 Windham,c. 1986 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kendall Wayne Windham (1967-12-15)December 15, 1967 (age 57) Sweetwater, Texas, U.S.[1] |
Spouse | Phylis Windham |
| Children | 1 |
| Relative(s) | Blackjack Mulligan (father) Barry Windham (brother) Mike Rotunda (brother-in-law) Bray Wyatt (nephew) Bo Dallas (nephew) |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name | Kendall Windham |
| Billed height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm)[1] |
| Billed weight | 260 lb (118 kg)[1] |
| Trained by | Hiro Matsuda[1] Jimmy Tanaka[1] Pat Tanaka[1] |
| Debut | June 11, 1984[1] |
| Retired | 2002[1] |
Kendall Wayne Windham (born December 15, 1967) is an American retiredprofessional wrestler best known for his appearances withWorld Championship Wrestling.[1][2] He is the son ofBlackjack Mulligan and the brother ofBarry Windham.
Kendall Windham started wrestling in 1984 forChampionship Wrestling from Florida, making his debut on June 10 in Tampa, Florida, aged 16, in a win over Jack Hart (Barry Horowitz).[3] He was very skinny but had the same moves and looks as his older brother,Barry.
Kendall began his career facing and defeating Hart in various house show matches around the circuit. On June 23, 1985, the rookie competed in a tournament to crown theNWA Florida Heavyweight Champion, wrestlingRip Rogers to a draw. He remained undefeated until he was finally pinned by Jack Hart at a house show in Orlando, Florida.[3] Two months later he gained his first title, defeating Hart to win the Florida Heavyweight Championship on September 2, 1985, at theBattle of the Belts in Tampa. Windham retained the title against Jack Hart in rematches, and cast as good guy (face) he teamed with his brother Barry to feud withRon Bass andKevin Sullivan's "cult".[4]
On February 22, 1986, Kendall finally lost the Florida title toThe Cuban Assassin (Fidel Sierra) at a TV taping in Tampa.[5] The loss was avenged a few weeks later when Windham regained the title at another TV taping[6] on March 30, 1986, when he defeated The White Ninja (The Great Muta),[7] beginning a feud with the future superstar and partnerKendo Nagasaki.
In May 1986, the Florida title was vacated, but Kendall participated in a tournament to crown the next champion. He defeated the White Ninja andJerry Grey to regain the title for a third time on May 18, 1986, but lost the title to the Ninja three days later at a TV taping.[8] On June 9 he won the belt for a fourth time by defeating the White Ninja in a cage match in Orlando.[9] Kendall defended the championship successfully against the Ninja and Kendo Nagasaki before losing the title toRon Bass on July 15, 1986.[10]
Kendall feuded with Ron Bass for the remainder of the summer of 1986 but was unable to regain the championship. On September 1, 1986, he facedChris Champion for theNWA Florida Bahamian Championship at theBattle of the Belts III event in Daytona Beach, Florida, winning via disqualification.[11] He then resumed his feud with Kendo Nagasaki, defeating him in numerous house show matches in the fall of 1986. On December 12, 1986, he received his first ever shot at theNWA World Championship, wrestlingRic Flair in a loss at a house show in Tampa.[12] Kendall closed out the year teaming withVic Steamboat in a tournament to crown the vacantNWA Florida Tag-Team Championship, losing in the finals toThe New Breed on December 25, 1986.[13][14]
Windham and Steamboat were unsuccessful in rematches with the New Breed in January 1987, but they did defeatThe Sheepherders and The Shock Troops (Ed Gantner &Kareem Muhammad) that month. He continued to wrestle for the CWF throughout the spring, and Kendall's final match came againstThe Tahitian Prince in Jacksonville, Florida, on May 25, 1987.[15][16]
In 1987, he ventured to theNWA'sJim Crockett Promotions, making his debut on the June 2nd, 1987 taping ofWorldwide Wrestling and defeatingThunderfoot #1. Three days later he sustained his first loss, falling toNWA Television ChampionTully Blanchard at a house show in Richmond, Virginia. Unlike his brother, Kendall found himself as an opening match wrestler on the house show circuit and lost toEddie Gilbert andArn Anderson. On June 27, 1987, he teamed with Barry for the first time in JCP, facingThe Midnight Express in a losing effort at a house show in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
That summer he began teaming withTodd Champion and feuded withThe MOD Squad (Spike and Basher). The feud also carried over to a second partnership that he formed, this time withThe Italian Stallion. On August 29, 1987, the duo battled The MOD Squad to a time limit draw on NWA Worldwide. Windham also formed another team, this time withJimmy Valiant and competed frequently on the house show circuit. On the October 24, 1987, edition of Worldwide Wrestling, Kendall Windham challenged Lex Luger unsuccessfully for theNWA United States Championship. On December 1, 1987, he earned a non-title match againstNWA World Heavyweight ChampionRic Flair, but was pinned.[17]
Kendall entered 1988 mired in the preliminary ranks, losing toLarry Zbyszko, Arn Anderson,NWA Florida ChampionRick Steiner andThe Powers of Pain. On February 14, 1988 he teamed with the Stallion in a losing effort againstShaska Whatley &Tiger Conway Jr. inGreenville, North Carolina, after which the team went on hiatus. Two months later he formed a new tandem, this time withRicky Santana and defeatedThe Sheepherders (Bushwhackers) via disqualification on April 8, 1988, at a house show in Houston, Texas. Less than two weeks later they made their televised debut, again defeating The Sheepherders via disqualification on the April 17th edition ofThe Main Event. A week later Santana and Windham beat The Sheepherders by pinfall on the Main Event.
