Classic GWF Personality Sebastian Recalls Final Conversation with Kerry Von Erich

Sebastian, now a Doctor, shares stories from his time in the Global Wrestling Federation in the early 1990s.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 6:18pm

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An abstract composition of angular black and white shapes, with a bold red accent, conveying the high-stakes drama and visceral energy of professional wrestling.The dramatic rise and fall of a wrestling heel character reflects the intense passions and tribalism of the sport's golden era.Dallas Today

Sebastian, a memorable heel character from the Global Wrestling Federation in the early 1990s, sat down with the Wrestling Epicenter podcast to reflect on his time in the Sportatorium, including his work with legends like Gary Hart and Kerry Von Erich. He shared stories about how he got his start writing the GWF program 'The Grappler' and then transitioned into an on-screen role, as well as memorable moments like the time he was superkicked so hard by John Tatum that he flew into the crowd. Sebastian also discussed his final conversation with Kerry Von Erich before Von Erich's tragic passing, and how that impacted the direction of his character.

Why it matters

The Global Wrestling Federation was a beloved regional promotion that featured high-quality wrestling on ESPN for a few years in the early 1990s. Sebastian's stories provide a unique insider's perspective on that era of wrestling history and the personalities that made the GWF special, including the tragic loss of one of its biggest stars in Kerry Von Erich.

The details

Sebastian, who was an English major in college at the time, started out writing the GWF program 'The Grappler' before being recruited by promoter Gray Pierson to play an obnoxious heel character named Sebastian. He worked closely with legendary manager Gary Hart, eventually firing him as part of his character's storyline arc. Sebastian recalled memorable spots like the time he was superkicked by John Tatum and went flying into the crowd, an incident that was replayed frequently in the GWF's opening sequence. He also discussed his planned redemption storyline with Kerry Von Erich, which was cut short by Von Erich's untimely death.

  • In 1990 or 1991, Sebastian started writing the GWF program 'The Grappler'.
  • Sebastian's on-screen character of Sebastian was created in the early 1990s.
  • Sebastian had his final conversation with Kerry Von Erich the Friday night before Von Erich's death.
  • The Adkisson Benefit Show honoring Kerry Von Erich's life was put together after his passing.

The players

Sebastian

A memorable heel character in the Global Wrestling Federation in the early 1990s, who started out writing the program 'The Grappler' before transitioning to an on-screen role.

Gray Pierson

The promoter of the Global Wrestling Federation who recruited Sebastian to play the Sebastian character.

Gary Hart

The legendary wrestling manager who worked closely with Sebastian as part of his storyline.

Kerry Von Erich

A top star in the Global Wrestling Federation who was set to redeem Sebastian's character before his tragic passing.

John Tatum

A wrestler who delivered a superkick to Sebastian that sent him flying into the crowd, creating a memorable spot.

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What they’re saying

“In the world of wrestling, it is easy to flip! You are going to be out there cheating and doing all the things you can do to make us good guys look bad. We were going to have all the bad guys come down... 'Rugged' Rod Price, 'Hollywood' John Tatum... All the bad guys come down and beat up someone, Tribal Nation I think. And I was going to jump in and say, 'No! No! You're actually hurting them!' and try to stop them. Eventually, the bad guys would turn on me and start to beat me up... And, Kerry would come down and save me... The Christ character saving the sinner!”

— Kerry Von Erich

“That was a blow... Not only to me because it meant I was going to be a bad guy for another six months. But, it was like a light had been snuffed out. Morale was low. People were really down.”

— Sebastian

What’s next

The Adkisson Benefit Show honoring Kerry Von Erich's life was put together after his passing.

The takeaway

Sebastian's stories provide a unique insider's perspective on the Global Wrestling Federation's heyday in the early 1990s, including the highs of working with legends like Gary Hart and Kerry Von Erich, as well as the lows of Von Erich's tragic passing which deeply impacted the morale of the entire GWF roster.