World Class Revolution: God Bless Texas II

               World Class Revolution presents God Bless Texas II. My son and I went to the first God Bless Texas event last year that was held at the Gas Monkey Live venue. We had a couple issues at that one and was assured that it was a one-time thing and it should not happen again. So we decided to go ahead and buy tickets for this one as well. It was at a different venue this time, so fingers crossed it will be better. My son and I arrive at Gilley’s Dallas around 4:00 pm on Sunday April 15^th. Since we had ringside VIP tickets we were allowed to enter the venue at 4:30 pm before regular admission. Everyone else was allowed to enter at 5:00 pm. So we go ahead and make our way to the venue’s entrance. A line started to grow behind us. We could over hear people making comments like “Do you think they will actually let us in on time?” Laughter and “I doubt it” was the answers we heard. Since we usually don’t know anyone at these shows, we just keep to ourselves. Well 4:30 came and went. We noticed some of the wrestlers starting to walk by to go in. They finally let us in at about 4:45 pm. As we enter we see most of the talent at their respective tables to greet their fans. I had already pre-planned who I wanted to meet. First and foremost was Chavo Guerrero Jr., Marshall and Ross Von Erich, Iceman King Parsons, John Morrison, & Eric Embry.

                When we walk in Ross and Marshall were already in a conversation with some of their fans. Not sure how that happened considering we were the first VIPs to enter. So we walked over to Chavo’s table. Who was set up right next door of the Von Erichs. I had an old WWE program from 2004 that I have been getting signed by some of the wrestlers in it. This time I needed Chavo and John Morrison to sign it. So my son and I were talking to Chavo and I had asked him what he would charge to sign my book. He gave me a price and took a photo with me. The price was really good. Even though we were only speaking for a few minutes, you can tell that he really cares about his fans.
 

                After that we walked back over to Ross and Marshall and were speaking to them for a while. It’s always good to see them. Like others who grew up here in Dallas, it’s good to see them keeping up the Von Erich moniker and keeping the tradition alive. I’m glad we were able to catch up a bit and able to speak about this and that on a personal level. We took a couple photos and let them get back to business. We were also able to get a photo with the Australian wrestler that goes by the name Hunter P.S. Hayes. Who, in the ring, is the “son” of former Freebird Michael P.S. Hayes. Just three of the coolest guys you will meet.

                Speaking of Freebirds. We were walking around the autograph area (which didn’t take that long) and who do I run into. (Not literally) Miranda Gordy. Miranda is the daughter of legendary Freebird (RIP) Terry Gordy. She was there at the show and was going to be part of the match against Ross, Marshall, and Hunter. She was supposed to have accompanied Buddy "Jack" Roberts Jr., son of former Freebird Dale Hey aka Buddy Roberts. But I didn’t see him. In the match he was replaced with Lance Hoyt. But Miranda was really cool. She and I took a photo together, shook hands, and said our nice to meet yous and went our separate ways.

                I totally missed Iceman the first time walking around. But I did see him the second time. So my son and I made our way over. I had a really good photo of the two of us from the first God Bless Texas back in 2018. We were chatting for a minute about it and he was talking to my son. Then I asked him if he would sign my photo. He said of course. It will be $25. I instantly thought “WOW” he went majorly up from the last time we met. Not to mention it was my own photo. But I really wanted him to sign it. (Something that I have since grown to regret doing) So I reluctantly paid it. I then asked if I could get a photo with him with my phone. He looked at his manager and his manager said that will be an additional $20. I was at a loss for words. So I passed on that. A different light seemed to be shinning down than it did before. Last time I make that mistake.

                We made our way over to speak to the Boss man. Jerry and I have never spoken that much in person. Mainly via Facebook. So it was good to finally speak with him and catch up a little. Our conversation spanned quite a few topics. Some personal, some wrestling. It was during one of those conversations that Jerry told me that John Morrison wasn’t going to make the show. Little bummed out because I really wanted his autograph. But it is what it is. So we knew Jerry was busy and we didn’t want to take up to much of his time. Especially by asking frivolous questions. Lol So we went and made one more go around the autograph area. Jerry did give us a promotional poster that came with our tickets. So I could try and get that signed.

                As we were walking around, I had noticed the former wrestler "The Flamboyant" Eric Embry walking around. I walked up to him and we spoke for a few minutes about the good old days of WCCW and the Sportatorium. He was a really nice guy that still seemed to care about his fans from back in the day. He took a photo with me. I got from our conversation that he was a little put off by the charging of autographs and photos. Back in the day I met just about all the wrestlers from the WCCW but I honestly couldn’t tell you if I met Eric before. But I’m glad I did now. I didn’t get an autograph though.

