Kevin Von Erich
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Kevin Von Erich | |
---|---|
Birth name | Kevin Ross Adkisson |
Born | Belleville, Illinois, U.S. | May 15, 1957
Spouse(s) |
Pam Adkisson (m. 1980) |
Children | 4 (including Marshall and Ross Von Erich) |
Family | Von Erich |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Kevin Von Erich |
Billed height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)[1] |
Billed weight | 222 lb (101 kg)[1] |
Billed from | Denton, Texas |
Trained by | Fritz Von Erich |
Debut | 1976 |
Retired | July 17, 2017 |
Kevin Ross Adkisson (born May 15, 1957) is an American retired
Football career
Adkisson played football at North Texas State University as a fullback until an injury ended his football career and dream of playing in the National Football League.
Professional wrestling career
World Class Championship Wrestling (1976–1990)
This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (July 2018) |
Early career (1976–1981)
Adkisson started wrestling as Kevin Von Erich in 1976. He spent most of his career wrestling for his father's promotion,
During the late-1970s, Kevin established himself in the Dallas territory. His first major success came in 1978 while wrestling as a tag team with his younger brother David. During the year, they captured the NWA Texas Tag Team Championship on two occasions as well as the NWA American Tag Team Championship. On
Freebird-Von Erich Feud (1982–1984)
In early 1982, the
A feud between the Von Erichs and Freebirds developed roughly a month later. During WCCW's annual Christmas show in 1982, Kerry Von Erich faced
The Freebirds immediately became the top
Feuds with Chris Adams and Ric Flair (1985–1990)
Kevin also had a long feud with Chris Adams that lasted for months and had many violent matches, including two well-known chair shots on each other that required hospitalization for both men. Kevin would also tag-team with Adams on numerous occasions before and after their feud. Away from the ring, Kevin and Chris were close friends; Kevin served as a pallbearer during Adams' funeral in 2001 and traveled to England to visit Adams' family afterwards. In recent interviews, Kevin stated that Adams was the toughest wrestler he's ever wrestled in his career and he showed a great amount of respect for the British-born wrestler. Kevin had several close matches with NWA World Champ Ric Flair, including the main event of the 2nd David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions at Texas Stadium, but never won the title.
Folding of WCCW and United States Wrestling Association (1989–1990)
After the failure of SuperClash III, in 1989, Kevin became very despondent over his father's decision to sell the promotion to Jerry Jarrett, who owned the Memphis-based CWA, despite his brother Kerry welcoming Jarrett into the mix; the merged promotions became the USWA. However, because of disputes, including suing Jarrett himself, he pulled WCCW out of the USWA in 1990, but he couldn't resurrect the promotion his father built and had no choice but shut down World Class that November. Kevin did manage to draw crowds to the Sportatorium in the early going, but with the absence of his brother, manager/booker Gary Hart, and the lack of televised matches, World Class' survival was very thin. During that time, Kevin competed very little; other than wrestling in other independent cards promoted by either himself, Chris Adams or Gary Hart. Kevin did not participate at all in the August 4, 1989 card in which World Class formally became USWA Texas, while brother Kerry, who competed on the card earlier, reportedly left the Sportatorium shortly after his match. Kevin however did help out a young Steve Austin increase his abilities in the ring during this time, and considers Austin as one of his friends to this day.
World Wrestling Federation (1991)
Sixteen months after his brother joined the World Wrestling Federation, Kevin wrestled in a dark match on December 2, 1991, at a Wrestling Challenge taping in Corpus Christi, TX where he faced and defeated Brian Lee.[2]
Later career (1991–1995)
Von Erich competed in Mexico's
Retirement
On October 3, 2005, Kevin made an appearance on the
Later that October he sold the rights to the (pre-1988) WCCW name and
Sporadic appearances (2017, 2023)
At 60 years of age, Von Erich returned to wrestling for the first time in 22 years on July 9, 2017. He teamed with his sons Ross and Marshall as they defeated Marty Jannetty, Jumping Lee and Gery Roif at The Rage Wrestling Mega Show in Tel Aviv, Israel.[7] On December 13, 2023, Kevin appeared with his sons Ross and Marshall on episodes of All Elite Wrestling's Dynamite and Rampage, as well as sister promotion Ring of Honor.
Personal life
On August 1, 1980, Von Erich married Pam Adkisson; the couple lives in Hawaii and runs a family investment business together. Von Erich dabbles in
They have four children, including
Kevin is the last surviving son of wrestler Fritz Von Erich. He was the second-born son. Kevin had four brothers who wrestled: David, Kerry, Mike and Chris. His older brother Jack Barton Adkisson, Jr., born 21 September 1952, died at the age of six in Niagara Falls, New York, on 7 March 1959, after stepping on a trailer tongue. He received an electric shock which caused him to fall into a melting snow puddle face first, where he drowned.[10][11][12]
Other media
Adkisson, as Kevin Von Erich, appears in the video games Legends of Wrestling, Legends of Wrestling II, Showdown: Legends of Wrestling, WWE 2K17 and WWE 2K18.
