After roughly two years of very leisurely reviewing World Class Championship Wrestling’s inaugural year on weekly television, I have really come to love the promotion. I went into my reviews nearly blind, only being attracted by a handful of the notable names that spent a cup, or two, of coffee passing through. With television episodes fully reviewed for the calendar year (according to what is available), I wanted to put a nice bow on my watchthrough. Covered are some of the most notable feuds, angles, matches, and the promotion’s greatest hits, and misses, of 1982!
– INTRODUCTION –
World Class Championship Wrestling fought to get their footing dialed in correctly for television in 1982. It was a year of growth and foundation-building. It took the year to establish their stars, commit to production choices, and ultimately, forge a new path forward for the company.
I think one of the things that stands out the most to me, was just how rapidly things changed from feeling small-time, to becoming a sophisticated television production. The first half of the year felt very much like an advertisement for the local show at the Sportatorium and by the second half of the year, it became ‘tune in next week here on television’. Recognizing that shift, I feel as though World Class stepped up their game in booking, talent acquisition, and presentation.
Firstly, let’s take a look at some of the most notable feuds and ongoing stories in 1982.
Al Madril, Wild Bill Irwin, and the battle for the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship!
Wild Bill Irwin and Al Madril were two of the most consistent workers on the whole roster throughout the year. They made perfect opponents for one another in battles across the spring and summer months, with three matches making Dallas television and plenty more occurring on the loop and in Fort Worth. Wild Bill Irwin won the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship from Al Madril early on, leaving Madril to chase him for most of their feud. The two would refocus once David Von Erich became the title holder, leaving Irwin to feud with the Von Erichs, and Al Madril to venture into the tag team scene in World Class.
H&H Limited Co. terrorize the whole Von Erich family!
The blood feud between Gary Hart and Fritz Von Erich soaked into the very fibers of 1982. Gary Hart and Arman Hussein developed H&H Limited Co., recruiting the likes of King Kong Bundy, Magic Dragon, The Checkmate, Magic Dragon, The Superfly, all alongside their crown jewel, The Great Kabuki. With this deadly force, Hart and Hussein led their men against all comers, but gave the most headaches to Fritz, Kerry, Kevin, and David Von Erich. Kevin and King Kong battled for the WCCW American Heavyweight Championship, Kevin and David battled Kabuki and Dragon for the WCCW All Asian Tag Team Championship, Fritz was able to put Bundy down to win his retirement match, and Kerry and Kabuki had some of the most brutal bouts of the year. Not to mention, it was Gary Hart who accepted a bounty on Kerry Von Erich and had Kabuki injure the knee of “The Modern Day Warrior”! The two groups doing battle really carried the year, up and down the cards.
A change of Hart: Bugsy McGraw stands WITH but more so AGAINST H&H Limited Co.!
Bugsy McGraw is one of the guys that I enjoyed the least in World Class this year, but there is no denying that he was featured heavily throughout. His most notable feud of the year was against stablemates-turned-enemies Gary Hart and Arman Hussein, of H&H Limited Co. With Bundy getting the bigger paydays in H&H, McGraw got frustrated with the stable and decided to fight against them, much to the delight of the crowds filling The Sportatorium every week. Bugsy’s change of heart made him an instant fan-favorite against the evil King Kong Bundy, his former tag partner in H&H Limited. By the end of the year, Bugsy found himself tagging up with Al Madril to continue taking the fight to H&H.
“The Modern Day Warrior” Kerry Von Erich gives NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, “Nature Boy” Ric Flair a run for his money (twice)!
Arguably, the biggest talking point for World Class Championship Wrestling in 1982 was the ongoing issue between Kerry Von Erich and Ric Flair. Half of the WCCW Star Wars events were sold with Flair vs. Kerry on top. After Kerry was able to defeat Harley Race in June at WCCW Star Wars: Superbowl of Wrestling, he became the official number-one contender for Flair’s title. This would spark the two-out-of-three falls match in Reunion Arena for the August Star Wars, and finally, the fabled cage match for the Christmas Star Wars supershow. In between that time, it was Flair who resorted to hiring Gary Hart and The Great Kabuki for a secret hit job that put Kerry on the shelf for a month or two with a right knee injury. For all the trouble Flair went through to keep Kerry away from his championship, and despite being a touring champion, this feud helped define the year’s main event scene. Over the course of 1982, the Ric Flair made Kerry Von Erich’s star shine well beyond downtown Dallas.
And speaking of stars, let’s talk about the very best (and worst) of WCCW in 1982.
Kevin Von Erich Claws his way through the competition!
Kevin was a guy to count on in 1982. Serving as the backbone of the Von Erich family was no easy task their year. Fritz retired, Kerry was out with a injury for a bit then tied up with Flair, and David had only been in Dallas for the second half of the year (spending the first half in Florida). Kevin led the charge for the Von Erich name, taking on several heavy-hitters over the year including The Great Kabuki, Wild Bill Irwin, King Kong Bundy, and more. He was able to capture both the WCCW American Heavyweight Championship and the WCCW All Asian Tag Team Championship (with David) this year. There really wasn’t a time in 1982 that Kevin Von Erich wasn’t busy in and around the top of the cards.
