The Fabulous Freebirds are looking to gain some much-needed momentum when two of them tag up with “Gorgeous” Jimmy Garvin to take on Kevin, Kerry, and David Von Erich in tonight’s big six-man tag team match main event! Also in action is “Gentleman” Chris Adams, who will be taking on his rival, The Mongol, in singles action! Plus, much more.
WCCW TV
Date: 08/06/1983
From: Dallas, Texas
MATCHES
1. Buddy Roberts vs. “Iceman” King Parsons (Taped replay)
2. The Mongol vs. “Gentleman” Chris Adams
3. Mr. Ebony vs. “Iceman” King Parsons
4. Kevin, David, & Kerry Von Erich vs. Michael Hayes, Buddy Roberts, & “Gorgeous” Jimmy Garvin
BREAKDOWN & REVIEW
- Bill Mercer welcomed us to The Sportatorium tonight and spoke a bit about our combatants in the main event, reminding viewers that it was a non-title six-man tag team match. He also gave us a heads up on the replay of Buddy Roberts and “Iceman” King Parsons’ hair match from Reunion Arena back in June.
- Buddy Roberts vs. “Iceman” King Parsons: This match was going to be contested under hair-versus-hair rules, with loser losing his hair as well. One fall, thirty minutes for a limit. “Iceman” coming out to “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge was sweet to see and hear in the version of the playback. King Parsons is over huge. Buddy jumped Parsons before the bell, using Parsons’ own jacket to choke him in the corner. Buddy followed it up with a big bodyslam and standing elbow for a one count. A running crossbody almost kept Buddy down for a three count! On commentary, Bill Mercer mentioned that a week before tonight’s card, Ric Flair lost the NWA World’s Heavyweight Championship to Harley Race, hence why Kevin would be facing him here tonight. Nice to finally get that clarification… In the ring, Parsons continued his assault, with a bodyslam, some headbutts, and a chop that locked Buddy up into the ropes. Punches were traded once both men were back to their feet, with Parsons again getting the better of Buddy in this exchange. Roberts missed three standing elbow drops in a row, but stayed on Parsons. A roll up out of the corner on Roberts was reversed, with Roberts then using the tights of Parsons to get a pin of his own! Once David Manning found out, he took the cream away from Buddy allowing Parsons to recover and hit his running Butt Butt hip attack! The cream was then smeared all over Buddy’s head, much to the delight of the crowd! Hayes ran down furious, tore his shirt off, and began throwing hands with Parsons. Hayes almost got himself creamed, but was able to bail out before King Parsons got ahold of him.
- So, I’m supposing that the official call was a no contest between the two, as despite Manning counting the three, it was overturned due to the use of the tights? Not much clarity we are left with here, but nonetheless, the crowd got what they paid their money to see with this one. In hindsight, Buddy Roberts was perfect for this role with King Parsons, as the older vet was able to make Parsons look even that much better. It was a quick match that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats to see who was going to end up bald. The stipulation did A LOT of heavy lifting for this one, no doubt. I’ll give it a star and a half for the drama and atmosphere it created, but the match wasn’t anything special by any means. The story really came through for them here.
- Back from commercial, Bill Mercer spoke a bit about “Gentleman” Chris Adams and his childhood as an accomplished soccer player. For tonight’s featurette, we would be joining Adams out on a Texas soccer field for a quick chat while he warmed up. Adams confirmed his childhood aspirations and called soccer England’s national sport. From when a child turns three, they play all through school to hopefully eventually be scouted to go professional. Mercer brought up the WCCW American Heavyweight Championship to which Adams said he does have interest in it and would like to get a crack at Jimmy Garvin. He said the people of Dallas have made him feel at home and he is really grateful for that. We then got some clips of Adams and a professional soccer player playing together before rolling into another break.
- So, this was an attempt to further highlight Adams’ athletic prowess. Adams does come off likeable and almost too normal for a professional wrestler, so I don’t know if this helped or hurt. When it comes to pro wrestlers, I want to see them being a pro wrestler… not so much kicking the ball around a soccer field. Pure 1980’s here though, without context, this could’ve been an Adidas commercial.
- The Mongol vs. “Gentleman” Chris Adams: This match was set for one fall to a finish, fifteen minutes for a limit. The Mongol began right away by jumping Adams and landing some heavy strikes. He was then thrown from the ring through the middle rope. The Mongol continued by running Adams into the corner post from the apron when Adams attempted to make his way back in. Adams spent a lot of time out on the floor, as every time he tried to get back in from the apron, The Mongol used a dirty tactic to keep him out. Adams finally got back in, landed a one legged kick off the top rope, a set of Super Kicks that dropped The Mongol, and threw him over the top rope to the floor! This was a blatant disqualification for Adams, but Adams made up for it, hitting a nice suicide dive through the middle ropes into The Mongol.
- Chris Adams kicks ass and doesn’t get the credit he deserves for helping to inspire the moveset of the next generation of wrestlers behind him. Shawn Michaels has stolen from Chris Adams, Stone Cold Steve Austin was trained by the man! So many guys in the next decade of wrestling had a lot more Chris Adams in them than people probably realize. Anyway, this match wasn’t anything much of substance as Adams was kept out on the floor for most of it, one star, but Adams almost always shines in whatever role he is forced to play on the card.
