WCCW Championship sports: Saturday, 2/11/1984 on TV 📺 From: Fort Worth, Texas: Will Rogers Coliseum: Monday, feb.6, 1984 ( Live! ) David Von Erich's last ever TV interview . David Von Erich died Friday, 2/10/1984 while on a tour of All Japan Pro Wrestling, never a show on that tour.
I never got over David’s passing. Too painful and too tragic. Changed World Class’ landscape for ever (and for worse!), but it also changed wrestling’s landscape in my opinion. Of course, it was an irreparable blow to the Adkinsons. David was their leader, even though Kev was the oldest, and I’m not talking about wrestling exclusively. I was 9 when he died. Cried my eyes out. Love you Dave, long live The Yellow Rose of Texas!!
Wow we're the same age then, I was 9 in 1984 too. But living in a Pennsylvania town that did not get the World Class show in syndication in 1984 my only exposure to the Von Erichs were the wrestling mags. But even in them I found myself to be a huge fan of theirs. Because very few people were even aware of WCCW in my town to begin with I wouldn't even find out about David's death until the magazine issued after was released. Although I never saw him wrestle it was still incredibly sad to me. It wasn't until ESPN got the syndication deal a year or two later that I got to see them in live action & my fandom for them went next level. By then David had already passed away but I was still able to see matches from him when they would do WCCW flashbacks & even at my young age knew that we were robbed of something special. But you talk about his death changing the landscape, think about this, David died only 2 weeks after Hulk Hogan beat the Iron Sheik for the WWF World Title, a move that changed the landscape for WWF & eventually wrestling as a whole. Had David lived & went on to become NWA World Champion I believe that move eventually elevates the NWA as a whole. That means from that point in 1984 there are 2 mainstream wrestling promotions for generations of wrestling fans to grow up with & who knows what the wrestling business would look like today as a result. But when David died in that hotel room in Japan all that promise died with him & unfortunately set off the events that would create even more tragedy for his family
@@arlopear7136 wow! It must be something generational, because I’ve made that same assessment over and over again!!!! Hogan disembarks dans WWF and wins the title and a couple of weeks later DVE dies, and the third event: Piper leaves Mid-Atlantic to join the WWF. The Von Erichs had equal mainstream attraction potential as Hogan, but they appealed to teenager girls and women, not so much to kids as Hogan, but even that is debatable: both of us were kids in 83- 84 and I was way more invested in the Von Erichs than in Hogan!! You want to know something really unique? I am from Bogotá, Colombia, lived here then and got to see all of this! Not on a weekly basis, but on somewhat of a regular one! My Dad was the CEO of a huge American corporation, so he traveled a lot to the States all year round and brought me the tapes!!!
@@maturanita that's awesome. Not too long ago I was arguing with some Troll on IG who said the Von Erichs were only big in Texas & didn't have international appeal because Kerry never made it big in the WWF. This went on for days & no matter how many times I proved otherwise he just kept going lol. Some people are so stuck in their WWE bubble they think that's the only wrestling that matters throughout the entire world when it's clearly not the case at all. The Von Erichs & World Class were huge ratings draws worldwide in the 80s. Next time I get into another one of these social media disputes I'm gonna tag you in to prove them wrong lol.
@@arlopear7136 indeed. These marks believe that wrestling began with the WWF, and have no idea, none whatsoever, that there were other territories and promotions that played a huge role in transforming wrestling into sports entertainment. As they say, ignorance is bliss
54 from arlington tx.Hate wrestling BUT watched this back in the day.My friend partied with Chris Adams alot, it was well known Kevin said Chris Adams would throw all those guys around like rag dolls (Chris had olympic wrestling background).Those boys grew up shooting guns by themselves at 5 years old, photos out there somewhere.
The confidence on the mic made me think he was the oldest back in the day. If he had lived and minus the drugs, I think they could have kept WCCW going.
David wasn't as big on the drugs as Kerry. He was probably the most business-minded brother. Fritz used to take him to the NWA meetings and he was involved in the booking. Outside of wrestling, he trained and sold quarterhorses. That, in addition to his workrate, was a main reason that many felt he could have been a long-term champion (rather than holding the belt for a few weeks or a month or two). The fact he had success outside of Texas in Florida, Missouri and Japan was a good example of being able to work different areas and be both a face and heel
David had excellent shtick work, unlike his brothers.. Just a step above everyone else.... David was groomed to be champion for sure! Mike worked hard.. What a damn tragedy
If they would’ve let Mike and Chris stay behind the camera or in the office they could’ve picked up the marketing aspect I think they would’ve persevered. David was going to bring in additional talent to their stable. As for Kerry, that was a wildcard. He was torn between his mistress (pharmaceuticals) and genuinely his wife and children. They were baby faces with serious adult problems. Fritz was out of touch. As he would say “the boys” needed management and accountability. Someone closer their ages and not a parent with a generation gap between them.
