WCCW Parade of Champions '86

Back on February 18, in an effort to separate themselves from the National Wrestling Alliance (and Jim Crockett Promotions in particular), World Class defected from the NWA and became the World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA). Additionally, they differentiated by waiving the disqualification and countout results as a means to maintain a title.

Prior to the gauntlet match, Hayes gets on the microphone and tells “Gentleman” Chris Adams that he’s not going to stop the match due to the eye injury sustained during Gino Hernandez’s final match back on 1/27/86. RIP Dynamic Duo.

Match 1 (gauntlet): The Great Kabuki (w/ Michael Hayes) versus “Chief” Mark Youngblood

Ring announcer Marc Lowrance referred to these matches as a “handicap” match.
Flying chop by Youngblood was followed by a dropkick.
Leg drop by Youngblood led to some chops.
Gutwrench suplex by Youngblood, but Kabuki nailed him in the midsection.
Bicycle kick by Youngblood got 2.
Spinning thrust kick by Kabuki put Youngblood down on the mat.
Flying chop by Youngblood preceded a vertical suplex.
Elbow drop by Youngblood missed, so Kabuki gave him a cross-corner whip.
Youngblood reversed it but ate a superkick on his follow-through.
Chop by Kabuki got the pin.

Summary: Youngblood kept the pace up but ultimately succumbed to Kabuki’s craftiness.

Hip toss by Allen was followed by a delayed vertical suplex.
Back elbow by Allen got 2.
Swinging neckbreaker by Kabuki got 2.
Slam by Allen who then hit an elbow drop.
A second one missed so Kabuki delivered an enziguri.
Nerve hold pinned Allen.

Match 3 (gauntlet): The Great Kabuki (w/ Michael Hayes) versus Steve Simpson

For those unaware, Simpson was a second-generation wrestler from South Africa unlike Colonel DeBeers who was actually from Missouri. A bigot in Missouri? Nah.
Kabuki countered an arm drag with a nerve hold.
The young ladies in the crowd loudly supported Simpson.
Spinning thrust kick put Simpson down on the mat.
Back drop by Simpson, but after being reversed on an Irish whip, Kabuki delivered a superkick.
While on the apron, Simpson re-entered the ring via sunset flip over Kabuki.
1-2-3.

After the match, both Kabuki and Hayes double-team Simpson. Adams hits the ring and gives Kabuki a superkick. The numbers catch up with Adams until Kabuki mistakenly gives Hayes a thrust kick.

Match 4 for the WCWA Texas title: Brian Adias (champion) versus “Mr. Electricity” Steve Regal

Adias made his entrance to Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA.”
Cross-corner whip by Regal, but he came up empty on his follow-through.
Regal countered a side headlock with a belly-to-back suplex.
Subsequently, a backbreaker by Regal got 2.
Knee to the midsection by Regal preceded a face plant for 2.
Comeback splash by Adias hit knees.
After a slam, Regal hit an elbow drop for 2.
Vertical suplex by Regal got 2.
Another slam by Regal, but he missed the elbow drop.
Cross-corner whip by Adias sent Regal hard into the corner.
HIGH back drop resulted in a 2 count for Adias.
Vertical suplex by Adias got another 2.
Inside cradle by Adias got yet another 2 count.
Comeback elbow from Regal got 2.
Belly-to-belly suplex by Regal only got 2.
Victory roll by Adias got the pin.
Adias retained.

Summary: Solid match between these two grapplers. Hailing from Arlington, TX, Adias was adored by the Texas Stadium faithful.

Match 5: “Hollywood” John Tatum & the Grappler (w/ Missy Hyatt) versus “Gentleman” Chris Adams & Brickhouse Brown

Speaking of grapplers, Grappler received a head butt from Brown.
A slam by Brown to Tatum was followed by a leg drop.
Tatum got tied up in the ropes, and Adams nailed him.
Grappler missed a dropkick then ate a knee lift from Adams.
Wearing an evening dress in the middle of the day, Hyatt screamed “I wanna win” repeatedly. Ahem. My fiancée believes Hyatt’s dress to be a fashion faux pas.
After a snap mare, Tatum mounted the second turnbuckle and gave Brown a fist drop.
Rollup by Tatum only got 2.
Adams reversed a cross-corner whip by Grappler and delivered a back drop.
Tatum received one too.
Knee lift by Grappler got 2 on Adams.
Clothesline by Tatum preceded a knee drop.
After a slam, Tatum tossed Adams onto the broadcast table.
He then rammed him face-first onto it.
Tatum then tried to suplex Adams into the ring but was guillotined instead.
As Grappler slammed Adams, Tatum tagged in and mounted the top turnbuckle.
He attempted a big elbow, but Adams moved out of the way.
As Tatum tagged in Grappler, Hyatt tripped Adams. How dastardly!
Adams reversed a suplex but was tossed outside the ring again.
Grappler loaded his boot, but Adams tripped him.
Immediately, a slingshot splash by Adams got the pin.

Summary: Good finish that popped the crowd. This was actually my first exposure to Brown, and he did a good job. Of course, the fans were firmly in Adams’ corner.

After the match, Grappler and Tatum toss Brown over the top rope down to the turf. Hyatt gets in the ring and slaps Adams a few times until Brown returns to clear the ring. Interestingly, as Hyatt leaves ringside, she screams at security to remove a woman from the crowd and calls someone a “fucking asshole.” Perhaps that someone pointed out her poor choice of attire.

