| U.S. Express | |
|---|---|
 U.S. Express in 2004 | |
| Tag team | |
| Members | Barry Windham Mike Rotunda |
| Billed heights | Windham: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Rotunda: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Combined billed weight | 523 lb (237 kg) |
| Debut | 1983 |
| Disbanded | 2008 |
| Years active | 1983–1987 |
TheU.S. Express was aprofessional wrestlingtag team composed ofMike Rotunda andBarry Windham in theWorld Wrestling Federation. Windham was later replaced byDan Spivey and the team was renamed theAmerican Express.
In September 1983, Windham and Rotunda formed the U.S. Express inChampionship Wrestling from Florida. They feuded with the Zambuie Express (Elijah Akeem andKareem Muhammad), the Long Riders (Ron Bass andBlack Bart) andHector Guerrero andChavo Guerrero Sr. On March 14, 1984, they defeated the Long Riders forNWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version). They dropped the titles back to the Long Riders on March 27. Afterwards they won the titles three more times until losing to Hector and Chavo Guerrero on July 14.
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 theBruce Springsteen song "Born in the U.S.A." as their entrance music."Captain" Lou Albano also became their manager.[1] 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 team of Mohammad Saad & Bobby Bass.[2] On January 21, 1985, the U.S. Express beat the team known as the East West Connection (Adrian Adonis &Dick Murdoch) for theWWF World tag-team titles.[3] They would hold the titles for two months before losing them to the team ofThe Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff atWrestleMania I atMadison Square Garden inNew York when the Sheik hit Windham over the head withFreddie Blassie's cane allowing Volkoff to get the pin.[3]
The U.S. Express became two-time Tag Team Champions when they regained the titles from Volkoff and the Sheik on June 17, 1985, inPoughkeepsie,New York on an episode ofWWF Championship Wrestling.[3] Their second reign would also last about two months before they lost the belts toThe Dream Team (Greg "The Hammer" Valentine andBrutus Beefcake) atThe Spectrum inPhiladelphia after Beefcake rubbedLucious Johnny V's lit cigar in Windham's eyes, blinding him and getting the pin.[3] 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.[4]
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 toWWF ChampionHulk Hogan, with the song going on to still be associated with Hogan.[1]
In January 1986 they went to Japan to work forAll Japan Pro Wrestling. Participated at theAWA'sWrestleRock 86 in April 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 TheFabulous Ones (Stan Lane andSteve Keirn)[5] while Rotunda was on a brief break from the WWF between January and May 1986. They returned to Florida on May 6 as they defeatedLex Luger andRon Bass by disqualification.
Only days after Barry Windham left the WWF, Mike Rotunda was linked up withDan Spivey[6] 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.[1]
After the conclusion of their feud with the Dream Team, Mike Rotunda briefly left the WWF. After his subsequent return, the team reunited, feuding withThe Moondogs,[7]The Hart Foundation[8] andThe Islanders whom the team faced in their last match together on February 9, 1987.[9] After Mike Rotunda left the WWF, Dan Spivey was repackaged as "Golden Boy" Dan Spivey before he left the WWF as well.
Spivey would wrestle inWorld Championship Wrestling (reuniting with Rotunda for a time as a member ofKevin Sullivan'sVarsity Club in 1988–1989) and returned toWorld Wrestling Federation as Waylon Mercy in 1995. He would coincide with Rotunda, who was at the time competing as Irwin R. Schyster (see below), but never teamed together as Mercy was used as a singles wrestler. He retired from wrestling that year due to a career-ending injury.
On October 7, 1987, they reunited forBill Watts'sUniversal Wrestling Federation as they teamed withBrad Armstrong andTim Horner as they lost toThe Four Horsemen.
Rotunda went to wrestle forWorld Championship Wrestling where he became a heel under Kevin Sullivan's Varsity Club, and dominated theNWA World Television Championship while Windham, as a member of the Horsemen, held theNWA United States Championship. While Windham left WCW after losing his title, Rotunda stayed and won theNWA World Tag Team Championship with new ally"Dr. Death" Steve Williams. In 1991, he returned to the WWF as Irwin R. Schyster, with his gimmick being a ruthless tax accountant, and won the WWF tag team title three more times withTed DiBiase asMoney Inc.. He left WWF in August 1995 and returned to WCW as VK Wallstreet, Michael Wallstreet and Mike Rotunda. He left WCW in 2000 and wrestled forNew Japan Pro-Wrestling andAll Japan Pro Wrestling.
Windham, following the loss of his US title, returned to the WWF as the "Widow Maker" which was short lived. He returned to WCW in 1990 and after a long babyface run mostly fightingPaul E. Dangerously's Dangerous Alliance and other heels, he retired in 1994. In 1996 he came out of retirement and returned to the WWF as the "Stalker" a wild game hunter gimmick with camouflage on his face. He later formed a tag team withBradshaw as theNew Blackjacks. In 1998 he left WWF and returned to WCW. This time he teamed with his brotherKendall Windham with theWest Texas Rednecks. He left WCW in 1999 and went toAll Japan Pro Wrestling.
After both men worked for WCW they worked forAll Japan Pro Wrestling and reunited on January 28, 2001. They teamed withCurt Hennig as they lost toJohnny Smith,Jim Steele andGeorge Hines.
On May 5, 2004, forIWA Japan they teamed withRyo Miyake as they defeatedJim Duggan,Animal Warrior andKeizo Matsuda being refereed byTed DiBiase.
They participated atWrestleReunion as they lost toLarry Zbyszko andRon Bass on January 28, 2005.
On the March 10, 2008 episode ofWWE RAW, U.S. Express made an appearance in a rematch from WrestleMania I against Volkoff & The Iron Sheik.[10] Before the match could begin, they were interrupted by divaJillian Hall. She offered to sing "Born in the USA" for them before being given an airplane spin by Rotunda.
On April 5, 2024, the U.S. Express was inducted into theWWE Hall of Fame beforeWrestleMania XL.[11]
On May 24, 2025, the U.S. Express was acknowledged in the crowd duringSaturday Night's Main Event XXXIX.[12]
(October 30, 1984) Barry Windham & Mike Rotunda defeated Mohammed Saad & Bobby Bass when Windham pinned Saad with a bulldog at 2:48
(October 30, 1985) Included Barry Windham, Mike Rotunda
(November 1, 1985) Mike Rotunda, Dan Spivey, & Capt. Lou Albano vs. Johnny V & WWF Tag Team Champions Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake
(June 14, 1986) Mike Rotunda & Dan Spivey defeated the Moondogs at 11:37 when Rotunda pinned Rex following an airplane spin
(July 11, 1986) Mike Rotunda & Dan Spivey defeated Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart when Spivey pinned Bret
Mike Rotunda & Danny Spivey fought the Islanders to a double disqualification
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