WCCW Independence Star Wars 28.07.1984
Dallas, TX
Attendance: 67210
Buyrate: 1.41
TV rating: 0.03
Show quality: 87
Taped promo from The Four Horsemen, all dressed up and sitting down in a luxurious locker room, while Skandor Akbar and Devastation Inc. are standing behind them. Ric Flair says that all the Horsemen hold gold and their partnership with Akbar is going great. Tonight, we will see another showcase of dominance, as there will be no independence for World Class! (78)
WCCW TAG TEAM TITLES
MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (c) (w/ Bobby Heenan) vs ROCK & ROLL EXPRESS
JR recaps the year long feud of these two teams and reminds us that tonight, apart from the Lumberjack Match, nobody will be allowed to be at ringside (except licensed managers). These teams know each others really well and, as usual, R&R showcase all of their skills with a series of athletic moves. After a few minutes, Morton gets isolated in the corner and the heels work on him, keeping him in their side of the ring. Heenan uses a few cheap shots and the crowd is furious! Morton finally gives Gibson the hot tag and the crowd explodes! The crowd is on fire, just like R&R. Heenan hands Condrey a title belt to cause a DQ, but Gibson misses a belt shot and hits Eaton by mistake! Morton dropkicks Eaton, while Gibson covers Condrey.. .1, 2, 3!!! R&R are the new champions! (89) (14:20)
Postmatch R&R celebrate and are met on the stage by The Funks and Stan Hansens, who celebrate with them! Terry says that this is just the beginning and the Horsemen's empire will crumble tonight! (82)
THERE MUST BE A WINNER
DUTCH MANTELL vs BUDDY ROBERTS
Cornette likes Mantell's style, but JR argues that everything he's been involved in has been chaotic and he's trying to make this personal. The stipulation means that a finish need to take place, it's not necessarily a Hardcore Match but there are looser rules and the referee ignores a few aggressive attacks, even though he tries to stop the match from derailling. Mantell dares Roberts to hit him back harder and seems curious to find out how much the former Freebird can unleash on him. Mantell steals the ring bell to hit Roberts, but Roberts stops him with a kick and then hits Mantell on the face with it! Roberts gets the pinfall and wins! (63) (10:07)
On stage Bill Mercer interviews Tito Santana and asks about his shoulder. Santana says that he's not 100% yet and his shoulder it's still taped, but he will endure the pain and show Magnum TA a thing or two! Sunshine bets Santana to take care of himself (72)
LUMBERJACK MATCH
MAGNUMA TA (w/ Sherri) vs TITO SANTANA (w/ Sunshine)
Everyone who doesn't have a match is at ringside. Namely, JYD and Brian Adias cheer for Santana, while Terry Taylor and Bill Irwin are leading Magnum's side. Magnum is ruthless and literally rips the tape off Santana's body, using a long abdominal stretch to hurt his shoulder. Santana suffers a lot, but finally gets a comeback and dives towards the outside, hitting Magnum and half of the lumberjacks as well! Santana is full of adrenaline and JR says he's ignoring the pain, but Magnum hits him straight on the shoulder and stops his offence! Belly to belly suplex! 1... 2... 3!!! Magnum TA won the match in a shocker! (80) (12:23)
On stage Bill Mercer interviews Tully Blanchard and Tommy Rich. Blanchard says that him and Rich are not friends, but their common goal is to get revenge on Chris Adams and Gino Hernandez, so he wants them to be a unit and win tonight! (73)
WCCW TEXAS HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
SUBMISSION MATCH
TED DIBIASE (c) (w/ Bobby Heenan) vs DORY FUNK JR
DiBiase has extra pressure on himself according to JR, as MNX already lost the gold and he surely doesn't want to follow suit. Cornette reminds us that they had a MOTYC in April and that they are 1-1 so far, so this is the rubber match. DiBiase takes it really easy and works on Dory's leg, showing that he's been learning from Ric Flair, but Dory is way more effective on the mat and seems to have fun while torturing DiBiase's arms! Dory applies a sleeper hold and it seems like DiBiase is fading, but Heenan tries to get in the ring! The referee stops him, but doesn't see that DiBiase gets the black glove from his tights and hits Dory right between the eyes! Dory collapses and DiBiase applies a sleeper of his own... but Dory is KO and the referee awards the match to DiBiase!!! (81) (15:02)
On stage Bill Mercer interviews the von Erichs and seems touched by the fact that this might be the last time that he's talking to the three of them as a unit, for the rest of the year at least. Kevin steps in and says that it won't happen, but if it will... they will take it to the chin, it's their last chance and they need to risk everything. Kevin tells David and Kerry that they have problems and need to solve them, but tonight it's about WCCW and they need to be one united item! David and Kerry look at each other and nod, leaving without adding anything (82)
