1 00:00:05,229 --> 00:00:07,231 What about wrestling here? 2 00:00:07,231 --> 00:00:09,233 I find the wrestling here is... 3 00:00:09,233 --> 00:00:10,443 a lot rougher. 4 00:00:10,443 --> 00:00:12,653 You know, kicking, punching. 5 00:00:12,653 --> 00:00:15,698 A lot more, I guess you call it 'dirtiness'. Yeah. 6 00:00:15,698 --> 00:00:17,491 Adams with that superkick, 7 00:00:17,491 --> 00:00:19,410 that caught him, that's his move. 8 00:00:19,410 --> 00:00:21,661 [narrator] A judo champion who came to America 9 00:00:21,661 --> 00:00:23,413 with the dream of becoming a star 10 00:00:23,413 --> 00:00:24,831 of the squared circle, 11 00:00:24,831 --> 00:00:27,625 Chris Adams captured lightning in a bottle. 12 00:00:27,625 --> 00:00:28,960 The stardom that Chris Adams got at 13 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:30,128 World Class Championship Wrestling, 14 00:00:30,128 --> 00:00:32,380 'cause you gotta realize on that level 15 00:00:32,380 --> 00:00:33,506 that Chris Adams was here, 16 00:00:33,506 --> 00:00:35,216 you were a big star everywhere. 17 00:00:35,216 --> 00:00:38,762 The gentleman from England, Chris Adams. 18 00:00:38,762 --> 00:00:41,848 Chris was the perfect gentleman over there. 19 00:00:41,848 --> 00:00:45,560 With his athleticism, determination, and charm, 20 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:48,855 Chris had all the tools to become a megastar. 21 00:00:48,855 --> 00:00:52,192 My dad, in Dallas, was an A-list celebrity 22 00:00:52,192 --> 00:00:54,486 that it was impossible to go anywhere. 23 00:00:54,486 --> 00:00:56,196 He had this thing with Steve Austin 24 00:00:56,196 --> 00:00:57,655 where he trained Steve. 25 00:00:57,655 --> 00:00:59,491 Steve was gonna make it in wrestling. 26 00:00:59,491 --> 00:01:02,159 But behind the curtain, Chris' most challenging 27 00:01:02,159 --> 00:01:04,286 opponent was himself. 28 00:01:04,286 --> 00:01:06,038 Life got in his way a lot of times. 29 00:01:06,038 --> 00:01:08,207 Sometimes Chris probably got in his own way. 30 00:01:08,207 --> 00:01:10,083 When he'd get a drink, man, 31 00:01:10,083 --> 00:01:12,252 Chris just turned into a different person, man. 32 00:01:12,252 --> 00:01:14,922 He didn't give a damn about nobody or nothing. 33 00:01:14,922 --> 00:01:18,467 Basically looking for you to say something that upsets him. 34 00:01:18,467 --> 00:01:20,594 He was definitely a Jekyll and Hyde. 35 00:01:20,594 --> 00:01:22,179 From Jekyll to Hyde. 36 00:01:22,179 --> 00:01:24,097 I'm telling ya, it was Jekyll and Hyde. 37 00:01:24,097 --> 00:01:26,433 Alcohol brought out 38 00:01:26,433 --> 00:01:29,686 something that destroyed him. 39 00:01:29,686 --> 00:01:32,648 One man with two personalities on a 40 00:01:32,648 --> 00:01:36,068 downward spiral that can only end one way. 41 00:01:36,068 --> 00:01:38,654 Chris got drunk, got belligerent... 42 00:01:38,654 --> 00:01:40,822 he just started beating the hell out of him. 43 00:01:40,822 --> 00:01:42,865 There was a gun. 44 00:01:42,865 --> 00:01:44,408 We were friends. 45 00:01:44,408 --> 00:01:47,036 I was best man at his wedding. 46 00:01:47,036 --> 00:01:48,996 It was a bad situation... 47 00:01:48,996 --> 00:01:50,873 it was a nightmare. 48 00:01:50,873 --> 00:01:56,295 ♪ 49 00:02:01,342 --> 00:02:04,053 Well you get at 233lbs from England, 50 00:02:04,053 --> 00:02:05,721 welcome, Chris Adams! 51 00:02:05,721 --> 00:02:08,015 [Cheering] 52 00:02:08,015 --> 00:02:11,602 Okay, so these were in a storage unit 53 00:02:11,602 --> 00:02:15,273 that my dad had, and this is just an example. 54 00:02:16,858 --> 00:02:18,651 I know, I keep everything. 55 00:02:18,651 --> 00:02:21,695 It was hard, it's still hard. I still miss him, you know, 56 00:02:21,695 --> 00:02:24,531 I still think about my dad every day. 57 00:02:24,531 --> 00:02:28,618 I'm Jade Adams, daughter of 'Gentleman' Chris Adams. 58 00:02:28,618 --> 00:02:31,204 When he was traveling, he would always write me notes, 59 00:02:31,204 --> 00:02:34,207 letters, always send me a birthday card... 60 00:02:34,207 --> 00:02:35,959 pour his heart out in it. 61 00:02:35,959 --> 00:02:38,253 "Dear Jade. Wow, how time flies. 62 00:02:38,253 --> 00:02:40,005 I miss you so much, munchkin. 63 00:02:40,005 --> 00:02:41,214 Yep, you're still my munchkin, 64 00:02:41,214 --> 00:02:42,507 even though you're nearly 14 and 65 00:02:42,507 --> 00:02:44,217 a beautiful young woman already. 66 00:02:44,217 --> 00:02:46,261 It seems that I have always been struggling trying to 67 00:02:46,261 --> 00:02:47,804 make it, and that before you knew it, 68 00:02:47,804 --> 00:02:49,347 half of my life is over, and I've missed 69 00:02:49,347 --> 00:02:50,640 out on so much. 70 00:02:50,640 --> 00:02:52,017 I really want to see you more often, 71 00:02:52,017 --> 00:02:55,103 family is so important. I feel so guilty now. 72 00:02:55,103 --> 00:02:57,272 I think of all the things I have done in the past that 73 00:02:57,272 --> 00:03:01,191 have hurt people and often grieve about them every day. 74 00:03:01,191 --> 00:03:02,735 Anyway, I thought it was time that 75 00:03:02,735 --> 00:03:04,028 I told you my true feelings, 76 00:03:04,028 --> 00:03:05,696 and I hope that you will be able to forgive me. 77 00:03:05,696 --> 00:03:08,532 Love, Daddy." 78 00:03:08,532 --> 00:03:10,618 He didn't want these demons as much as none of us 79 00:03:10,618 --> 00:03:13,287 wanted them for him, I just think they ended up 80 00:03:13,287 --> 00:03:14,622 kind of catching up to him. 81 00:03:14,622 --> 00:03:16,874 But he was a great person, 82 00:03:16,874 --> 00:03:19,627 and a loving person, and, you know, 83 00:03:19,627 --> 00:03:21,003 he's not here to defend himself, 84 00:03:21,003 --> 00:03:23,923 so I want to do that for him. 85 00:03:23,923 --> 00:03:26,800 Long before anyone could imagine that his story 86 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,511 would end in tragedy, 87 00:03:29,511 --> 00:03:32,139 Chris Adams was a spectacular performer 88 00:03:32,139 --> 00:03:34,934 who seemed destined for greatness. 89 00:03:34,934 --> 00:03:36,602 The American heavyweight champion, 90 00:03:36,602 --> 00:03:40,605 The 'Gentleman' from England, Chris Adams. 91 00:03:40,605 --> 00:03:42,440 [Cheering] 92 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:44,192 I knew Chris Adams very well. 93 00:03:44,192 --> 00:03:46,778 He wanted to be the best he could be, 94 00:03:46,778 --> 00:03:48,696 and I had to admire that about him. 95 00:03:48,696 --> 00:03:50,365 I'm Kevin Von Erich. 96 00:03:50,365 --> 00:03:51,866 I've been in the wrestling business for 97 00:03:51,866 --> 00:03:53,618 longer than I can count. 98 00:03:53,618 --> 00:03:56,704 Chris was one of the toughest guys I've ever known. 99 00:03:56,704 --> 00:03:58,247 He was really a master. 100 00:03:58,247 --> 00:03:59,791 He knew what he was doing in the ring. 101 00:03:59,791 --> 00:04:02,168 Chris had a special finishing move, 102 00:04:02,168 --> 00:04:05,129 it was a 'superkick' and he kicked like a horse. 103 00:04:05,129 --> 00:04:06,673 A superkick! 104 00:04:06,673 --> 00:04:09,092 And Kevin Von Erich is on the floor. 105 00:04:09,092 --> 00:04:11,386 He invented his finishing move 'cause when we discussed 106 00:04:11,386 --> 00:04:13,930 the match, and how to get him over when he got here, 107 00:04:13,930 --> 00:04:15,682 he said, "Well, my finish is a superkick, 108 00:04:15,682 --> 00:04:17,225 you'll know it when you see it." 109 00:04:17,225 --> 00:04:18,935 [Impact] 110 00:04:18,935 --> 00:04:20,852 When he threw the superkick for the finish, 111 00:04:20,852 --> 00:04:23,021 we were like, "Woah"! 112 00:04:23,021 --> 00:04:25,941 Hi, my name is David Manning, and I was a promoter, 113 00:04:25,941 --> 00:04:27,567 a booker and a referee for 114 00:04:27,567 --> 00:04:29,361 World Class Championship Wrestling. 115 00:04:29,361 --> 00:04:30,737 The last thing I do, I'm gonna take... 116 00:04:30,737 --> 00:04:33,782 That costs $500! $500! You don't get in my face. 117 00:04:33,782 --> 00:04:35,951 I'm the referee here. Get out! 118 00:04:35,951 --> 00:04:38,745 When Chris did the superkick, as he would kick he would 119 00:04:38,745 --> 00:04:40,664 also had a way where you really couldn't see it, 120 00:04:40,664 --> 00:04:43,917 but he would slap his leg, and it literally sounded like 121 00:04:43,917 --> 00:04:45,460 he just tore the opponent's head off. 122 00:04:45,460 --> 00:04:46,420 And it came back with it... 123 00:04:46,420 --> 00:04:48,338 Oh! The superkick! 124 00:04:48,338 --> 00:04:51,717 A tremendous superkick by Chris Adams! 125 00:04:51,717 --> 00:04:52,801 That was it. 126 00:04:52,801 --> 00:04:53,969 From there on, he was just climbing 127 00:04:53,969 --> 00:04:56,054 the mountain here at World Class. 128 00:04:56,054 --> 00:04:58,598 When Chris Adams come here from England, you know, 129 00:04:58,598 --> 00:05:00,516 he had them colours from over there in England 130 00:05:00,516 --> 00:05:02,935 and shit, man. Oh, they loved him. 131 00:05:02,935 --> 00:05:05,146 Oh yeah. For sure. 132 00:05:05,146 --> 00:05:08,065 I tell you what the situation is, brother. 