The Texas Tornado

[The Brain]

This is not a thread about the tragedies that befell the Von Erich family. This is not a thread about the legacy of the Von Erich family. This is a thread to discuss Kerry Von Erich’s time in the WWF as the Texas Tornado in the early 90s.

Kerry Von Erich entered the WWF in 1990. Von Erich had already been a big name in wrestling for years. As was customary back then upon entering the WWF Von Erich was given a nickname and his history was not mentioned. Von Erich was however given a big push immediately upon his arrival. Just a couple weeks after his debut, Von Erich was announced as the substitute for the injured Brutus Beefcake to challenge Mr. Perfect for the Intercontinental title at SummerSlam 90. Keep in mind an IC title match on one of the few ppvs was a really big deal in 1990. It wasn’t like it is today where an IC match could happen on one of the many ppvs without even being announced.

Since his past reputation was not acknowledged Von Erich was considered a pretty big underdog at SummerSlam 90 since he was a newcomer. Despite being considered a newcomer his look and charisma, along with his reputation for those who were familiar with him, made him very popular from the start. The fans were thrilled when he upset Perfect at SummerSlam to become the IC champion. Von Erich had a four month reign before losing the title back to Mr. Perfect. He would spend about another year and a half in the WWF but I don’t recall him having a significant feud or storyline besides the one with Perfect. In fact I remember Ted Dibiase costing Von Erich the title by interfering in his match with Perfect but nothing ever came from that. Von Erich got a match at WrestleMania VII against Dino Bravo but that was just filler without a storyline.

Why do you think Von Erich fell so far after starting off strong in the WWF? He had a history of injuries and drug problems but to the best of my knowledge those were not factors during this particular timeframe. He seemed to have a great look for the WWF and probably should have accomplished more. I would have liked to have seen a feud with Dibiase after his interference cost Von Erich the title. Programs with Rick Martel and Shawn Michaels could have been good too. Even some matches (not a feud or storyline) with Ric Flair could have been interesting.

Do you think Kerry Von Erich should have been bigger in the WWF and who would you have liked to see work with him?

 

[Peaky1969]

I can remember being a teenager, and being shocked at Kerry winning at Summerslam '90. And was even more surprised as I got older, (and read stuff on the net), about him losing his foot years before. He definately had "the look" for the time....in a bunch of muscle heads, i thought at the time that he and Rick Martel had the best bodies.

You bring up a good question....and I think you hit the nail on the head, a program between him and Rick "The Model" Martel would have been great. As you can tell, I'm a Martel fan...and when I think of it, I can't really remember Kerry working against anybody, other than the feud with Mr.Perfect. Did he have a short run with The Warlord, or am I thinking of the Bulldog?

At the time, Kerry vs Rick Rude would have been highly entertaining as well.....

 

[czar76]

Von Erich was in the middle of a drug case that would have ended with him doing hard time. That coupled with all the baggage he brought about not being reliable killed any push. The drug case didn't come up till right before he left but needless to say he was in the throws of it during his run. He also was having trouble with his wife and was, according to many, depressed as hell and often couldn't preform to the level they wanted.
There have been rumors that the foot issue played a big part. The prosthetic was pulled off at a house show once and the word at the time was that the higher ups got nervous about it happening again maybe on a ppv.
Really he was a shell of what he was. The WCCW Kerry was leaps and bounds ahead of the WWE one. By the time he got there he was on the down slope. Had he gotten clean and stayed that way maybe things would have been different. But the rest is history.

 

[legendkiller1979]

There was some luck involved in Kerry's push. I remember reading an interview with the Davey boy smith (in WWF magazine I think) and he claimed that Vince wanted him to face perfect at summerslam. I think there were problems getting Davey into the country so tornado got the shot. Looking back, I'm not sure why they put the belt on him. Maybe it was out of respect for what he had done in the business. His run was less than spectacular and then that was it for him. He really didn't to anything note worthy after than. I may be wrong on some of this. It's been a long time since I read the interview. He ended up being one of a number of big stars who get lost in the shuffle in the WWF.

 

[realoldskoolfan]

Von Erich was in the middle of a drug case that would have ended with him doing hard time. That coupled with all the baggage he brought about not being reliable killed any push. The drug case didn't come up till right before he left but needless to say he was in the throws of it during his run. He also was having trouble with his wife and was, according to many, depressed as hell and often couldn't preform to the level they wanted.
There have been rumors that the foot issue played a big part. The prosthetic was pulled off at a house show once and the word at the time was that the higher ups got nervous about it happening again maybe on a ppv.
Really he was a shell of what he was. The WCCW Kerry was leaps and bounds ahead of the WWE one. By the time he got there he was on the down slope. Had he gotten clean and stayed that way maybe things would have been different. But the rest is history.