TERRY FUNK vs KING KONG BUNDY (w/ Skandor Akbar)
It's the first time ever these two face off and JR is sure that Funk wants to get some revenge, as Devastation Inc has been on the Horsemen's side for quite a bit now, messing with the Funks on more than one occasion. Funk has a quick entrance and promptly jumps on Bundy! They start punching each other before the match officially starts and it quickly becomes bloody! Funk bleeds first, but then he sends Bundy on the steel turnbuckle and so Bundy is bleeding as well! Akbar tries to interrupt the match, but nobody wants it to stop! The referee is concerned about the amount of punches that are thrown and wanrs both Funk and Bundy, but the slugfest goes on and the referee rules the no contest! (78) (10:02)
Postmatch Dick Murdoch arrives to drag Bundy away, while Funk is in the ring and dares Bundy to come back to continue the fight! (85)
MASK vs MASK MATCH
CHRIS ADAMS & MR. X (w/ Gary Hart) vs TULLY BLANCHARD & TOMMY RICH
Hart shows his manager license to the referee, who is not happy but has to let him be at ringside. Since the start, Rich is the most aggressive of the babyfaces and tries to get revenge on Adams and X all the time that he can. Cornette says "Gino" instead of "X" and JR corrects him, saying that Gino is banned from WCCW for now. Blanchard actually tries to rip X's mask and X encourages him to, but Blanchard just punches him! Blanchard gives the hot tag to Rich, who starts brawling with X! X is on his knees, he's had enough and says he will surrender by taking his own mask off and be ejected... but it's a trick and he has another mask below the first one! Adams superkicks Rich from behind and X pins him to win the match! (59) (9:48)
On stage Bill Mercer interviews The Freebirds and Terry Gordy tells Michael Hayes that they need to talk about what happened at the last TV show, but Jimmy Garvin steps in and says that their future is on the line tonight. They have pushed the von Erichs to the extreme, just another victory and they will ger rid of them for a bit! Hayes agrees and promises Gordy that they will talk after tonight! (84)
WCCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
TEXAS BULLROPE MATCH
RIC FLAIR (c) (w/ Bobby Heenan) vs STAN HANSEN
JR explains the rules: the first wrestler to touch all four turnbuckles will win, while they are placed on opposite ends of a bullrope. Cornette says that Hansen has a huge advantage due to his size, as he can move Flair around more easily, and that is what we see at the beginning. Flair, however, is smart enough to work on Hansen's legs, not to submit him of course, but to stop him from moving as he would like to. Flair does all he can to stop the beast and even chokes Hansen with the rope, daring the referee to disqualify him, but Hansen manages to get free! Hansen has a good comeback and starts touching the turnbuckles, dragging Flair as the champion desperately tries to stop the challenger from touching the corners! It's 3 turnbuckles each and only one to go, so Flair shakes the rope and hits Hansen between the legs! Flair gloriously walks towards the corner, but Hansen violently shakes the rope and Flair goes towards him... lariat!! Flair is knocked out and Hansen jumps towards the turnbuckle, barely touching it!!! Hansen has done it!!! (83) (16:16)
Postmatch Heenan is shocked and the MNX take Flair away, while DiBiase holds the Texas Title and has a weird look on his face! Hansen celebrates with the Funks and R&R, we have a new World champion! (85)
WCCW SIX MEN TAG TEAM TITLES
ULTIMATE STEEL CAGE MATCH
ELIMINATION RULES
LOSERS SPLITS FOR 6 MONTHS
THE FABULOUS FREEBIRDS (c) vs THE VON ERICHS
JR goes over the rules one by one and says that the cage will only open when somebody is eliminated, to allow the pinned/submitted wrestler to leave the cage. Anyone that will physically touch other competitors after getting eliminated will be suspended for 6 months without pay, regardless of the result of this match. Cornette puts over the feud, saying that he's been elsewhere lately but this series of matches has put World Class on the map and he can't wait to see the match. The Birds are quite united, despite the little altercation from earlier, while the von Erichs have been having issues for months and Kevin is once again trying to be the older brother and to keep the hot-headed Kerry and the moody David on the same side. Predictably, the match is a war and JR says that there's not really anywhere to run, so we can expect