Posted August 27, 200817 yr comment_5434231 1. Little Cocoa vs Hillbilly Pete This was fun. A lot of comedy mixed in with a lot of traditional wrestling spots. Overall, this was fine. - Bill Mercer hunts with Kevin Von Erich This is kinda sureal and a possible extra. int: Kerry Von Erich + Brian Adias int: Arman Hussain A promo from Bundy that sets the stage for Devestation Inc. This is another possible extra. 2. Kerry Von Erich + Brian Adias vs Magic Dragon + Checkmate This was just a mess. The wrestlers just didn't mesh at all with one another. int: David Manning. He announces Michael Hayes has been picked to referee the Kerry Von Erich/Ric Flair cage match Important angle and should be put on as an extra. - video linkup w/ Ric Flair + Fritz Von Erich regarding the bounty on Kerry This was great as well. 2 great promo men going after it. Flair is tremendous here. This has to go on as an extra. Sure it should have been Kerry promo dueling Flair, but Fritz is so much better at doing this. 3. Kevin Von Erich vs King Kong Bundy I just love that wristlock into a drop kick that Kevin does. Kevin is great at going with the claw at different ways. That bump Manning took was man sized. I liked this but it feels like it just falls a tad short of a nomination. 4. Kevin Von Erich vs Buddy Roberts This is JIP. Not enough is shown. int: Michael Hayes P.S charisma is just off the charts. 5. Buddy Roberts vs Brian Adias This is clipped. From what is shown it looked like Roberts called a good match. int: Bill Mercer w/ the Freebirds at thier home This kinda dragged 6. Michael Hayes vs Al Madril A lot of stalling. Madril as a face is blah. This just wasn't a good match.The crowd loved seeing Hayes get beat on though. int: Jose Lothario int: David Manning about the 6 man elimination match int: Andre the Giant 7. 6 man elilmination battle w/ Kerry Von Erich, Terry Gordy, Bugsy McGraw, Bill Irwin, King Kong Bundy, + Andre the Giant Nothing special. It was fine for what it was. 8. kevin Von Erich vs King Kong Bundy - Reunion Arena Kevin's mat work is good. Kinda like a redneck Regal. Bundy was great at putting his weight on Kevin. It was cool with all the hope spots, and Bundy cutting him off. Some of the false finishes were real believable that the crowd ate up. The battle of the claw always gets the fans. Shit finish but this is still good enough to get a nom. Kevin and Bundy worked well with one another. int: Bill Mercer w/ David Manning about the outcome of the Kerry/Flair match int: Kerry Von Erich This is super effective at getting the angle over. This has got to go on as an extra. Mercer was great here. KVE wasn't on his A game here. 9. Terry Gordy vs Adias Bam Bam just killed Adias. That Gonzo bomb was sick.
September 18, 200817 yr comment_5434664 Little Coco vs. Hillbilly Pete (11/23/82) Fun little midget match. Bill Mercer goes duck hunting with the Von Erichs and this is a definite extra. Checkmate (Tony Charles) & Magic Dragon (Haru Sonoda) vs. Brian Adias & “Modern Day Warrior” Kerry Von Erich (11/23/82) Bundy comes out before the match saying that he is free from H&H and has formed Devastation Inc. and this is another for the Bundy file. The match itself wasn’t that hot although it had good heat. Bill Mercer interviews the World Class referees and David Manning announces that Michael Hayes won the fan vote to be the referee for the big Flair/Kerry cage match on 12/25/82. Let the games begin and a definite extra. (12/9/82) Then we get the great video head-to-head between Fritz & Flair and this is a slam dunk extra. Kevin Von Erich vs. King Kong Bundy (12/9/82) Bill Mercer on commentary during the match pimps the fact that Masa Fuchi & Hiro Matsuda are coming into the area which never happens. The match itself was good with again a lot of heat. Kevin & Bundy work well together with Bundy using his power game to keep Kevin grounded and to keep him away from using the claw. Kevin would soon fight back but in the process David Manning would get launched over the top rope by accident in a big bump. Bundy then chunked Kevin over the top rope as well before suplexing him back in the ring for the win. Good match and a possible maybe nomination. Buddy Roberts makes his TV debut on a promo as the Freebirds have turned heel and Hayes cuts a great promo. Extra material. Brian Adias vs. Buddy Roberts (1/7/83) Decent enough match that goes to a draw but is really clipped. Mercer then interviews the Freebirds at their home and this is a definite extra. (1/7/83) Michael Hayes vs. Al Madril (1/7/83) This had lots of heat since the Birds just turned but this match wasn’t that good as Hayes was in full heel stall mode and Madril although showing some fire wasn’t that hot. Jose Lothario would run in for the DQ to keep Hayes off of choking Madril. David Manning & Andre the Giant then cut promos about the upcoming 6 Way Elimination match. (1/7/83) 6 Way Elimination Match: Andre the Giant vs. Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy vs. Wild Bill Irwin vs. King Kong Bundy vs. Bugsy McGraw vs. Kerry Von Erich (1/7/83) Hayes helps Gordy eliminate Kerry early but he would roll back in the ring for a brawl with Gordy as the feud is in high gear. The focus then turned on Andre as Bugsy would get eliminated leaving all the heels against Andre. Andre was awesome here just destroying all the heels so he can keep whipping Gordy’s ass. The heels would finally overpower Andre but he would counter by smacking Bundy & Irwin’s heads then went back to choking Gordy. Andre would keep fighting off the attacks but they would get him on the mat so they could work him over but again Andre would make a comeback eliminating Irwin before trying to throw Gordy out but Hayes would roll him back in the ring so Andre climbs over the top rope himself to get Hayes and eliminates himself. Bundy & Gordy are then left in the ring and the heat pretty much leaves with Andre as Gordy would dropkick Bundy over the top rope for the win. I liked this a whole helluva lot more than shoe did and I’m throwing this on the block. American Heavyweight Title: Kevin Von Erich © vs. King Kong Bundy (12/25/82) Another solid match between these two and this was the best one I’ve seen as Kevin was fluid on the mat then showed fire on offense and sold well. Bundy was again great with his power game using his weight to weaken Kevin and used his strength to keep the claw away from his head. Kevin would finally lock in the claw but Bundy would get the ropes to break it that would piss Kevin off. Kevin would climb up top to hit Bundy with a chop but hit David Manning instead and Bundy would chunk him to the floor. Kevin would get rolled back in the ring and Bundy would try to hit his Avalanche in the corner but fucking David Manning would pull Kevin out of the corner then threw Kevin right into Bundy so he could pound on him as the crowd goes nuts. Kevin would hit a dropkick on Bundy and sent him to the floor with Manning raising Kevin’s hand for a DQ finish because he threw Kevin over the top rope. Horrible finish to a damn good match which really hampered it. Their other match had a better finish but this was a better match so I’m torn on a nomination. Next we get Mercer interviewing David Manning & Kerry about the Flair/Kerry match from 12/25/82 and this is all extra material. Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy vs. Brian Adias (1/7/83) Kerry is with Adias to offset Hayes but Hayes ain’t around. Slow match because Gordy is frustrated with Kerry being ringside and Adias being in control. Hayes would show up as Adias makes a comeback from being beaten on. Kerry chases Hayes around as Adias has a sleeper on Gordy and it distracts Adias letting Gordy recover to hit a piledriver for the win. Gordy would try another one after the match but Kerry would get ride of him. This was okay but had lots of heat.
November 4, 200916 yr comment_5445628 Little Cocoa vs Hillbilly Pete These guys are no Little Mr. T and Little Tokyo, but this is still a good match. Bill Mercer hunts with Kevin Von Erich You guys ever see "The Rules of the Game"? Anyway, this is an extra. int: King Kong Bundy Should probably be an extra if for no other reason than because it's the birth of Devastation Inc. Kerry Von Erich + Brian Adias vs Magic Dragon + Checkmate Brian Adias and Magic Dragon are two of my least favorite 80's Texas guys, but I was shocked at how much more I liked this than you guys. It is not a great match, but Kerry gave a strong performance, and the other guys didn't seem to fuck up that badly. int: David Manning Bronko Lubich looks like a fat Vincent Price, which I never really noticed before. Obvious extra. video linkup w/ Ric Flair + Fritz Von Erich I have never really noticed just how big Fritz's hands were and how long his fingers were. Hindsight being 20/20, it is really obvious why promoters would have looked at this guy and said "he should be using a clawhold as a finisher". Anyway, great shit-talking from two master shit-talkers as part of an historic angle makes this a slam dunk extra. Kevin Von Erich vs King Kong Bundy This was another great match between these two. Kevin is Kevin and Bundy really was an awesome bruiser back then. I'd say this is worth a nomination, but at this point, I think I kinda have to pick my spots. With no one else really pushing for it, I don't really see myself going to the wall for this one. int: Michael Hayes Nice little promo. Might be worth including as an extra for historic purposes. int: Bill Mercer w/ the Freebirds at thier home It's restrained compared to a lot of their promos, but in the immediate wake of their heel turn, I think it's appropriate. An extra. Michael Hayes vs Al Madril This was a lot of fun. Hayes went heavy on the heel shtick to great effect, and Madril, who was usually quite bland as a face, gave one of his more inspired performances in that role. Not quite a nomination, but I did enjoy it. 6 man elilmination battle w/ Kerry Von Erich, Terry Gordy, Bugsy McGraw, Bill Irwin, King Kong Bundy, + Andre the Giant I loved this. Great combination of brutality, comedy, and spectacle. I say it goes ahead. Terry Gordy vs Adias I wasn't blown away by this.