- Mr. Ebony vs. “Iceman” King Parsons: Our next bout was one-fall, twenty minutes for a time limit. On commentary early on in this one, Bill Mercer mentioned how Jimmy Garvin had recently won the WCCW American Heavyweight Championship away from Kevin Von Erich! I thought that was odd, as he’s in the middle of a feud with David Von Erich over the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship? It seems we may be getting our lines crossed up a little bit here… Back in the ring, Parsons and Ebony collided in shoulder blocks until Parsons was able to hit a nice dropkick that stumbled Ebony. Ebony started to get the better of Parsons for a few minutes with hugh, clubbing strikes around the ring and in a corner. Suddenly, Buddy Roberts appeared at ringside to apparently cheer on Mr. Ebony. Parsons began to fire up in the ring as Buddy got up on the apron. Parsons was able to land a boot on Buddy to knock him from the apron and put Ebony down with the Butt-Butt running hip attack to pick up a three count! As soon as the bell rang, Roberts ran into the ring and jumped Parsons from behind. The “Iceman” rallied back and sent both he and Ebony to the floor as the crowd erupted with cheers.
- This was a solid, back-and-forth contest between two tough guys. There wasn’t as much of a struggle as I would have liked, as I do think Parsons is best working from underneath. Without said match drama, this one fell a little flat. Star and a half from me.
- After the match, Bill Mercer caught up with “Iceman” King Parsons for an interview at ringside. He reminded the “Iceman” that he had a singles match with Buddy Roberts coming up next week. Parsons said everybody knows how he feels about The Freebirds and he has a score to settle. Not only will he make sure they all end up bald just like Buddy Roberts, he wants The Mongol one more time, he wants Mr. Ebony one more time, if any of them have any guts they’d come on out here again! All he needs is one more time!
- So, “Iceman” was pretty fired up here after his match, basically calling out half the heel roster in one promo… that said, I do like “Iceman” and as a babyface here in 1983, I’d say he’s pretty underrated. He has a cool look and backs up his words in the ring. What more could one want?
- Kevin, David, & Kerry Von Erich vs. Michael Hayes, Buddy Roberts, & “Gorgeous” Jimmy Garvin: Up next, it was main event time. It was set for one-fall, with a sixty minute time limit. The crowd chanted “Baldy, baldy, baldy…” at Roberts, which I thought was funny. He was wearing that headgear and wig again, even after Brody had pulled it off recently. David Von Erich and Michael Hayes were going to start things off here, as Michael strutted from his corner before locking up. David got the better of Hayes, so Hayes decided to tag out to Buddy. Kerry was in next, but Kevin followed and they hit a nice triple dropkick on Buddy that made the crowd explode. Kevin was in next and hit a nice elbow off the top on a standing Buddy Roberts. After a low headbutt from Roberts, Garvin tagged in to take advantage of Kevin in the corner. The heels worked Kevin over in the corner, prompting the other Von Erichs to rush over and help. After a flurry of bodies, it ended up being Kerry and Jimmy in the ring to battle. Garvin didn’t last long before Buddy tagged back in and ate a couple of knee drops for his trouble. The action on the apron from the corners was just as busy as inside the ring. Buddy knocked Kerry out to the floor with a loaded headgear headbutt and Kerry was nearly counted out! Once back in, Garvin had a bunch of fists waiting for him in the corner and Kerry was in a bad way. Dave got the hot tag and the bitter rivals Garvin and Dave were able to square off for a minute. Garvin and The Freebirds traded tags until Dave got to tag in Kevin! The match broke down as all six men were in the ring at once for a melee. In the midst of the chaos, Kevin hit his flying reverse crossbody off the top onto Garvin to pick up the win and the crowd came unglued!
- This. Matches like these are why people in 2026 still talk about World Class Championship Wrestling. When the stars align in these six-man tag team matches, there’s nothing quite like it. The action was at least eighty miles an hour from the time the bell rang and each man got a chance to lay their stuff in, get beat up, and ultimately shine. These six-man bouts have consistently been some of the best matches we’ve seen for 1983 and this one was no different. Three and a half stars from me, with a feel-good finish to boot!
- Back from commercial, Michael Hayes and Buddy Roberts were in the ring for a post-match interview with Bill Mercer. Hayes said that Garvin his a great friend and associate to The Freebirds, but he is no Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy… and the next time The Freebirds are in the ring, it’ll be the three of them against three Von Erichs. When it came to facing the Von Erichs for the WCCW Six-Man Tag Team Championship, Hayes said that a lot of cities want the match, but only one is going to get it! The Von Erichs are going to get something too, next time they all step in the ring.
- I like the association of Garvin with The Freebirds, strictly for foreshadowing purposes down the road, but the real money for Garvin is as a singles star. Nonetheless, it definitely feels as though we’re working towards some next level of The Freebirds and Von Erichs feud… maybe not a blowoff, but I feel something big is coming.
- As Bill Mercer wrapped us up, he mentioned that next week, Buddy Roberts would be taking on “Iceman” King Parsons and Michael Hayes would have his hands full with Kerry Von Erich!
FINAL THOUGHTS
What a nice time capsule episode of WCCW TV this week was! We didn’t get many interviews or outside stuff this week, as the action was kept mostly inside the ring. The main event blew my expectations out of the water, as it was NOT just another routine television six-man, these guys wanted to put on a show for the crowd tonight and strapped their working boots on. Chris Adams continues to improve and prove himself to be a very valuable asset to Dallas. An episode like this just reinforces my envy for Sportatorium crowd members back in the day… what a show! If you want to know what World Class is all about, this would be another great example episode. Beyond that, we have two big singles matches to look forward to next week and who knows what else!
See you all then!