                As we finished up meeting Eric Embry, I really wanted to get my promotional posters signed by some of the talent that I didn’t really know. I walked over to “Retro” Randy Price’s table and spoke with him for a minute. We were talking about the last GBT. Which was his first event with World Class Revolution (At the time it was Imperial Wrestling Revolution). We spoke and he signed my poster then he had to go. I kept looking at all the wrestler’s tables to see how much they would charge to sign it. Not a one had prices for your own item or anything. Plus they would all have a lot of people around their table and it would be really awkward asking how much to sign it. So I wasn’t able to get anyone else on it.

                It was getting closer to start time and my son and I headed to our seats. We had really good ringside seats. They were unfortunately zip tied together. Which made for a very awkward evening. I was so close to the guy next to me, if I was at work, HR would have been involved. Lol Also, the view would have been better if the camera man wouldn’t have been in front of us most of the time. Occasionally he would move and we could see without having to lean this way or that way. But regardless, we had a great time. About mid-way through there was an “intermission” and the VIP ticket holders got to go in the ring and take a photo. We thought it was going to be just us, but wrestler Marti Belle joined the VIP’s in the photo. She was really nice. Then after about 15-20 minutes (maybe?) the wrestling started back up.

                When the final match started, it was Chavo against MVP. I instantly leaned over to my son and said I don’t know who to root for. I like them both. But it was a great match. Not to mention there was a guy behind us that was so funny. He had everyone just cracking up. But after the match, Chavo took the mic and did a speech thanking everyone as did MVP. They also said that they would take in ring photos with anyone who wanted one for $20 with both of them. So my son and I took the offer. As we were waiting for MVP to come back to the ring, Chavo told my son and I to come up in the ring. We got in the ring and was talking to him for a few minutes. Chavo is just a really awesome guy, I can’t stress that enough. So MVP made his way back in the ring and we took the photo. Some random guy walking by took the photo. The photo was ok, it could have been better. But it was cool none the less. Just a really cool night of wrasslin’. We got to have some well-deserved father/son time and see some really talented wrestlers. Can’t wait for the next Dallas show. Great job Jerry and all the talented wrestlers. See you all next time.

I.W.R.: God Bless Texas ( My Recap)

             

  This is my quick(ish) recap of my son and I's first visit to an Imperial Wrestling Revolution promotion. I purchased my son and me ringside tickets as a Christmas present. With our ticket were able to get into the show at five o'clock for a meet and greet with the wrestlers. We arrive at the Gas Monkey Live in Dallas around 4:15pm and get in line to go in at five. The line wasn't too bad. There were maybe 20 people in front of us. But the closer it got to five o'clock cars would pull into the parking lot and the people would get in line with the people who they knew. Essentially cutting in front of the people who have been waiting there the entire time. It was about 10 till five and they (People with the venue I assume) came out and to tell the people with ringside tickets to get in another line. So my son and I do just that. It's getting closer to five o'clock, and we are ready to go in. Five passes and there we stand. Five fifteen comes along and we're still outside. Someone finally comes out and says "five more minutes. They are setting up the tables" Five more minutes turns into fifteen. We were allowed to go in at 5:30.    

As we were walking through the doors and approaching the wrestler’s tables, there was just a convoluted mess of people everywhere. There was no roped off lines for each table. Just people gathering around pushing and cutting in front of everyone. I had four that I had to see. The first being "Iceman" King Parsons. Growing up a wrestling fan in Dallas in the 80's, it was WCCW. And obviously I had my favorites. Of course the Von Erich family were on top of my favorites list. But so was "Iceman". "Like mama says, it bees that ways sometimes, have mercy" It had been since I was a kid since I had last seen Iceman. I met him at a World Class show that was at the Mesquite Rodeo. So I fought through the crowd and made my way to him. As I approached him all my childhood memories came flooding back. I extended my hand out to shake his and to express how much of a fan I was. I had pre-purchased an autograph and photo op. He immediately expressed his apologies that he had severe arthritis in his hand so his signature wasn't what it once was. He dedicated the photo to me and it didn't really look like it with his handwriting. But I was ok with that. We spoke for a few minutes and I took a photo with him and thanked him for his time. My day has been made.

