U.S. Express
Encyclopedia
The U.S. Express was a professional wrestling
tag team
composed of Mike Rotunda
and Barry Windham
in the World Wrestling Federation
. Windham was later replaced by Dan Spivey
and the team was renamed the American Express.
classic "Born in the U.S.A.
" as their entrance music.
The U.S. Express made their WWF wrestling debut on October 30, 1984 when they defeated the “Enhancement Talent” team of Mohammad Saad & Bobby Bass. 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 team of Nikolai Volkoff
& The Iron Sheik at WrestleMania I.
The U.S. Express became two-time 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 belts to The Dream Team
. 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 exactly one year to the day after they made their debut.
The last real appearance of the U.S. Express was not in the WWF but at the AWA WrestleRock In August 1986. The team was not billed as the U.S. Express since the name was owned by the WWF. The brothers-in-law reunited to defeat the Fabulous Ones
(Stan Lane
and Steve Keirn
) while Rotunda was on a brief break from the WWF between January and May 1986.
Initially, Rick Derringer
, who was working with the WWF at the time, wrote the track "Real American" for the team. When Windham left the WWF and the team split, the music was passed on to Hulk Hogan
.
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.
After the conclusion of their feud with the Dream Team, Mike Rotunda briefly left the WWF. After his subsequent return, the team reunited, feuding with The Moondogs
, The Hart Foundation and The Islanders whom the team faced in their last match together on February 9, 1987 After Mike Rotunda left the WWF, Dan Spivey was repackaged as "Golden Boy" Dan Spivey before he left the WWF as well.
. She offered to sing "Born in the USA" for them before being given an airplane spin by Rotunda.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
composed of Mike Rotunda
Mike Rotunda
Lawrence Michael "Mike" Rotunda is a former American professional wrestler, perhaps best known under the name Irwin R. Schyster or I.R.S. for short. He is currently signed with WWE working as a road agent and making occasional appearances on WWE shows as Irwin R...
and Barry Windham
Barry Windham
Barry Clinton Windham is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and the son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan. He is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling ....
in the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
. Windham was later replaced by Dan Spivey
Dan Spivey
Daniel Eugene "Dan" Spivey is a retired professional wrestler who worked for World Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation, and All Japan Pro Wrestling between 1984 and 1995...
and the team was renamed the American Express.
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 SpringsteenBruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
classic "Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A. (song)
"Born in the U.S.A." is a 1984 song written and performed by Bruce Springsteen. Taken from the album of the same name, it is one of his best-known singles. Rolling Stone ranked the song 275th on their list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". In 2001, the RIAA's Songs of the Century placed...
" as their entrance music.
The U.S. Express made their WWF wrestling debut on October 30, 1984 when they defeated the “Enhancement Talent” team of Mohammad Saad & Bobby Bass. On January 21, 1985 the U.S. Express beat the team known as the “North South Connection (Adrian Adonis
Adrian Adonis
Keith A. Franke was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Adorable" Adrian Adonis.-Career:Franke trained under Fred Atkins and debuted in 1974, wrestling under his own name...
& Dick Murdoch
Dick Murdoch
Hoyt Richard "Dick" Murdoch was an American professional wrestler.-Professional wrestling career:A second-generation wrestler, the son of 1950s Texas wrestler Frankie Hill Murdoch, Dick Murdoch grew up with fellow second-generation wrestlers Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk, watching their fathers...
) for the WWF World tag-team titles. They would hold the titles for only two months before losing them to the team of Nikolai Volkoff
Nikolai Volkoff
Josip Nikolai Peruzović , better known by his ring name of Nikolai Volkoff, is a professional wrestler who is best known for his performances for the World Wrestling Federation...
& The Iron Sheik at WrestleMania I.
The U.S. Express became two-time 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 belts to The Dream Team
The Dream Team (professional wrestling)
The Dream Team was a World Wrestling Federation tag team from 1985 to March 29, 1987 consisting of Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine managed by ”Lucious” Johnny Valiant...
. 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 exactly one year to the day after they made their debut.
