Kerry Gene Adkisson better known by his ring name Kerry Von Erich was an American professional wrestler. He was part of the Von Erich family of professional wrestlers.
He is best known for his time with his father’s promotion World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), where he spent eleven years of his career, and his time in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), under the ring name The Texas Tornado.
Adkisson held forty championships in various promotions during his career. Among other accolades, he was a one-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, and four-time WCWA World Heavyweight Champion, making him an overall five-time world champion and former WWF Intercontinental Champion.
Kerry’s final match took place on February 12, 1993. It was a tag team match in the GWF at the Sportatorium on which Kerry and Chris Adams lost via disqualification to Johnny Mantell and Black Bart.
Who Was The Best Von Erich?
Kerry was by far the best of the Von Erich Family. Kerry Von Erich was the fourth son of Fritz Von Erich. He was born Kerry Gene Adkisson on February 3, 1960, in Niagara Falls, New York, known as “The Modern Day Warrior” and “The Texas Tornado”.
Like his brothers, Kerry spent most of his career wrestling in World Class Championship Wrestling. Amongst the many major feuds he had were those against Gino Hernandez, Iceman Parsons, Chris Adams and The Fabulous Freebirds.
Kerry became the most successful of the Von Erich family when he won the NWA World Heavyweight Title from Ric Flair at the David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions, a tribute show to his deceased older brother.
Kerry lost the belt three weeks later to Flair. Kerry also wrestled for several months under the ring name “The Texas Tornado” in both the World Wrestling Federation (where he won the WWF Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam on August 27, 1990) and Global Wrestling Federation.
How Long Did Kerry Von Erich Hold The NWA Title?
Kerry Von Erich’s NWA Title reign only lasted 3 weeks in 1984. On “Wooooo Nation Uncensored podcast” with Mark Madden, WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair explained why Kerry Von Erich’s NWA Title reign only lasted 3 weeks in 1984.
Flair said, “The night before I lost the belt to Kerry in Dallas at the David Von Erich Memorial, I wrestled Roddy Piper for an hour in The Civic Center (for Don Owen’s Portland territory) with the special referee, Red Bastien.”
Flair continued, “We stayed up and drank until 6 A.M. My flight was at 8 A.M. So I didn’t go to bed all night long. I landed in Dallas. I went and did the thing in the afternoon with Kerry, and then I took off to go overseas, and Kerry missed his first shot and they gave it back to me when I went to Japan.”