Meanwhile he restarted his team with the Stallion again to enter the3rd Annual Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup, defeatingThe Terminator and The Green Machine in the opening round via forfeit inGreenville, South Carolina. Windham and the Stallion fell in the second round toNWA Tag Team Champions Arn Anderson & Barry Windham later that day.
On the May 1, 1988, edition ofThe Main Event, The Sheepherders gained a measure of revenge, as they teamed withRip Morgan to defeat Windham, Santana, andJohnny Ace. On May 8, 1988, he subbed for Larry Zbyszko at a house show in Greenville, South Carolina, to take on partner Ricky Santana in a bout that went to a draw. After this Kendall resumed his team with Stallion, facing The Powers of Pain, The Midnight Express,The Varsity Club, and Larry Zbyszko &Al Perez that summer. On July 10, 1988, he teamed withTim Horner to fall to Rick Steiner &Dick Murdoch in a pre-PPV match for the1988 Great American Bash (the match aired live on The Main Event). On August 20 Windham and Stallion finally gained a televised victory, beatingKeith Steinborn &Don Valentine onWorld Championship Wrestling.
Kendall Windham took a hiatus that fall, and when he returned in December it was with a new partner. On the December 10th edition ofWorld Championship Wrestling, he formed The Texas Broncos with another second-generation wrestler,Dustin Rhodes. The two young wrestlers facedThe Cruel Connection in their debut match. They began facingThe Original Midnight Express on the house show circuit, falling up short in each encounter. Meanwhile on television the Broncos remained undefeated, facing a variety of preliminary competition.[18][19]
In January 1989 on NWA Worldwide the Broncos suffered their first televised defeat, falling to Al Perez and Larry Zbyszko. This marked the final appearance for the Broncos, as Dustin Rhodes would soon depart for the newly formedProfessional Wrestling Federation. In a match aired on January 28, 1989, Kendall teamed withEddie Gilbert against his brother Barry andJ. J. Dillon of theFour Horsemen.[20] Kendall turned on Gilbert and joined Barry and held up the four fingers to the camera.[20] Before the next show, Dillon left for theWWF and the Horsemen name was dropped.[21] Kendall began teaming with Barry but his association with the Horsemen was short-lived.James J Dillon would leave the promotion shortly thereafter. The Windhams and Flair were given a new manager,Hiro Matsuda, and a new stable name, "Yamasaki Corporation".[20]
On the March 18, 1989, edition ofWorld Championship Wrestling, Kendall teamed with Barry to defeat United States Champion Lex Luger andMichael Hayes; during the match, Hayes turned on his partner to join the Yamasaki Corporation. The stable would grow to includeButch Reed as well, although the group would not remain together for long.[22] Barry Windham would leave the promotion in March 1988, and following a loss to Lex Luger at a house show in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 20 he too would depart the NWA for Florida.[20][23]
On June 27, 1989, Windham won the FCW Heavyweight Championship from Dustin Rhodes. He obtained a new manager,Oliver Humperdink, and feuded with Rhodes. He soon left Humperdink forRobert Fuller'sStud Stable and by the end of 1989, was a member ofRon Slinker's "Strike Command". In 1990, he left Slinker and teamed with Fuller to win the Tag Team Titles, Upon losing them, they split and feuded.
Eight months after departing WCW for the PWF, Windham made his return to the Turner promotion. Appearing on the Dec 9, 1989, episode of World Championship Wrestling, he defeatedBob Ryder. The following week he defeatedTrent Knight and discussed his return to WCW. He next appeared on the Jan 6, 1990, edition of WCW Pro and was defeated byBrian Pillman. His final appearance came in a match againstTommy Rich on Jan 16, 1990, at an event inCamp LeJune.[24] Windham decided to take a two year hiatus from wrestling, which happened to coincide with his 24 month federal prison sentence.
Windham returned to wrestling in 1992 for Florida's ICWA promotion where he feuded with Pat Tanaka and Kevin Sullivan.[25] He had put on some more weight in prison and was considered a heavyweight instead of a light heavyweight.
