Taped from Dallas, TX
Airdate: July 4, 1987 (taped 06/26)
Attendance: unknown
Hosted by Marc Lowrance & the “Modern Day Warrior” Kerry Von Erich
Can the Fantastics survive against Embry and Lancaster? How will Kevin fare against Denton? Who will win the battle of the big men? Plus, a SHOCKING announcement from Kerry!
Opening montage.
Match 1: Brian Adias versus Steve Casey
Highlights:
- Since Lowrance hosted the show, Chris Kerson performed the ring announcing. Nevertheless, Kerson skimped over a couple of details, so Lowrance felt compelled to fill in the blanks. HA!
- Adias fed Steve a back elbow and got 2.
- When he dealt Steve a knee drop, Adias got another 2.
- He decked Steve much to referee Bronko Lubich’s chagrin but couldn’t get 3.
- As he suplexed Steve, Adias got yet another 2.
- A woman at ringside made a clever WANTED sign with Adias’ photo. Underneath the photo read the word DEAD. Now THAT’S a heel.
- After Steve rebounded with a back kick, Adias reversed an Irish whip and nailed him in the midsection.
- He delivered a side-Russian leg sweep and pinned Steve at 3:52.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Showcase match for Adias, but where was the Asian spike?
At last week’s house show, Kerry is shown standing in the ring addressing the Dallas faithful while Lowrance announces that Lance has refused to wrestle. Kerry informs us that “William Vaughan who you guys know as Lance Von Erich…” As he continues, he’s “embarrassed,” and “the family is degraded.” He’d step in if he could, but right now he can’t. Therefore, Sweet Brown Sugar will replace Lance.
POINT OF ORDER: Kayfabe? What’s that? Holy broken fourth walls, Batman! Yes, the Von Erichs legitimately broke kayfabe by revealing Lance’s real name. What actually happened was that Lance was making $150 per ring appearance and could barely make ends meet. He asked Fritz for a raise but was denied. Vaughan would never wrestle in the WCWA again.
Match 2 for the WCWA World tag team titles: The Fantastics (champions) versus “Flamboyant” Eric Embry & the “Thumper” Frankie Lancaster (w/ Cowboy Tony)
Highlights:
- Cowboy Tony was the newest gimmick portrayed by Tony Falk. Methinks the Boy Tony gimmick was either too risqué or similar to Embry’s “flamboyant” character.
- Sans footage, Lowrance described the challengers’ making “mincemeat” out of the Fantastics in Fort Worth.
- As Rogers gave him a cross corner whip, he fed Lancaster a monkey flip.
- Tags were exchanged on both sides, and Fulton won a brawl against Embry.
- When Embry mounted the second turnbuckle, he leaped but there wasn’t any water in the pool.
- Fulton slammed him and followed with a diving head butt for 2.
- After Fulton tagged out, he monkey-flipped Embry.
- Rogers dropkicked Embry and conducted a meeting of the heels’ minds.
- While the Fantastics rammed the heels together, they transformed the heels into battering rams against one another.
- Rogers backdropped Embry and tagged in Fulton.
- Mounting the second turnbuckle, Fulton lowered the boom onto Embry.
- Tags were exchanged again on both sides, and Rogers dealt Lancaster a boomerang splash for 2.
- Leapfrogging Lancaster, Rogers dropkicked him.
- Fulton tagged in, and the Fantastics double-backdropped Lancaster for another 2.
- Although Fulton missed an elbow drop, Rogers tagged in and delivered a knee lift.
- He whipped Lancaster into the corner but came up empty on his follow-through.
- Tagging in, Embry flattened Rogers with a slingshot suplex. Sweet!
- He mounted the second turnbuckle and connected with a diving head butt for 2.
- Decimating Rogers with a lariat, Embry got another 2.
- Lancaster tagged in, gave Rogers a cross corner whip, followed with a clothesline, but couldn’t get 3.
- Backdropping Rogers, Lancaster tagged out, and Embry baited Fulton into the ring.
- The heels only got away with a minor infraction, but afterward Embry piledrove Rogers.
- Do we have new champions?
- 1-2-NO!
- Why only 2? Because Rogers’ foot was on the bottom rope.
- Slamming Rogers, Embry tagged out, so Lancaster landed a pair of leg drops, brother.
- Rogers reversed a cross corner whip, and the camera got too close.
- Why do I say that? Because you could see Rogers advise Lancaster about a reversal.
- Nonetheless, Rogers ate knee on his follow-through.
- Lancaster stymied Rogers as the Dallas faithful rallied Rogers with a “go, Tommy, go” chant.
