to compete at the Olympic Auditorium, operated at the time by famed judo legends Mike and Gene LeBell for a few years. Initially, Adams wrestled barefoot, but after his initial tour of the United States in 1981, he began to use wrestling boots, armpads and kneepads, which he would eventually use for the rest of his career. He became famous for a wide variety of moves, including somersaulting out of arm-bars, using backflips, diving through the ring ropes to his opponent on the floor, using a lethal enzuigiri when his left leg was held, and for a powerful thrust kick, which was originally called a "judo kick", later known by its more common name, "superkick". Adams won the NWA Americas title in 1982, and was a NWA Americas tag team title winner with Tom Prichard and Ringo Rigby. He lived in Santa Monica and wrestled throughout the California coast in cards promoted by the LeBells. He also wrestled for Don Owen's Pacific Northwest promotion, as well as being involved in several tours of Japan, Europe, Mexico and Canada. World Class Championship Wrestling and other Texas promotions (1983–1987) 1983–1984 By 1983, Adams was contacted by Fritz Von Erich to compete in World Class Championship Wrestling. He joined the Dallas-based promotion on 15 April 1983, wrestling twice that night: defeating Roberto Renesto on the card's opening match and the Mongol by disqualification later in the card. Chris was billed as being the "pen pal" of Kevin Von Erich and was also named by the Adkissons as an "honorary Von Erich". Adams was first introduced in WCCW during one of Bill Mercer's "outside the ring" interviews, when Adams and Mercer met for the first time at a local Dallas restaurant over a round of English tea; in a three-minute interview segment titled "Tea for Two". Adams won his first eleven matches before losing his first WCCW bout to Kamala on 20 June in Fort Worth. His first tag match with the Von Erichs took place on 19 August 1983, with Kerry Von Erich as his partner, and he often teamed with the Von Erichs in six- and eight-man tag matches against the Fabulous Freebirds. Soon thereafter, Adams and Jimmy Garvin began battling each other, with valets Sunshine and Precious getting involved. In a 21 October 1983 match at the Sportatorium, Adams disguised himself as "the Masked Avenger" to earn an NWA American Heavyweight