I thought he was going to talk about losing the Missouri title to Harley Race. That was also a precursor for David in winning the NWA title. David would come back to St. Louis and battle Race…
@John Hawkins III indeed he was. And if people like the Funks and Harley Race deem you worthy of the NWA title, you’re a bonafide wrestler. He was something else. Kevin and Kerry were no slouches by any stretch of the imagination, but David had an understating and a passion for the business that neither of them had. What a huge loss his death was
David would have been a world champion that doesn’t mean Rick flair wouldn’t have been David was the most talented outbox them all but Rick Flair would have still reigned as a world champion
They were in the works in creating a super station. This would have completely changed the outcome of professional wrestling. I feel like McMahon would have still done what he did, but it would have been a bit different.
Would have won the 'Ten pounds of gold' in May @ Texas Stadium from Ric Flair. And maybe Nature Boy would have regained the belt @ Starrcade in Greensboro with the same storyline that was used for Dusty. The match being stopped for too much bleeding. And the NWA would determine if DVE would get the belt again on what he did between May thru Nov. of '84.
Flair would have the belt back November (at the earliest), not May. Starrcade was held on Thanksgiving. Who knows, David would have probably played the heel in Mid Atlantic territory because the fans in the Carolinas we're "Pro Flair"
@@chrischar9428 Probably right. Also worth noting that David was going to win it in April, not May. May was the adjusted timeline after his death. He could have held it for a month to a month and half before dropping it back to Flair leading to Night of Champions. The NWA would have been able to determine in that time if David was capable of a longer run in 1985 and beyond.
David Von Erich was the best at the mic, cutting promos and physically the most talented of all his brothers but... in no universe at all would Mike Von Erich defeat Ric Flair. That's almost like saying Chris Von Erich would have defeated Harley Race. Come on... Just like everything else - Kayfabe has its limits. 😂
Gone too soon. His passing as well as leaving the NWA 2 years later sent WCCW downhill. If not for that, I imagine WCCW may have lasted longer regardless if it would've inevitably folded or be bought by Vince. Might've been at the forefront of the NWA alongside JCP.
According to Bill Irwin, they were in Japan and David did a bit of binge eating at dinner. The next night he no-showed at the event center. Bruiser Brody (Frank Donald Goodish) was immediately and very seriously alarmed because he knew David well, and David had never, no-showed an event. Brody left the event center and found David dead in his hotel room. The cause was determined to be a ruptured bowel as I recall. His brothers later noted when he left the U.S. for Japan he was a little weak with mild-ish flu like symptoms, and may have also had some type of infection going on when he arrived in Japan...
@@stevenstrickland5159 wow.. that would be such a painful way to die. I heard 2 different story’s. The other story is that it was a drug overdose? Thank you for your reply..
@@Kat-pr7qm A mostly URBAN LEGEND was that Brody, when he found David's body at the hotel he found drugs in the room and quickly flushed them down the toilet. However, there was no evidence ever found that David had used drugs and nothing of drugs was reported when the autopsy was released. The story is a sound one, because when his brother Kerry took his own life in 1993 the autopsy showed he did have cocaine in his system when he took his own life...A real mess of a family...Jerry Jarret says in his SHOOT interview when he agreed to take over WCCW Fritz told him to his face that going into business with his sons is not at all a good idea. Check the clip Jerry Jarrett on Kerry VonErich...I talk to much...
![Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8UVNT4wvIGY/mqdefault.jpg)
He was by far the best on the mic of the brothers
David is credited as the best wrestler of the family and you know what they're right.
@@fro-zone2k definitely
OMG
Would have liked to see him win the NWA World Title.
WCCW Championship sports: Saturday, 2/11/1984 on TV 📺 From: Fort Worth, Texas: Will Rogers Coliseum: Monday, feb.6, 1984 ( Live! ) David Von Erich's last ever TV interview . David Von Erich died Friday, 2/10/1984 while on a tour of All Japan Pro Wrestling, never a show on that tour.
I could have listened to him all day ❤
I wish I could have seen more of him. I didn't see WCCW until about a year before he passed
My mother was his biggest fan. She was truly hurt by his death.
When he passed away. It felt unusual. It didn't feel right. It's like anyone around me felt, like some kind of foul play was involved.
I never got over David’s passing. Too painful and too tragic. Changed World Class’ landscape for ever (and for worse!), but it also changed wrestling’s landscape in my opinion. Of course, it was an irreparable blow to the Adkinsons. David was their leader, even though Kev was the oldest, and I’m not talking about wrestling exclusively. I was 9 when he died. Cried my eyes out. Love you Dave, long live The Yellow Rose of Texas!!
