Kerry dove right into a challenging schedule of title matches. One day after winning the belt, Kerry successfully defended it in Fort Worth against Terry Gordy. Ric Flair, The Missing Link, and Jimmy Garvin all earned title shots as well. Kerry then traveled with the belt to Florida to face such opponents as Superstar Billy Graham, Ron Bass, and Black Bart. A trip to Japan saw Kerry retain the title against Jumbo Tsuruta the recent former AWA World Champion. For Kerry it was the ride of his life and without any shadow of a doubt it was the pinnacle of his career.

Alas Kerry didn't return from his Japanese tour with the NWA World Title. On May 24, 1984 in Yokosuka, Japan, Ric Flair defeated Kerry to regain the championship. Kerry's reign had always been about rewarding the Von Erichs and World Class politically and to send home the massive crowd at Texas Stadium with a happy ending. It was short term and Kerry was never going to hold it over the long haul. Back in Texas Kerry's title loss had to be handled delicately. The Von Erichs had chased the NWA World Title for 20 years. To lose it after less than 20 days would be embarrassing if not sold properly. World Class never aired any footage of the title loss. Bill Mercer disdainfully explained that Kerry had been cheated, mentioning that Flair had used the ropes and that the referee was a Sumo ref who did not understand the rules of pro wrestling. This explanation is nonsense. The pin was clean and the ref was Joe Higuchi who was one of the best. However stretching the truth here was 100% the right move. The promotion needed to protect Kerry Von Erich it's number one draw and to help him save face. Since the match happened abroad and has rarely been seen stateside, there was no way to refute the World Class version of events. Kerry was once again a challenger, but fans more than ever viewed him as the uncrowned champion.

End Game For Jimmy Garvin and Precious

Jimmy Garvin and Precious are remembered fondly in World Class without a doubt. However I think that sometimes they take too much of a backseat to The Freebirds or The Dynamic Duo among the heels. Garvin's feuds with David Von Erich and then Chris Adams did as much as anything to put World Class Championship Wrestling on the map. Also the Sunshine vs. Precious feud paved the way for so much in the future including the WWE Divas of today. By the summer of 1984 Stella Mae French had replaced the MIA Sunshine and had done her best to torment Garvin and Precious. Garvin and Adams also took some more turns with the American Title. The final curtain came on July 4, 1984 in Fort Worth. Chris Adams and Stella Mae defeated Jimmy Garvin and Precious in a losers leave town match. Garvin and Precious were gone, but certainly not forgotten. Stella turned her attention to foiling Gino Hernandez. Meanwhile Chris Adams seemed a bit lost without his old foe. Adams' sudden lack of focus would begin a chain of events that would turn World Class upside down.

One Good Turn Deserves Another

In the aftermath of the Parade of Champions the plan was to feature further battles between Kabuki and Kamala. However this plan went out the window when Kamala jumped without notice to the WWF. This jump was a rare case of a World Class wrestler jumping to the WWF without notice. Although since Kamala split his schedule in between World Class and Mid-South, his defection to the WWF seemed more targeted towards harming Bill Watts' promotion. With Kamala gone, Kabuki left Gary Hart and signed with Devastation Incorporated. This betrayal infuriated Hart and caused him to declare war on Devastation Inc. and align himself with the babyfaces of the promotion. Somehow Kamala's departure had made Gary Hart a babyface. Hart soon began to scout and second various babyfaces in search of a new protégé. The fans were naturally a bit uneasy about Hart given his past behavior and actions, but steadily began to accept him if not embrace him. 

The Song Remains The Same

It goes without saying that the Von Erichs and The Freebirds continued their long-standing feud. Now the Birds added a wildcard, namely a 6'3" 300 lbs. wildcard known as Killer Khan. The angle was that Killer Khan had mentored Terry Gordy in Japan and had taught him the devastating Oriental Spike, Gordy's thumb to the throat nerve hold. Khan was a total madman and his tag team with Gordy brought mayhem in World Class to new peaks. The focus still remained on the Six Man Title. After Fritz's one-day return from retirement, Kerry assumed his share of the title along with Kevin and Mike. This title reign was brief due to controversy. The Freebirds claimed that the wrong man had been pinned at Texas Stadium. While the two teams spilled blood through May and into June, the issue of the held up title was settled on July 4, 1984 in Fort Worth at Tarrant County Convention Center in front of a sellout crowd of 12,000 for the Wrestling Star Wars event. It was one of the bloodiest, most brutal, and most exciting matches in World Class history. This was a Badstreet match so you know that all the hatred and anger flowed out in punches, kicks, and emotion. Even in this feud, this bout was intense. Kevin and Mike Von Erich especially seemed to fit in the environment. Of course Terry Gordy was in his element. After much carnage The Freebirds reclaimed the Six Man Title. However they didn't win without an assist from Killer Khan. Soon the Six Man Title was held up again due to this interference and it set in motion an even bloodier summer as rematches raged through World Class arenas. 

I Am YOUR Champion

Gino Hernandez was back and his large ego was in tow. Gino had been gone from the Dallas-Fort Worth scene for close to four years, but made up for lost time in a big hurry. Gino had barely started back when he claimed the American Title. Next up Gino won a 15-man tournament in his old stomping ground of San Antonio to win the vacant Texas Title. The win didn't come without a good-sized share of cloudiness. Gino had actually lost in the semi-finals to Kerry Von Erich, but then injured him after the bell. Kerry was unable to continue and Gino took his place in the final against Ric Flair. Rarely would Ric Flair hear cheers in Texas, but in this case he had the fans' backing such was the hatred for the handsome half-breed. Gino on this night proved to be dirtier than the dirtiest player in the game. He used every trick in his arsenal to defeat Ric Flair and win the Texas Title. Now Gino had two titles and needless to say he was insufferable. No interview from Gino was complete without him reminding the increasingly angry fans that he was their champion. There was no false modesty here. Gino didn't just think he was the best. He knew it and told you so. When Gino used a knuckle-duster to steal a win over Kerry Von Erich at The Sportatorium to retain the American Title, it was clear that his star was on the rise. 

Tag Title Turmoil

Over the past few months Iceman Parsons had warred with The Super Destroyers. Iceman had finally found a steady partner in Buck "Rock n Roll" Zumhofe. They had claimed the American Tag Titles from the Super Ds at the Parade of Champions, but while they won that battle, the war was far from over. One issue had long been that the Super Ds would switch off and use such dastardly tactics as loading masks with foreign objects. That would not be an issue in very short order. In late May The Super Ds regained the American Tag Title from Iceman and Buck. However in the aftermath, Iceman and Buck removed the masks. Skandor Akbar was furious. His team had the belts, but their identities had been revealed! Super D I turned out to be Scott Irwin. Scott had wrestled for many years as The Super Destroyer and was largely unfamiliar. On the other hand Super Destroyer II was none other than Chauncey himself, Wild Bill Irwin. Nevertheless, masks or no mask, the Irwin brothers had the belts. Still Iceman and Buck continued in hot pursuit. On July 4, 1984 in Fort Worth the belts came home once again. With Scott Irwin out injured, Bill had to face Iceman one on one. No one would argue that the Irwins were the best pure tag team, but at the same time no one could argue that Iceman was the better singles wrestler. Ice got his win and he and Buck won the belts back. Still the feud raged on. 

NEXT MONTH: