Through the Fire and Flames of WCCW

It’s a safe argument to make that the average wrestling fan hasn’t the slightest clue what the Von Erich family meant to professional wrestling or even what their promotion, World Class Championship Wrestling, was. Because of that, WWE’s “The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling” will serve as an entertaining history lesson of the story of professional wrestling in Texas and how it destroyed a family.

To hardcore wrestling fans, the demise of the Von Erich family and WCCW has been in wrestling lore for decades, but it’s been nearly impossible to get a hold of the classic matches the company had. Containing over three hours of interviews, promos and matches from Rick Rude, Chris Adams, Kamala, the Fabulous Freebirds and the Von Erich’s, this set showcases some of the best work in the company’s history.

As a result, this set has something for everyone.

At the same time, only a true wrestling fan will appreciate the matches featured on this set, which pale in comparison to what’s on television now. Many of WCCW stars paved the way for the stars of today, but the brawling-focused and old school nature of the action will bore newer fans of the “sport.”

The documentary on disc one of this two-disc set is solid, but is hurt by the fact that so many of the company’s former stars are passed on or in such bad shape that seeing them so beat up hurts their credibility. Seeing Buddy Roberts in the shape that he’s in during some of these interviews will bring a tear to your eyes. Luckily, Kevin Von Erich, Gary Hart and Michael Hayes are still able to recollect the happenings of the era in vivid detail. Regardless, it’s obvious to see that many of the former stars of the company have seen better days.

During the course of this DVD, it’s apparent that WCCW was huge in Texas and through smart projects all over the world. Eventually, they branched out enough to carve a nice little niche in the industry. Using his sons as the main babyfaces, promoter and former star Fritz Von Erich never thought they would let him down. However, with a tough schedule and plenty of drugs around and some bad luck, the Von Erich’s lost both David and Kerry before they would be able to show the world just how talented they really were.

Seeing several of their best matches on this DVD is another reason to check this out.

Now with death and destruction looming and Vince McMahon’s dreams of a wrestling empire on their doorstep, WCCW would then see their top stars either pass on or defect to the then-WWF, forcing the company to fold just a few short years later.

While the story of a company closing its doors because of McMahon is nothing new, the amount of damage and loss seen in WCCW is unparalleled and is told in as complete a way as it possibly can be at this point in time.

A history lesson spanning over 30 years of professional wrestling, this DVD doesn’t have a happy ending, but with so much content packed inside, it ultimately does a solid job of honoring the people that made this story worth telling. In the wild and carnival world of professional wrestling, sometimes that’s all you can ask for.