The 25 Days of Von Erichs – Day Eight

For 18 days until Iron Claw is released, I present to you genuine moments in World Class Championship Wrestling history in chronological order.

Today, we look at April 9, 1983 from the State Fair Coliseum:

NWA Texas champion “Gorgeous” Jimmy Garvin beat Mike Bond.

Michael “P.S.” Hayes defeated “Iceman” King Parsons.

The Great Yatsu (w/ Arman Hussein) went over Kabuki by countout.

Match 4 for the NWA World title: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair (champion) versus NWA American champion Kevin Von Erich

Highlights:

• While Mercer promoted incoming wrestlers Chavo Guerrero and Chris Adams, Flair leapfrogged Kevin but ate a hip toss.
• Kevin dropkicked Flair and followed with a flying headscissors.
• As Kevin reversed a cross corner whip, he backdropped Flair.
• Flair “broke Kevin’s nose” according to both Kevin and Mercer yet delivered a knee drop for 2.
• When Kevin gave Flair a cross corner whip, a Flair flip ensued.
• Kevin applied an Iron claw, but Flair escaped.
• After Flair attempted a vertical suplex, Kevin escaped and hooked a sleeper.
• Flair escaped via an eye rake, and a mid-ring collision occurred.
• As Flair mounted the top turnbuckle, Kevin caught and slammed him down to the mat.
• Kevin hit a cross body block for 2.
• When Flair’s kick-out sent Kevin atop referee Bronko Lubich, Flair missed Kevin with an elbow drop but nailed Lubich instead.
• With Lubich down, Flair intentionally tossed Kevin over the top rope to the concrete floor. Nefarious!
• He rammed Kevin shoulder-first into the ring post, but Kevin beat the count back into the ring.
• After Flair suplexed him, he got 2.
• He delivered an elbow drop for another 2.
• As he hit a backbreaker, Flair couldn’t get 3.
• Kevin WALLOPED Flair with a forearm smash causing a Flair flop.
• When he gave Flair another cross corner whip, Kevin backdropped him again.
• Flair leapfrogged him, and Kevin inadvertently steamrolled Lubich.
• After Lubich was OUT COLD on the concrete floor, Kevin applied an abdominal Iron claw.
• Kevin sent Flair over the top rope to the concrete floor, joined, and made Flair HIT THE POLE.
• As Flair was BUSTED OPEN, David Manning relieved Lubich.
• Kevin backdropped Flair for a third time and slammed him.
• When he mounted the top turnbuckle, Kevin delivered a cross body block.
• Do we have a new champion?
• 1-2-3.
• WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!
• The Dallas faithful became apoplectic, yet Manning and Lubich conferred with one another.
• Unfortunately for Kevin, Lubich caught Kevin’s tossing Flair over the top rope and awarded the victory to Flair.
• As a result, Flair retained.

Rating: ***

Summary: A tremendous ALMOST for Kevin as he came ever so close to becoming World champion.

After the match, while the Dallas faithful chants “bull-shit,” Flair screams “it’s mine!”

Stay tuned for more WCCW goodness tomorrow!