Al Madril: The unsung hero of World Class Championship Wrestling!
What can I say about big Alberto (Al) Madril? If there is one guy in my watchthrough so far that NEEDS to be talked about more as a legend of World Class, it’s Al Madril. Hands-down. Madril kept the middle and upper middle of the cards consistent, competitive, and most importantly, worthy of attention. Being a successful babyface that ISN’T named Von Erich in the Dallas / Fort Worth territory is no easy feat, and Al Madril was able to keep well out of that shadow in 1982. His work rate is notable, often times busting out high-risk moves or stringing along credible strikes that other guys just weren’t doing. His experience as a boxer definitely translated well for him, as Al comes off as a tough, brawling, badass not to be messed with. He was over like crazy this year and had is hands on and around several titles this year, but was synonymous with the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship. Madril chased his biggest rival, Wild Bill Irwin, in an effort to regain the title in a series of solid bouts. I can’t say enough good about him and emplore others to rediscover his work, especially during this first year of WCCW television.
King Kong Bundy became the menacing mercenary of World Class Championship Wrestling!
Well before his known stint as the walking condominium in the WWF, and before he was even named King Kong Bundy, “Big Daddy Bundy” made his debut for WCCW as a trainee of the Von Erich dynasty. Being trained by Fritz and coming up as a friend of the family, Bundy sported long jeans and a full head of hair. Though, it wouldn’t be long before Gary Hart got his claws in this rookie. Seduced by the wealth and the fame Hart promised, Bundy became the Von Erich family’s worst nightmare. He turned on Fritz and began hurting people for checks signed by H&H Limited. For coming from a nobody to one of the territory’s biggest heel acts, Bundy had a hell of a 1982. He ushered himself into the WCCW American Heavyweight Championship fold and was hand-picked as a retiring Fritz’s last opponent.
The Mystery of the Orient, The Boogeyman, or just simply The Great Kabuki, casted a wide-reaching, sinister mist over World Class Championship Wrestling!
The first man to ever blow a green mist had the audience and the wrestlers of WCCW in a chokehold in 1982. With Ric Flair being a traveling champion for multiple territories, I’d say without a doubt, The Great Kabuki was the promotion’s premier heel this year. Starting off with a bang, Kabuki famously temporarily blinded Fritz Von Erich in his left eye. He completed a hit on Kerry Von Erich, which resulted in a knee injury for Von Erich, thus collecting Ric Flair’s bounty. It can’t be overstated how important The Great Kabuki was to WCCW in 1982. Any time he was in the ring, it felt big, it felt important, and he felt like a real danger. Alongside Gary Hart and H&H Limited Co., Kabuki was able to hold the WCCW All Asian Tag Team Championship (with protégé Magic Dragon) and gave other title holders plenty of headaches in between. Kabuki kept a firm thrust kick into the neck of many of the most important players in World Class this year. He’s another guy that needs to be recognized more. Before The Great Muta, before Kamala, before The Missing Link, there was only The Great Kabuki.
“The Modern Day Warrior” chases the NWA World’s Heavyweight Championship while waving the WCCW flag high!
If there was one star that carried the flag of World Class Championship Wrestling on his back, it was Kerry Von Erich. He was the embodiment of the fan spirit and was THE guy who was set to represent the company for all of the National Wrestling Alliance. Despite being sidelined by The Great Kabuki for a few weeks, Kerry became the number one contender for Ric Flair’s title after being able to defeat Harley Race in Texas Stadium in June. From there, Kerry fought Flair twice and become known to fans as the ‘uncrowned world’s champion’. He’d become a hair away from becoming the biggest star in professional wrestling, nearly defeating Ric Flair in a cage on Christmas night this year. His promos were typically a dumpster fire, but his look and the action he brought to the ring carried him well through the year to quickly become the heart of the babyface roster.
Wild Bill Irwin: The Cowboy of Duluth, a man you love to hate, runs roughshod on World Class Championship Wrestling!
Much like Al Madril, not enough people recognize all the Wild Bill Irwin was able to provide and accomplish in WCCW. Most famously known as a silly hockey gimmick in the WWF years from now, Wild Bill was probably doing his best work in Texas at this time. He held a commanding grip over the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship for the better part of the year, fighting off challengers like David Von Erich, Kevin Von Erich, Al Madril, and more. He would briefly join up with H&H Limited Co., tagging with Bundy and only causing more damage to the ranks of the roster. After escaping from the side of “Captain” Frank Dusek during the first few months of the year, Wild Bill Irwin more than stood on his own as a major player for the company… and boy, did the fans absolutely HATE him for it! Irwin became one of my favorite guys pretty quickly this year and I’d still argue that he is completely underrated.
