Kevin Von Erich
Kevin Ross Adkisson, better known as Kevin Von Erich, is an American retired professional wrestler. Born on May 15, 1957 in Belleville, Illinois, he spent most of his career with World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) in Dallas, the promotion run by his father Fritz Von Erich. He debuted in 1976 and wrestled barefoot for much of his career, becoming one of WCCW’s biggest stars alongside his brothers Kerry and David.
Kevin won several titles in WCCW, including the NWA Texas Tag Team Championship, the NWA American Tag Team Championship, and the NWA American Heavyweight Championship in 1980. He also appeared in the WWF (now WWE) in 1980, facing Johnny Rodz. In the early 1980s, he had a famous and intense feud with the Fabulous Freebirds, which helped push WCCW to national attention through its syndicated TV. Kevin was known for his athletic ability and good looks, and he was sometimes called “The Barefoot Boy” for wrestling without boots.
Tragedy struck in 1984 when Kevin’s brother David Von Erich died in Japan, which deeply affected the family and the promotion. Kevin continued to wrestle, including notable programs with Chris Adams, and he faced many challenges as the era of WCCW began to change. He wrestled in other promotions as well and, in 1995, won the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship before eventually retiring from active competition that year.
After retiring, Kevin made occasional appearances, including a memorable moment on WWE’s Raw: Homecoming in 2005 and a Piper’s Pit segment in 2006. He contributed to the legacy of World Class Wrestling through interviews and retrospective projects, and in 2006 he sold the rights to the WCCW name and archives to WWE. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009 as part of the Von Erich family.
In later years, Kevin appeared with his sons Marshall and Ross Von Erich at events for TNA, WWE, and various promotions, and he returned to wrestling for a special match in Israel in 2017. In 2023 and 2024, he appeared for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and Ring of Honor (ROH), alongside his sons. In 2025, it was announced that Kevin had signed a Legends deal with AEW and would work as a coach.
Personal life: Kevin married Pam Adkisson in 1980. They live in the Dallas area and run a family investment business. They have four children, including sons Marshall and Ross. He also owns the rights to Southwest Sports (the WCCW distributor) and is involved in real estate and other ventures. Kevin is the last surviving son of Fritz Von Erich, with brothers David, Kerry, Mike, and Chris having wrestled professionally. He has appeared in video games and a 2023 biopic, The Iron Claw, about the Von Erich family.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 19:50 (CET).