Match 6 for the WCWA World title: “Ravishing” Rick Rude (champion w/ Percy Pringle) versus Bruiser Brody

Cross-corner whip by Rude, but he ate boot on his follow-through.
Big boot by Brody only got 2 because Rude put his leg on the bottom rope.
A leap frog by Brody resulted in a shoulder block knocking Rude back to the corner.
Brody tossed Rude down to the turf and slammed him.
After an eyerake, Rude rammed Brody into the ring post.
Dropkick by Brody was followed by a vertical suplex for 2.
Upon slamming Rude, Brody delivered a leg drop.
Rude blocked another suplex and gave Brody one of his own for 2.
Unbeknownst to referee Rick Hazzard, Pringle pushed Brody’s leg off the bottom rope which could have gotten Rude disqualified. Consequently, Brody went after Pringle. Moody wasn’t as heavy here as he was during this Paul Bearer days; hence, he could still run away from Brody. Then again, who wouldn’t?
While having Pringle in his clutches on the apron, Brody kicked Rude away twice.
So focused on attacking Pringle, an incensed Brody let his anger get the best of him that he tossed Rude over the top rope for the DQ.
Rude retained.

Summary: While eager to pull out of the NWA, it’s a good thing WCWA wasn’t eager to hotshot its biggest title at the biggest event of the year.

As Rude and Pringle are leaving the stadium area, Brody attacks the champion. The locker room empties to break it up.

Match 7 for the WCWA World Six-Man titles ((lumberjack strap elimination): The Fabulous Freebirds (champions) versus Kevin Steve Simpson, Kerry, & Lance Von Erich (w/ Kevin & Fritz Von Erich)

ZZ Top’s “La Grange” brought the Von Erichs to the ring. While I’m sure they picked this song for its awesome bassline, it’s not a family-friendly song whatsoever since it described a brothel.
Kevin had his right arm in a sling due to shoulder problems.
On the microphone, he apologized to the Texas Stadium faithful for being unable to compete, and Fritz took over for him and substituted Simpson for Kevin.
Chris, Mike & Fritz were lumberjacks.
Holy flying rednecks, Batman! After a shoulder block, Gordy mounted the top turnbuckle and hit a flying body press.
Kerry reversed the momentum to land on top and got 2.
Discus punch by Kerry put Gordy down.
Hayes tossed Kerry out, but Kerry jumped right back into the ring before getting strapped.
Afterward, Kerry tossed Hayes out who wasn’t as quick and got strapped.
He returned to the ring and got nailed by the Von Erich team.
Roberts tried to leave the ring to regroup but got strapped.
Gordy guillotined Simpson on the top rope then delivered a vertical suplex.
Hayes tossed Simpson outside the ring to get strapped.
Gordy tagged in, and the Freebirds gave Simpson the double boot.
Gordy then hit a belly-to-back suplex for 2.
Swinging neckbreaker from Hayes to Simpson, but Hayes missed the bulldog.
Kerry tagged in and gave Gordy a back drop.
All six men were in the ring.
Double clothesline by the Freebirds enabled Gordy to pin Kerry. The champs had a 3-on-2 advantage.
Cross-corner whip by Lance to Gordy, but he ate boot on his follow-through.
Gordy then hit a piledriver.
Hayes put Lance on the floor to get strapped.
Double elbow by the Freebirds put Lance down on the mat.
Swinging neckbreaker by Roberts led to a moonwalk by Hayes.
Following that, Hayes and Fritz battled on the turf.
Mike got in the ring and nailed Gordy.
According to Lowrance, Fritz & Kevin were ejected from ringside due to their interference.
Double shoulder block put both Lance and Gordy down on the mat.
Dropkick by Simpson preceded a back drop to Hayes.
Cross-corner whip led to a monkey flip by Simpson.
Bulldog by Hayes followed by a sidewalk slam got 2.
Simpson reversed the arrogant cover with a sunset flip for the pin of Hayes.
Both sides stood at 2 men apiece as the crowd went wild.
LOUD “Go home Freebirds” chant from the raucous crowd.
Simpson tossed Gordy outside the ring to get strapped.
Samoan drop by Gordy to Simpson was followed by a clothesline.
Roberts mounted the top turnbuckle and nailed Simpson for the pin.
Only Lance remained for the faces.
Cross-corner whip by Lance, but he ate knees on his follow-through.
Roberts mounted the second turnbuckle and delivered an elbow drop.
Big boot by Gordy got 2.
German suplex by Gordy got another 2.
Dropkick by Lance sent Gordy over the top rope to the turf eliminating him.
For the very first time, Lance applied the Iron claw to Roberts and pinned him for the victory.
WE HAVE NEW CHAMPIONS!

Summary: Confusing ending as I was unsure about the over the top rope elimination. Nonetheless, this was a great match with a hot crowd that helped to make Lance look good in the fans’ eyes. With Kevin sidelined and Kerry pinned early, the underdog team of Lance and Simpson overcoming the odds told a great story.

Speaking of dogs, let’s let the big dogs get ugly here.
Slam by Brody was followed by a boot to the midsection.
Gordy came back and gouged Brody with the barbed wire.
Piledriver by Gordy got 2.
Gordy then punctured Brody with the barbed wire.
Brody was BUSTED OPEN!
He then wrapped the barbed wire onto Gordy’s head.
As you would expect, Gordy was BUSTED OPEN!
Brody untied some barbed wire from the corner and bludgeoned Gordy with it.
Gordy was a BLOODY mess.
Brody reversed a cross-corner whip, but Gordy grabbed the Asian spike from his trunks.
He then nailed Brody sending him down in the opposite corner.
Hazzard unsuccessfully tried to get the spike away from Gordy, but a kick from Brody dislodged it from him.
Brody then took the spike, nailed Gordy, and got the pin.

No video evidence of this match exists as of this writing; however, stills of the match can be found here. Sunshine won the match for those keeping track.

Conclusion: Fun show that proved the WCWA could still hold a major show without the NWA being involved.