Taped from Dallas, TX
Airdate: October 31, 1987 (taped 10/02)
Attendance: unknown
Hosted by Marc Lowrance
Are you ready for Kerry’s comeback? ‘Cuz it’s RIGHT HERE. How will Borne fare against Arcidi in a taped fist match? What’s going on with Adams? This episode must be better than last week, right?
Opening montage.
Match 1: Vic Steamboat versus “Killer” Tim Brooks (w/ Percy Pringle)
Highlights:
- When the match began, Lowrance compared Pringle’s attire to one from former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon. HA!
- “Gentleman” Chris Adams joined the broadcast table for this match.
- As Steamboat dropkicked him twice, a test-of-strength commenced.
- Lowrance shilled The Von Erich Family Album, and Steamboat made Brooks HIT THE POLE.
- After Steamboat hip-tossed him, Brooks rolled him up, put his feet on the second rope, and pinned him.
- Wait a minute!
- Referee Bronko Lubich caught Brooks’ shenanigans before he could get away with it and waived off the pinfall.
- Steamboat trapped Brooks with an inside cradle and pinned him at 5:50.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Absolutely ZERO chemistry between these two. Steamboat needs more seasoning as the tens of fans in the Sportatorium can barely get behind him.
Match 2: Bruiser Brody versus Billy Burt
Highlights:
- Ring announcer Ralph Pulley had the AUDACITY to announce this was Burt’s WCWA debut when he wrestled two previous matches including one against Spoiler on the 10/10 episode. How ghastly!
- It’s only fitting that Burt’s facing Brody because he’ll probably quit the business.
- As Burt gave Brody a cross corner whip, he ate boot on his follow-through.
- The match segued to the floor, and Brody rammed Burt face-first into Pulley’s table.
- When Brody SMACKED him with a steel chair, Burt reversed an Irish whip only to eat another big boot.
- 1-2-3.
- Brody won at 3:59.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Showcase match for Brody. Unless my sources are incorrect, Burt DID quit the business after this match.
WORLD CLASS WRESTLER PROFILE: Adams emerges from a red Corvette and touts the upcoming tour. While we head to the dojo, Adams performs judo takedowns with applicable sound effects. He reveals his “secret”—the superkick–and one is shown against Koko B. Ware from July 1984.
Match 3 (taped fist, non-title): WCWA Texas champion Ted Arcidi (w/ Percy Pringle) versus “Maniac” Matt Borne
Highlights:
- Borne connected with a few shots leaning Arcidi against the ropes.
- When Borne stepped back, Arcidi clobbered him.
- Arcidi worked on the back and applied a bear hug.
- As he converted to a belly-to-belly suplex, Arcidi pounded on Borne’s back.
- He reapplied the bear hug and sandwiched Borne in the corner.
- After he gave Borne a HARD cross corner whip to further injure the back, Arcidi hooked a third bear hug.
- Borne escaped, ducked a clothesline, and clocked Arcidi so hard that he fell between the ropes to the floor.
- While he made a desperate attempt to return, Arcidi was counted out.
- Bourne won by countout at 6:58.
Rating: **
Summary: Another countout from the same taping. I’m not making this up.
After the match, Pringle jumps into the ring with a steel chair, but Borne sees and dropkicks it in his face to a HUGE reaction from the Dallas faithful. Borne beats up Pringle until Arcidi batters him with the chair. Before Borne can retaliate, Arcidi and Pringle hightail it back to the locker room.
RINGSIDER OF THE WEEK: Pulley interviews Cindy Sheffield who vows to keep returning to the Sportatorium. Hopefully this taping didn’t scare her off.
Now we head to the Cotton Bowl!
Match 4 (workout): The “Modern Day Warrior” Kerry Von Erich (w/ Fritz Von Erich) versus “Maniac” Matt Borne, the “Thumper” Frankie Lancaster, & “Killer” Tim Brooks
Highlights:
- Kerry will work out with each opponent one at a time.
- As he wrestled Borne, they achieved a stalemate at 2:00.
- Lancaster was next, but Brian Adias approached ringside.
- When Kerry hip-tossed him twice, it became extremely obvious that this segment was supposed to air next week. Lowrance kept shilling the card in Birmingham, Alabama for TONIGHT instead of next week. Oops.
- A test-of-strength occurred, and Lancaster took advantage.
- After the bell rung at 2:03, Kerry dealt Lancaster an atomic drop.
- Brooks stepped into the ring, and Kerry manhandled him against the ropes.
- While Adias grabbed Kerry by the legs, Fritz tossed Adias into the ring.
- Kerry uncorked a discus punch sending Adias reeling down to the turf.
- Reversing a cross corner whip, Kerry slammed Brooks.
- Adias fled back to the locker room while a mistimed mid-ring collision transpired.
- With the bell ringing, Kerry nailed Brooks with a discus punch.
- 1-2-3.
- Kerry pinned Brooks at 1:40.
Rating: NONE
Summary: Great to see Kerry’s return as he’s on the brink of returning full-time.
Following the match, the Cotton Bowl faithful shower their hero with a “Ker-ry” chant. As Kerry and Fritz retrat to their locker room, Adias returns. Kerry stymies him with a discus punch and the locker rooms empty to separate them. Seen among the wrestlers are Al Madril, Tony Atlas, and Rick “won’t be going back to Tokyo anytime soon” Hazzard.
Before the episode ends, Pulley interviews Steve Corey again as the Von Erichs Over America tour schedule is shown again. As you might expect, Corey is LYING HIS ASS OFF to make the tour appear successful.
Conclusion: I’ll address Kerry’s comeback match in a moment. However, the first 25 minutes of this episode continued the god-awful disgustingness from last week. Whoever booked the finishes for this taping should be drawn and quartered.
As far as Kerry’s comeback match goes, despite the prosthetic foot, he looks to be about 80-90%. It’s a remarkable story that will get played out throughout the remainder of 1987.
HISTORICAL NOTE: On October 19, 1987, a.k.a. Black Monday, the stock market crashed to the tune of $1.71 trillion. Keep this in mind for the upcoming “nationwide” WCWA tour.
Next week, controversy from the Cotton Bowl!
TV Rating: NONE
Stay tuned for WCCW 11-07-87!
Comments? Suggestions? Send them to me at rsg@rockstargary.com and follow me on Twitter (@rockstargary202).