[1983-08-12-WCCW] Kevin & Kerry & David Von Erich vs Fabulous Freebirds

[Superstar Sleeze]

Six-Man Tag Team Champions Von Erichs vs Fabulous Freebirds - WCCW 8/12/83

 

The Fabulous Freebirds come out with a way to top themselves for this entrance for their TV rematch for the Six-Man Tag Team Titles. The elaborate entrance includes Confederate soldiers leading them to the ring as if this was Gone from the Wind. The crowds boos at the mere mention of Georgia in “Georgia on my Mind”. Huge Go Home Freebirds! Chant, like WOW! Massive heat.

 

Kevin Von Erich would like to remind us that his relatives also fought on the wrong side of the war just in case there are racist pricks in the audience cheering for the Freebirds. Love Kevin the wrestler, but Kevin the treasonous asshole, not so much.

 

The crowd is apolitical and is content to chant Baldie at Buddy. Hayes takes an atomic drop early and tags out immediately to rub his ass. Got a chuckle out of me. Buddy Roberts does what he does best, get beat up. Kerry misses an elbow and Gordy comes in tries to take advantage, but Kerry battles back. Double Irish Whip on Gordy and he does a Flair Flip. I like how the Birds press advantage then lose it constantly. There is a real sense of urgency to regain the titles, but the Von Erichs are just too much. Another good examples of this is when Hayes attacks David, but David gets to his corner and holds Hayes while Kevin comes in. Kevin dropkicks everyone. Kerry comes in and looks to be overmatched, but then works on Buddys arm and the Von Erichs follows suit until David eats kneelift from Buddy Roberts. This was a great EARNED shine.

 

Gordy goes a-clubberin’ and Hayes chinlocks. David makes it to Kevin! Kevin goes all out, but misses flying bodypress. Gordy hits a kneedrop on Kevin. Kerry comes in and has great fire. Gordy tries to salvage the situation, but David saves. Kerry hits a vertical suplex. Triple dropkick! Kerry applies the sleeper. Melee ensues. Kerry dropkicks Buddy out of ring. Hayes smashes David into the steel. Gordy detains Kevin. Kerry has Hayes in bearhug (shitty one) and Buddy leaps headlong into him with his protective helmet (loaded?!?!?) and Hayes wins to regain titles.

 

I loved the shine and the finish. I didn’t think the middle was as compelling. I would like to see what the Birds could do with a longer heat segment. Maybe it would be more chinlocks, but I would be interested. Definitely think it was good booking to put the belts back on the Birds to sustain their heat into the Fall. The ending was a great piece of cheating that puts even more heat on Buddy Roberts and his helmet. Hayes was the heat-seeker on promos, but in the match it was all Buddy. He was cruisin’ for a bruisin. I would love to know what match features his comeuppance! ****1/4

[Matt Franklin]

I wasnt as high on this match as you, Superstar. I am finding these Von Erich tags to be frustrating in the sense that I think they could have a really good heat segment on them, as all three are quite good sellers (especially David), but it seems like the Freebirds never get a sustained advantage over Fritzs boys. I think a more traditional southern style tag between the teams would be amazing, but if I accept that this is what we are going to get, then this was fun enough.

 

This is a side note, but were the ropes in WCCW lower than in other territories? If so, that would explain why a lot of the rope running looks a bit clumsy and awkward in these matches.

 

I really liked Gordy in this one, especially his punches and elbows to David. I also like the finish as a way to keep the feud moving along. Fun stuff, but not at the level of their best work.

 

***1/4

[SirEdger]

I'm always down for a Von Erichs vs Freebirds match and this one is no different. Buddy Roberts is such a fantastic bumper in his prime as a Freebird and it definitely doesn't disappoint there. I also loved the finish with Buddy diving head first to hit Kerry Von Erich from behind with the helmet. Very creative and I wish we'd still see that kind of creativity today in tag matches or multi-men tag matches like this one.

It's one of those matches where one team took advantage of the spotlight more than the other, in this case, the Fabulous Freebirds but it was well deserved in this one.