US Express
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| The U.S. Express | |
|---|---|
| Tag team | |
| Members | Barry Windham Mike Rotunda |
| Heights | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) – Barry Windham 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) – Mike Rotunda |
| Combined weight | 522 lb (240kg) |
| Debuted | 1984 |
| Disbanded | 1986 |
| Promotions | WWF |
The US Express was a professional wrestling tag-team comprised of Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham who performed under the U.S. Express name in the World Wrestling Federation
Contents |
[edit] Windham and Rotunda
Rotunda and Windham (real life brothers in law) had teamed off and on in the Florida territories before both were signed by the WWF in 1984. Once they joined the WWF they were given a patriotic gimmick along with the Bruce Springsteen classic "Born in the USA" as their entrance music.
The U.S. Express made their WWF wrestling debut on October 30th 1984 when they defeated the “Enhancement Talent” team of Mohammad Saad & Bobby Bass.[1] On January 21, 1985 the U.S. Express beat the team known as the “North South Connection (Adrian Adonis & Dick Murdoch) for the WWF World tag-team titles. They would hold the titles for only two months before losing them to the "Evil Foreigner" team of Nikolai Volkoff & The Iron Sheik at Wrestlemania I
The US Express became 2 times tag-team champions when they regained the titles from Volkoff and the Sheik on June 17, 1985 but their second reign would also last about two months before they lost the gold to The Dream Team. After the loss of the tag-team gold the US Express never captures the spotlight in the WWF and the team broke up near the end of 1985 when Barry Windham left the WWF to return to Florida. The team had their last match together under the WWF banner on October 30 1985[2]exactly one year to the date of their WWF debut.
The last real appearance of the U.S. Express was not in the WWF but at the AWA WrestleRock In August 1986, but were not billed as such.
| The American Express | |
|---|---|
| Tag team | |
| Members | Mike Rotunda |
| Heights | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) – Mike Rotunda 6 ft 8 in (203 cm) - Dan Spivey |
| Combined weight | 558 lb (257 kg) |
| Debuted | 1986 |
| Disbanded | 1987 |
| Promotions | WWF |
[edit] the American Express
Only days after Barry Windham left the WWF Mike Rotundo was linked up with Dan Spivey and they became the American Express, some referred to them as the U.S. Express II since the patriotic gimmick of the original U.S. Express was recycled with Spivey taking Barry Windham's place.
The team continued the U.S. Express’ feud with the Dream Team but once they were proven unsuccessful the two did not team from January to May as Mike Rotundo briefly left the WWF. Once the American Express reunited they feuded with the Moondogs, The Hart Foundation and The Islanders Whom the team defeated in their last match together on February 9, 1987[3]
After Mike Rotunda left the WWF Dan Spivey was repackaged as "Golden Boy" Dan Spivey before he left as well.
[edit] Trivia
Their original team music was "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springsteen. However, Rick Derringer, who was working with the WWF at the time, created a new theme song for them, "Real American." After the team broke up in late 1985 the music was given to Hulk Hogan.
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
[edit] References
- ^ Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specifiedGraham Cawthon (2007-01-07). . Retrieved on 12 February, 2007.
- ^ Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specifiedGraham Cawthon (2007-01-22). . Retrieved on 12 February, 2007.
- ^ Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specifiedGraham Cawthon (2007-02-5). . Retrieved on 12 February, 2007.
