful, what little there was of it, chanted “go, Lance, go,” but their hero ate a clothesline.
  • While Johnson fed him a knee lift, Lance attempted a sunset flip but ate a knuckle sandwich instead.
  • Lance missed a dropkick, so Johnson slammed him again for 2.
  • Ramming Lance face-first into the mat, Johnson exchanged blows with him.
  • Lance delivered his own back elbow, slammed Johnson, but missed an elbow drop.
  • Landing a leg drop, Johnson got 2.
  • Lance became the first victim of hitting the carpet thanks to Johnson, returned, and backdropped him.
  • Powerslamming Johnson, Lance mounted the top turnbuckle and scored with a missile dropkick.
  • 1-2-3.
  • Lance won at 6:11.

 

Rating: **

Summary: Showcase match for Lance, but shouldn’t he be using a different finisher than the World champion?

From the studio, Marc Lowrance interviews the NEW World champion—Kevin Von Erich. Like a strong babyface, Kevin reinforces the countout/DQ rules governed by the WCWA. As he’s headed to the Far East, he’s confident that he’ll retain the title during his travels. Watch out, Kevin! Kerry lost his World title overseas.

Match 2 for the WCWA World TV title: Steve Simpson (champion) versus Crusher Yurkov (w/ “Pretty Boy” Larry Sharpe)

Highlights:

  • This match occurred on 10/20 in Ft. Worth and was joined in progress.
  • As Crusher dropped a knee into the midsection, he backdropped Simpson.
  • Sharpe bent Lowrance’s ear on commentary and unsuccessfully began a “Crush-er” chant.
  • When Simpson attempted a cross body block, Crusher caught and fed him a flapjack.
  • Nonetheless, Crusher missed an elbow drop, so Simpson worked on the arm.
  • After he delivered an elbow smash, Crusher slammed Simpson.
  • He headbutted Simpson twice and hit a diving head butt.
  • While Crusher missed a second diving head butt, Simpson landed a pair of knee strikes.
  • Crusher slammed Simpson again, mounted the top turnbuckle, leaped, but came up empty.
  • Dropkicking Crusher, Simpson mounted the top turnbuckle, but Sharpe crotched him on the top rope. How dastardly!
  • 1-2-3.
  • Crusher won at 6:46 shown.
  • WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!

 

Rating: **

Summary: Thanks to chicanery on the part of Sharpe, Crusher won the title and $10,000. It was the second title in his career as he captured the AWA Southern title in Memphis earlier in the year.

Match 3: Master Gee (w/ Percy Pringle) versus Perry Jackson

Highlights:

  • For those unaware, Gee was portrayed by George Wells whom you may know from WWF WrestleMania 2.
  • A fan in the front row displayed a huge sign that read “Pringle is a prissy sissy.”
  • Unlike his bald appearance at that spectacular, Gee’s hair was bleached blond at this taping.
  • Jackson leapfrogged Gee, and they botched a cross body block.
  • Regardless, Jackson got 1.
  • Pringle strung off some racist language toward Jackson which led to a Gee clothesline.
  • When Gee fed him a knee lift, he headbutted Jackson.
  • Speaking of Jackson, he gave Gee a HARD cross corner whip to injure the back.
  • He backdropped Gee, got reversed on a cross corner whip, and ate a flying shoulder block.
  • Gee hooked a cradle and pinned Jackson at 2:36.

 

Rating: -*

Summary: There was a reason Gee performed in preliminary matches or enhancement matches in the WWF. He’s not very good.

Match 4: Mike Von Erich versus Brian Adias

Highlights:

  • At the bell, they shook hands, and Mercer announced that Mike was undefeated.
  • Adias leapfrogged Mike and followed with a hip toss.
  • During the match, Black Bart cut an inset promo on Kevin. That’s a new twist for WCCW.
  • Mike hip-tossed Adias but couldn’t earn a count.
  • As Adias stumbled over Mike while running the ropes, he fell between the ropes to the carpet.
  • Mike showed some sportsmanship by calling off referee Rick Hazzard’s count while being concerned about Adias’ well-being.
  • When Adias returned, Mike opened the ropes for him.
  • Mike backdropped Adias and got 2.
  • After he hooked an inside cradle, Mike earned another 2-count.
  • He slammed Adias but couldn’t get 3.
  • While Mike blocked a hip toss, he trapped Adias in a backslide for yet another 2.
  • Adias threw sportsmanship out the window and almost decapitated Mike with a clothesline.
  • He slammed Mike and landed an elbow drop.
  • Upon feeding Mike a side-Russian leg sweep, Adias pinned Mike at 7:05.

 

Rating: **

Summary: Finally, Adias comes into his own by goading Mike into thinking he’ll wrestle scientifically. Hopefully, this leads to more character development for him. Mike is no longer undefeated.

After the match, Adias kicks Mike in the face to show his true colors. WE HAVE A HEEL TURN! Simpson steps into the ring to check on Mike and questions Adias’ motives. Nefariously, Adias blasts Simpson in the midsection before exiting the ring.

At ringside, Mercer interviews Simpson and Bruiser Brody. Simpson’s angry about Sharpe’s costing him the TV title and vows to regain it. Afterward, Brody insults Gary Hart regarding putting Fritz’s “name on a contract.” He’ll face Abdullah the Butcher one-on-one any day of the week.

Match 5: Dingo Warrior versus “Maniac” Matt Borne (w/ Percy Pringle)

Highlights:

  • Hold the presses! Warrior made his entrance to Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild.” Awesome!
  • Adias joined the broadcast table for this match.
  • When he stated he didn’t need any friends, Adias turned his focus toward Kevin and the World title. Aha!
  • Warrior military-press-slammed Borne, reversed an Irish whip, and backdropped him.
  • As the Dallas faithful chided Pringle over his purported bedroom habits, Warrior reversed another Irish whip but fell victim to a belly-to-back suplex.
  • Borne got 2, but Warrior kicked out with authority.
  • After the Dallas faithful chanted “Din-go,” their hero caught Borne’s foot, spun him around, and fed him a pair of atomic drops.
  • Following the second attempt, Borne inadvertently clotheslined himself on the top rope.
  • Warrior chopped Borne down to the carpet, joined, but got plastered by a cane shot from him.
  • While referee Ralph Pulley called for the bell, Warrior won by DQ at 6:29.

 

Rating: *

Summary: Warrior’s popularity is strong, but his ability to chain-wrestle remains severely limited.

Following the match, Borne continues to attack him with the cane until Warrior steals it. Borne flees like there’s no tomorrow to save his skin.

Thanks, Apollo.

Conclusion:  Obviously, the highlight of this episode is Adias’ heel turn. He’d been dwelling for weeks losing up and down the card to any and all heels. Therefore, it made sense for him to escape being a babyface and turn to the dark side.

Additionally, Warrior’s stardom as a babyface treks onward. In turn, the Simpson-Brody interview helps to shape the direction for the territory, and Crusher’s defeat of Simpson elevates the newcomer.

On a programming note, the blue carpet accompanied by an inset promo by Black Bart are strong enhancements to a product that could use some touchup. I also find the studio interview refreshing, and WCWA can utilize them for both of their shows.

Next week, Crusher and Zulu battle the Youngbloods.

TV Rating: NONE

Stay tuned for WCCW 11-08-86!

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