This week Throwback Thursday returns to best lil’ rasslin’ territory in Texas as we revisit another exciting edition of NWA World Class Championship Wrestling, as seen on the WWE Network and Peacock, that aired 40 years ago this month!
With Christmas Star Wars ’84 in the rear-view mirror the future of Fritz Von Erich’s World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) looked bright.
For Fritz Von Erich, a former President of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) (1975 – ’76), the Christmas Night card not only proved that his son David Von Erich was ready for an NWA World title run but that David would defy any and all expectations.
A David Von Erich World title run wouldn’t just put David on the map as a national player, it would make Dallas and the Von Erichs the central figures of the now-dwindling NWA, validating Fritz’s staunch belief that his sons were superstars and his Dallas territory the best in the cartel.
As 1984 dawned it seemed more likely than ever that David would in fact win the NWA World title from Flair in the coming months. Following David’s scheduled tour with All Japan in February it was believed by many that the program between David Von Erich and Ric Flair would begin, culminating with David winning the strap in a big show in Dallas.
Flair’s presence in Dallas through early February ’84 and his non-title participation in the January 30 Star Wars card, where a draw with Mike Von Erich set in a stone a future title match with David, indicate that something bigger was afoot.
As this edition of NWA WCCW hit airwaves it was clear that World Class Championship Wrestling, for a few weeks at least, was on the cusp of something larger than anyone could have imagined.
The top story in the World Class the week this edition of NWA WCCW aired was still David Von Erich nearly winning the NWA World title from Flair on Christmas night. Other top stories included the continuing Freebird/Von Erich war; the tag team feud between the American Tag Team Champions “Iceman” King Parsons & Brian Adias and former titleholders the Super Destroyers; and Chris Adams’ heated rivalry with Jimmy Garvin over the prestigious American Heavyweight title.
With that all out of the way, let’s head on over to the WWE Network on Peacock and see how well this edition of NWA World Class Championship Wrestling holds up 40 years later!
Edits for this edition of NWA World Class Championship Wrestling are not an issue on the WWE Network and Peacock. Context, meanwhile, is strong with nearly every prior edition of NWA WCCW, dating back to January 1982, available for you to enjoy right now on the WWE Network and Peacock.
NWA World Class Championship Wrestling #108 (WATCH)
Date: January 14, 1984 (TAPED: Jan. 6, 1984) – Location: Dallas Sportatorium, Dallas, Texas
Attendance: N/A – TV Ratings: N/A
Commentators: Bill Mercer – Interviews: Bill Mercer
IN POP CULTURE:
Number One Song: “Say Say Say” (Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson)
Number One Album: Thriller (Michael Jackson)
Number One on Television: ABC’s Something About Amelia (Ted Danson, Glenn Close, Roxana Zal, & Missy Francis)
Number One Film in Theaters: James L. Brooks’ Term of Endearment (Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Jeff Daniels, & John Lithgow)
U.S. President & Vice President: Ronald Reagan & George H.W. Bush
CHAMPIONS AT THE TIME:
NWA World Heavyweight Champion: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair (November 24, 1983, NWA Starrcade ’83, from “Handsome” Harley Race; this was a steel cage match)
NWA American Heavyweight Champion: VACANT (December 25, 1983, NWA WCCW Christmas Star Wars ’83; the title was held up by the NWA after a disputed finish at Christmas Star Wars ’83 between the victorious “Gorgeous” Jimmy Garvin and then-American Heavyweight Champion “Gentleman” Chris Adams after Garvin used Adams’ tights to secure the pinfall)
NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion: David Von Erich (August 1, 1983, Fort Worth, Texas, defeated “Gorgeous” Jimmy Garvin to fill title vacancy after disputed finish on July 11, 1983)
NWA American Tag Team Champions: Brian Adias & “Iceman” King Parsons (December 25, 1983, NWA WCCW Christmas Star Wars ’83, from the Super Destroyers (Super Destroyer #1 & Super Destroyer #2)
NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Champions: The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael “P.S.” Hayes, Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy, & Buddy Roberts) (January 10, 1984, Georgia, from the Von Erichs (David, Kerry & Kevin); this was a phantom title switch; there are no records of this match ever occurring)
WCCW Television Champion: Super Destroyer #2 (Scott Irwin) (January 9, 1984, Fort Worth, Texas, from Brian Adias)
NWA Brass Knuckles Champion (TEXAS): “Gentleman” Chris Adams (August 1983, from Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy; unfortunately there are no surviving records that indicate where or when this particular title change occurred, suggesting that this may have been a phantom title switch)
Following the standard NWA World Class Championship Wrestling open of the era we head inside the “world famous” Sportatorium where Bill Mercer welcomes us to the show.
Mercer gives us a rundown of the card to come, including highlights of the David Von Erich/Ric Flair NWA World Heavyweight title showdown from Christmas Star Wars ’84, before we head to our first Peacock ad-break with a pair of graphics hyping this week’s bouts.
Following the break, and a short introduction by Mercer, we head to Reunion Arena for highlights of the NWA World Heavyweight title match from WCCW’s Christmas Star Wars ’83 card.
