Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match #96: Chris Adams vs. Kevin Von Erich (No DQ) (9/2/85)

A big Labor Day battle includes a no DQ stipulation, and Gino Hernandez in a cage… wearing a suit.
Adam’s partner in crime, Gino, is forced into a small “penalty box” cage by overly involved, self-important ref David Manning. The cage is raised to the ceiling, and Gino sells his displeasure really well on the mic as it rises fifteen feet. The fans LOVE this.

Kevin dominates early with short, effective strikes. I love that he only does one and then lets Adams sell it big. He moves to the body scissors—a Kevin Von Erich favorite. He humiliates Adams with Adams while in the move, to the fans delight. Mark Lawrence on commentary mentions the open challenges for hair matches, which comes into play at the end of the year. It slows down as the hold goes on, but the camera shots of Gino hanging above are priceless.

Adams comes back and tosses Kevin over the top rope (it’s anything goes, no DQ). Adams goes for pins, can’t get them, then teases a a big pile driver. Kevin gets out and shows the fans the Iron claw. They cheer. Of course we aren’t getting it this early, but the struggle is good. Lawrence keeps mentioning how this all “started” at the Cotton Bowl nine months earlier, so we get the drama of the history. Kevin sends Adams over the top rope, which only makes Adams up his game. He chokes Kevin with the microphone chord, and Kevin turns and Iron Claws Adams. He’s got it on in the center of the ring.

Kevin has control and gets a near fall. Adams gets out and Lawrence says he’s a marvelous wrestler. I miss the days when heels got credit. Sleeper by Kevin ends up with Adams pulling ref Manning into him, knocking him out. Gino (from ther cage above) throws Adams knux, but Kevin ends up getting them and punching Adams. Big bump for Adams off the punch. Kevin covers Adams for the pin in eight minutes as the crowd erupts.

Post-match Kevin takes out Adams, then Gino is lower to the ring and Kevin strips him and beats him. Adams comes back and the Dynamic Duo locks Kevin in the cage, then gets scissors and tries to cut his hair. Kerry comes out to make the save. Kevin on the mic accepts the hair vs hair match challenge for the Cotton Bowl show coming up.

As a sort of blow off this was good, but not great. This was a cool way to set up the hair vs hair match down the road. Very good action for the eight minutes they wrestled, with the ending being somewhat predictable but satisfying. I’m not in love with this one, but I have nothing bad to say about the level of intensity or the work. The post-match with the scissors and cage elevates this one higher in my opinion. 3 ¼ stars and 6.5/10