This about sums it up. Theres really nothing else to add here. His demons by this time had gotten the best of him, and I am sure it made Vince and many others nervous about making any long time plans with him. Towards the end of WCCW, Kerry was becoming somewhat unreliable with bookings as his out of the ring problems were really becoming bigger.
Its hard to not mention a Von Erich without dwelling on the bad with the family, it is just as big a part of the family as all there successes were. I am a lifelong fan of the Von Erichs, and always will be but the bottom line is, the bad has to come with the good when discussing them. For me, I prefer to remember Kerry standing in the middle of the ring at Texas Stadium in front of 45,000 people after winning the World Title from Ric Flair on May 6,1984 then anything he did as the Texas Tornado. He truly was a shell of his former self by then and looking back, maybe going to New York at that point in his career with his problems might have been the worse thing to happen to him.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

I think things have been summarized very well so far.

I think my reaction and experience to Kerry Von Erich in WWE was similar to The Brain's. When he came to WWE I was familiar with the Von Erich name and Kerry specifically from a friend's book I read that listed mid-80's big names in wrestling. I was really excited wheb he joined WWE and beat Perfect for the IC title so quickly. After dropping the title things seemed to drop off quickly. I expected him to be featured more often and for WWE to really exploit his name and background. As long as I waited nothing really happened with him and then he was gone.

I think Vince made a good decision to take a chance on the guy but in the end they had a decent roster of top talent and the risk was not worth it.

 

[realoldskoolfan]

This brings back the memory of seeing his debut on Superstars. In the good old days before the internet, imagine the surprise of seeing your all time favorite walk threw the curtain one saturday afternoon. It was just a few weeks before when he was fighting Matt Borne outside the Sportatorium in the middle of a thunderstorm. I miss those days when there was so much mystery week to week. Kerry will always be missed by us old school World Class fans.

 

[MrMojoRisin]

Why do you think Von Erich fell so far after starting off strong in the WWF? He had a history of injuries and drug problems but to the best of my knowledge those were not factors during this particular timeframe. He seemed to have a great look for the WWF and probably should have accomplished more. I would have liked to have seen a feud with Dibiase after his interference cost Von Erich the title. Programs with Rick Martel and Shawn Michaels could have been good too. Even some matches (not a feud or storyline) with Ric Flair could have been interesting.

Do you think Kerry Von Erich should have been bigger in the WWF and who would you have liked to see work with him?

Drugs were a factor during that time period. Kerry unfortunately, had his demons and was an addict well before he joined the WWF.

Read Piper's book if you get a chance... he's got some stories about him and Kerry doing drugs while in the WWF together.

There was also the factor of Kerry's amputated foot, which not many knew about, but Vince did. I don't think he ever planned on anything longterm for Kerry because with the landscape how it was at the time, there were too many states that Kerry couldn't get a license to compete in due to his disability.

Vince did know he had a big nostalgia draw in Kerry. Even if he wasn't promoting wrestlers pasts at the time... enough of his audience still knew who Kerry Von Erich was, so there was money to be made with a big initial push and title run. Kerry's unreliability due to his addiction, and his licensing limitations due to his disability (which never really hurt his ring work), meant that Kerry had no chance to have a run any better than the one he got.

It's unfortunate too, because if Vince had been able to get Kerry pre-1985 (of course that would have never happened, but if...) Kerry Von Erich could have been one of the biggest stars ever seen, and who knows how his life would have turned out?

 

[god-soldier]