competitors to get hurt quite quickly as it's 6 of them in the cage. The von Erichs are maybe better skilled and do well in 1on1 battles, but the Birds work way better as a team and gang up on opponents as soon as they can, always creating good opportunities for themselves. Kevin keeps yelling at his brothers and helps them as much as he can, but ends up taking too many risks and Hayes kicks him in the leg and Garvin finishes him with a brainbuster! It's 3vs2 now and Kevin leaves the cage frustrated, telling his brothers that it's now or never! Cornette says it's over now, the first elimination is the key for the dominance of the rest of the match, but JR reminds us that Kerry and Kevin are two-time Tag Champions and they look at each other and nod their heads, going back-to-back to cover one another! It seems like the von Erichs have finally hit rock bottom and, as it's now or never, they fight with all the energies they have! David hits Garvin with a high knee and pins him, now it's 2vs2! Hayes gets nervous and pushes Gordy, telling him that they can't lose! The match gets bloody and the crowd fully supports the brothers! Hayes wants Gordy to powerbomb David and he watches it as he makes fun of David, so he doesn't see that David rolls him up from behind after barely surviving a beating! 1, 2, 3! Hayes is out and the von Erichs have the advantage! Hayes is furious, but the referee pushes him towards the exit and warns him not to touch anyone or he'll get suspended! Hayes is furious and takes his sweet time to leave the cage, while Gordy fights Kerry! Kerry's head gets close to the edge of the cage and Hayes, like 18 months ago, goes to slam the door really quickly to get on Kerry's head... but David jumps in and the cage goes in his head instead!!! Gordy quickly pins David and he eliminates him! The referee pushes Hayes away and he argues that he technically didn't touch anyone, he just pushed the door to close it! David is dragged out of the cage and Kerry seems moved by it, his brother sacrificed himself to prevent the cage door going on his head again! It's Kerry vs Gordy now and everything is on the line! It's a bloody slugfest and Kerry seems on top, but Gordy punches him and lifts him up for the powerbomb... but, while in the air, Kerry grabs Gordy's head for the claw!!! Gordy tries to powerbomb Kerry anyway, with both arms, but Kerry won't let go!!! Gordy eventually falls on the mat and Kerry still has the claw on!!! Gordy furiously punches Kerry with both arms, trying to break free, but again Kerry won't let go!!! And Gordy taps out!!! The von Erichs have done it baw gawd!!! (90) (19:44)
Postmatch Kerry celebrates with the crowd, but then stops it quickly and joins Kevin as they both check on David, who's still not 100% after the cage incident. Kerry hugs David and gives him a title belt, then gives the other one to Kevin, who pats him on the back! David also raises his belt to the sky and gets a standing ovation, the von Erichs are still here and the Freebirds are no more!!! (84)
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Show notes
- Fist off, apologies for the length of the post, so I will be as quick as I can to wrap this up
- Show was a total success, Closed Circuit gave me the biggest buyrate yet and 67000+ fans bought a ticket! David, Hansen and Eaton were publicly praised
- Birds vs. von Erichs was the main event, but I was torn until the last second. The crowd was absolutely terrific here and David looked like a real star. I'm not spoiling anything that will happen soon, but I am confident that it will be good!
- We also have a new World Champion and I am aware that it deserved a main event. Hansen and Flair have great chemistry and we need to see the blowoff!
- Nonetheless, R&R and MNX had an amazing opener with a well received title change, I am really tempted to have them go at it again soon
- I can't really say I am disappointed by a 80 rating, but DiBiase and Dory did so well last time that I was expecting more
- Terry and Bundy didn't click too much, maybe the non-finish was a factor
- Magnum TA will remember this night as he went over pretty much cleanly on Santana, who made him look like a million bucks
- The X storyline didn't go as planned because of a few incidents along the way, but we got there after a year. The Dynamic Duo will now be a full time thing. And Rich... well, you'll find out next week (he was off and ruined yet another match)
- Roberts and Mantell are developing some decent chemistry, but their matches are not setting the world on fire, despite being a decent midcard deal. Mantell's contract is expiring soon, as I only signed him for 3 months originally
Predictions
- creativeleader81 4/8
- Purotastic 4/8
- Asaemon 3/8
