WCCW 08-20-83

Can the Freebirds regain the six-man titles from Kevin, Kerry, and David? Who is this mysterious Soviet hired by Akbar? Also, who will announce a welcome like no other for tonight’s reflection?

To begin the show, we revisit the Hayes-Parsons match from 4/1. If you missed it, the match is included in my 4/9/83 reflection.

We then see footage deemed the “land of the giants,” and Kamala unfathomably slams Andre the Giant. Wow! Next, we revisit the Kamala-Bond match where Brody rescued Bond from becoming Kamala’s rotisserie delight. In case you missed that one too, it’s stashed inside my 7/2/83 reflection. Following that, we get highlights of the 7/30 encounter between Kamala and Riddle where Brody saved Riddle’s bacon.

Hopefully, that was enough clips for you. Enjoy some refreshments but also hand me your car keys.

A pair of shoulder blocks by Parsons couldn’t take Rathke off his feet, but a cross body block did and got 2.
When he delivered an elbow drop, Parsons got another 2.
Rathke then reversed a cross corner whip, but Parsons leaped to the second turnbuckle and hit a flying butt-butt.
1-2-3.
Parsons won.

Next, Kevin cuts a promo about the World Six-Man tag team titles. Afterward, Hayes rebuts while performing his best Dale Murphy impersonation.

Following a commercial break, Mercer interviews “Gorgeous” Jimmy Garvin with Sunshine at Garvin’s office. Garvin’s surprised about Mercer’s revelation of Garvin’s alleged weekly American title defenses. Despite that vicious rumor, Garvin refuses to answer when either David or Kevin will get a shot. Garvin’s charm and heel demeanor seem flawless to him.

If you hadn’t had enough refreshments from watching the clips earlier, here’s some Soviet splendor. Pass the Stoli please!

Zhukov delivered a backbreaker and got 2.
As the Dallas faithful clamored for Brody with a “Bruis-er” chant, Reed backdropped Zhukov.
He then dropkicked Zhukov but missed a second one.
When Zhukov hit a hangman’s neckbreaker, he mounted the second turnbuckle and landed a flying knee drop.
1-2-3.
Zhukov won.

After the match, Mercer interviews Akbar with Zhukov at ringside. Akbar announces that his charge will face Brody next week with the prize being a contract to join Devastation, Inc.

Match 3 for the WCCW World Six-Man tag team titles: David, Kevin, and Kerry Von Erich (champions) versus the Freebirds

Before the match began, Kevin grabbed the microphone and described the Von Erich-Freebird war as a conflict between “decency and filth.”
Kevin delivered an atomic drop to Hayes, so Hayes scampered back to his corner to tag in Roberts.
When David tagged in, he provided Roberts with a knee lift.
Kerry tagged in, hit a knee drop, but missed an elbow drop.
As Gordy tagged in, Kerry mounted the second turnbuckle and delivered an elbow smash.
David tagged in, and he and Kerry gave Gordy a cross corner whip resulting in a Gordy flip.
After David hit a high knee to Gordy, Hayes tagged in and supplied David with a swinging neckbreaker.
Kevin tagged in, mounted the second turnbuckle, and delivered a flying elbow smash to Hayes.
If that wasn’t enough, he backdropped Hayes much to the delight (and squeals) from the Dallas faithful.
Hayes then exited the ring to regroup, so Gordy came in only to eat a dropkick from Kevin.
When Roberts tried to intervene, he also received a dropkick from Kevin.
While the Dallas faithful LOUDLY chanted “go home Freebirds,” Kerry tagged in.
Roberts also tagged in, but Kerry hooked a sunset flip for 2.
As David tagged in, he rammed Roberts shoulder-first into the top turnbuckle.
Roberts rebounded with a knee to the midsection and tagged in Gordy.
After Gordy thwarted a back drop attempt, Hayes tagged in, mounted the second turnbuckle, and lowered the boom upon David.
Tags were exchanged on both sides, and Kevin gave Roberts a HARD cross corner whip to injure the back.
When he landed an elbow drop, Kevin got 2.
He then attempted a splash but ate knees from Roberts.
As Gordy tagged in, he hit a knee drop for 2.
Hayes tagged in and supplied Kevin with a fist drop for another 2.
After Kerry tagged in, he provided Hayes with an elbow drop for 2.
He then suplexed Hayes for another 2.
When Kevin tagged in, the Von Erichs triple-dropkicked Hayes. Woohoo!
Kerry tagged in, reversed an Irish whip, and applied a sleeper to Hayes.
With all six wrestlers in the ring, Kerry dropkicked Roberts over the top rope to the floor.
He then reversed another Irish whip and hooked a bear hug on Hayes.
As referee Bronko Lubich was distracted with Kevin and Gordy, Roberts snuck back into the ring and used his head gear as a weapon to Kerry’s back. How dastardly!
Hayes then pinned Kerry, and WE HAVE NEW CHAMPIONS!

Summary: This match had been hyped for weeks, and it truly delivered. The psychology by the Von Erichs was offset by the Freebirds’ shenanigans. Also, solid workrate combined with an electrified crowd make this match a must-see.

Conclusion: Unless you’re a big fan of Zhukov, this episode is a one-match show. However, said match packs quite a wallop, so I’d wholeheartedly recommend it. Billy, what’s your take?