133 00:05:08,065 --> 00:05:10,776 Chris Adams then went goofy. 134 00:05:10,776 --> 00:05:14,780 I'm Iceman, and I used to wrestle with Chris Adams. 135 00:05:14,780 --> 00:05:16,532 [Cheering] 136 00:05:16,532 --> 00:05:20,077 Chris didn't give a damn. He was just tough, man. 137 00:05:20,077 --> 00:05:21,871 That dude brought the superkick, man, 138 00:05:21,871 --> 00:05:23,164 was unbelievable. 139 00:05:23,164 --> 00:05:24,373 [Audience shouting and screaming] 140 00:05:24,373 --> 00:05:26,208 Now there's a superkick. 141 00:05:26,208 --> 00:05:28,252 And he could do anything in that ring. 142 00:05:28,252 --> 00:05:29,628 He was a performer. 143 00:05:32,298 --> 00:05:36,177 I knew his brother had won judo in the Olympics. 144 00:05:36,177 --> 00:05:39,679 My brother and I, we were both introduced into judo, 145 00:05:39,679 --> 00:05:44,726 very early age, and it was very much our life. 146 00:05:44,726 --> 00:05:47,312 I'm Neil Adams, Chris' younger brother, 147 00:05:47,312 --> 00:05:50,231 two times Olympic silver medalist in judo. 148 00:06:03,495 --> 00:06:04,829 Chris was a great fighter. 149 00:06:04,829 --> 00:06:06,915 Whatever he did, he wanted to be the best, you know, 150 00:06:06,915 --> 00:06:09,876 and I think he got to a stage where he knew he couldn't go 151 00:06:09,876 --> 00:06:12,629 all the way to Olympics and world championships and so 152 00:06:12,629 --> 00:06:14,589 he kind of changed direction. 153 00:06:14,589 --> 00:06:16,883 World of Sport Wrestling, which was the 154 00:06:16,883 --> 00:06:20,135 British Wrestling group, they approached him and 155 00:06:20,135 --> 00:06:22,679 that's how it started. 156 00:06:22,679 --> 00:06:24,765 Well, of course, it was 'Big Daddy', 157 00:06:24,765 --> 00:06:28,268 'Giant Haystacks', Mick McManus, 158 00:06:28,268 --> 00:06:30,312 and then 'Blackbelt' Chris Adams 159 00:06:30,312 --> 00:06:32,272 came into the fold. 160 00:06:32,272 --> 00:06:34,817 We ask you to welcome back, very popular young star, 161 00:06:34,817 --> 00:06:37,528 'Blackbelt' Chris Adams! 162 00:06:37,528 --> 00:06:39,738 [Cheering] 163 00:06:39,738 --> 00:06:43,826 His good looks helped, but also he was a showman, 164 00:06:43,826 --> 00:06:46,787 and he could charm anybody. [Laughing] 165 00:06:46,787 --> 00:06:49,414 He could, he could really turn it on. 166 00:06:49,414 --> 00:06:53,836 I was 19, and my friend and I was at the bar, 167 00:06:53,836 --> 00:06:57,172 and he just walked straight up to me 168 00:06:57,172 --> 00:07:00,716 and said, "My name is Chris Adams." 169 00:07:00,716 --> 00:07:02,677 My name is Jeanie Clarke. 170 00:07:02,677 --> 00:07:07,348 I was the girlfriend of Chris Adams. 171 00:07:07,348 --> 00:07:09,100 I thought, a very good looking guy, 172 00:07:09,100 --> 00:07:12,186 had really cute dimples. I said to my friend, 173 00:07:12,186 --> 00:07:14,897 "He looks a little bit like Paul McCartney." 174 00:07:14,897 --> 00:07:20,570 And gave me his phone number. 175 00:07:20,570 --> 00:07:24,407 I think I'd moved in with him within a month. 176 00:07:24,407 --> 00:07:27,243 Eager to glamorize and elevate his TV image, 177 00:07:27,243 --> 00:07:30,121 Chris recruits Jeanie to join his act. 178 00:07:30,121 --> 00:07:34,959 He came up with an idea that I would be his second. 179 00:07:34,959 --> 00:07:38,379 I was the girl that would come in between the rounds, 180 00:07:38,379 --> 00:07:40,046 and as in boxing. 181 00:07:40,046 --> 00:07:43,175 I don't think that it had been done in wrestling before. 182 00:07:43,175 --> 00:07:46,720 I did think he may make a good star, 183 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,223 but only up to a certain degree. 184 00:07:50,223 --> 00:07:52,559 [Cheering] 185 00:07:52,559 --> 00:07:54,311 Though his fame in England is growing, 186 00:07:54,311 --> 00:07:56,479 Chris knows it has a ceiling. 187 00:07:56,479 --> 00:07:58,356 Instead of staying frustrated, 188 00:07:58,356 --> 00:08:01,651 he and Jeanie pack their bags for the City of Angels. 189 00:08:01,651 --> 00:08:04,195 After arriving in Los Angeles, 190 00:08:04,195 --> 00:08:07,324 about two or three months later, 191 00:08:07,324 --> 00:08:09,659 I became pregnant. 192 00:08:09,659 --> 00:08:12,662 I loved it, and I remember sunbathing a lot. 193 00:08:12,662 --> 00:08:14,915 Chris and I just sitting on the beach, 194 00:08:14,915 --> 00:08:17,459 just enjoying the sunshine. 195 00:08:17,459 --> 00:08:21,212 And then I remember Chris' head turning a little bit. 196 00:08:21,212 --> 00:08:23,339 Beautiful girls on the beach. 197 00:08:23,339 --> 00:08:25,007 They were tanned in bikinis, 198 00:08:25,007 --> 00:08:27,051 you didn't see that in the UK. 199 00:08:27,051 --> 00:08:30,596 I knew he was looking at other women. 200 00:08:30,596 --> 00:08:34,516 Probably my first red flags that something was 201 00:08:34,516 --> 00:08:39,980 going wrong, but because I was pregnant, I felt... 202 00:08:39,980 --> 00:08:41,899 not good enough. 203 00:08:41,899 --> 00:08:44,693 As Chris and Jeanie settle into their new life, 204 00:08:44,693 --> 00:08:47,112 a pregnant Jeanie is often left alone 205 00:08:47,112 --> 00:08:48,864 in Redondo Beach. 206 00:08:48,864 --> 00:08:51,367 I didn't see a lot of Chris. 207 00:08:51,367 --> 00:08:56,205 It was very difficult. I was very pregnant, 208 00:08:56,205 --> 00:08:59,874 and we didn't actually have a lot of money at that time, 209 00:08:59,874 --> 00:09:05,004 so Chris, he went to Mexico for quite some time. 210 00:09:05,004 --> 00:09:07,548 I went back alone to the UK 211 00:09:07,548 --> 00:09:10,385 to give birth to Jade, 212 00:09:10,385 --> 00:09:14,180 and then finally Chris came back to the UK. 213 00:09:14,180 --> 00:09:16,265 He was happy, 214 00:09:16,265 --> 00:09:19,352 but he said we were gonna go back, and... 215 00:09:19,352 --> 00:09:21,396 that was the way it was. 216 00:09:21,396 --> 00:09:23,106 With the family back together, 217 00:09:23,106 --> 00:09:25,400 Chris is eager to return to the U.S., 218 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:29,612 but for Jeanie, the thrill is gone. 219 00:09:29,612 --> 00:09:33,116 He started to stop coming home. 220 00:09:33,116 --> 00:09:36,327 ♪ 221 00:09:36,327 --> 00:09:39,413 I think he was seeing a lot of different women. 222 00:09:39,413 --> 00:09:43,291 But I do recall the last straw was 223 00:09:43,291 --> 00:09:45,544 over a New Years, 224 00:09:45,544 --> 00:09:48,880 because he said, "You can't come with me, 225 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:53,385 but if you cook and get champagne, 226 00:09:53,385 --> 00:09:57,889 we'll have a meal together when I get back." 227 00:09:57,889 --> 00:10:00,600 And I did do that, and... 228 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:04,896 ♪ 229 00:10:04,896 --> 00:10:09,151 [Voice breaking] Give me a sec. 230 00:10:09,151 --> 00:10:13,697 He came home three days later. 231 00:10:13,697 --> 00:10:18,326 I did not want to share my boyfriend, 232 00:10:18,326 --> 00:10:22,663 and the relationship was over. 233 00:10:22,663 --> 00:10:27,293 But, remained amicable after the fact, as friends, 234 00:10:27,293 --> 00:10:31,672 but I did not want a romantic relationship. 235 00:10:31,672 --> 00:10:35,259 Yeah, he just said he wanted me to come to Dallas and 236 00:10:35,259 --> 00:10:38,471 we both looked after Jade. 237 00:10:38,471 --> 00:10:41,265 My mom and my dad were separated when I was a baby. 238 00:10:41,265 --> 00:10:44,268 So when I lived in Dallas, I saw him every weekend. 239 00:10:44,268 --> 00:10:47,730 Welcome to World Class Championship Wrestling. 240 00:10:47,730 --> 00:10:50,066 You're going to meet the newcomer from England, 241 00:10:50,066 --> 00:10:53,110 the former British Empire champion, Chris Adams. 242 00:10:53,110 --> 00:10:54,987 I'm very glad to meet you, Chris. 243 00:10:54,987 --> 00:10:56,697 -Welcome to Texas. -Thank you. 244 00:10:56,697 --> 00:10:59,783 Well, at last I've made it to Texas. 245 00:10:59,783 --> 00:11:01,493 Based out of Dallas, Texas, 246 00:11:01,493 --> 00:11:03,661 World Class Championship Wrestling 247 00:11:03,661 --> 00:11:05,663 was one of the hottest and most popular 248 00:11:05,663 --> 00:11:07,540 wrestling companies in the world. 249 00:11:07,540 --> 00:11:09,375 When Chris came to the market here in Dallas, 250 00:11:09,375 --> 00:11:11,169 we had Iceman King Parsons here, 251 00:11:11,169 --> 00:11:13,088 we had three Von Erichs. 252 00:11:13,088 --> 00:11:14,589 We had The Fabulous Freebirds... 253 00:11:14,589 --> 00:11:17,926 so you had to be exceptional to be able to draw the crowd 254 00:11:17,926 --> 00:11:21,304 and everything else to take one of those slots. 255 00:11:21,304 --> 00:11:24,057 It was on par with the Dallas Cowboys, 256 00:11:24,057 --> 00:11:25,266 and people loved it. 257 00:11:25,266 --> 00:11:27,811 It was incredible in this area especially. 258 00:11:27,811 --> 00:11:29,479 Hi, I'm James Beard, I've been in 259 00:11:29,479 --> 00:11:31,856 the wrestling business about 40 years. 