I remember how excited I was too see Kerry Von Erich in the WWF he was always one of my favorite wrestlers watching him in the NWA and AWA I don't remember if we got WCCW in New York City during that time period but his stints in AWA and NWA maybe him one of my favorites when he came in and beat Perfect it was huge at the time but after he lost the title I just remember him beating jobbers and losing to everyone else. In the end of 93 I saw a late night special on the Von Erichs and it was so suprising too me about what happened to them on that special I found out Kerry had been wrestling with a prostectic foot since 1987 and I thought it could not be true because I seen him run off the ropes a million times and not once did I see him limp at all. But when they said at the end he committed suicide earlier in 93. Right after I saw that special maybe a month later I saw Kerry on GWF on ESPN being nine yrs old I was even more confused about what happened to Kerry. I think that Vince signed Kerry because he was a familar name to wrestling fans they put the IC title on him for a little bit to get a lot of draws from crowds in venues. Kerry was always a fan favorite and people loved him especially woman I saw Kerry win a battle royal and wrestle Mr.Perfect for the IC- title at the Nassau Coliseuim and when he won the battle royal and came out to face Perfect the crowd went crazy. I think Vince new this guy was marketable but I agree with the last post if he signed Kerry maybe in 87 88 he might have taken Warriors spot because Steamboat was a huge fan favorite before he came and when he left for NWA besides Hogan n Savage nobody was really over over they had to build Warrior up of Kerry was sign then he would of been over already and beat Honkey Tonk Man for the IC title he might have been more over then he was when He beat Mr.Perfect. Texas Tornado Could of been huge in the WWF if planned properly might have been WWF champion you never know. But Kerry's demons have gotten the best of him in the end but it still amazes me how wrestled so well with one foot for 6 years that is a true athlete and competitor!!!

 

[THTRobtaylor]

The reason the Tornado came in when he did was that Vince's original plan was for Davey Boy Smith to win the belt, however he got in the auto wreck with Benoit and thus a replacement was needed. Von Erich fit the bill as a short term fix for that match, and then Vince could see how he worked with the infamous foot. Kerry went to great lengths to hide the injury, so it is entirely possible that Vince only found out the extent of the injury when Fritz chose, as in after the title win. That more than anything probably led to the shorter reign.

Kerry was not a big draw for the WWF mainly because as with Rick Martel or Curt Hennig before him WWF didn't acknowledge them as former World Champions. Fans of World Class tended to watch NWA rather than WWF and many die hard Von Erich fans knew already of Kerry's drug issues. He was brought in to fill a spot... he stuck around a while but never above lower mid card, for a guy with one foot that was pretty impressive, but it was the amount of drugs he was taking to mask it that did for his career. Also bear in mind that a lot of guys high on the card were former WCCW, like Ultimate Warrior and Rick Rude. They would have knowledge and opinions on Kerry...

 

[steinerscrewdriver]

I remember seeing him for the first time at the 92 royal rumble, incidently my first PPV as a young child I prefer WCW and booing the horseman. My father and I turned to WWF when Flair showed up so I caught the tail end of the Tornado's run. I thought he was very charismatic and a good wrestler. He is one of the guys I like to go back and watch matches on youtube. I cannot add to much that has not been said, its a shame he didn't get to the WWF sooner.

To this day I cant believe that he had a prostietic foot and never limped or showed in while in the WWF.

 

[FlairFan2003]

The posts re: kerry's drug use hit the nail on the head. He was an addict with a rep for inconsistency when he arrived in WWE. He got a big initial push even though this was the era when Vince signed top stars and never acknowledged their history because like DiBiase & Henning he was a TOP STAR before he arrived. He definately had a great look and charisma. If he would have been able to control his drug issues and maintain a top work ethic he likely would have been right with Ultimate Warrior as the #2 fan favorite behind Hogan. Its a shame for him that did not pan out.

Certainly Kerry in World Class was way better than anything he did in WWE. Check out some old bouts vs Flair or The Freebirds to appreciate his ability.

Drug problems plagued him throughout his career. Flair said he would have had a great chance to be long term champ but the NWA knew of his issues & wouldnt go for it, only giving him a token reign (albeit one with a great victory) to honor his dead brother at a memorial show in his honor. So much talent wasted, a sad story.

 

[Davi323]

The reason the Tornado came in when he did was that Vince's original plan was for Brutus the Barber Beefcake to win the belt, however he got in a parasailing accident and thus a replacement was needed.

Fixed.

As others have pointed, Von Erich's lack of long-term success in the WWF was probably due to the drug use. Kerry had always had his demons, and by the time he got to the WWF, they were mostly controlling him.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Fixed.

As others have pointed, Von Erich's lack of long-term success in the WWF was probably due to the drug use. Kerry had always had his demons, and by the time he got to the WWF, they were mostly controlling him.

Incorrect... Davey was the original replacement for Brutus as he had already agreed his return and was merely fulfilling dates, but his car crash put paid to that and Kerry got the spot. WWE Magazine was even hyping the Bulldog/Perfect feud long before Davey ever got near the belt... Brutus was never planned to win the belt.