—NWA World Heavyweight Championship – “Champion Versus Champion” Match – JIP (2:12)
NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion David Von Erich vs. “Nature Boy” Ric Flair(c)
Though we are unable to judge this match in its entirety, what we see is tremendous. Flair’s work is, as one would expect in this era, incredible, but this is David’s match.
David has a chance to showoff his patience, selling, and psychology, all key factors that made David a leading candidate to claim the NWA World title. In other words, this is a true David Von Erich classic.
As we join the match Ric Flair is in control and working over David Von Erich’s arm, nearly pinning David. Soon enough, though, David fights out of Flair’s arm bar and cinches in a snug sleeper hold.
Though Flair suplexes his way out of the sleeper David remains in control. David tries for the Iron Claw but Flair, first evading the hold, manages to fight David off. Flair has the edge until David slams Flair off the top rope to a massive pop.
David goes to work on Flair, scoring a series of near-falls, before Flair tosses David over the top rope for the intentional disqualification. Referee David Manning, though, refuses to throw the match out.
Back in the ring David maintains control, nearly pinning Flair with an inside cradle, before Flair takes the Stevens bump. Flair comes off the mat swinging but David easily evades the punch and cinches in the Iron Claw, bringing the Reunion Arena to its feet!
A bloody Flair, beginning to fade, reaches the edge of the ring. Rather than grabbing the ropes to break the Claw hold Flair grabs a ringside microphone, braining David Von Erich with it.
David slinks to the center of the ring, busted open from the microphone, as referee David Manning decides how to rule. But, upon seeing David busted open and unable to continue, disqualifies Flair, who will retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
WINNER is NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion David Von Erich (Disqualification, 10:22, highlight time)
Following the bell, and the ring announcement, Flair swipes the World title from the referee and looks to waylay David with the strap before thinking better of it.
As brothers Kerry and Kevin hit the ring Flair takes a powder, heading to the back. As Kerry and Kevin tend to the bloodied David we head to the next Peacock ad-break with a slow-motion replay of Flair’s Stevens bump.
After the break Bill Mercer sets up and tosses to a recent interview he conducted with Freebird Buddy Roberts to discuss the “fortunes” of Roberts’ fellow Fabulous Freebirds Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy & Micheal “P.S.” Hayes.
Mercer begins by asking how, with both Hayes & Gordy barred from wrestling in Texas for now, the Freebirds managed to get a Six-Man World Tag title bout in Georgia where the Freebirds dethroned the Von Erichs.
The Freebirds used their rematch clause to move the rematch to Georgia, Buddy says, where the Iron Claw is barred and there’s no prejudice against the Freebirds, claiming to have won the titles with “class”. Buddy says it was Ric Flair, who stood in for Hayes on December 2, 1983, that cost the Freebirds the titles. A rematch will be hard to book, Mercer notes, since two-thirds of the Freebirds are banned from Texas.
This leads to Mercer tossing to footage from the Christmas Star Wars ’83 event where Hayes, dressed as Santa Claus, attacked Mike Von Erich following he and brother Kevin’s “loser leaves Texas” win over the Freebirds (Gordy & Roberts) that saw Gordy, the loser of the fall, forced out of Texas for the next year.
As we see the attack unfold Roberts gushes about the incident, telling Mercer that the Freebirds have “worse things” planned for the Von Erichs. Mercer then brings Michael Hayes, via telephone, into the interview.
Mercer asks Hayes how, a rematch is supposed to happen given all the pieces in play. Hayes says there’s forty-eight other states and “sixty or seventy countries” where the rematch could happen. With the right stipulation Hayes says they can have the match anywhere.
After reiterating Buddy’s point that it was Flair who cost the Freebirds the Six-Man gold, Hayes explains how the issues with the Von Erichs began at Christmas Star Wars ’82 when he “gave” Kerry Von Erich the NWA World title “on a silver platter” and Kerry “refused it”.
The ongoing “conspiracy”, as Hayes calls it, has cost the Freebirds the Six-Man Tag titles and Hayes & Gordy’s ability to wrestle in Texas. That’s why it’s going to cost the Von Erichs a “years worth of retaliation”.
Asked if he will agree to a match anywhere where the Iron Claw is legal, Hayes says “where there’s money there’s a way”. Scratching and digging for money brought the Freebirds off “Bad Street”, unlike the Von Erichs, Hayes says, whose “daddy game them everything.”
So Mercer had better pass the word along, Hayes says, because you never know when the Freebirds will show up. There’s only three Freebirds, and they can’t be imitated or duplicated.
Mercer wraps Hayes’ portion of the interview before Buddy tells Mercer that he is in total agreement with the what Hayes has said, that the Freebirds stick together and work “as one”. With that Mercer wraps the Freebird segment and tosses to the next Peacock ad-break with a slow-motion replay of Hayes piledriving Mike on Christmas Night.
—Singles Match (20:44)
Buddy Roberts vs. Johnny Mantel
This is a great wrestling match. Buddy Roberts tries to get the upper hand on Johnny Mantell in the early going before Mantell turns the tide. Mantell controls Buddy’s arm until Roberts backs Mantell to the ropes where Buddy, with the help of a handful of hair, is able to turn the tide.