260 00:11:31,856 --> 00:11:33,900 It's not an easy job, as you can tell. 261 00:11:33,900 --> 00:11:36,820 It gets kind of rough in there sometimes. 262 00:11:36,820 --> 00:11:38,404 Up and over! 263 00:11:38,404 --> 00:11:40,572 [Cheering] 264 00:11:40,572 --> 00:11:44,493 Chris was incredibly athletic and then can move like a cat. 265 00:11:44,493 --> 00:11:47,913 All the kip ups and the dives and the superkick. 266 00:11:47,913 --> 00:11:49,498 There's a superkick! 267 00:11:49,498 --> 00:11:51,708 He was on par with the Von Erichs, really. 268 00:11:51,708 --> 00:11:53,001 If you're on par with the Von Erichs, 269 00:11:53,001 --> 00:11:55,295 you're pretty much godlike. 270 00:11:55,295 --> 00:11:58,048 A tremendous roar for Chris Adams, 271 00:11:58,048 --> 00:11:59,758 the Gentleman from England. 272 00:11:59,758 --> 00:12:01,009 He had the charisma, he had the looks, 273 00:12:01,009 --> 00:12:02,928 and he was a good worker. 274 00:12:02,928 --> 00:12:04,972 But there was a way with Chris Adams that 275 00:12:04,972 --> 00:12:08,183 he could be from Jekyll to Hyde. 276 00:12:08,183 --> 00:12:11,353 Now when you people see this, I just want you to see 277 00:12:11,353 --> 00:12:14,815 the fire and the wildness in my eyes. 278 00:12:14,815 --> 00:12:16,900 Let me tell you, professional wrestlers 279 00:12:16,900 --> 00:12:19,277 are usually ex-bullies from high school. 280 00:12:19,277 --> 00:12:21,279 Chris was like that, too. 281 00:12:21,279 --> 00:12:23,614 ♪ 282 00:12:23,614 --> 00:12:25,158 In Dallas when he first got in the territory, 283 00:12:25,158 --> 00:12:27,326 I would drive with him to the towns, 284 00:12:27,326 --> 00:12:28,911 and the guy got lost once, 285 00:12:28,911 --> 00:12:30,246 and we have a rule in World Class, 286 00:12:30,246 --> 00:12:31,998 you're at the show an hour before the show. 287 00:12:31,998 --> 00:12:34,000 If you're not there, then there's problems. 288 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:36,210 Well, Chris was late. 289 00:12:36,210 --> 00:12:38,838 He blamed it on the guy that was driving him. 290 00:12:38,838 --> 00:12:40,756 When you pissed Chris off, 291 00:12:40,756 --> 00:12:42,925 his eyes would shine red. 292 00:12:42,925 --> 00:12:45,428 [Growling] 293 00:12:45,428 --> 00:12:47,763 Like a light was on in there. 294 00:12:47,763 --> 00:12:50,141 And he choked them almost to death. 295 00:12:50,141 --> 00:12:52,310 "Chris, you almost killed him." He goes, 296 00:12:52,310 --> 00:12:55,688 "Well Kev, some people are hard learners. 297 00:12:55,688 --> 00:12:59,357 Kev, I don't want him to do it again." 298 00:12:59,357 --> 00:13:02,402 That's Chris without being drunk. 299 00:13:02,402 --> 00:13:03,945 It was scared a lot of people. 300 00:13:03,945 --> 00:13:06,072 Chris had- gave off an aura, 301 00:13:06,072 --> 00:13:08,408 like this guy is out of control. 302 00:13:08,408 --> 00:13:10,285 You know, he may hurt other people, too. 303 00:13:10,285 --> 00:13:14,080 [Growling] 304 00:13:18,043 --> 00:13:19,044 [Cheering] He is Chris Adams! 305 00:13:19,044 --> 00:13:20,587 Now established in World Class, 306 00:13:20,587 --> 00:13:23,840 Chris' ambition is to be the star of the show. 307 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:25,967 But in a company crowded with good guys, 308 00:13:25,967 --> 00:13:29,262 the path to stardom is to become a villain. 309 00:13:29,262 --> 00:13:31,306 Any territory you go in to where you got the 310 00:13:31,306 --> 00:13:34,059 promoter's sons, they're always gonna be the top. 311 00:13:34,059 --> 00:13:36,937 Usually every week the main event was always one of the 312 00:13:36,937 --> 00:13:39,438 Von Erichs taking on whoever the heel was. 313 00:13:39,438 --> 00:13:41,774 We tied Chris up with Gino Hernandez. 314 00:13:41,774 --> 00:13:44,902 Gino and Chris actually had discussed it themselves. 315 00:13:44,902 --> 00:13:47,321 This was a way to shift to be the main event. 316 00:13:47,321 --> 00:13:49,657 Chris Adams and Kevin Von Erich ready to go against 317 00:13:49,657 --> 00:13:51,992 Jake 'the Snake' Roberts and Gino Hernandez. 318 00:13:51,992 --> 00:13:54,620 It was a tag team match and then Chris 319 00:13:54,620 --> 00:13:56,413 turned on Kevin during the match. 320 00:13:56,413 --> 00:13:57,665 -[Cheering] -Whoa! 321 00:13:57,665 --> 00:14:01,085 A superkick on Kevin Von Erich! 322 00:14:01,085 --> 00:14:03,671 A strange, strange turn of events. 323 00:14:03,671 --> 00:14:05,589 And the next thing I know was he hit Billy and then 324 00:14:05,589 --> 00:14:07,549 Chris hit him with a superkick, out of nowhere! 325 00:14:07,549 --> 00:14:10,302 They turn Chris bad, got with Gino, you know, 326 00:14:10,302 --> 00:14:12,596 it was a hell of a lit team together, man. 327 00:14:12,596 --> 00:14:14,014 We're the dynamic duo. 328 00:14:14,014 --> 00:14:16,517 1985 is gonna be our year. 329 00:14:16,517 --> 00:14:18,726 They were good looking guys, great chemistry. 330 00:14:18,726 --> 00:14:21,062 They both were great on the mic. 331 00:14:21,062 --> 00:14:22,605 Yeah, well, we're real bad, right? 332 00:14:22,605 --> 00:14:25,066 We're bad to the bone! 333 00:14:25,066 --> 00:14:27,026 They'd come to the ring with a strut. 334 00:14:27,026 --> 00:14:28,903 They had a way to antagonize the fans. 335 00:14:28,903 --> 00:14:30,655 They were bad to the bone. 336 00:14:30,655 --> 00:14:32,949 Chris and Gino, what a team that was. 337 00:14:32,949 --> 00:14:34,659 We decided we want to make the best 338 00:14:34,659 --> 00:14:36,369 wrestling show we can. 339 00:14:36,369 --> 00:14:39,205 It was a feeling of let's beat what we did last time. 340 00:14:39,205 --> 00:14:40,957 Let's, let's go. 341 00:14:40,957 --> 00:14:42,625 [Cheering] 342 00:14:42,625 --> 00:14:44,544 [Indistinct commentary] 343 00:14:44,544 --> 00:14:46,587 One, two, three. 344 00:14:46,587 --> 00:14:50,508 Kerry Von Erich pinned Chris Adams! 345 00:14:50,508 --> 00:14:52,343 The business was booming. 346 00:14:52,343 --> 00:14:53,970 The crowd, sell out. 347 00:14:53,970 --> 00:14:55,346 Are you listening to me, man? 348 00:14:55,346 --> 00:15:01,268 Everywhere they turned over 3,000 people away, man. 349 00:15:01,268 --> 00:15:03,312 He was happier because, you know, 350 00:15:03,312 --> 00:15:05,188 he was making more money. 351 00:15:05,188 --> 00:15:08,900 He had a red Corvette. Nice condo. 352 00:15:08,900 --> 00:15:12,029 Chris Adams and Gino Hernandez, see ya guys! 353 00:15:12,029 --> 00:15:15,073 Well my dad lived on Lover's Lane, 354 00:15:15,073 --> 00:15:18,285 and Gino Hernandez lived in the same apartment complex. 355 00:15:18,285 --> 00:15:19,995 Everywhere they went, 356 00:15:19,995 --> 00:15:21,580 there was always people following them, 357 00:15:21,580 --> 00:15:24,791 you know, wanting to have a fun time. 358 00:15:24,791 --> 00:15:27,627 Teaming with Gino Hernandez has elevated Chris Adams 359 00:15:27,627 --> 00:15:30,380 to the main event scene in World Class. 360 00:15:30,380 --> 00:15:32,382 But along with the money and the fame, 361 00:15:32,382 --> 00:15:35,135 stardom introduces Chris to a new world of 362 00:15:35,135 --> 00:15:37,845 dangers and temptations. 363 00:15:37,845 --> 00:15:39,555 San Antonio. 364 00:15:39,555 --> 00:15:41,474 After the matches we all went to the Best Western 365 00:15:41,474 --> 00:15:43,517 up on the third floor, man. 366 00:15:43,517 --> 00:15:46,228 They had three rooms, you had two tables in each room. 367 00:15:46,228 --> 00:15:48,272 I'm talking about... 368 00:15:48,272 --> 00:15:51,192 bricks of cocaine. And weed. 369 00:15:51,192 --> 00:15:54,904 Then the next room they had pills and everything. 370 00:15:54,904 --> 00:15:57,198 They had a pyramid built of 371 00:15:57,198 --> 00:15:58,908 Jack Daniels for The Freebirds, 372 00:15:58,908 --> 00:16:00,534 then they had my champagne over there, 373 00:16:00,534 --> 00:16:01,535 you know what I'm saying? 374 00:16:01,535 --> 00:16:04,372 And then they had a cop on each door. 375 00:16:04,372 --> 00:16:07,166 I said, "How in the ---- are they doing all this dope 376 00:16:07,166 --> 00:16:08,834 and then these police out here"? 377 00:16:08,834 --> 00:16:10,336 They was given the police officers 378 00:16:10,336 --> 00:16:12,838 a thousand bucks a piece, man. 379 00:16:12,838 --> 00:16:16,175 The police just turned they ----in' heads, man. 380 00:16:16,175 --> 00:16:20,095 And women un-----ing-believable. 381 00:16:20,095 --> 00:16:21,930 You'd get more pussy on accident, 382 00:16:21,930 --> 00:16:23,473 then you don't on purpose. 383 00:16:23,473 --> 00:16:25,892 [Laughing] Hey. 384 00:16:25,892 --> 00:16:28,561 I'm just keeping it real, man. 385 00:16:28,561 --> 00:16:30,814 Chris and Gino outside of the ring, 386 00:16:30,814 --> 00:16:32,399 it was always a dangerous situation. 387 00:16:32,399 --> 00:16:34,150 It'd be like you lit a fuse. 388 00:16:34,150 --> 00:16:35,693 The question is, when's it gonna explode? 