World Class Wrestling Association
World Class Championship Wrestling
—
The Sportatorium, Dallas, Texas, United States
20th March 1987
—
Lead announcers: Bill Mercer
Line-up:
Black Bart & Jack Victory vs Red River Jack & Scott Casey
—
Rick DuBois vs Steve Simpson
—
Al Madril & Brian Adias vs The Fantastics
—
Eli the Eliminator vs Henry Wilborn
—
Lance von Erich vs Nord the Barbarian
Black Bart & Jack Victory with Percy Pringle vs Red River Jack & Scott Casey
Casey looks like a powerhouse Jake Roberts and is throwing Bart around like a wet paper towel. Victory’s skunk-like hairdo is eye-catching for sure. Really high-pace tag match here. Casey/Brody mostly dominating the bad lads. A reckless dropkick from Casey turns the tide. Oh? It’s apparently Casey’s birthday! 40 years young. Epic chops until he is double-teamed. Brody gets a hot tag and kills Victory with a yakuza kick. Nice. Masked Brody gets the pinfall. ■
Bart tried to make the save using a saddle as a weapon but was cut off by Casey! Bart ends up wearing the saddle and taking a smack on the ass before running like a scolded, er, horse. Percy should maybe have slid him the branding iron instead!
Rick DuBois vs Steve Simpson
Now we have Steve Simpson vs our old pal Rick DuBois! The commentary tries to explain it’s pronounced “DuBo” in Texas or something, as if French is different there. Suidafrikaans Simpson was a decent wrestler. It’s a shame we never saw him feature for NWA, WWF or even World of Sport. A nice body-scissors, including pinning combinations, I love seeing guys always looking for the pin, even during a submission move. Simpson charges into DuBois’ back drop attempt and gets a legit pin? Bronko Lubich seems to say shoulder was up, but it’s clearly not. DuBois might be shaken up. DuBois does kick out of a body slam and elbow, but is legit pinned again with a small package. What is Lubich doing? A backslide finally finishes off DuBois, mercifully. ■ Painful to watch.
Both guys storm to the back, I doubt either wish this match was recorded. I can only assume someone got injured and failed to advise Lubich of the same. Or it’s Bronko You-bitch.
Interview segment
Bill Mercer speaks to Lance von Erich and The Fantastics about recent events
Lance von Erich, looking strangely like Steve Borden, says Nord is no ‘big man’ inside, since he cowardly jumped Lance from behind. He is rambling a little bit. Oh thank fuck, The Fantastics are here to make up for Lance’s lack of promo skill. The Fantastics are one of those underrated teams of the 80s. They dress like jackasses, but they talk and wrestle very well. Rogers & Fulton never really got a big chance possibly due to their height. They hype the tag ranks, including the Rock ‘n’ Roll RPMs.
Al Madril & Brian Adias vs The Fantastics (c) – non-title
The Fantastics take control using their leapfrog attacks, and a huge hiptoss by Rogers to Madril, good teamwork from the Fantastics, followed by dual Fargo struts! Madril goes flying when he takes these hiptosses, crazy. Double wishbone rower from the Fantastics! The girls love it! Madril and Adias resort to some basic cheating to turn the tide, wearing down Fulton. Suddenly Madril gets floored when attempting a double-axehandle and Rogers gets a hot tag! He’s so fast the ref is in the way, and while short he flies around like he’s Rey Mysterio’s cousin. Fulton goes for an O’Connor Roll on Adias, but neither man is legal. The referee starts counting anyway! Madril chucks Fulton to the floor and they deliver a double clothesline, double atomic drop and a double suplex before Fulton can fully re-enter. Ref has called this chaos off, it’s a double disqualification! ■
Highly audible “bullshit” chants from the fans after that one. I think a little bit more time would have been kind if the finish was going to be so random.
Eli the Eliminator with Jim Holliday vs ‘Handsome’ Henry Wilborn
Eli is entering on his motorbike into the Sportatorium! Seemingly with his girlfriend Jim Holliday, riding on his backseat. Don’t know much about Eli, but clearly he’s an American Badass™. He’s facing Québecois Henry (or Hank) Wilborn who I have never heard of before. ‘Handsome Henry’ as he is called, looking like Jake Roberts stole Eddie Guerrero’s tights. Eli bulldozes Wilborn, throwing him into the buckles and ropes. Massive lariat, but Eli stops his own pin attempt. Lovely swinging neckbreaker followed by a tombstone piledriver finishes off Wilborn. ■
I can’t help but think a young Mark Calaway was watching and taking notes. Either that or Percy Pringle was. Eli did look quite impressive here.
Lance von Erich vs Nord the Barbarian with Gary Hart
Nord wearing his cut-up carpet waistcoat thing. He comes across as such a dangerous goof, kind of perfect for World Class. For unknown reasons, Jeep Swenson and Jim Holliday leave ringside, so only Gary Hart is out there for Nord.
Nord husses Lance down with a headlock takeover, and I find myself asking why they allowed Lance to be a ‘cousin’ von Erich. Nord is half-rocked by Lance’s big strikes, but basically shrugs off the offense. Huge gutwrench suplex, almost a powerbomb, isn’t enough to finish Lance. Nord using a lot of gridiron style body tackles, almost like he’s actually not a barbarian after all. Lance is able to land his own power moves and a big missile dropkick, well landed! I thought that was it! Nord gets caught with a crossbody block, but tosses Lance out the ring. Lance survives the distraction from Hart and cheap-shots from Nord, but once back in the ring it just takes a big boot to keep Lance down for the 3 count. ■ Really flat finish there.
Nord decides to flat-back repeatedly in celebration, maybe to match the fans’ enjoyment levels. Felt like a very sudden end but Mercer hypes next week’s show at length so it’s not as if time was a factor.
Highlights
Brody stiffing the hell out of Jack Victory.
Percy’s mannerisms.
The Fantastics living up to their name.
I’m. An. American Badass.
Thoughts
A fairly weak episode with a lot of fucked finishes. At least Madril, Adias, The Fantastics and Eli looked good out there.
Verdict: Skippable.
Available here on WWE Network.