A biopic feature film titled The Iron Claw starring Zac Efron as Kevin was released on December 22, 2023.[13]
Championships and accomplishments
- All Japan Pro Wrestling
- Cauliflower Alley Club
- Art Abrams Lifetime Achievement/Lou Thesz Award (2017)[15]
- NWA Big Time Wrestling / World Class Championship Wrestling / World Class Wrestling Association
- NWA American Heavyweight Championship (5 times)[16][17]
- NWA American Tag Team Championship (4 times) - with David Von Erich (1), El Halcon (1), and Kerry Von Erich (2)[18][19]
- NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with David Von Erich[20][21]
- NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (Texas version) (7 times) - with David and Kerry Von Erich (2), Fritz Von Erich and Mike Von Erich (1), Kerry Von Erich and Mike Von Erich (3), and Kerry Von Erich and Brian Adias (1)[22]
- WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (2 times)[28][29]
- WCWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[30]
- WCWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (4 times) - with Kerry Von Erich and Lance Von Erich (1), Mike Von Erich and Lance Von Erich (1), Chris Adams and Steve Simpson (1), and Kerry Von Erich and Michael Hayes (1)[22]
- 3 times) - with Kerry Von Erich[31]
- NWA Southwest
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- St. Louis Wrestling Club
- St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2016
- Western States Sports
- WWE
- WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2009) as a member of the Von Erich family
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Match of the Year (1984) with Mike and Kerry Von Erich vs. the Fabulous Freebirds (Buddy Roberts, Michael Hayes, and Terry Gordy) in an Anything Goes matchon July 4
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Statistics for Professional wrestlers". PWI Presents: 1991 Wrestling Almanak and book of facts. Kappa Publications. pp. 55–71. 1991 Edition.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Heroes of World Class Wrestling". Right Here Pictures. Archived from the original on October 31, 2003. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
- ^ "WCCW FAQ". World Class Memories. Archived from the original on October 18, 2007. Retrieved November 25, 2007.
- ^ "The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class product information page". WWEShop.com. Retrieved November 25, 2007.
- ^ "TNA News: Kevin Von Erich to appear with his sons at Slammiversary". www.prowrestling.net. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
- ^ "'Rage Megashow' wrestling event brings Israel into the ring". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
- ^ "Kevin Von Erich". Bios. VonErich.com. Archived from the original on December 14, 2007. Retrieved November 25, 2007.
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". VonErich.com. Archived from the original on March 30, 2008. Retrieved May 26, 2009.
- ^ Hollandsworth, Skip (February 1, 1988). "The Fall of the House of Von Erich". D Magazine. Archived from the original on September 8, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
- ^ "Wrestler found shot dead family has lost five sons Latest tragedy apparently a suicide". Baltimore Sun. February 19, 1993. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
- ^ Mustaqeem, Syraat Al (November 2, 2022). "The Iron Claw: What is the true story behind Zac Efron's new film?". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on November 3, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
- ^ "Zac Efron Is Nearly Unrecognizable In New Look For Wrestling Movie". screenrant.com. October 27, 2022. Archived from the original on November 3, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
- ^ All Asia Tag Team Title history Archived September 9, 2007, at the Wayback Machine At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ "Kevin Von Erich to Receive the Lou Thesz/Art Abrams Award in May - Cauliflower Alley Club". www.caulifloweralleyclub.org. Archived from the original on March 31, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
- ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ "NWA United States Heavyweight Title (1967-1968/05) - American Heavyweight Title (1968/05-1986/02)". Wrestling-Titles. Archived from the original on September 28, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- ISBN 978-0-9698161-5-7.
- ^ "N.W.A. American Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. Archived from the original on December 1, 2010. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
- ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ "NWA Texas Tag Team Title [E. Texas]". wrestling-titles.com. Archived from the original on December 30, 2008. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
- ^ a b World 6-Man Tag Team Title (World Class) history Archived November 5, 2015, at the Wayback Machine At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title (Texas) history Archived December 26, 2008, at the Wayback Machine At wrestling-titles.com
- ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ "National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [E. Texas]". Wrestling-Titles. Archived from the original on December 16, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
- ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ "World Class Television Title". Wrestling-titles.com. Archived from the original on October 27, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ "NWA Texas Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
- ^ World Class Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Title history Archived August 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ World Class Wrestling Association World Tag Team Title history Archived June 8, 2003, at the Wayback Machine At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ NWA North American Heavyweight Title history Archived June 7, 2014, at the Wayback Machine At wrestling-titles.com
- ^ "PWI 500 1991". The Turnbuckle Post. Archived from the original on July 25, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
- ^ a b "PWI 500 of the PWI Years". Willy Wrestlefest. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
- ^ NWA Missouri Heavyweight Title history Archived January 27, 2008, at the Wayback Machine At wrestling-titles.com
External links
- Official website
- Kevin Von Erich on WWE.com
- Kevin Von Erich at IMDb
- Kevin Von Erich's profile at Cagematch.net , Internet Wrestling Database