The U.S. Express
| The U.S. Express | |
|---|---|
| Tag team | |
| Members |
Barry Windham Mike Rotunda |
| Heights | Windham: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Rotunda: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Combined weight |
523 lb (237 kg) |
| Debut | 1984 |
| Disbanded | 1986 |
| Years active | 1984-1986 |
| Promotions | WWF |
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.
Rotunda and Windham (real life brothers-in-law as Rotunda was married to Windham's sister Stephanie) 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 U.S.A." as their entrance music. "Captain" Lou Albano also became their manager. During this time Mike Rotunda would often be referred to as "Mike Rotundo" by WWF commentators.
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 at the world famous Madison Square Garden in New York when the Sheik hit Windham over the head with Freddie Blassie's cane allowing Volkoff to get the pin.
The U.S. Express became two-time Tag Team Champions when they regained the titles from Volkoff and the Sheik on June 17, 1985 in Poughkeepsie, New York on an episode of WWF Championship Wrestling. Their second reign would also last about two months before they lost the belts to The Dream Team (Greg "The Hammer" Valentine and Brutus Beefcake) at The Spectrum in Philadelphia after Beefcake rubbed Lucious Johnny V's lit cigar in Windham's eyes (kayfabe), blinding him and getting the pin. The team broke up near the end of 1985 when Barry Windham left the WWF to return to Florida. They had their last match together under the WWF banner exactly one year to the day after they made their debut.
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