After we speak to Iceman, we walk over to Ross and Marshall's table to say hello. It had been a while since we had seen them. As always, it was good to see them. We said our hellos and wished them a good match. We left because we didn't want to take up too much of their time. We were looking for Chavo Guerrero Jr's table. We couldn’t find it. So we searched for someone who actually represented the promotion. All I could find were the venue employees. Asking them anything was like asking the wall. Actually I would have got a better response from the wall. Finally someone pointed me to someone who "maybe" could help me. I walk over and ask her and she tells me "Oh yea, he had to cancel. He had a family emergency". I understand that. I hope that everything is ok. So I went ahead and headed over to the last person I wanted an autograph from. And that was Lisa Marie Varon. WWE fans would know her as Victoria. TNA fans would know her as Tara. Years ago I went to a WWE show here in Dallas and purchased one of the programs. I've been trying to get the wrestlers in the book to sign their pages over the years. So I had Lisa sign her page as well as an 8x10 of her own. She also took a couple photos with me and thanked me for stopping by. 

My son and I decided not to walk around the autograph room anymore. Simply because it was just too chaotic to walk around. If we weren’t inadvertently running into someone, someone was running into us. So we walk over to check out our seats and see about getting something to eat. We go to the first ticket checkpoint and the young lady tells me to go to a guy down closer to the ring and he will tell me where my seats were. So we approached the guy and I show him our tickets on my phone and he proceeds to tell me "Oh you can sit anywhere in the first five rows". Huh? So I tell him, "No, I bought specific seats." He gave me the I don't give a crap attitude back and long story short, I had to demand to speak to someone about this. He got on his walkie talkie thing and mumbled something into it. We went to double check our seats and they were occupied. So I went back to him and he pointed in the opposite direction and said “Ask her” then turned around. I spoke to a person with the promotion and she helped me get everything situated.  Come to find out the guy was telling everyone to sit anywhere. We noticed that a lot of people that was seated in the front rows around the ring had to move because it wasn't their seats. Once we got settled we were able to enjoy the show with the people that were in ours and others seats mad at us for making them move when they were told they could sit there. So yea, that was fun.
          Once the show started, it was really cool. Most of the wrestlers were really good. There were a few that might need a little more sharpening of their wrestling skills. But I know I couldn’t do what they do. So props to them. We still had a great time. It was cool to see Sting. I just wish he did a little more than what he did. But still cool regardless. But everyone did put on a really good show. I hope that wrestler Barrett Brown is ok. He took a hit to the head with a ladder almost as soon as he came to the ring and was gashed open pretty deep. I'm not 100% if it was or wasn't part of the show. But it looked pretty real from our seats. And they got him out of there pretty quickly.
          When Sting came out to address the crowd he was interrupted by the Spirit Squad. They started talking about Sting and Dallas and Texas etc. And tried to get Sting to join the “SWO” aka the Spirit World Order. What is this the 90’s? Sting asked them. Then in true fashion, Sting stated that he had been given the power to schedule any match. So he informed the squad that the three of them will be going up against the Marshall and Ross Von Erich. But that’s only two people against the three of them they said. No problem they said. Oh no, there will be a third opponent with the Von Erichs. But it will be announced later.
When it was time for the Six Man tag team match with the Spirit Squad and the Von Erichs, the Spirit Squad came out running their mouths. They were doing a tag match with Marshall and Ross Von Erich. But since the Spirit Squad was three, Marsh and Ross were one short. Marshall and Ross came out and took control of the ring and ran the Spirit Squad outside of the ring. Then BOOM Sister Sledge "We are Family" starts playing on the loud speaker. Any WCCW fan in Texas knows whose music that was. Yes, none other than the legendary "Iceman" King Parsons. Iceman comes walking out and into the ring. I was instantly transported back to my childhood. It was awesome to see him and the third generation of the Von Erich family in the ring together. Well after Iceman addressed the crowd he introduced their third man. None other than the Australian Freebird Hunter Hayes. His persona is the "son" of WCCW alumni Michael P.S. Hayes of The Fabulous Freebirds. So the match went on and ended with a Von Erich win with the boys each doing the claw on two of the Spirit Squad for the one, two, three count.
               So despite the problems we had at the beginning of the show, my son and I had a great time. Do things go right 100% of the time? Uh no, no they don’t. I know that there are some wrestling snobs out there that just snub their noses at the independent circuit. Some believe that if it’s not WWE, then it’s obviously garbage. I have to disagree with that. Now I don’t really watch wrestling that much anymore. We have only been to two of these independent shows. Both of them were different promotions. I will say that we were thoroughly entertained. So I highly recommend them. They were a lot of fun to watch and sometimes you have the opportunity to meet current and former big name wrestlers. Now every match wasn’t detailed here. Believe me, this would have been so much longer if they were. So hopefully my son and I can attend another one of their shows someday without any of the issues we experienced this time around.