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Kerry Gene Adkisson (February 3 1960 – February 18, 1993) was an American professional wrestler under the ring names Kerry Von Erich and The Texas Tornado (World Wrestling Federation or WWF) and part of the famous Von Erich family.
Career
Kerry excelled as a discus thrower in high school. He also played football at Lake Dallas High School. Kerry always had an impressive strongman physique, although his heavy use of steroids contributed. Some of his moves were the "Discus Punch" (renamed the "Tornado Punch" in the WWF) and the famous Von Erich family "Iron Claw." Most of his fame was made in Texas' World Class Championship Wrestling, where he was nicknamed "The Modern Day Warrior" (his entrance music was Rush's "Tom Sawyer"). Kerry's biggest career highlight was on May 6, 1984, when he beat "Nature Boy" Ric Flair in front of a capacity crowd at Texas Stadium to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Kerry's victory was a tribute to his brother David, who had died three months earlier, and whom the event (the David Von Erich Memorial Parade Of Champions) was named in honor of. He lost the belt 18 days later in Yokosuka, Japan back to Flair in a bout that was marred by controversy: Von Erich's feet were on the bottom rope following a reversed rollup, but the referee ignored this and made the count. Despite an appeal from many fans to overturn the decision, the NWA Championship Committee said the official's call would stand. In retrospect, Kerry had the third-shortest NWA World title reign in history.
Kerry was able to keep his amputation secret for a while. However, during a match on an AWA card in Las Vegas against Colonel DeBeers, Kerry's secret was exposed. During the bout, DeBeers ended up on the outside, but he grabbed Kerry's foot, and tried to pull him out of the ring. However, he ended up pulling off Kerry's boot with the prosthetic foot attached. He, along with his brothers, had a famous feud with another tag team called the Fabulous Freebirds (Michael P.S. Hayes, Terry "Bam-Bam" Gordy and Buddy "Jack" Roberts). Their six-man matches were some of the most exciting matches in WCCW history. Kerry was also engaged in lengthy feuds with "Gentleman" Chris Adams between late-1984 and early-1986, Brian Adias in 1986 and 1987 and Iceman Parsons in 1988. Kerry also had a long-standing feud with Gino Hernandez on and off during the 1980s. Near the end of his career he ended up in the World Wrestling Federation as the "Texas Tornado" Kerry Von Erich, where he briefly held the WWF Intercontinental Championship after substituting for a hospitalized Brutus Beefcake at SummerSlam 1990. Kerry left the WWF in 1992 and returned to Dallas to compete in the Global Wrestling Federation, where he began teaming with former arch-rival Chris Adams. Drug Problems & DeathKerry's history of drug problems covered most of the 1980s. He was arrested at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in 1983 after U.S. Customs agents, during a routine inspection, caught him with 18 unmarked tablets in his right front pocket. Inside the crotch of his pants was a plastic bag containing an assortment of nearly 300 other pills (including codeine, diazepam, Librium, and possibly Percodan), ten grams of marijuana, and 6.5 grams of "blue and white powder". Eighteen months later the charges were dropped by the Tarrant County district attorney. Drugs were also a factor in his motorcycle crash in 1986 that cost him his right foot as it is believed he was under the influence at the time of the crash. In February 1992, Kerry was arrested for forging a prescription. In October, he was sentenced to a $6000 fine and 10 years of probation. On February 17, 1993, Kerry was arrested at an apartment complex in Irving, Texas, for possession of cocaine. Fearing a prison sentence for violating his probation, Kerry shot himself in the chest the next day and died. He used a .44 caliber pistol, which he had given to his father for Christmas the year before. Kerry was 33 years old. He was the third brother in the Von Erich family to have committed suicide (Mike in 1987 and Chris in 1991). Finishing and signature moves
Championships and accomplishments
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