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Thursday Week 2, June 1983
TV Taping – World Class Championship Wrestling
Odessa, TX
Attendance: 5000 (Sell out)
Ratings: 0.62 on medium syndication I (up .02, good trend)
Pre-Show
Our pre-show features a fan forum with Ricky Steamboat, who will be wrestling in the TV main event. He spends about 30 minutes interacting with the fans (C+)
Main Show
In a bout that had solid in-ring action but not much in the way of heat, Bob Backlund defeated Rick McCord in 7:04 by submission with a Cross Face Chicken Wing, doing his usual routine of inflicting as much pain as possible before releasing the hold. (D+) Bob Backlund then calls for a microphone and mocks David Von Erich, calling him delusional and scoffing at the fact that he, Backlund, would need to retain the services of some masked thug because after all. “There are very few, make that no men, whose feats in the ring hold a candle to mine!” (C-) As Backlund rants David Von Erich is seen on camera backstage talking to a security guard, who gives David Von Erich a tape to view from the closed circuit cameras. Von Erich nods, shakes his hand and walks away with a determined look. Von Erich’s new rebel gimmick gets a B+ (B-)
A video recap of the Stan Hansen / Jim Duggan feud plays and hypes up their main event alley fight match at this month’s Tag team cup tournament. (B-)
In a match that had some good action but not much in the way of heat, Kevin Von Erich defeated One Man Gang in 9:25 by pinfall, using the Iron Claw to put him out, actually drawing blood from the big behemoth. Akbar was good at ringside. Ken Mantell thinks both need new gimmicks (C-)
Tommy Rich comes over to the podium, where Michael Hayes is about to talk to Bill Mercer. He says that he thinks that Hayes has shown favoritism to Buddy Roberts with the incident last week where Roberts got the shot at David Von Erich’s title. He then adds that Hayes needs to think about getting his hands dirty in some tag matches again. Both wrestlers improvise well (B+) Michael Hayes smiles, shakes his head and addresses Rich. “Daddy, you knew when you accepted the privilege, yes, privilege, to join the Freebirds that everything you did from that point on would be what was best for the brotherhood. You also knew, that nobody decides that but me! So Tommy, if you think things are tough being a Freebird, imagine how tough they could be, not being a Freebird.” Hayes again improvises well (B+)
In a bout that featured great action and average heat, Ricky Steamboat defeated Jimmy Garvin in 16:02 when Jimmy Garvin was disqualified when Greg Valentine ran in and attacked Ricky Steamboat, laying him out and then locking on the figure four Leglock as officials and security have to physically force him to release it. Sunshine was good at ringside. (C)
Final Rating: C+ (Popularity bump in 8 regions, loss in 1)
Friction with the Freebirds as Hayes tries to keep Tommy in check in some of the better interviews/angles we have had on the show. These two are great on the stick. Ricky Steamboat just cannot get over the way I would like and his contract is winding down, so I have to make a tough decision. We also get our highest TV rating ever off the strength of last week’s great show.
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