Ric Flair

From The highest Highs To The Lowest Lows

As I have written before when mom would take me to the store I use to run to the magazine rack read the wrestling magazines. I often read about world class championship wrestling. World Class was based in Dallas Texas and featured the Von Erich family.

While world class wrestling was syndicated around the country (and world) it was not available in the north west. The first time I saw the Von Erich's on T.V. was when they appeared on the George Michael sports machine.

The George Michael Sports machine was an NBC show that showed sports highlights on Sunday nights. They would often show highlights of Pro wrestling and have an occasional feature. They would always cover wrestling as if it was real.

Here are the Von Erich's on the George Michael sports machine in 1985


World Class Championship wrestling was HUGE from 82-86. As is stated in this clip The show was opposite Saturday Night Live in Dallas and almost double Snl's ratings in the Dallas Fort Worth market. I have also read that the syndicate version of the show was out drawing Hulk Hogan and the WWF in several markets including some of the WWF's home bases such as Boston and Philadelphia.

Drug use began to take it's toll on WCCW. several of the performers would end up dying at a Young age.

The biggest toll was paid by the Von Erich boys. They were the stars of the promotion and the son of Fritz. Fritz was a big star in wrestling in the 50's and 60's. Fritz owned the promotion and ran it with the goal of making his sons huge stars. They became matinee idols. Then it all went wrong.

Fritz had five sons who got into wrestling. Tragically four of them died young. The sad story of the Von Erich's led to the death Of world class wrestling.

Personally I can relate to this clip after going to the Portland Sports Arena last year and seeing that the arena that used to hold my childhood T.V. show was now a community center for a church.

We start by seeing the surviving brother Kevin going to the Sportatorium (wrestling arena) just before it was torn down



Here we have wrestling manager Jim Cornette with his view of World Class Wrestling

Boxing then and now: Joe Frazier and David Haye

Has I was watching the title unification bout between David Haye and Enzo Maccarinelli it occurred to me that the the cruiser weights (under 199lbs) of today are physically larger than the Heavyweights from boxing's glory days.

Haye weighed in at 198lbs while Maccarinelli weighed in at 199lbs the day before the fight. What you have to realize is that fighter regularly cut 10 to 15 pounds to make weight and then rehydrate for the fight. When David Haye fought at heavyweight a couple bouts back he stepped on the scale at a lean 217lbs.

Here is the Haye VS Maccarinelli fight from March 8th in England. I really enjoy the British fans here. They make an average fight seem far more exciting by virtue of their energy



Here we have a 1969 heavyweight title fight between Joe Frazier and Jerry Quarry. Joe Frazier weighed in at 203 lbs while Quarry weighed 198lbs.

Six Hours Of Boxing and MMA Saturday march 8th

If you live on the west coast and have HBO and Showtime you'll be able to watch a six hour block of boxing and mixed martial arts.

HBO
6:30-9:00 Juan Diaz vs Nate Campbel lightweight title fight
Sam Peter Oleg Maskaev Heavyweight title fight

Showtime

9:00-10:30 David Haye vs Enzo Macernelli cruiserweight title fight

10:30-12:30 MMA from England featuring Ken Shamrock