- Rejoining the match, Embry caught Rogers with a flying head butt.
- He destroyed Rogers with another diving head butt but only got 2 thanks to a save by Fulton.
- Taking his turn, Lancaster missed a dropkick which led to…
- Hot tag Fulton.
- With all four wrestlers in the ring, Lubich got distracted by Rogers and Lancaster.
- Meanwhile, Cowboy Tony shoved Embry atop a fallen Fulton.
- 1-2-3.
- Embry and Lancaster won at 10:34.
- WE HAVE NEW CHAMPIONS!
Rating: ****½
Summary: Textbook tag team wrestling as the Fantastics walked the heels through their playbook stride-for-stride until heel chicanery cost them the titles.
FRITZ’S SCRAPBOOK: Fritz answers fan mail from Milwaukee regarding the strongest man in pro wrestling. According to Fritz, “the strongest man in the world” is…Ted Arcidi. Breaking the world record of 665 lbs., Arcidi bench-pressed 705 lbs. in Hawaii in 1985. He compares the feat to “trying to lift a Volkswagen over your head.” HA! Footage of the feat is shown.
Submit your questions to Fritz at:
Questions & Answers
P.O. Box 57589
Dallas, TX 75207
Match 3: Ted Arcidi (w/ Percy Pringle) versus Tony Atlas
Highlights:
- JD Ryan from KEGL 97.1 FM joined the broadcast table for this match.
- When Arcidi rang his bell, Atlas no-sold it and fed him a head butt.
- He clotheslined Arcidi and followed with a slam.
- As Arcidi rebounded with his own slam, he dealt Atlas an elbow drop.
- Arcidi applied a bear hug, yet Atlas snuck his arms inside to hook one of his own.
- After Pringle jumped onto the apron, Atlas blasted him.
- Arcidi grabbed Pringle’s cane and WHACKED Atlas with it. How dastardly!
- 1-2-3.
- Arcidi won at 5:11.
Rating: *
Summary: Going in, I knew this wouldn’t be great; however, Arcidi’s a chore to deal with. Atlas got the most out of him as humanly possible.
WCCW WRESTLER PROFILE OF THE WEEK: Sweet Brown Sugar is profiled as an avid member of the church with commentary from his father. When SBS has spare time, he dedicates it to the children in Dallas as a mentor. Let’s hope he remains on this side of the street and doesn’t stray.
Match 4 (non-title): WCWA World champion Kevin Von Erich versus “Dirty White Boy” Len Denton (w/ Percy Pringle)
Highlights:
- Denton gave Kevin a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
- As Kevin dropkicked him, he fed Denton an atomic drop.
- He landed an elbow drop but only got 1.
- When he gave Denton a cross corner whip, Kevin came up empty on his follow-through. C’mon, guys, vary it up a bit.
- Denton distracted referee Rick Hazzard allowing Pringle to interject with his cane. SNEAKY!
- After Denton scored with a knee lift, Pringle got involved a second time. Evil!
- Denton clotheslined Kevin as Kerry left the broadcast table.
- While Denton suplexed Kevin for 2, Kerry kept a watchful eye on Pringle.
- Kerry quickly returned to the broadcast table, and Kevin reversed a cross corner whip.
- Slamming Denton, Kevin mounted the top turnbuckle and launched a flying splash.
- Kevin could have scored the pin, but Pringle jumped onto the apron.
- Regardless, Kevin applied an Iron claw, and the Dallas faithful LOST ITS DAMN MIND.
- Denton was BUSTED OPEN, so Kevin pinned him at 4:35.
Rating: **
Summary: Showcase match for the returning World champion.
Before the show leaves the air, Lowrance interviews Brian Adias who had previously declined joining the broadcast table more than likely to avoid confronting Kerry. Notwithstanding that, he doesn’t want any part of Kevin because of his craziness.
Conclusion: Groundbreaking announcement by Kerry highlights an episode with two separate incidents of shenanigans. The first one directly led to new World tag team champions as the second legitimized Arcidi by going over Atlas.
With the upcoming spectacular in Mesquite, the table has been set for Kevin versus Adias.
Finally, I’d like to point out that it appears that Bill Mercer has left WCCW without any fanfare. As someone who has watched EVERY episode of WCCW since its inception, I will truly miss his contributions to Texas ‘rasslin’. Without the need for a co-host, Mercer was both articulate and entertaining.
Next week, highlights of the Texas tag team tournament!
TV Rating: NONE
Stay tuned for WCCW 07-11-87!
Comments? Suggestions? Send them to me at rsg@rockstargary.com and follow me on Twitter (@rockstargary202).