The last real appearance of the U.S. Express was not in the WWF but at the AWA WrestleRock In August 1986. The team was not billed as the U.S. Express since the name was owned by the WWF. The brothers-in-law reunited to defeat the Fabulous Ones
The Fabulous Ones
The Fabulous Ones was a professional wrestling Tag team consisting of Stan Lane and Steve Keirn that was active between 1982 and 1987 with brief reunions during the 1990s...
(Stan Lane
Stan Lane
Wallace Stanfield "Stan" Lane is an American professional wrestler, trained by Ric Flair, who started wrestling in 1974 in Championship Wrestling from Florida. For a brief time in Florida, he was nicknamed Nature Boy...
and Steve Keirn
Steve Keirn
Stephen "Steve" Paul Keirn is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for being part of the tag team The Fabulous Ones, with Stan Lane, and later for a run in the World Wrestling Federation as Skinner, a gimmick that portrayed him as a tobacco spitting alligator hunter from...
) while Rotunda was on a brief break from the WWF between January and May 1986.
Initially, Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer is an American guitarist, vocalist, and entertainer.-1960s:When he was seventeen years old, his band The McCoys recorded "Hang on Sloopy" in the summer of 1965, which became the number one song in America before "Yesterday" by The Beatles knocked it out of the top spot. The song was...
, who was working with the WWF at the time, wrote the track "Real American" for the team. When Windham left the WWF and the team split, the music was passed on to Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
.
Rotunda and Spivey - The American Express
Only days after Barry Windham left the WWF, Mike Rotunda was linked up with Dan SpiveyDan Spivey
Daniel Eugene "Dan" Spivey is a retired professional wrestler who worked for World Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation, and All Japan Pro Wrestling between 1984 and 1995...
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.
After the conclusion of their feud with the Dream Team, Mike Rotunda briefly left the WWF. After his subsequent return, the team reunited, feuding with The Moondogs
Moondogs
The Moondogs were a professional wrestling stable in the World Wrestling Federation and in two Memphis promotions: the Continental Wrestling Association and the United States Wrestling Association...
, The Hart Foundation and The Islanders whom the team faced in their last match together on February 9, 1987 After Mike Rotunda left the WWF, Dan Spivey was repackaged as "Golden Boy" Dan Spivey before he left the WWF as well.
U.S. Express reunion
On the March 10, 2008 episode of WWE RAW, U.S. Express made an appearance in a rematch from WrestleMania I against Volkoff & The Iron Sheik. Before the match could begin, they were interrupted by diva Jillian HallJillian Hall
Jillian Faye Fletcher is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to Women Superstars Uncensored. She is also known for her tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Jillian Hall or simply Jillian...
. She offered to sing "Born in the USA" for them before being given an airplane spin by Rotunda.
Championships and accomplishments
- World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWF World Tag Team Championship (2 times)
- NWA Florida Championship WrestlingNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (3 times)
See also
- The BlackjacksThe BlackjacksThe Blackjacks were a heel professional wrestling tag team. The team consisted of Blackjack Mulligan and Blackjack Lanza. After forming in the 1970s, they wrestled in a variety of professional wrestling promotions, including the American Wrestling Association and World Wide Wrestling Federation...
- Money Inc.Money Inc.Money Inc. was a heel professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation from February 1992 to August 1993. The team consisted of "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster . They held the WWF Tag Team Championship three times, defeating the Legion of Doom, The Natural...
- Varsity ClubVarsity ClubThe Varsity Club was a professional wrestling heel stable in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions and World Championship Wrestling. The stable was formed in 1987 and lasted until 1989...
- West Texas RednecksWest Texas RednecksThe West Texas Rednecks was a professional wrestling stable and country music band in World Championship Wrestling in 1999. They are famous for recording of two songs, "Rap is Crap " and "Good Ol' Boys."-History:...
- York FoundationYork FoundationThe York Foundation was a professional wrestling heel stable in that worked in World Championship Wrestling between 1990 and 1992. The stable was led by businesswoman Alexandra York with each member of the stable adopting business suits & attitudes after joining the stable.-History:Miss Alexandra...