by David T. Madeya
The Road Warriors
Photo appears at Slobberknocker Central
Back in 1986, the Road Warriors had annihilated all competition in the NWA and decided to leave, looking for fresh meat. Under Paul Ellering's eye, LOD made short trips back in the AWA and Mid-South, as well as a first appearance in the WWF. LOD pounded their way through the best those federations had to offer....The Rockers, The Blade Runners, The Hart Foundation, The British Bulldogs, etc. Not until LOD headed down to the Lone Star State, did the LOD find a pair of brothers able to match up with the power, fury, and just straight out toughness that was Hawk and Animal. Battles against Tatum and Victory, Chris Adams and Gino Hernandez, Iceman Parsons and The Great Kabuki, even against the Freebirds proved to be meager challenges for Hawk and Animal. Then came their match up with Bruiser Brody and The Missing Link. In the beginning of the match, Hawk and Animal did have initial problems putting down the late great Bruiser. But being the great tag team that they were, the Road Warriors simply waited for Brody to tag in the Link, dismantling the head banger and putting him down for the count. But, at this point, the Road Warriors were not satisfied. They didn't like the reality that Brody had been able to withstand their efforts (even though he was the kind of competition they had actually set out to look for). After the count, Animal hoisted the Link on his shoulders and Hawk executed his clothesline off the top rope, making sure the Link wouldn't be able to recover for some time. Brody, who was being distracted by Ellering while the Link was being flipped off Animal, turned his attention back to the center of the ring. He walked over the top rope and shoved Animal, "What the hell are you guys doing?" This was exactly what Hawk and Animal were looking for. In a split second, the two looked at one another, looked back at Bruiser, and started whaling on the big man. Brody fought back for the short while that he could, but LOD was far too dominant. After tossing Brody over the top rope, a once welcoming crowd of Texans began booing the LOD, throwing whatever food and drinks they had at the face painted monsters. With Brody out of the ring, Animal picked up the fallen Link in a bear hug, as Hawk catapulted himself off the ropes to give the Link a flying clothesline (Hart Foundation style), but as the Link landed on the mat, he landed squarely on his shoulder, and he began writhing in pain. The Link was helpless. To the cheers of the crowd, Brody came charging back into the ring with a steel chair, and struck Hawk squarely on the top of his head! Hawk fell momentarily, but as Brody turned around to attack Animal, he was met with one of Animal's big boots. With so much adreniline flowing, Hawk got up almost immediately from Brody's blow! Reeling from Animal's boot, Brody was then met with another boot by Hawk, and then a powerslam by Animal! Feeling they had proven their dominance, the LOD was about to leave, when Ellering shouted, "Finish him!" Animal then picked up Brody over his shoulders for the team's pattented finisher. But as Hawk climbed to the top rope for his flying clothesline, he carried with him the steel chair Brody had brought in. From the top rope, Hawk flew across the ring and smashed the chair into Brody's head. The wildman flipped off Animal's shoulders onto the mat, bloodied from the Road Warrior's final blow. The crowd was almost completely hushed, feeling not only a deep hatred for LOD and Ellering, but also a sincere concern for the Missing Link and Bruiser Brody. Hawk and Animal then climed to the middle ropes, facing the crowd, yelling out, "That's the best you have to offer? We're the true champ's, the only champ's!" As LOD left the arena, medical attention was brought out for Brody and the Link....
A week after LOD hospitalized Bruiser Brody and The Missing Link, Fritz
Von Eric had this to say!! "During the past month or so, WCCW has seen
three men come into our state and bully their way around our arena. At
first, we Von Eric's didn't mind the Road Warriors and Paul Ellering coming
here. We didn't mind them beating up on guys like the Freebirds and Chris
Adams and Gino Hernandez. In fact we even welcomed them, as we always want
to have first class talent here in WCCW so that we can measure our own
talent against theirs. But Ellering, what you and your LOD did last week
to Bruiser and The Link was 
uncalled
for!!! The Missing Link is in here with a separated shoulder and Bruiser
Brody has a serious concussion!!! (At this time, the camera pans out and
we see Kerry and Kevin Von Eric flanking their father) If you think you
can come in here and waltz all over the Great State of Texas, well I've
got two sons here who think otherwise!! And if you have any guts, you'll
sign for a match with us for next week!", says Fritz angrily. Meanwhile,
the LOD did catch the comments and quickly accepted the Von Eric's challenge.
Over the next week, the hype for this match was virtually unparalleled
in Texas. Fans were talking about Kerry's matches with Ric Flair, and how
he and Kevin would do them proud again, proving that WCCW could take on
the NWA's best!!! The hatred that the people in Texas felt for the Road
Warriors was just as strong as the hatred felt for guys like Hernandez,
Adams, Hayes, Gordy, and Roberts. The match was also signed as a no-disqualification
bout.