389 00:16:35,693 --> 00:16:37,112 I mean, we're into sports cars, 390 00:16:37,112 --> 00:16:39,989 we're into fast cars, faster women and fast life. 391 00:16:39,989 --> 00:16:41,783 I'm glad that they were good friends, 392 00:16:41,783 --> 00:16:44,244 but obviously, you know, it's sad, isn't it? 393 00:16:44,244 --> 00:16:45,203 You know, what, what... 394 00:16:45,203 --> 00:16:46,705 what happened. 395 00:16:46,705 --> 00:16:48,498 Hernandez, whose real name is Charles Wolfe, 396 00:16:48,498 --> 00:16:50,291 was only 29 years old. 397 00:16:50,291 --> 00:16:53,002 The popular wrestling star's badly decomposed body was 398 00:16:53,002 --> 00:16:55,630 discovered late last night at his home in Highland Park. 399 00:16:55,630 --> 00:16:58,132 He had apparently been dead for several days. 400 00:16:58,132 --> 00:17:00,634 On February 2nd, 1986, 401 00:17:00,634 --> 00:17:02,511 Gino Hernandez dies of 402 00:17:02,511 --> 00:17:05,514 what was ruled as a cocaine overdose. 403 00:17:05,514 --> 00:17:07,266 It blew me away, man. 404 00:17:07,266 --> 00:17:09,560 That blew me the ---- away. 405 00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:10,978 What has happened is a tragedy. 406 00:17:10,978 --> 00:17:12,521 He was a great competitor. 407 00:17:12,521 --> 00:17:14,064 One time American heavyweight champion, 408 00:17:14,064 --> 00:17:15,941 several times Texas heavyweight champion. 409 00:17:15,941 --> 00:17:18,277 When you talk about someone like Gino Hernandez, 410 00:17:18,277 --> 00:17:21,029 a man who lived the life in the fast lane and 411 00:17:21,029 --> 00:17:22,990 loved the life in the fast lane. 412 00:17:22,990 --> 00:17:26,410 In the wake of Gino's death, Chris' use of drugs and 413 00:17:26,410 --> 00:17:29,913 alcohol begins to worry those closest to him. 414 00:17:29,913 --> 00:17:31,165 Sometimes he'd phone me, 415 00:17:31,165 --> 00:17:33,500 and I'd know if he'd had too much to drink. 416 00:17:33,500 --> 00:17:35,043 I really worried about that. 417 00:17:35,043 --> 00:17:38,838 I said, "You need to calm down if you can, brother." 418 00:17:38,838 --> 00:17:43,676 Chris was Chris until alcohol got involved, 419 00:17:43,676 --> 00:17:46,053 and then it was Chris the demon, and he would 420 00:17:46,053 --> 00:17:49,140 get mean, and he could get vicious. 421 00:17:49,140 --> 00:17:51,642 In Israel it happened, and I'll never forget, 422 00:17:51,642 --> 00:17:54,145 I get a call from the local promoter there and 423 00:17:54,145 --> 00:17:55,271 he's like, "You gotta get over here. 424 00:17:55,271 --> 00:17:56,522 You gotta get over here. 425 00:17:56,522 --> 00:17:58,065 Chris got in an argument with the bartender and 426 00:17:58,065 --> 00:17:59,984 he super-kicked him in the side of the head and 427 00:17:59,984 --> 00:18:01,778 it knocked his eye out." 428 00:18:01,778 --> 00:18:03,905 I mean his eye literally came out. 429 00:18:03,905 --> 00:18:06,908 But Chris' drinking and bar fighting don't detract from 430 00:18:06,908 --> 00:18:09,577 his appeal, as he strikes up a new relationship 431 00:18:09,577 --> 00:18:12,121 with a woman named Toni Collins. 432 00:18:12,121 --> 00:18:14,373 There was always a bar we would stop at in Fort Worth, 433 00:18:14,373 --> 00:18:16,541 that gave us free alcohol- [Chuckling] 434 00:18:16,541 --> 00:18:18,210 for the publicity if we'd all come by there 435 00:18:18,210 --> 00:18:19,628 after the matches. 436 00:18:19,628 --> 00:18:22,005 And that's actually where he met Toni. 437 00:18:22,005 --> 00:18:23,173 One thing led to the other and 438 00:18:23,173 --> 00:18:24,716 they end up getting married. 439 00:18:24,716 --> 00:18:29,054 It was fast. He loved her, I know that for a fact. 440 00:18:29,054 --> 00:18:31,056 Toni was my brother, Chris' mom. 441 00:18:31,056 --> 00:18:33,183 I loved her. She was like a mother to me. 442 00:18:33,183 --> 00:18:35,310 She was absolutely amazing. 443 00:18:35,310 --> 00:18:38,230 -[Effort grunting] -Oh! Oh! 444 00:18:38,230 --> 00:18:39,397 [Laughing] 445 00:18:39,397 --> 00:18:41,274 Would you like a kick too? Here we go. Agh! 446 00:18:41,274 --> 00:18:45,445 Oh, hey. [Laughing] 447 00:18:45,445 --> 00:18:49,074 I think my dad met his match with her, for sure. 448 00:18:49,074 --> 00:18:51,576 My name is Chris Adams Jr. 449 00:18:51,576 --> 00:18:53,370 I am 'Gentleman' Chris Adams' son. 450 00:18:53,370 --> 00:18:56,622 My dad always said that she was a 6'4, 451 00:18:56,622 --> 00:18:59,124 400lb man trapped in the body of a 452 00:18:59,124 --> 00:19:01,126 5'2, 100lb woman. 453 00:19:01,126 --> 00:19:04,129 She was very strong willed, she was very fierce, 454 00:19:04,129 --> 00:19:06,632 but also very kind and very loving. 455 00:19:06,632 --> 00:19:10,135 Any hope that marriage might soften Chris' temper 456 00:19:10,135 --> 00:19:12,930 is quickly lost. 457 00:19:12,930 --> 00:19:14,890 We had had a show in the Caribbean, 458 00:19:14,890 --> 00:19:17,351 and we were headed back, and there was some kind of 459 00:19:17,351 --> 00:19:19,436 equipment malfunction on the plane, 460 00:19:19,436 --> 00:19:21,814 and there was a delay for hours and hours. 461 00:19:21,814 --> 00:19:24,024 But ain't no air conditioning or nothing, 462 00:19:24,024 --> 00:19:26,360 it's just hot! People sweating and shit. 463 00:19:26,360 --> 00:19:28,529 So they serving drinks. 464 00:19:28,529 --> 00:19:30,990 Chris drank until they took off. 465 00:19:30,990 --> 00:19:32,741 Now they're headed back, they're in the air, 466 00:19:32,741 --> 00:19:35,786 and after about two more drinks they cut him off, 467 00:19:35,786 --> 00:19:38,413 and they told him he couldn't have any more alcohol. 468 00:19:38,413 --> 00:19:42,083 I'm in my seat asleep and the stewardess comes back and 469 00:19:42,083 --> 00:19:45,128 shakes me awake and says, "Please get your friend." 470 00:19:45,128 --> 00:19:47,589 He's pissed off. 471 00:19:47,589 --> 00:19:49,173 And Chris Adams already lit now he said, 472 00:19:49,173 --> 00:19:52,677 "Get out the way, bitch." And when he said bitch, 473 00:19:52,677 --> 00:19:56,556 she said- Wop! And slapped him. 474 00:19:56,556 --> 00:19:58,516 And he slapped her back. 475 00:19:58,516 --> 00:20:01,477 [Impact] 476 00:20:01,477 --> 00:20:03,646 And that airplane pilot reach in there and grabbed him, 477 00:20:03,646 --> 00:20:06,482 and shook him, say, "What's your problem"? 478 00:20:06,482 --> 00:20:09,569 Chris' eyes were that red light, goes on his eye. 479 00:20:09,569 --> 00:20:13,489 Chris Adams had that co-pilot by the lapels of his coat, 480 00:20:13,489 --> 00:20:16,074 and his feet weren't even touching the ground. 481 00:20:16,074 --> 00:20:19,161 And Chris said, "Feel the power"! 482 00:20:19,161 --> 00:20:22,789 And was pumpin' his head into his face. 483 00:20:22,789 --> 00:20:24,917 And blood everywhere. 484 00:20:24,917 --> 00:20:26,418 If he wouldn't have had the alcohol, 485 00:20:26,418 --> 00:20:28,045 it would have never happened. 486 00:20:28,045 --> 00:20:30,505 It's just that Chris was just not Chris Adams 487 00:20:30,505 --> 00:20:32,883 anymore once he got intoxicated. 488 00:20:32,883 --> 00:20:34,926 Sometimes something like that's a wakeup call, 489 00:20:34,926 --> 00:20:37,304 but Chris just continued to have problems. 490 00:20:37,304 --> 00:20:40,098 ♪ 491 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:47,522 Arrested for headbutting a pilot on a flight back 492 00:20:47,522 --> 00:20:49,900 from Puerto Rico, Chris Adams has put 493 00:20:49,900 --> 00:20:52,736 the future of his career in jeopardy. 494 00:20:52,736 --> 00:20:54,112 It's one of those kind of situations that 495 00:20:54,112 --> 00:20:55,780 when you start to sober up, 496 00:20:55,780 --> 00:20:59,283 you realize the magnitude of your mistake 497 00:20:59,283 --> 00:21:01,619 and what you've done wrong. 498 00:21:01,619 --> 00:21:03,954 And that was bad publicity for World Class. 499 00:21:03,954 --> 00:21:05,122 It didn't go away, 500 00:21:05,122 --> 00:21:07,917 Chris ended up getting some prison time. 501 00:21:07,917 --> 00:21:10,086 I think that hurt his reputation a lot, 502 00:21:10,086 --> 00:21:13,547 once fans started finding out a little bit about that. 503 00:21:13,547 --> 00:21:15,716 This made national news. 504 00:21:15,716 --> 00:21:18,344 A wrestler headbutts pilot. 505 00:21:18,344 --> 00:21:20,304 We had a meeting at the office, and he told Chris, 506 00:21:20,304 --> 00:21:22,056 you know, "I don't know what's going on with you, 507 00:21:22,056 --> 00:21:24,433 but you got to straighten up." 508 00:21:24,433 --> 00:21:25,935 He brought shame on us, no doubt. 509 00:21:25,935 --> 00:21:27,937 That's... terrible. 510 00:21:27,937 --> 00:21:29,980 And I know that everybody enjoys a drink. 511 00:21:29,980 --> 00:21:31,941 Everybody likes that last drink. 512 00:21:31,941 --> 00:21:35,069 But you see, that's where the problem begins. 513 00:21:35,069 --> 00:21:37,529 I think he realized that you've got to change. 