WCCW TV
October 23, 1982
Dallas, TX
Sportatorium
(taped on 10/12/82)

The NWA & WCCW champions were as follows:
NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair (9/17/1981)
NWA American Heavyweight Champion: Kevin Von Erich (9/5/1982)
NWA American Tag Team Champions: King Kong Bundy & “Wild” Bill Irwin (9/12/1982)
NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion: David Von Erich (9/19/1982)

Your hosts are Bill Mercer and Jay Saldi. The late Harvey Martin of the Dallas Cowboys stops by to say hello and how much he enjoys the show. WWF fans may remember that Harvey Martin was in the WWF/NFL battle royal at WrestleMania 2.

• NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion David Von Erich vs. Frank Dusek
  

David swears the Von Erich family have proof of the bounty Ric Flair put out on Kerry. Frank Dusek would become better known as a commentator and matchmaker for WCCW. He also worked in the Mid-South offices. Dusek wears a frilly robe with the Pink Panther cartoon character on the back. Not Peter Sellers. Saldi makes a Mae West reference for all the kids out there. These Von Erich boys are just booked so strong. Sure, it’s a squash. But in these days, they were mostly “competitive” squashes. Saldi also mentions that David has just returned from a successful tour of Japan with Hulk Hogan. High Knee gets two. Mercer mentions that Gary Hart has left to go to Atlanta to collect a bounty on Roddy Piper. Saldi doesn’t think Mercer has his facts straight since Hart and Piper were supposedly friends. Ref David Manning has to force Dusek to stop abusing Von Erich in the corner. Dusek takes a swing at Manning, but Manning ducks and slaps him back into an inside cradle by David for the 1-2-3. (4:14) Yeah, that’s REAL fair. *½

• Jose Lothario & Al Madril vs. The Magic Dragon & Checkmate (w/Arman Hussein)
  

Checkmate! YES. Some feeling out stuff by Madril and Dragon to start. Lothario and Checkmate tag in as we see Bugsy McGraw is sitting in the audience eating popcorn and hugging children. Hahaha, why not. Checkmate goes into his shell when Lothario gets him in trouble. Being ever the sportsman, Lothario REFUSES to put the boots to him and tries a sitout with him. They tag out and Dragon starts working on Madril’s arm. While he’s stuck in a hammerlock, Madril runs around the ring and trips Dragon out to the floor. More recently, you’ve seen Bret Hart do this same counter. Back inside, they crash into each other a few times. Checkmate and Jose Lothario are tagged in now. Checkmate flips out of a backdrop and goes into his shell! While Lothario looks out to the crowd, Checkmate jumps him and starts wearing him down with a chinlock. Lothario draws on the people and tries to get out of the chinlock, but that’s when Dragon draws Madril into the ring, and the heels do a dastardly switch. Since the ref didn’t see the tag, Checkmate has to come back. Lothario fights back with a nice backbreaker for two. Tag to Madril, and he punches the daylights out of Checkmate. Lothario hits a flying stomp for two. Checkmate jabs Madril in the gut with his head and makes it over to Dragon. He shoulderbutts Madril in the corner and then does a couple backflips to show off before nailing Madril with a superkick. He misses a somersault splash though, signaling it’s time for the Madril comeback. For some reason, he goes after Checkmate, which ends in disaster. Tag to Checkmate, he misses a charge and goes flying out to the floor. This guy is so good. Two minutes remain in the time limit. Now Madril is going after the mask instead of going for the pin. After a double-KO, Lothario does what he can to Dragon. Back to Madril, as he tries the “hurry up and wait” approach to beating Dragon, but the time limit expires. (15:00) Just complete non-stop action from beginning to end. ***¼

Bill Mercer sets up a clip of Ric Flair being questioned up in Kansas City about the Kerry Von Erich bounty. Flair is sorry to hear about Kerry’s injury, but that’s wrestling for you. When asked about the $10,000 bounty, Flair thinks that accusation is ridiculous. He spends that much on breakfast! Flair feels that Fritz Von Erich is a frustrated man because none of his boys can beat him for the NWA world title. Flair will give Kerry Von Erich a title match when he comes back if Kerry can give him some incentive. Flair says he’s 31 years old in this interview, but he’s really 33. Too much of that Kansas City blow, my friend. WOO!

• Gran Marcus II (w/Arman Hussein) vs. The Samoan
  

Once again, the Samoan is Samu from the Headshrinkers. Squash match for Gran Marcus II. He works the arm and grinds on a headlock a bunch. Samoan gets a brief comeback, but Marcus pins him with the senton splash at 5:00.

• Michael Hayes vs. The Great Renesto
  

This is the historic debut of Michael Hayes in World Class after he just left Georgia. Renesto spends most of the time avoiding Hayes while Mercer and Saldi talk about how great Hayes is. Once Hayes can put some moves together, he lands a flying punch and a Jimmy Valiant elbow drop. Renesto begs off and gets punched out to the floor. Back in, Hayes hits the bulldog and the PILEDRIVER for the win. (3:20) After the bell, Hayes cuts an epic introductory promo inviting the audience to join him and the Freebirds on Badstreet USA. By the way, Terry Gordy will be here next week. If you’re a fan of the Freebirds, you just have to see this promo.

NEXT WEEK: “Wild” Bill Irwin battles “Freebird” Michael Hayes. Great Kabuki will take on Al Madril. Plus, Kerry Von Erich will give us an injury update.