With the best covered, I did want to mention some of my LEAST FAVORITE stars on the roster to watch in 1982. I’ll try to be as nice and as brief as possible…
- First on that list, was “Captain” Frank Dusek. Dusek tended to stink up The Sportatorium each time he was out there, regardless of opponent. Despite starting out the year leaning toward a managerial role for Wild Bill Irwin, somehow “Captain” still found his way in the ring too often… lucky us.
- Bugsy McGraw also makes my least favorite list, due his weak work as heel and his over-the-top silliness as a babyface. I’ve decided that McGraw was booked to make children laugh and have fun at the wrestling matches for the better half of the year, which made him hard to watch more often than not.
- Arman Hussein’s work, in the ring or on the microphone in 1982, was typically a drag. Hart was the one who legitimized H&H Limited Co., leaving Hussein’s stuff feeling like the B-team portion of the stable. His matches were plagued with extended sections of stalling and they typically ended with screwed finishes.
The following are what I consider to be the top five matches of World Class Championship Wrestling for the calendar year 1982. For simplicity, I rated every match from the year out of five stars. These were amongst the very best I saw from the territory.
#5: David Von Erich vs. The Great Kabuki
Type: Singles Match
When: WCCW TV, aired on 11/27/1982
Where: The Dallas Sportatorium (Dallas, TX)
Rating:
#4. The Great Kabuki vs. Kevin Von Erich
Type: Singles Match
When: WCCW TV, aired on 05/08/1982
Where: The Dallas Sportatorium (Dallas, TX)
Rating:
#3. Kerry Von Erich vs. Harley Race
Type: #1 Contender’s Singles Match for the NWA World’s Heavyweight Championship
When: WCCW Star Wars: Superbowl of Wrestling on 06/04/1982
Where: Texas Stadium (Irving, TX)
Rating:
#2. Ric Flair vs. Kerry Von Erich
Type: Two-out-of-Three Falls Match for the NWA World’s Heavyweight Championship
When: WCCW Summer Star Wars on 08/15/1982
Where: Reunion Arena (Dallas, TX)
Rating:
#1. Ric Flair vs. Kerry Von Erich
Type: Singles Cage Match for the NWA World’s Heavyweight Championship
When: WCCW Christmas Star Wars on 12/25/1982
Where: Reunion Arena (Dallas, TX)
Rating:
For this section, I wanted to highlight some of the most iconic moments of World Class Championship Wrestling in 1982. These, in my mind, transcended the territory at the time and left a larger mark on the wrestling business, as a whole, this year.
- Fritz Von Erich retires a hero in the middle of Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas for the June 4th Star Wars: Superbowl of Wrestling show. This show has since become known as the ‘Fritz Von Erich Retirement Show’. After his match, a moment in time occured when Fritz was able to celebrate his final win with all five of his boys by his side. He promises fans coast-to-coast that all five of his boys will be World Champion one day.
- After a lengthy excursion in the Florida territory working as a good ole’ boy heel, “The Yellow Rose of Texas” David Von Erich returned as home-town hero in time to fight alongside his brother Kevin, defeating H&H Limited Co.’s evil Magic Dragon and The Great Kabuki in the middle of Texas Stadium on June 4th. This return and the year itself becomes a jumping off point for David.
- In one of the most shocking moments of the year, Michael Hayes and Terry Gordy turn their backs on the Von Erichs on Christmas night in Reunion Arena. During Kerry Von Erich’s cage match with “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, Terry Gordy famously smashed the cage door on Kerry’s head, eventually leading to the stoppage of the match. This would set the stage for arguably WCCW’s hottest feud ever for the coming year. Thus, The Freebirds/Von Erich issues begin, as the WCCW Six-Man Tag Team Championship is also created.
Total number of televised episodes (of what is currently available):
46
Total number of missing episodes (of what is currently unavailable):
7
(AS OF THIS POSTING: 01/16, 01/23, 01/30, 02/13, 03/06, 03/27, 04/10)
Total number of televised matches (of what is currently available):
180
Total number of ‘dud’ matches (rated 0.5 stars out of 5):
61
Total number of supershow events (of what is currently available):
3
(DATED: 06/04, 08/15, 12/25)
– CONCLUSION –
Maybe this was all a bit long-winded, but I wanted to capture just about everything someone should know about 1982 in World Class Championship Wrestling.
I do expect matches, angles, talent, and production to only improve in quality as the years go on. Yet, for a first year, WCCW did get some substantial things accomplished! There was plenty to dig into as the foundation was set for the building blocks to come, eventually turning Dallas into the epicenter of professional wrestling in the coming years. I have really enjoyed my watchthrough of this year, for this territory. I think it’ll only sweeten the sauce while some more of those familiar faces that I’m looking forward to DO start to pop up moving forward. There’s nothing quite like context when it comes to watching wrestling. So, I’m onto 1983 and I hope you join me!
See you then and thanks so much for reading!