Wow we're the same age then, I was 9 in 1984 too. But living in a Pennsylvania town that did not get the World Class show in syndication in 1984 my only exposure to the Von Erichs were the wrestling mags. But even in them I found myself to be a huge fan of theirs. Because very few people were even aware of WCCW in my town to begin with I wouldn't even find out about David's death until the magazine issued after was released. Although I never saw him wrestle it was still incredibly sad to me. It wasn't until ESPN got the syndication deal a year or two later that I got to see them in live action & my fandom for them went next level. By then David had already passed away but I was still able to see matches from him when they would do WCCW flashbacks & even at my young age knew that we were robbed of something special. But you talk about his death changing the landscape, think about this, David died only 2 weeks after Hulk Hogan beat the Iron Sheik for the WWF World Title, a move that changed the landscape for WWF & eventually wrestling as a whole. Had David lived & went on to become NWA World Champion I believe that move eventually elevates the NWA as a whole. That means from that point in 1984 there are 2 mainstream wrestling promotions for generations of wrestling fans to grow up with & who knows what the wrestling business would look like today as a result. But when David died in that hotel room in Japan all that promise died with him & unfortunately set off the events that would create even more tragedy for his family
@@arlopear7136 wow! It must be something generational, because I’ve made that same assessment over and over again!!!! Hogan disembarks dans WWF and wins the title and a couple of weeks later DVE dies, and the third event: Piper leaves Mid-Atlantic to join the WWF. The Von Erichs had equal mainstream attraction potential as Hogan, but they appealed to teenager girls and women, not so much to kids as Hogan, but even that is debatable: both of us were kids in 83- 84 and I was way more invested in the Von Erichs than in Hogan!! You want to know something really unique? I am from Bogotá, Colombia, lived here then and got to see all of this! Not on a weekly basis, but on somewhat of a regular one! My Dad was the CEO of a huge American corporation, so he traveled a lot to the States all year round and brought me the tapes!!!
@@maturanita that's awesome. Not too long ago I was arguing with some Troll on IG who said the Von Erichs were only big in Texas & didn't have international appeal because Kerry never made it big in the WWF. This went on for days & no matter how many times I proved otherwise he just kept going lol. Some people are so stuck in their WWE bubble they think that's the only wrestling that matters throughout the entire world when it's clearly not the case at all. The Von Erichs & World Class were huge ratings draws worldwide in the 80s. Next time I get into another one of these social media disputes I'm gonna tag you in to prove them wrong lol.
@@arlopear7136 indeed. These marks believe that wrestling began with the WWF, and have no idea, none whatsoever, that there were other territories and promotions that played a huge role in transforming wrestling into sports entertainment. As they say, ignorance is bliss
54 from arlington tx.Hate wrestling BUT watched this back in the day.My friend partied with Chris Adams alot, it was well known Kevin said Chris Adams would throw all those guys around like rag dolls (Chris had olympic wrestling background).Those boys grew up shooting guns by themselves at 5 years old, photos out there somewhere.
Freebirds Von Erichs was a great feud.
WCCW was the best in 1982 to late 1985.
David's death was the beginning of the end of wccw.
David was my favorite of the brothers. First wrestling death I expected at 12 years old. 😞
David was the heart and soul of the Von Erichs. He would have made a great world champion
The confidence on the mic made me think he was the oldest back in the day. If he had lived and minus the drugs, I think they could have kept WCCW going.
David wasn't as big on the drugs as Kerry. He was probably the most business-minded brother. Fritz used to take him to the NWA meetings and he was involved in the booking. Outside of wrestling, he trained and sold quarterhorses.
That, in addition to his workrate, was a main reason that many felt he could have been a long-term champion (rather than holding the belt for a few weeks or a month or two). The fact he had success outside of Texas in Florida, Missouri and Japan was a good example of being able to work different areas and be both a face and heel
@@garyrasberryjr.552with prime flair....probably not
God, days later a family and a profession were forever changed. RIP Yellow Rose of TX
He looks like Fritz..
** This is what real wrestling was, The VonErichs!**
Great video thanks
David had excellent shtick work, unlike his brothers.. Just a step above everyone else.... David was groomed to be champion for sure! Mike worked hard.. What a damn tragedy
If they would’ve let Mike and Chris stay behind the camera or in the office they could’ve picked up the marketing aspect I think they would’ve persevered. David was going to bring in additional talent to their stable. As for Kerry, that was a wildcard. He was torn between his mistress (pharmaceuticals) and genuinely his wife and children. They were baby faces with serious adult problems. Fritz was out of touch. As he would say “the boys” needed management and accountability. Someone closer their ages and not a parent with a generation gap between them.