514 00:21:37,529 --> 00:21:39,531 You know that um, I've gotta, 515 00:21:39,531 --> 00:21:42,283 I've gotta get a hold of this, and I gotta change it. 516 00:21:42,283 --> 00:21:46,162 With his dangerous reputation now hobbling his career, 517 00:21:46,162 --> 00:21:48,248 Chris begins looking for new ways to 518 00:21:48,248 --> 00:21:50,375 capitalize on his fame. 519 00:21:50,375 --> 00:21:53,795 Chris was always kind of industrious and looking for 520 00:21:53,795 --> 00:21:56,381 a way to make something outside the business. 521 00:21:56,381 --> 00:21:58,341 He used, I guess that, that, 522 00:21:58,341 --> 00:22:00,885 celebrity to kind of draw people into it. 523 00:22:00,885 --> 00:22:02,554 Hello, everybody. This is 'Gentleman' 524 00:22:02,554 --> 00:22:04,389 Chris Adams here again to give you another 525 00:22:04,389 --> 00:22:07,016 update on my own personalized coaching class. 526 00:22:07,016 --> 00:22:09,477 We'll put you on your own course that last 527 00:22:09,477 --> 00:22:12,272 anything from nine months to two years. 528 00:22:12,272 --> 00:22:14,149 Talked him into starting The Wrestling School 529 00:22:14,149 --> 00:22:15,899 at the Sportatorium in the day. 530 00:22:15,899 --> 00:22:17,234 Hello, I'm Tom Lance, 531 00:22:17,234 --> 00:22:19,611 and I was very good friends with Chris Adams. 532 00:22:19,611 --> 00:22:21,363 One of our first students was, you know, 533 00:22:21,363 --> 00:22:24,116 Steve Williams who became 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin. 534 00:22:24,116 --> 00:22:26,827 'Cause Stone Cold said so. 535 00:22:26,827 --> 00:22:30,706 The name is not Steve Williams, 536 00:22:30,706 --> 00:22:33,751 it's Austin. Steve Austin. 537 00:22:33,751 --> 00:22:35,294 And don't forget it. 538 00:22:35,294 --> 00:22:36,628 What Chris did with Steve, you know, 539 00:22:36,628 --> 00:22:39,089 was to teach him some of the basics, 540 00:22:39,089 --> 00:22:42,176 some of the fundamental principles of, of combat. 541 00:22:42,176 --> 00:22:43,260 [Cheering] 542 00:22:43,260 --> 00:22:45,929 You know the story on these two. 543 00:22:45,929 --> 00:22:48,807 Steve Austin, an individual off the street who came 544 00:22:48,807 --> 00:22:51,435 into the USWA Wrestling Academy. 545 00:22:51,435 --> 00:22:54,062 Chris immediately recognized the promise in this young 546 00:22:54,062 --> 00:22:56,814 blond, helping develop his body a little further. 547 00:22:56,814 --> 00:22:59,317 I give Chris credit. He did train Steve. 548 00:22:59,317 --> 00:23:01,611 While training the future Steve Austin, 549 00:23:01,611 --> 00:23:05,072 Chris introduces his new friend to an old flame. 550 00:23:05,072 --> 00:23:09,660 I wanna bring down the sexiest girl in America. 551 00:23:09,660 --> 00:23:13,498 The gorgeous and lovely Jeanie. 552 00:23:13,498 --> 00:23:15,500 What relationship does she have with you? 553 00:23:15,500 --> 00:23:17,460 That's none of your business, Mark. 554 00:23:17,460 --> 00:23:19,879 What ended up happening was my dad put my mom and 555 00:23:19,879 --> 00:23:21,631 Steve together to do like, an angle. 556 00:23:21,631 --> 00:23:24,675 And then they started dating. 557 00:23:24,675 --> 00:23:27,428 With his ex-girlfriend now dating his top student, 558 00:23:27,428 --> 00:23:29,722 Chris cooks up an angle designed to put him 559 00:23:29,722 --> 00:23:31,599 back in the main event. 560 00:23:31,599 --> 00:23:33,684 Jeanie comes in as the ex, 561 00:23:33,684 --> 00:23:36,728 and she's teaming with Steve Austin. 562 00:23:36,728 --> 00:23:39,022 And that turned into a pretty hot angle. 563 00:23:39,022 --> 00:23:41,358 You're jealous of Steve because 564 00:23:41,358 --> 00:23:44,027 he is a real man. 565 00:23:44,027 --> 00:23:46,863 My mom, my dad, 566 00:23:46,863 --> 00:23:49,032 my stepmom, and my stepdad 567 00:23:49,032 --> 00:23:51,243 all did an angle together wrestling, 568 00:23:51,243 --> 00:23:53,203 and it was... yeah, it was wild. 569 00:23:53,203 --> 00:23:56,164 It was not your traditional job for your parents. 570 00:23:56,164 --> 00:23:57,332 [Laughing] 571 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:15,057 But I'll tell you what, Austin, 572 00:24:15,057 --> 00:24:18,394 there's not room enough in Texas for you and I. 573 00:24:18,394 --> 00:24:19,895 Be honest, Chris directed 574 00:24:19,895 --> 00:24:23,023 every single part of that for me. 575 00:24:23,023 --> 00:24:25,150 He'd give me every line. 576 00:24:25,150 --> 00:24:29,697 I was to watch Joan Collins on Dynasty. 577 00:24:29,697 --> 00:24:31,866 Mourning the baby that she couldn't have, 578 00:24:31,866 --> 00:24:33,367 that is it, isn't it? 579 00:24:33,367 --> 00:24:35,536 Why you miserable bitch! 580 00:24:35,536 --> 00:24:38,414 And that was the idea of the character. 581 00:24:38,414 --> 00:24:42,793 Just remember he Is thinking about me. 582 00:24:42,793 --> 00:24:45,296 Only in wrestling could you do something like that. 583 00:24:45,296 --> 00:24:46,630 And when the women wrestled, 584 00:24:46,630 --> 00:24:49,008 it was sometimes an all-out catfight. 585 00:24:49,008 --> 00:24:51,427 Jeanie goes after Toni. 586 00:24:51,427 --> 00:24:53,554 Pulling your hair, scratching eyes, 587 00:24:53,554 --> 00:24:55,221 slapping each other across the face, 588 00:24:55,221 --> 00:24:57,015 getting the kendo stick, slapping each other... 589 00:24:57,015 --> 00:24:59,684 anything that they could do to hurt each other. 590 00:24:59,684 --> 00:25:01,436 It was nasty sometimes. 591 00:25:01,436 --> 00:25:04,606 Well, neither one of us knew how to wrestle. 592 00:25:04,606 --> 00:25:07,108 The interviews were my favourite part. 593 00:25:07,108 --> 00:25:08,776 I am far superior to you. 594 00:25:08,776 --> 00:25:11,070 I have royal blood in my veins. 595 00:25:11,070 --> 00:25:12,405 She was born on a shrimp boat, 596 00:25:12,405 --> 00:25:13,948 but she's jealous of me. 597 00:25:13,948 --> 00:25:15,742 She said, "I can't believe you said that about me." 598 00:25:15,742 --> 00:25:18,995 And I said, "Chris told me to say it." 599 00:25:18,995 --> 00:25:20,997 I'm sick and tired of you, girl. 600 00:25:20,997 --> 00:25:22,832 If you both don't back off, 601 00:25:22,832 --> 00:25:24,876 you're gonna end up getting hurt. 602 00:25:24,876 --> 00:25:26,961 Even when you get along, you know there's gonna be 603 00:25:26,961 --> 00:25:29,297 some kind of issues there that, that, 604 00:25:29,297 --> 00:25:30,673 just don't jive together. 605 00:25:30,673 --> 00:25:32,884 You were my number one student! 606 00:25:32,884 --> 00:25:35,636 You even wear my boots to the ring. 607 00:25:35,636 --> 00:25:38,180 There were some issues with Steve and Chris. 608 00:25:38,180 --> 00:25:40,515 I think there was a little bit of Chris seeing this guy 609 00:25:40,515 --> 00:25:42,976 is coming along, he is really gonna be a star. 610 00:25:42,976 --> 00:25:45,103 And I think Steve felt like he was probably 611 00:25:45,103 --> 00:25:46,730 being held back a little bit. 612 00:25:46,730 --> 00:25:48,774 There were some real, real life drama 613 00:25:48,774 --> 00:25:50,400 going on there, too. 614 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:53,487 He is accompanied by Lady Blossom. 615 00:25:53,487 --> 00:25:58,867 The WCW World Television Champion 616 00:25:58,867 --> 00:26:05,374 'Stunning' Steve Austin! 617 00:26:05,374 --> 00:26:09,920 I think he was jealous that we went to WCW. 618 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:14,257 I suppose he was jealous of the money. 619 00:26:14,257 --> 00:26:16,759 As Steve and Jeanie make the jump to the big time 620 00:26:16,759 --> 00:26:19,762 with WCW, a frustrated Chris Adams 621 00:26:19,762 --> 00:26:24,016 turns back to the bottle to nurse his bruised ego. 622 00:26:24,016 --> 00:26:29,063 When he was sober, he was, you know, great. 623 00:26:29,063 --> 00:26:31,440 He was Dad, he was awesome, he was there. 624 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:34,610 When he started drinking it just kind of changed. 625 00:26:34,610 --> 00:26:35,945 I know my mom kind of told me that 626 00:26:35,945 --> 00:26:38,072 that's what it was like for her. 627 00:26:38,072 --> 00:26:40,032 When I was older my mom would tell me, 628 00:26:40,032 --> 00:26:42,618 they had an up and down roller coaster relationship, 629 00:26:42,618 --> 00:26:44,328 and I think towards the beginning it was very good, 630 00:26:44,328 --> 00:26:47,248 and I think about halfway through it got pretty rocky. 631 00:26:47,248 --> 00:26:49,458 I mean, just, just the screaming and the yelling, 632 00:26:49,458 --> 00:26:50,668 it was intense. 633 00:26:50,668 --> 00:26:52,461 Especially if they both had been drinking 634 00:26:52,461 --> 00:26:53,838 or something like that. 635 00:26:53,838 --> 00:26:55,338 Chris had told me one time, they were headed home 636 00:26:55,338 --> 00:26:56,923 from a show, they were in his Corvette. 637 00:26:56,923 --> 00:26:58,925 Toni's driving, Chris in the passenger seat, 638 00:26:58,925 --> 00:27:00,927 and the little boy Chris Junior was in the back, 639 00:27:00,927 --> 00:27:03,179 and he said that some reason they were arguing, 640 00:27:03,179 --> 00:27:05,015 and she had stopped on the interstate, 641 00:27:05,015 --> 00:27:06,975 and a semi was coming. 