KEVIN VON ERICH Biography

Real Name: Kevin Adkisson

Hometown: Denton,

Height/Weight: ’/

Signature Moves: Iron Claw, leg scissors, dropkick, flying body press

WCCW Titles Held: WCWA World Heavyweight Title (twice); NWA American Heavyweight Title (five times); WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title (twice); WCCW World Tag Team Title (three times with ); WCCW American Tag Team Titles (twice with Kerry Von Erich, once with El Halcon, once with David Von Erich); WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles (twice with David Von Erich); WCCW Six-Man Tag Team Titles (twice with David and Kerry Von Erich, three times with Kerry and Mike Von Erich, once with Kerry Von Erich and Brian Adias, once with Kerry and Lance Von Erich, once with Kerry Von Erich and , once with Steve Simpson and ); WCCW Television Title

Notable WCCW Feuds: Great Kabuki, Fabulous Freebirds, Chris Adams, Gino , Brian Adias, and Super Black Ninja.

Need to Know Facts: Born May 15, 1957, Kevin lettered in football at North Texas State University where he as osidered a stadout fullak. Kee ijuries eded Kei’s proisig footall areer, ad durig his junior year he dropped out of college to pursue a career in .

Kevin held the NWA American title (which eventually became the WCWA World Heavyweight championship) on several occasions; his first reign occurred on December 25, 1978, only two years into his career. Kevin also found early success in the tag team ranks with his younger brother David. The rothers held the WCCW tag tea titles, ad WCCW’s ersio of the All-Asian titles.

Ofte referred to as either high-flyig or the Golde Warrior throughout his career, Kevin deostrated aerial oes early o that hae sie eoe ooplae i today’s pro restlig idustry. Durig the early ’s, oly Ji Bruzell ight hae rialed Kei as haig the est lookig dropkick of a North American wrestler. Whe he etered a area to the tue of Ted Nuget’s “traglehold, the rod eae eletrified, a see reiiset of the days of Beatleaia.

Kevin joined his brothers David and Kerry (and later Mike) in their war against , electrifying crowds throughout the Southwest region of the U.S. with both teams catapulting both venue ticket sales and television viewership to then unheard-of numbers.

I additio to feudig ith the Freeirds, Kei also aged ar agaist Getlea Chris Adams in late 1984 after Adams turned on Kevin during a tag team match against and . Kei as superkiked y Adas afer ojetig to Chris’ e aager 's ahadlig of alet Stella Mae, who had inadvertently cost the heroes the victory.

The Kevin-Adams feud was every bit as intense as the then-recent rivalry between the Von Erichs and Freeirds, ith Adas atually ustig Kei’s head ope ith a oode hair after their Cotto Bol matchup in October 1984.

In later years, Kevin would feel the heavy burden of being the lone Von Erich in a promotion that made the family famous beyond comprehension. With the deaths of David and Mike Von Erich, and the near-fatal motorcycle crash of Kerry in June 1986, Kevin quickly lost any passion he might have had for the industry that cherished the Von Erich name.

In mid-1988, Kevin and Kerry sold the WCCW promotion to Memphis wrestling . Kevin wrestled only part-time from 1989 until his retirement in 1995, stating that he wanted to be home with his family, and that he also had a hard time obtaining a wrestling license in the state of Texas due to several concussions he had suffered over the years.

In recent years, Kevin became a first time grandfather, released a Best of the Von Erichs compilation DVD, and appeared on a live RAW telecast in October 2005 at American Airlines Center in , joining a number of other legends of the sport in a beatdown of loudmouthed WWE heel . In mid-2006, he finalized the sale of the WCCW tape library to WWE and announced plans to relocate his entire family, including his mother Doris, to , bringing the Von Erich presence in Texas to a conclusion which, though bittersweet, was filled with the promise of peace and happiness.