One of Fritz Von Erich's first feuds as a babyface in the Dallas-Fort Worth area was with Kenji Shibuya. Like other Japanese wrestlers of the day, Kenji was skilled in the arts of judo and karate. "Judo chops" were legal using the side of the hand or the palm to the throat. (It was really the chest area.) "Karate chops" were illegal because the points of the fingers were used to the throat. The referee's back was always turned when the karate chops were delivered.The feud started out with Fritz in a handicap match with Gary Hart and Kenji. Fritz beat Hart in the first fall but was attacked from behind by Kenji. A karate chop was delivered to Fritz with the ref's back turned to secure the victory. This led to a series of singles and tag team matches. During the tag matches, Fritz's partner was Waldo Von Erich and Kenji's was the Masked Executioner.
Fritz and Waldo did prevail in the feud with Kenji and the Executioner leaving Texas. The Executioner was unmasked as Tarzan Tyler, a veteran wrestler who was in Texas years earlier.
This feud further established Fritz and Waldo as babyfaces after the program with Al Costello and Karl Von Brauner.
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