World Class Championship Wrestling

Before ECW, there was the promotion it was most often compared to, World Class Championship Wrestling.

WCCW was, and, at it's high point, broadcast not only across the United States but syndicated worldwide, which even the WWF couldn't claim during those years. It's match style was built on speed and athleticism, providing a contrast to the slower pace of the NWA, AWA, and WWF of the time. It introduced many innovative production techniques that we still see, today, such as having mobile cameras around the ring providing shots you couldn't do with the traditional stationary camera everyone had used before then (which meant a lot more work for the director), and rock music used as entrance themes.

Oh, they also had a fondness for using chairs, brass knucks, barbed wire, etc.

Their venues included the Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth, and, for special Supercards, Reunion Arena and the Cotton Bowl in Dallas and Texas Stadium in Irving. The main venue, though, was the Sportatorium in Downtown Dallas.

Built in 1935, the Sportatorium was originally octogon shaped, but after a 1953 fire destroyed a large part of it, was rebuilt in it's familiar rectangular design, though still keeping the octogon seating.




The Sportatorium had become famous for things other than wrestling and boxing. From 1948 through 1966, it hosted the Big D Jamboree, broadcast every Saturday night nationally by CBS Radio. It became important to the rise of Rock & Roll, R&B, and Country music, with many a legend having it as a step on their rise. Here's a little of the history...







With a capacity of 4500, it was intimate, with a loud, devoted, crowd that, despite the heating and AC problems, not to mention the rats (and I don't mean just the "ring rat" variety), gave it a special magic, the perfect place to watch wrestlers perform their art.

Of course, anyone from Philly reading this would say "Ha! You call that a rundown rat trap? Try a warehouse turned bingo hall! You Texans and your fancy shmancy big red lit up letters and an arena that's really an arena! Elvis didn't play here on the ring mat! The Sportatorium was Madison Square Garden compared to the ECW Arena! And we liked it!"

True, but at least Viking Hall/ECW Arena/etc is still standing. The Sportatorium was demolished in 2003, Reunion Arena in 2009, Texas Stadium in 2010. The Will Rogers, at least, is still around. The Cotton Bowl will likely outlive us all. And our kids.

But enough background, here's some rasslin'.


Gentleman Chris Adams vs The Great Kabuki with Sunshine, 1985






The Von Erichs (Kevin, David, Kerry) vs The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael P.S. Hayes, Buddy Roberts, Terry Gordy), 1983






Bruiser Brody vs Abdullah the Butcher with Gary Hart, 1986






Hollywood John Tatum and the Grappler with Missy Hyatt vs The Fantastics, 1985






Ric Flair vs David Von Erich, 1983





Ravishing Rick Rude with Percy Pringle (Paul Bearer) vs Bruiser Brody, 1986





Iceman King Parsons vs Buddy Roberts, 1986






Kevin Von Erich vs Gentleman Chris Adams, 1985





Bruiser Brody vs Terry Gordy, Barbed Wire Match, 1986





Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich, 1984



Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich by BossFoxx