642 00:27:06,975 --> 00:27:09,477 Luckily it went around 'em and didn't hit 'em. 643 00:27:09,477 --> 00:27:10,437 If it would have hit 'em, 644 00:27:10,437 --> 00:27:12,063 none of them probably would have lived. 645 00:27:12,063 --> 00:27:13,940 [Honking] 646 00:27:13,940 --> 00:27:17,235 And it angered him so much that that's when he 647 00:27:17,235 --> 00:27:20,572 got physical with her, and... 648 00:27:20,572 --> 00:27:22,032 he beat her up. 649 00:27:22,032 --> 00:27:23,158 You know, it messed her up. 650 00:27:23,158 --> 00:27:25,201 She had to have some facial surgery. 651 00:27:25,201 --> 00:27:27,537 I ain't cool with that shit. 652 00:27:27,537 --> 00:27:29,456 But I remember 653 00:27:29,456 --> 00:27:31,708 it wasn't until I was much older, 654 00:27:31,708 --> 00:27:34,376 and she had shown me some of the pictures of 655 00:27:34,376 --> 00:27:36,378 her where that abuse had happened, 656 00:27:36,378 --> 00:27:38,088 and she was in the hospital for a while. 657 00:27:38,088 --> 00:27:40,299 I couldn't believe it. 658 00:27:40,299 --> 00:27:42,718 And I say all these good things about Chris, 659 00:27:42,718 --> 00:27:46,055 but that's heinous. That's terrible. 660 00:27:46,055 --> 00:27:48,181 It's disgusting. 661 00:27:48,181 --> 00:27:51,018 I'm just now realizing how much stuff there was. 662 00:27:51,018 --> 00:27:53,979 I didn't put it all together, I guess. 663 00:27:53,979 --> 00:27:55,814 That's terrible. 664 00:27:55,814 --> 00:27:58,233 ♪ 665 00:28:04,782 --> 00:28:06,742 The horrific attack on Toni is a shocking 666 00:28:06,742 --> 00:28:08,702 new low for Chris Adams. 667 00:28:08,702 --> 00:28:10,829 But as the 'Gentleman' continues to struggle, 668 00:28:10,829 --> 00:28:13,499 his descent to the bottom will only get worse. 669 00:28:13,499 --> 00:28:15,792 She knew that it wasn't right for her, 670 00:28:15,792 --> 00:28:17,460 that kind of lifestyle. 671 00:28:17,460 --> 00:28:19,337 I think she knew she needed to get out. 672 00:28:19,337 --> 00:28:22,298 She said, "I had everything that I had with your dad. 673 00:28:22,298 --> 00:28:24,717 I had the big house, I had a Corvette, 674 00:28:24,717 --> 00:28:26,511 everything that anybody could ever want... 675 00:28:26,511 --> 00:28:29,847 but I just felt so empty inside." 676 00:28:29,847 --> 00:28:32,850 Chris' bad reputation follows him to his next company, 677 00:28:32,850 --> 00:28:36,312 the struggling Global Wrestling Federation. 678 00:28:36,312 --> 00:28:38,189 After World Class and then Global came in, 679 00:28:38,189 --> 00:28:40,191 and that was a pretty good run. 680 00:28:40,191 --> 00:28:43,194 Chris Adams against Rod 'the Bod.' 681 00:28:43,194 --> 00:28:47,448 Rod Price, he and Chris were battling for the GWF title. 682 00:28:47,448 --> 00:28:49,909 Rod had long blond hair, 683 00:28:49,909 --> 00:28:51,244 but it was starting to thin out, 684 00:28:51,244 --> 00:28:53,246 so he ended up getting a weave put in. 685 00:28:53,246 --> 00:28:55,580 Somehow they kind of sewed it in up there, 686 00:28:55,580 --> 00:28:56,873 I don't know how it was all done, 687 00:28:56,873 --> 00:28:58,542 but anyway, Chris knew about it, 688 00:28:58,542 --> 00:29:01,169 we all knew about it, and it was kinda off limits, 689 00:29:01,169 --> 00:29:04,714 you know, don't pull the hair. 690 00:29:04,714 --> 00:29:07,509 Well, during this match, Chris, 691 00:29:07,509 --> 00:29:09,302 because I think he probably thought it would just 692 00:29:09,302 --> 00:29:12,472 come right off, and he jerked on it, 693 00:29:12,472 --> 00:29:16,393 and instead of coming off, it ripped off. 694 00:29:16,393 --> 00:29:18,770 And blood went everywhere. 695 00:29:18,770 --> 00:29:21,606 I've never seen so much blood in the ring in my life. 696 00:29:21,606 --> 00:29:23,316 He was just covered. 697 00:29:23,316 --> 00:29:25,318 I mean, he didn't even finish the match, 698 00:29:25,318 --> 00:29:26,528 he just left the ring, 699 00:29:26,528 --> 00:29:28,488 and we had to take him to the emergency room. 700 00:29:28,488 --> 00:29:30,532 I'm almost sure it was like 200 stitches 701 00:29:30,532 --> 00:29:32,826 to come to get that all straightened out. 702 00:29:34,326 --> 00:29:37,288 Yeah, he did it on purpose. Yeah. 703 00:29:37,288 --> 00:29:41,917 In 1997, Chris finally gets the call from WCW- 704 00:29:41,917 --> 00:29:43,627 At the time, the most popular 705 00:29:43,627 --> 00:29:45,671 wrestling company in America. 706 00:29:45,671 --> 00:29:48,507 I think when he got that opportunity to go to WCW, 707 00:29:48,507 --> 00:29:50,426 it was, he was thinking, "Yeah, 708 00:29:50,426 --> 00:29:53,262 this is gonna be the thing that restarts my career." 709 00:29:53,262 --> 00:29:56,891 And, it didn't happen. 710 00:29:56,891 --> 00:29:59,476 WCW was a second chance for Chris, 711 00:29:59,476 --> 00:30:01,103 but the matches I saw, it almost looked like 712 00:30:01,103 --> 00:30:04,273 they were using him to get their next star over. 713 00:30:04,273 --> 00:30:05,566 -Watch out. -Uh oh. 714 00:30:05,566 --> 00:30:08,194 Choke... slam city. 715 00:30:08,194 --> 00:30:10,154 The 'Gentleman' Chris Adams, 716 00:30:10,154 --> 00:30:13,073 was interrupting a cigarette break and he paid for it. 717 00:30:13,073 --> 00:30:14,282 [Bell ringing] 718 00:30:14,282 --> 00:30:18,244 He was unhappy that he'd gone to WCW and 719 00:30:18,244 --> 00:30:20,747 was being used as a jobber. 720 00:30:20,747 --> 00:30:22,582 One, two, three1 721 00:30:22,582 --> 00:30:24,167 [Bell ringing] 722 00:30:24,167 --> 00:30:25,126 I remember him saying that, like, 723 00:30:25,126 --> 00:30:26,502 he was working harder. You know, 724 00:30:26,502 --> 00:30:28,588 he worked hard, and he was getting tired. 725 00:30:28,588 --> 00:30:30,590 And I think he was getting discouraged about the 726 00:30:30,590 --> 00:30:32,759 whole thing, getting beat every night. 727 00:30:32,759 --> 00:30:35,428 I don't see how it couldn't affect someone. 728 00:30:35,428 --> 00:30:37,847 Being at the top like that, and then very quickly, 729 00:30:37,847 --> 00:30:39,265 you know, if you don't stay on top of it, 730 00:30:39,265 --> 00:30:41,392 you don't change your angles, things are changing... 731 00:30:41,392 --> 00:30:42,393 it's gonna happen. 732 00:30:42,393 --> 00:30:43,978 Your career is gonna dwindle. 733 00:30:43,978 --> 00:30:45,563 I can remember him talking about, 734 00:30:45,563 --> 00:30:47,982 "I know I'm better than this guy and that guy." 735 00:30:47,982 --> 00:30:52,111 And in one light, he probably was. 736 00:30:52,111 --> 00:30:56,281 But you know, wrestling is not always fair. 737 00:30:56,281 --> 00:30:58,825 Other things were going on that were working against him. 738 00:30:58,825 --> 00:31:00,953 [Siren wailing] 739 00:31:02,454 --> 00:31:05,457 A few too many drinks and got a DWI and they let him go. 740 00:31:05,457 --> 00:31:08,126 He was always struggling with finances. 741 00:31:08,126 --> 00:31:11,213 His status had diminished to a point to where he wasn't... 742 00:31:11,213 --> 00:31:13,465 he wasn't the guy you wanted to go to. 743 00:31:13,465 --> 00:31:15,175 He was getting a little older, 744 00:31:15,175 --> 00:31:17,928 harder to stay in shape, and people just 745 00:31:17,928 --> 00:31:21,056 weren't coming to him like they used to. 746 00:31:21,056 --> 00:31:23,016 He got into some other stuff besides alcohol, 747 00:31:23,016 --> 00:31:25,018 got into GHB real bad. 748 00:31:25,018 --> 00:31:26,812 Basically, when you do GHB, 749 00:31:26,812 --> 00:31:28,814 if you do too much of it, you're just comatose. 750 00:31:28,814 --> 00:31:30,482 I don't know why anybody would want to do it. 751 00:31:30,482 --> 00:31:33,150 GHB was pretty popular in the day. 752 00:31:33,150 --> 00:31:34,443 You know everybody kind of done it. 753 00:31:34,443 --> 00:31:35,903 It started off for bodybuilders if you're sober 754 00:31:35,903 --> 00:31:37,196 and stuff to help you work out, 755 00:31:37,196 --> 00:31:38,531 but I know it would help you relax. 756 00:31:38,531 --> 00:31:40,866 And some also would call it the love drug, too. 757 00:31:40,866 --> 00:31:44,453 There's a fine line of how much you can take, 758 00:31:44,453 --> 00:31:47,456 and it's a very dangerous drug. 759 00:31:47,456 --> 00:31:49,417 As the 90s draw to a close, 760 00:31:49,417 --> 00:31:52,128 Chris Adams' life is in shambles. 761 00:31:52,128 --> 00:31:54,297 Broke, unable to find work, 762 00:31:54,297 --> 00:31:56,340 and desperate for somewhere to live, 763 00:31:56,340 --> 00:31:58,968 Chris moves in with a friend of Tom Lance, 764 00:31:58,968 --> 00:32:02,513 a local wrestling fan known as Booray. 765 00:32:02,513 --> 00:32:04,390 Chris was going through some tough times. 766 00:32:04,390 --> 00:32:06,017 Booray had his place, 767 00:32:06,017 --> 00:32:07,893 Chris was needing kind of somewhere to stay 768 00:32:07,893 --> 00:32:09,895 and all that, so I introduced 'em. 769 00:32:09,895 --> 00:32:11,397 If it wasn't for Booray I don't know 770 00:32:11,397 --> 00:32:12,773 what Chris would have done. 771 00:32:12,773 --> 00:32:15,650 Super good guy, cared about people, 772 00:32:15,650 --> 00:32:17,193 went above and beyond. 