The yellow rose of Texas! RIP Dave! Bad ass man!
I. Miss David. Von. Erich very. Much. ❤❤❤
David Von Erich could've run for office in Texas.
lol kevin got concussion again and the create this story line out of it lol
I thought he was going to talk about losing the Missouri title to Harley Race. That was also a precursor for David in winning the NWA title. David would come back to St. Louis and battle Race…
When David von erich pass. Wrestling wasn't the same.
So David was set to become NWA champ.....
@John Hawkins III indeed he was. And if people like the Funks and Harley Race deem you worthy of the NWA title, you’re a bonafide wrestler. He was something else. Kevin and Kerry were no slouches by any stretch of the imagination, but David had an understating and a passion for the business that neither of them had. What a huge loss his death was
David would have been a world champion that doesn’t mean Rick flair wouldn’t have been David was the most talented outbox them all but Rick Flair would have still reigned as a world champion
They were in the works in creating a super station. This would have completely changed the outcome of professional wrestling. I feel like McMahon would have still done what he did, but it would have been a bit different.
David should have been a bad guy
I think Kerry and Kevin, especially Kerry we're better than David
Would have won the 'Ten pounds of gold' in May @ Texas Stadium from Ric Flair. And maybe Nature Boy would have regained the belt @ Starrcade in Greensboro with the same storyline that was used for Dusty. The match being stopped for too much bleeding. And the NWA would determine if DVE would get the belt again on what he did between May thru Nov. of '84.
Noway does Flair not have belt back by end of may
Flair would have the belt back November (at the earliest), not May. Starrcade was held on Thanksgiving. Who knows, David would have probably played the heel in Mid Atlantic territory because the fans in the Carolinas we're "Pro Flair"
@@roberthernandez4616 night of champions was end of May. No way in hell does that not have Flair v steamboat for NWA title
@@chrischar9428 Probably right. Also worth noting that David was going to win it in April, not May. May was the adjusted timeline after his death. He could have held it for a month to a month and half before dropping it back to Flair leading to Night of Champions. The NWA would have been able to determine in that time if David was capable of a longer run in 1985 and beyond.
David Von Erich was the best at the mic, cutting promos and physically the most talented of all his brothers but... in no universe at all would Mike Von Erich defeat Ric Flair. That's almost like saying Chris Von Erich would have defeated Harley Race. Come on... Just like everything else - Kayfabe has its limits. 😂
David keeps confusing me, with Mike.
They are brothers, but sometimes look too much alike.
Gone too soon. His passing as well as leaving the NWA 2 years later sent WCCW downhill. If not for that, I imagine WCCW may have lasted longer regardless if it would've inevitably folded or be bought by Vince. Might've been at the forefront of the NWA alongside JCP.
What if Crockett took David?
@@johnhawk1969 Good question. Might depend on compensation. Of course the WWE took Kerry so I wouldn't say that wouldn't happen
David could seriously have been The Undertaker!
I heard Taker in an interview say once that Fritz hired him to begin with because he looked like David.
I don’t think David would have done well in the WWF’s new world of sports entertainment.
A lyricist could pen a song with "American Pie" overtones for this tragedy.
I read that Mike only wrestled after David died because he had to, well after this I would say that's not true????
Agreed, Michael just started wrestling thanksgiving, 1983 long before David passed.
How did he actually pass away??
David died in Japan from a ruptured intestines he was only 25
According to Bill Irwin, they were in Japan and David did a bit of binge eating at dinner. The next night he no-showed at the event center. Bruiser Brody (Frank Donald Goodish) was immediately and very seriously alarmed because he knew David well, and David had never, no-showed an event. Brody left the event center and found David dead in his hotel room. The cause was determined to be a ruptured bowel as I recall. His brothers later noted when he left the U.S. for Japan he was a little weak with mild-ish flu like symptoms, and may have also had some type of infection going on when he arrived in Japan...
@@stevenstrickland5159 wow.. that would be such a painful way to die. I heard 2 different story’s. The other story is that it was a drug overdose? Thank you for your reply..
he od on Qualudes
@@Kat-pr7qm A mostly URBAN LEGEND was that Brody, when he found David's body at the hotel he found drugs in the room and quickly flushed them down the toilet. However, there was no evidence ever found that David had used drugs and nothing of drugs was reported when the autopsy was released. The story is a sound one, because when his brother Kerry took his own life in 1993 the autopsy showed he did have cocaine in his system when he took his own life...A real mess of a family...Jerry Jarret says in his SHOOT interview when he agreed to take over WCCW Fritz told him to his face that going into business with his sons is not at all a good idea. Check the clip Jerry Jarrett on Kerry VonErich...I talk to much...