Buddy opens up on Mantell, measuring Mantell with each strike before cinching in a front facelock. As Buddy works the front facelock Bill Mercer announces that a preliminary deal, in which Hayes & Gordy would be allowed in Texas and the Iron Claw legal, has been reached, and that the Six-Man Tag title rematch will happen in Dallas at a later date.
Mantell uses a modified vertical suplex to escape the facelock and the two trade near-falls before Mantell goes back to Buddy’s arm. After another flurry of offense, and a quick trip to the floor for Roberts, Buddy reenters to slow the match down.
As the final minute ticks away, Mantell floors Buddy with a forearm before making a fiery comeback. Mantell drops Buddy with a leaping lariat for near-fall before catching Buddy in an inside cradle as time expires, ending the bout in a time-draw.
NO WINNER declared (Time limit draw, 9:11)
After the match Mantell and Roberts catch their breath as we head to the next Peacock ad-break with a slow-motion replay of Mantell’s leaping lariat.
We return to the ring after the break were Marc Lowrance attempts to introduce the next contest when former American Heavyweight Champion “Gorgeous” Jimmy Garvin storms the ring, calling himself the “real” American Heavyweight Champion.
Garvin call is it a “conspiracy” that the American Heavyweight title was held up and demands that Adams wrestle Garvin for the title “right now”. Adams looks eager to do it but Garvin accuses Adams of being “afraid” before attacking Adams and delivering a stiff vertical suplex.
Garvin spits on Adams and steps out of the ring as Gordman goes on the attack and the bell, for whatever reason, rings to start the next bout.
—“Non-Title Singles Match” (31:34)
Black Gordman vs. NWA Brass Knuckles Champion “Gentleman” Chris Adams
Gordman goes after Adams, beating and pounding on Adams, before Adams, out of nowhere, catches Gordman with a school boy for flash three-count at just :24-seconds.
WINNER is NWA Brass Knuckles Champion “Gentleman” Chris Adams (Pin, 0:24)
Following the three-count Chris Adams is waylayed by both Jimmy Garvin and Black Gordman. Garvin hurls Adams over the top rope to the floor before leaving. Referee Bronco Lubich raises Adams arm in victory on the outside as Gordman stands in disbelief. We head to next Peacock ad-break with a replay of the post-match attack.
We come back from break with Missing Link making his way to the ring, where Kerry Von Erich awaits. As Kerry signs autographs for fans at ringside Link dives off the top with a headbutt that floors Von Erich.
As Link continues to beat on Kerry, Skandor Akbar enters the ring to cheer Link on. Soon enough Kevin Von Erich, sporting his All Japan Pro Wrestling jacket, makes the save, backing Link off.
On the floor a bloodied Kerry regroups with Kevin before demanding that the match go on as scheduled.
—Singles Match (34:40)
Missing Link w/Skandor Akbar vs. “Modern Day Warrior” Kerry Von Erich w/Kevin Von Erich
Kerry Von Erich goes right after Link as the two trade blows. Link gets the upper hand on Kerry. Link pounds away on the game, bloodied Kerry before Kerry evades a diving headbutt from the second rope.
Kerry has the edge, stifling Link’s hope spots, before trapping Link in a sleeper that Link easily escapes. Sent to the floor Kerry regroups with Kevin, who argues with the official about Link’s antics.
Kerry reenters the fray a ball of fire, dropping Link with his discus punch before Akbar interferes, grabbing at Kerry’s legs. Kevin goes after Akbar, driving him into the ring, where the ensuing melee forces referee David Manning to disqualify both Kerry and Link at 5:08.
NO WINNER declared (Double disqualification, 5:08)
After the match Kerry, still reeling, tries to recover as Kevin argues his case with referee David Manning. We then head to our final Peacock ad-break of the hour with a slow-motion replay of Kerry dropping Link with the discus punch.
Coming out of the break we join Bill Mercer at ringside where Mercer warps this week’s card and hypes next week’s main event (“Iceman” King Parsons & Andre the Giant versus the Super Destroyers) before signing off to bring another exciting edition of NWA WCCW to a close!
Final Thoughts
This is, as we’ve come to expect, another fast-paced and exciting edition of NWA World Class Championship Wrestling!
The action is great and the middle Freebird interview segment is fantastic. The high point of the show is, without question, the David Von Erich/Ric Flair World title match. That said, the Roberts/Mantell and Kerry/Missing Link bouts are also worth their time.
If you’re looking for realistic, old-school pro wrestling and expertly told stories, this hour of NWA WCCW is for you!
So whether you’ve never seen this edition of NWA WCCW, or it’s been a while, you won’t regret seeking this show out on the WWE Network and Peacock! Who knows, you may end up ling it and that’s never a bad thing!
Already subscribed to the WWE Network on Peacock? Then you can relive this classic edition of NWA World Class Championship Wrestling right now or experience it for the very first time! As always, let us know what you think in the comments section below!
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