773 00:32:17,193 --> 00:32:18,653 That's why he was helping Chris. 774 00:32:18,653 --> 00:32:19,946 Chris was lost. 775 00:32:19,946 --> 00:32:22,699 But I love Chris, you know, he was my friend. 776 00:32:22,699 --> 00:32:24,701 Chris was really a nice guy. 777 00:32:24,701 --> 00:32:28,663 He was witty, he was fun, you know, to be around. 778 00:32:28,663 --> 00:32:30,707 ♪ 779 00:32:30,707 --> 00:32:34,044 I'm Booray, and Chris and I were good friends. 780 00:32:34,044 --> 00:32:35,795 He was a good enough friend that 781 00:32:35,795 --> 00:32:38,423 I trusted him in my house. 782 00:32:38,423 --> 00:32:40,717 He was really a delightful guy. 783 00:32:40,717 --> 00:32:44,137 We'd invite people over and cook out by the swimming pool 784 00:32:44,137 --> 00:32:46,306 and we were having a good time. 785 00:32:46,306 --> 00:32:48,391 I mean, they seemed to be getting along great, 786 00:32:48,391 --> 00:32:50,643 him and Booray. Booray paid the bills. 787 00:32:50,643 --> 00:32:52,270 He had no money. 788 00:32:52,270 --> 00:32:54,563 He might work one little show here and there, 789 00:32:54,563 --> 00:32:58,067 and it was hard for me to take money from somebody 790 00:32:58,067 --> 00:32:59,902 that hadn't made money in 791 00:32:59,902 --> 00:33:02,071 you know, three months. 792 00:33:02,071 --> 00:33:05,449 I was happy to help him, but also inside 793 00:33:05,449 --> 00:33:08,118 I was feeling I was being used. 794 00:33:08,118 --> 00:33:09,995 While living with Booray, 795 00:33:09,995 --> 00:33:12,831 Chris meets a young woman named Linda. 796 00:33:12,831 --> 00:33:14,583 He was in love with Linda, 797 00:33:14,583 --> 00:33:16,210 I know he was in love with her. 798 00:33:16,210 --> 00:33:18,962 They didn't know each other all that long either, 799 00:33:18,962 --> 00:33:22,424 but they were, oh God, they got along so good. 800 00:33:22,424 --> 00:33:24,551 She was the angel, you know, 801 00:33:24,551 --> 00:33:28,180 so witty and funny. She was just perfect. 802 00:33:28,180 --> 00:33:32,184 She seemed, like, very mature, very stable. 803 00:33:32,184 --> 00:33:36,062 I can see how Chris would find some solace in that, 804 00:33:36,062 --> 00:33:39,190 because I think that's what he was seeking. 805 00:33:39,190 --> 00:33:41,943 On the night of April 22nd, 2000, 806 00:33:41,943 --> 00:33:44,195 after dating for just a few weeks, 807 00:33:44,195 --> 00:33:46,656 Chris brings Linda back to Booray's house to 808 00:33:46,656 --> 00:33:49,367 keep the party going into the early morning. 809 00:33:49,367 --> 00:33:51,119 They'd been out all night. 810 00:33:51,119 --> 00:33:53,913 They were having a good time dancing, you know? 811 00:33:53,913 --> 00:33:55,415 And I said, "You know what? 812 00:33:55,415 --> 00:33:58,960 Three's a crowd. I'm going to bed." 813 00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:01,337 Chris told me this the next night, 814 00:34:01,337 --> 00:34:05,216 that they went on and got that little bit of GHB, 815 00:34:05,216 --> 00:34:08,970 and got two small glasses, 816 00:34:08,970 --> 00:34:11,556 and just split it. 817 00:34:11,556 --> 00:34:15,559 I had warned Chris way before this that 818 00:34:15,559 --> 00:34:19,020 I did not want that GHB in the house. 819 00:34:19,020 --> 00:34:21,064 You know, I didn't care what else he had. 820 00:34:21,064 --> 00:34:23,400 That was his business. 821 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:24,818 The silence, I guess, 822 00:34:24,818 --> 00:34:27,904 woke me up at about four in the morning. 823 00:34:27,904 --> 00:34:31,241 I came in and they were both passed out. 824 00:34:31,241 --> 00:34:33,577 Chris was slumped over a chair, 825 00:34:33,577 --> 00:34:37,497 and Linda was on her back on the floor. 826 00:34:37,497 --> 00:34:41,042 I was trying to wake 'em up and I couldn't wake 'em up. 827 00:34:41,042 --> 00:34:46,465 Linda's lung started kind of...wheezing. 828 00:34:46,465 --> 00:34:49,301 And that's when I called Tom. 829 00:34:49,301 --> 00:34:51,595 And he was scared to call 911 because 830 00:34:51,595 --> 00:34:53,929 he knew Chris would get pissed. 831 00:34:53,929 --> 00:34:57,224 And I was like, "I don't give a ----, call 911. 832 00:34:57,224 --> 00:34:58,809 They're not breathing." 833 00:34:58,809 --> 00:35:00,561 ♪ 834 00:35:06,275 --> 00:35:08,402 Booray wakes up in the middle of the night to find 835 00:35:08,402 --> 00:35:11,155 Chris Adams and Chris' girlfriend Linda 836 00:35:11,155 --> 00:35:15,284 unresponsive, passed out on GHB. 837 00:35:15,284 --> 00:35:17,161 The paramedics got there, and I stayed 838 00:35:17,161 --> 00:35:18,829 on the phone with them, me and my wife. 839 00:35:18,829 --> 00:35:20,164 They're trying to wake Chris, 840 00:35:20,164 --> 00:35:21,582 and then they're working on Linda, 841 00:35:21,582 --> 00:35:24,752 and I hear them say 'flatline.' And I was like, 842 00:35:24,752 --> 00:35:26,837 "Booray did I just hear 'flatline'?" 843 00:35:26,837 --> 00:35:28,297 Because we know what that meant. 844 00:35:28,297 --> 00:35:34,010 [Sustained tone] 845 00:35:34,010 --> 00:35:38,640 It's not the easiest thing in the world to talk about this. 846 00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:43,269 [Clearing throat] But she... 847 00:35:43,269 --> 00:35:47,190 From seeing somebody that was just one of the 848 00:35:47,190 --> 00:35:50,818 sweetest people in the world 849 00:35:50,818 --> 00:35:53,905 die right in front of your arms, you know? 850 00:36:00,703 --> 00:36:03,122 In my opinion, yes. 851 00:36:03,122 --> 00:36:05,250 He was careless. 852 00:36:05,250 --> 00:36:08,253 I never saw him use drugs. 853 00:36:08,253 --> 00:36:12,965 He just told me the truth, that he gave Linda, 854 00:36:12,965 --> 00:36:15,425 you know, too much of this GHB and she died, 855 00:36:15,425 --> 00:36:19,096 and he was absolutely devastated. 856 00:36:19,096 --> 00:36:20,389 Several months later, 857 00:36:20,389 --> 00:36:22,015 they charged him with manslaughter. 858 00:36:22,015 --> 00:36:24,518 I think he definitely felt responsible for it. 859 00:36:24,518 --> 00:36:25,936 He was torn up about it. 860 00:36:25,936 --> 00:36:27,688 I mean, he legitimately... 861 00:36:27,688 --> 00:36:29,648 torn down about what happened. 862 00:36:29,648 --> 00:36:31,149 After Linda died, he was going through 863 00:36:31,149 --> 00:36:32,776 a lot of ups and downs. 864 00:36:32,776 --> 00:36:34,152 You know, he had threatened suicide and 865 00:36:34,152 --> 00:36:35,571 this and that and drinking a lot. 866 00:36:35,571 --> 00:36:38,490 His drinking had spiralled really bad. 867 00:36:38,490 --> 00:36:42,828 That would have been self-medicating. 868 00:36:42,828 --> 00:36:45,330 I think he was just totally freaking out, 869 00:36:45,330 --> 00:36:46,957 wondering if he was gonna get out of 870 00:36:46,957 --> 00:36:48,875 the manslaughter charge. 871 00:36:48,875 --> 00:36:53,337 And going from making money to no money, you know? 872 00:36:53,337 --> 00:36:56,340 He was miserable inside. 873 00:36:56,340 --> 00:36:58,301 I kinda got away from him. 874 00:36:58,301 --> 00:37:01,554 Really didn't want to be involved that much. 875 00:37:01,554 --> 00:37:04,056 And there's times when you wonder if maybe 876 00:37:04,056 --> 00:37:08,436 if I'd... reached out, 877 00:37:08,436 --> 00:37:10,563 maybe I could have talked to him. 878 00:37:10,563 --> 00:37:11,731 I don't know. 879 00:37:11,731 --> 00:37:13,899 I doubt it, really, to be honest with you. 880 00:37:13,899 --> 00:37:16,902 I don't know how you can talk somebody out of that hole. 881 00:37:16,902 --> 00:37:18,904 I really don't. 882 00:37:18,904 --> 00:37:21,741 It's, you know, very obvious my dad had an issue with, 883 00:37:21,741 --> 00:37:23,367 you know, drugs and alcohol. 884 00:37:23,367 --> 00:37:26,287 And I just wish that someone had stepped in 885 00:37:26,287 --> 00:37:29,290 and said, "Hey, Chris, you're doing too much." 886 00:37:29,290 --> 00:37:30,875 I think if it had happened today, 887 00:37:30,875 --> 00:37:33,418 I think he might still be alive. 888 00:37:33,418 --> 00:37:37,130 ♪ 889 00:37:37,130 --> 00:37:39,090 October the 7th. 890 00:37:39,090 --> 00:37:41,301 I was at my mother's house, and 891 00:37:41,301 --> 00:37:43,595 Chris had called me earlier that morning 892 00:37:43,595 --> 00:37:46,181 and told me he was all bummed out. 893 00:37:46,181 --> 00:37:48,475 I just said, "Why don't you come on over"? 894 00:37:48,475 --> 00:37:51,144 Finally, about seven, he showed up. 895 00:37:51,144 --> 00:37:53,772 And I had brandy and of course we had beer, 896 00:37:53,772 --> 00:37:58,068 and I'm still not sure what set him off. 897 00:37:58,068 --> 00:38:00,028 I must have said, you know, 898 00:38:00,028 --> 00:38:02,280 "Chris, could you hold it down a little bit? 899 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:03,907 My mother's trying to sleep." 