10 Biggest Promotion Killers In Wrestling History
9. Lance Von Erich
Texas' World Class Championship Wrestling was one of the most successful territories in the pre-expansion era.
Steered by Fritz Von Erich, it was his brood, primarily, which furnished the regional league with enough prestige to sell out stadiums in its early eighties peak. The handsome Von Erichs were enormously popular - so much so that their army of female admirers would grab them by the crotch and lunge at their lips as they made their entrance to the ring. The men, arguably, loved them even more for their stiff and ultra-credible in-ring game.
It was this credibility on which their success was predicated. Do-gooding local heroes, the fans saw and embraced them as their own.
David Von Erich, the son best equipped for national stardom (and NWA Heavyweight Champion in waiting) died in Japan in 1984 - from either a drug overdose or a stomach complaint, depending on which version of history one is inclined to believe. The inferior Mike was installed as his replacement in the legendary Fabulous Freebirds feud - but when he incurred Toxic Shock Syndrome resulting from shoulder surgery, Fritz was compelled to create a new, fake Von Erich - Lance - to take his place. Lance was rejected en masse. The deluge of complaints was such that, after Lance's departure, Fritz was moved to reveal the lie. He has not a Von Erich by blood, marriage, or anything else.
Lance Von Erich completely compromised the credibility of WCCW - and since that credibility was its lifeblood, the character signalled its slow demise.