As "Iron Man" filled the arena's air waves, Ellering, Hawk and Animal
walked confidently to the ring. They climbed the ropes again, and shouted
out, "Time for your precious pretty boy Von Erich's to feel the wrath of
The Legion Of Doom!" Then Kerry Von Eric's music of "Tom Sawyer" blasted.
Kerry, Kevin and Fritz jogged to the ring. The crowd went absolutely nuts.
Hawk and Animal went to their corner, hardly impressed by the Von Eric's
entrance. Kerry and Kevin climbed the ropes, waving to their fans, whose
cheers were unbelievably loud. After Kerry disrobed himself and things
began settling down, Hawk and Kevin stepped outside the ropes. Animal and
Kerry would start things off, and the bell sounded!! The two grapplers
locked up and Animal drove Kerry back into a neutral corner and then kicked
him in the mid section, to which Kerry fought back with a fury of blows
to Animal's head. Knocking Animal off balance, Kerry dropkicked Animal
and Animal stumbled back into Kevin who greeted him with another fist which
finally dropped Animal onto the mat. The crowd went nuts, but Animal quickly
recovered as he and Kerry locked up again. With Kerry a little more confident
and Animal a little more weary, Animal put the "Modern Day Warrior" in
a headlock and tagged in Hawk. LOD punched and kicked Kerry for their 5
count and then whipped him into the ropes. Hawk caught Kerry and pressed
him into the air, dropping him onto the mat. After flexing to the crowd,
Hawk jumped into the air and landed his fist squarley into Kerry's face.
Kerry tried to fight back, but his sporadic fluries were no match for Hawk
and Animal. After a number of LOD tags, Kerry was really wearing down.
Animal came back in, as Hawk send Kerry to the ropes, Animal flew through
the air and crashed into Kerry with his flying shoulderblock. Surprisingly,
the match was clean so far, as Animal went for the first pin, Kerry kicking
out after a solid 2 count. But he just couldn't match strength with either
Hawk or Animal, and though the fans shouted insistantly, "Here we go Kerry,
here we go!" at the top of their lungs, it seems LOD had his number. Kerry
was pummeled for a good 7 minutes with numerous attempted pinfalls by LOD.
Unable to get the fall, LOD methodically kept up their thrashing of the
Modern Day Warrior. The crowd was distraught. Some women could be seen
in the crowd praying, a complete look of despair in their eyes. Everyone's
cheers were dying down, the crowd seemingly to have conceded victory already.
Taggin back in, Hawk went for another gorilla press slam, but Kerry wiggled his way off of Hawk's hands, and landed on the mat. He gave Hawk a short series of blows, and then spun around, giving Hawk his discus punch! Hawk fell to the mat, completely disoriented. In this short moment, the proud Texas crowd became rejuvinated, and Kerry finally made the tag to his brother Kevin! Kevin, though not as powerful as either Hawk or Animal was too quick for either of them, and kept them totally off balance. Although he could never gain a serious advantage over them, neither could they gain an advantage over him. His dropkicks and quick punches frustrated Hawk and Animal to such an extend that they decided to take advantage of the no-DQ rule. LOD took extended time to double team Kevin, with Kerry still recovering. But whenever LOD went for a pinfall, Kevin would slip out somehow. After Kerry had gained a better consciousness, he ran in to help his brother, as the double efforts of LOD were starting to take their toll on Kevin. With Kerry back at full force and Kevin gaining strength, the crowd began to gain momentum as well. As Jim Ross would say, "The Von Eric's are standin' tall!" going toe to toe with the Road Warriors. Eventually, the 4 men ended up outside the ring, and they battled furiously with each other until they were both counted out. The battle continued back into the dressing rooms and the following week a press conference was held in order to settle this new feud. As the press conference, only Paul Ellering and Fritz Von Eric were allowed to show. World Class officials felt that it would be best not to allow either the Road Warriors or Kerry & Kevin in the same room considering the eruption that ensued after the previous week's match. Ellering and Fritz agreed that The Road Warriors would battle Kerry and Kevin Von Eric in the best 3 out of 5 matches, no-DQ, no time limit, no countout. Each match must have a decisive winner. Three of the matches would be held in Texas (for World Class fans), one match in Greensboro, NC and another at The Omni in Atlanta, GA (for NWA fans). One final stipulation was made: Kerry and Kevin Von Eric could have Bruiser Brody in their corner, and The Road Warriors could choose a third person to watch their backs as well. Their choice--"The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff!!
Kerry Von Eric (upper left)
Photo appears at the
World Of Wrestling
Hall Of Fame Web Site
Kevin Von Eric (right side)
Photo appears at
the Pro Wrestling On-Line
Museum