900 00:38:03,907 --> 00:38:06,368 Anyway, boy, that's when he went berserk. 901 00:38:06,368 --> 00:38:08,828 I mean, just like, boom, light switch. 902 00:38:08,828 --> 00:38:11,539 And he'd come at me with that post. 903 00:38:11,539 --> 00:38:13,874 I had a four post bed, 904 00:38:13,874 --> 00:38:17,336 and he broke the post off and come at me with it. 905 00:38:17,336 --> 00:38:20,714 I grabbed the post which cracked my index finger, 906 00:38:20,714 --> 00:38:22,966 and then he put me in a sleeper hold. 907 00:38:22,966 --> 00:38:25,386 And then here we go across the room. 908 00:38:25,386 --> 00:38:27,513 He pushed me on a bed, 909 00:38:27,513 --> 00:38:32,810 and he just started gouging my eyes out, 910 00:38:32,810 --> 00:38:35,145 and he started biting me. 911 00:38:35,145 --> 00:38:38,399 He bit me on the face several times 912 00:38:38,399 --> 00:38:40,359 and then on the neck. 913 00:38:40,359 --> 00:38:43,195 He had me pinned down and was choking me. 914 00:38:43,195 --> 00:38:46,448 He just kept getting stronger. 915 00:38:46,448 --> 00:38:49,034 His eyes seemed to glow. 916 00:38:49,034 --> 00:38:50,953 I thought I was gonna die. 917 00:38:50,953 --> 00:38:53,287 I kept a gun on my end table. 918 00:38:53,287 --> 00:38:56,582 I put the gun as quick as I could to his shoulder. 919 00:38:56,582 --> 00:39:00,378 The only thing I could do was pull the trigger. 920 00:39:00,378 --> 00:39:02,714 [Boom] 921 00:39:11,723 --> 00:39:14,475 He went crazy. It was like he turned into an animal. 922 00:39:14,475 --> 00:39:17,395 [Growling] 923 00:39:17,395 --> 00:39:19,272 And when I pulled the trigger, 924 00:39:19,272 --> 00:39:20,898 he jumped a little bit. 925 00:39:20,898 --> 00:39:23,359 Enough to hit his heart. 926 00:39:23,359 --> 00:39:26,362 ♪ 927 00:39:26,362 --> 00:39:27,905 I just wanted to, maybe, 928 00:39:27,905 --> 00:39:30,199 wound him to where he could, 929 00:39:30,199 --> 00:39:33,869 you know, get some sense. 930 00:39:33,869 --> 00:39:35,954 It's hard to make decisions like that when you 931 00:39:35,954 --> 00:39:38,415 don't have much time to make 'em. 932 00:39:38,415 --> 00:39:40,375 He would have killed me. 933 00:39:40,375 --> 00:39:42,252 I called 911. Asked them, 934 00:39:42,252 --> 00:39:44,504 "Please, get here quick." It was bad. 935 00:39:44,504 --> 00:39:48,508 ♪ 936 00:39:48,508 --> 00:39:51,344 I remember that day very vividly. 937 00:39:51,344 --> 00:39:53,096 I was in school. 938 00:39:53,096 --> 00:39:54,681 My mom came to pick me up. 939 00:39:54,681 --> 00:39:56,725 We get home and I remember her getting 940 00:39:56,725 --> 00:39:59,060 down on her knees in front of me. 941 00:39:59,060 --> 00:40:01,480 "Honey, I'm so sorry to say, but 942 00:40:01,480 --> 00:40:04,191 your dad's dead." 943 00:40:04,191 --> 00:40:07,986 And, ah... 944 00:40:07,986 --> 00:40:09,821 I didn't feel anything at the moment, 945 00:40:09,821 --> 00:40:14,658 'cause I thought, no. No, no, no way. 946 00:40:14,658 --> 00:40:18,370 I got a call from my wife, and she could hardly 947 00:40:18,370 --> 00:40:20,956 draw a breath and then said, "He's gone." 948 00:40:20,956 --> 00:40:26,754 Chris had been shot. And I was, just... 949 00:40:26,754 --> 00:40:29,715 to say I was stunned is an understatement. 950 00:40:29,715 --> 00:40:34,804 I just sat down on the floor, and I was in total shock. 951 00:40:34,804 --> 00:40:36,931 I was 19 when my dad died. 952 00:40:36,931 --> 00:40:39,099 It was, like, very surreal. 953 00:40:39,099 --> 00:40:40,476 I mean, and that was the first experience 954 00:40:40,476 --> 00:40:42,728 I'd ever really had with like a profound grief, 955 00:40:42,728 --> 00:40:45,940 'cause it was my dad. So it was really tough. 956 00:40:45,940 --> 00:40:51,069 Like it took me a really long time to cope with it. 957 00:40:51,069 --> 00:40:53,363 The funeral, it was packed. 958 00:40:53,363 --> 00:40:55,406 You had ex-wrestlers that were there. 959 00:40:55,406 --> 00:40:57,367 You had family that came all the way from the UK. 960 00:40:57,367 --> 00:41:00,119 And yeah, there was like people standing out the back, 961 00:41:00,119 --> 00:41:02,372 'cause there were so many wrestling fans there. 962 00:41:02,372 --> 00:41:03,832 It was a nice tribute. 963 00:41:03,832 --> 00:41:05,792 He had affected so many people's lives, 964 00:41:05,792 --> 00:41:09,087 and a lot of it was for the better. 965 00:41:09,087 --> 00:41:11,756 And I just remember being very solemn when I was there, 966 00:41:11,756 --> 00:41:14,217 but hearing a lot of the words that people said 967 00:41:14,217 --> 00:41:15,927 were really cool. 968 00:41:15,927 --> 00:41:19,389 A lot of people loved him. 969 00:41:19,389 --> 00:41:21,558 I pulled the trigger. 970 00:41:21,558 --> 00:41:24,102 I'm sad, but... 971 00:41:24,102 --> 00:41:27,605 I wouldn't be sitting here right now had I not. 972 00:41:27,605 --> 00:41:30,316 I had to go in front of the grand jury. 973 00:41:30,316 --> 00:41:32,234 They said, "It's over. 974 00:41:32,234 --> 00:41:35,904 What you did was an act of self-defence." 975 00:41:35,904 --> 00:41:38,240 It was almost like, him or me. 976 00:41:38,240 --> 00:41:39,783 I feel like Booray had no choice. 977 00:41:39,783 --> 00:41:42,870 I don't think he wanted to roll the dice. 978 00:41:42,870 --> 00:41:45,038 Something happened in there. 979 00:41:45,038 --> 00:41:47,541 Do I believe him that it was self-defence? 980 00:41:47,541 --> 00:41:50,294 No, I don't. 981 00:41:50,294 --> 00:41:53,463 A very sad and tragic accident between 982 00:41:53,463 --> 00:41:55,340 two very good friends. 983 00:41:55,340 --> 00:41:58,802 Alcohol being the common denominator, 984 00:41:58,802 --> 00:42:01,847 and in Booray being a victim as well, 985 00:42:01,847 --> 00:42:03,932 because he has to live with it. 986 00:42:03,932 --> 00:42:06,101 So forgiveness has to be 987 00:42:06,101 --> 00:42:08,937 the best way forward. 988 00:42:08,937 --> 00:42:11,981 When you're close to somebody like that, 989 00:42:11,981 --> 00:42:14,317 and then something crazy like that happens, 990 00:42:14,317 --> 00:42:17,403 whether he's trying to kill you or not, you know, 991 00:42:17,403 --> 00:42:22,867 it's still taking another person's life away from him. 992 00:42:22,867 --> 00:42:24,702 That's not a good feeling. 993 00:42:24,702 --> 00:42:29,415 It's awful, it's awful. 994 00:42:29,415 --> 00:42:32,501 The thing about Chris that I'll never forget is 995 00:42:32,501 --> 00:42:35,671 just how incredibly talented he was. 996 00:42:35,671 --> 00:42:38,883 And it's a shame that that talent didn't lead to a 997 00:42:38,883 --> 00:42:41,469 longer and more fulfilled life. 998 00:42:41,469 --> 00:42:44,263 To me it's just, just a sad story. 999 00:42:44,263 --> 00:42:45,640 Agh! 1000 00:42:45,640 --> 00:42:47,767 I'll remember Chris Adams as a great wrestler in the ring, 1001 00:42:47,767 --> 00:42:50,061 a great performer, a great athlete. 1002 00:42:50,061 --> 00:42:51,686 But when it comes to outside of the ring, 1003 00:42:51,686 --> 00:42:53,271 when the alcohol would kick in, 1004 00:42:53,271 --> 00:42:54,856 it was almost like he was looking for that edge 1005 00:42:54,856 --> 00:42:56,524 of why he'd get mad at you. 1006 00:42:56,524 --> 00:42:58,985 And he was a person that once he realized 1007 00:42:58,985 --> 00:43:00,695 he had an alcohol problem, 1008 00:43:00,695 --> 00:43:03,239 he didn't choose to solve it. 1009 00:43:03,239 --> 00:43:04,616 What a dichotomy. 1010 00:43:04,616 --> 00:43:06,534 He had a great side, and he had a terrible, 1011 00:43:06,534 --> 00:43:09,496 ugly side, that really outweighed the good. 1012 00:43:09,496 --> 00:43:13,750 But I'll remember the good. 1013 00:43:13,750 --> 00:43:16,252 I want my dad to be remembered as an 1014 00:43:16,252 --> 00:43:19,422 amazing athlete who worked really hard, 1015 00:43:19,422 --> 00:43:22,676 and as a loving father to his kids, 1016 00:43:22,676 --> 00:43:25,261 because I think his kids were everything to him. 1017 00:43:25,261 --> 00:43:27,639 Just wish he could be here to see 1018 00:43:27,639 --> 00:43:29,307 how we all ended up. 1019 00:43:29,307 --> 00:43:30,683 I think he'd be proud of us. 1020 00:43:30,683 --> 00:43:33,018 I think he'd be proud of my brother, particularly. 1021 00:43:33,018 --> 00:43:36,105 One, two, three. 1022 00:43:36,105 --> 00:43:39,775 There was so much more to my dad than just 1023 00:43:39,775 --> 00:43:41,485 the wild, crazy, party side. 1024 00:43:41,485 --> 00:43:43,112 There is a reason why people 1025 00:43:43,112 --> 00:43:44,613 called him the 'Gentleman.' 1026 00:43:44,613 --> 00:43:47,074 There is a reason why my friends over in England would 1027 00:43:47,074 --> 00:43:49,034 always say, "He could sing the birds out of the trees." 1028 00:43:49,034 --> 00:43:51,453 You know? He was, he was very charming. 1029 00:43:51,453 --> 00:43:53,789 He was very loving. He was a kind father. 1030 00:43:53,789 --> 00:43:57,418 I want people to remember him as that person, 1031 00:43:57,418 --> 00:44:00,129 as not just 'Gentleman' Chris Adams, but as Chris Adams.