WCCW 02-16-1985

Can Kerry retain the American title, or will Adams attain gold? What’s the latest on Haynes? And who will join me for this hard-hitting episode?

Apollo, glad you made it! Hope that’s the case and to have you on America’s side.

Prior to the opening match, we head to Fort Worth where Marc Lowrance interviews Billy Jack Haynes and Sunshine. Suddenly, Oliver interrupts them and demands they leave the ring. When Haynes slaps him, Oliver knocks both Haynes and Sunshine down with one blow. Wow! He then delivers a shoulder breaker to Haynes while Sunshine writhes in pain on the mat. The blow must have had a foreign object involved because Haynes was BUSTED OPEN. Meanwhile, Oliver mounts the second turnbuckle and clobbers Haynes with a double axe handle. He provides Haynes with another shoulder breaker, but the Von Erichs stormed the ring to chase him away.

That would be the last appearance of Haynes in WCCW. According to several sources, Kerry was one of the final three actors being cast as Ivan Drago in Rocky IV along with Dolph Lungren and Nikita Koloff. Obviously, Lungren got the part, so Kerry returned to WCCW. With Haynes being expendable, this angle wrote him out.

Match 1 (non-title): NWA Texas champion the “Handsome Half-Breed” Gino Hernandez versus “White Lightning” Tim Horner

Holy Mid-Atlantic talent, Batman! It’s Tim Horner!
Hernandez hip-tossed him, but Horner rolled him up for 1.
When Hernandez supplied him with a back elbow, Horner attempted a sunset flip.
Hernandez, however, felt otherwise and provided Horner with a knuckle sandwich.

As Horner connected with a back elbow, he gave Hernandez a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
Hernandez then mounted the top turnbuckle and unleashed a flying elbow smash.
After he delivered a side-Russian leg sweep, Hernandez pinned Horner at 4:19.

Match 2: The Fantastics versus the “Crippler” Rip Oliver & Kelly Kiniski

Usually I don’t have issues with Mercer’s commentary, but mistakenly calling Fulton “Bobbie Gentry” is JUST PLAIN WRONG.

Rogers tagged in and leapfrogged Gentry Fulton onto Kiniski’s left arm.
As tags were exchanged on both sides, Fulton slammed Oliver.
Rogers tagged in, mounted the second turnbuckle, and lowered the boom onto Oliver.
Shortly after, Oliver tagged in, mounted the top turnbuckle, and lowered the boom upon Fulton.
Speaking of Fulton, he rebounded with a dropkick and tagged out.
Rogers then gave Oliver a cross corner whip followed by a monkey flip.
When Fulton tagged in, he whipped Oliver into the babyface corner and monkey-flipped him too.
Tags were exchanged on both sides again, and Kiniski supplied Rogers with an inverted atomic drop.
After he slammed Rogers, Kiniski put a knee into the midsection.
Kiniski applied a bear hug and took Rogers into the heel corner.
While Oliver tagged in, he applied his own bear hug.
Kiniski tagged in and provided Rogers with a backbreaker for 2.
As Fulton distracted referee Rick Hazzard, the heels double-teamed Rogers with a bear hug/axe handle combo for 2. SNEAKY!
Rogers rebounded with a sunset flip and got 2.
When Oliver tagged in, he reverse-guillotined Rogers with the top rope. OUCH!
Kiniski tagged in, but Rogers reversed an Irish whip and dealt a back elbow to him.
Hot tag Fulton.
With all four wrestlers in the ring, the Fantastics double-dropkicked Oliver. Sweet!
From the floor, Oliver tripped Fulton coming off the ropes, and Kiniski almost got 3.
Fulton then hit an atomic drop on Kiniski, and the bell rang.
As a result, Hazzard ruled the match a double-disqualification at 12:16.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Summary: Despite the schmozz finish, this was a solid tag match that followed the formula and worked the Dallas faithful into a frenzy.

At ringside, Mercer welcomes back Brian Adias with Kerry Von Erich. However, PISSED OFF about what happened to Haynes, Sunshine interrupts them. After Kerry introduces Sunshine to him, Adias offers his services to battle Cornette’s men including Oliver. I’m certain that’s all he was offering.

Match 3 for the NWA American title: The “Modern Day Warrior” Kerry Von Erich (champion) versus “Gentleman” Chris Adams (w/ Gary Hart)

Since Haynes left the territory, Adams returned and received a title shot.

Kerry blocked a pair of punches as well as a kick but couldn’t halt an enziguri.
When Adams tried to counter a front face lock by ramming Kerry back-first into the corner, Kerry maintained the hold.
Adams then attempted a vertical suplex, but Kerry blocked and delivered one of his own for 2.
As Adams countered a side head lock with a belly-to-back suplex, he applied a sleeper.
Kerry escaped and hit a cross body block for 2.
After he hooked an abdominal stretch, Kerry switched to an abdominal Iron claw.
Adams made the ropes to escape but WHIFFED on a cross body block.

While Kerry attempted an Iron claw to Adams’ head, Adams squirmed under the bottom rope.
Kerry then leapfrogged and dropkicked Adams much to the delight of the Dallas faithful.
When he hip-tossed Adams, Kerry missed an elbow drop.
Adams landed a dropkick and followed with a catapult into the top turnbuckle.
As Kerry reversed an Irish whip, he secured a sleeper.
Adams tried to use momentum to send Kerry into the corner but bit it himself.
After Kerry unloaded a discus punch, he only got 2 thanks to Hart’s placement of Adams’ leg on the bottom rope. SNEAKY!
Kerry chased after Hart, but Adams superkicked him from the apron to the floor.
While Adams distracted referee Bronko Lubich, Hart CLOBBERED Kerry with his boot. How dastardly!
Adams launched another superkick, and Kerry was OUT COLD.
1-2-3.
WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION at 10:30.

Summary: Like good heels, Adams and Hart used some chicanery to steal the American title from Kerry. I liked the psychology of the match, and the finish was done perfectly.

Conclusion: While the Texas champion showed off his wares in the opener, the American title changed hands albeit by nefarious means. The Fantastics, trying to recover from their recent title loss, couldn’t achieve a decent finish against Oliver and Kiniski. Speaking of Oliver, he sent Haynes packing back to Portland.

Much like your desire to defeat Drago, I’m sure Kerry’s heart is on fire to regain the coveted title.