Later that year Kendall teamed withDan Spivey for a tour ofAll Japan Pro Wrestling. He made his debut for the promotion on Nov 14, 1992, in Omiya, Japan in a losing effort to theMiracle Violence Connection. Spivey and Windham competed in theAJPW Real World Tag League 1992 event, and on Nov 17th defeatedDory Funk Jr andTsuyoshi Kikuchi. On December 1, 1992, he teamed with Johnny Ace in a losing effort againstJoel Deaton andAndre the Giant in Ishikawa, Japan. The tour ended with Spivey and Windham facingBilly Black and Joel Deaton on Dec 4th in Tokyo.
Windham returned to All Japan the following year to participate in theAJPW Summer Action Series 1993. He wrestled in multiple singles matches on the tour, facingJun Akiyama,Pete Roberts, andTakao Omori. On July 7, 1993, Windham teamed with Big Bubba (Big Bossman) to defeat Akira Taue & Takao Omori in Hyogo, Japan. Later that fall he participated in the AJPW Giant Series 1993, again teaming with Big Bossman as well asStan Hansen andTed Dibiase.[26]
Kendall returned toWCW on July 10, 1993, teaming withMark Starr to faceThe Hollywood Blonds onWCW Worldwide.[27] On the December 25th episode of Worldwide he teamed with an unknown wrestler to facePretty Wonderful in an unsuccessful effort. At the same taping in Orlando, Florida, he was defeated byPaul Roma.[28][29]
Windham surfaced on January 14, 1995, inECW, defeatingHack Myers at a house show in Davie, Florida.[30] Two days later he defeated Prey of the Dead (Horace Hogan) at a show in Ft. Lauderdale.[31]
Windham returned to WCW on September 15, 1997. His head now shaved, he lost toChris Adams in a dark match forMonday Nitro in Charlotte, North Carolina. A month later he made his next appearance, defeatingChavo Guerrero Jr. onWCW Pro.[32] Four days later he would beat old rivalBobby Eaton onWCW Saturday Night. Kendall would initially feud with Chris Adams andJim Duggan.[33] He made his first official PPV appearance atWCW World War 3 on November 23, 1997, competing in the 60 person battle royal.[34]
On January 22, 1998, he became one of the earlier participants in theGoldberg Win Streak, losing toBill Goldberg onWCW Thunder. Windham continued to feud with Duggan while remaining victorious over lower-level opponents, includingEl Dandy,Tim Cheeks, andEvan Karagias. As the year progressed however, he began to register more defeats, falling toPerry Saturn,Jim Neidhart,Fit Finlay,Dean Malenko, andDale Torborg. On November 17, 1998, he unsuccessfully challengedChris Jericho for theWCW World Television title on WCW Saturday Night.[35]
In 1999, when WCW created a hardcore division, he entered it briefly and feuded withHardcore Hak.[33] In June, Windham joinedThe West Texas Rednecks in what would be the biggest push of his career. The Rednecks were his brother Barry,Curt Hennig andBobby Duncum Jr.[33] They were supposed to be heels feuding withMaster P's rappers, the "No Limit Soldiers", but the southern fans of WCW cheered the Rednecks instead.[33] The angle was quickly dropped and they moved on to a feud with "Harlem Heat" (Booker T andStevie Ray).[33] Kendall gained his first WCW championship when he and Barry defeated Harlem Heat for the WCW World Tag Team Titles on August 23, 1999, at a Monday Nitro in Las Vegas.
The new champions successfully defended their titles againstKenny Kaos andPrince Iaukea on a Nitro airing from Unionsdale, New York, on August 30. A day later, The Windham Brothers defeated The Texas Outlaws on WCW Saturday Night. On September 10, the Windhams defeatedBilly Kidman andKonnan at a house show in Baltimore. At theWCW Fall Brawl 99 PPV on September 12, 1999, Kendall and Barry defended against Harlem Heat in a rematch but were defeated for the titles. The Windhams would attempt to regain their titles against Harlem Heat at a Nitro on September 27 but were unsuccessful.
As fall progressed Kendall began teaming with fellow West Texas Redneck stablemate Curly Bill (Virgil), facing Harlem Heat at numerous house shows. While falling short against the Heat, the new team defeated El Dandy andLa Parka on WCW Worldwide on October 10, followed byDisorderly Conduct. Kendall's final WCW match came in a tag with Curly Bill against The Armstrongs (Scott Armstrong andSteve Armstrong) on WCW Worldwide on November 9, 1999.[36]
By the end of 1999, all of the West Memphis Rednecks had left WCW. Kendall next appeared in theWWC, defeatingDutch Mantell in his debut on December 18, 1999, in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.[37] He then challengedRay González for theWWC Universal Championship on May 6, 2000, in a match that went to a double countout. That summer Barry joined the promotion, and on July 16, 2000, the Windham Brothers defeatedThe Public Enemy at theWWC 27th Aniversario show. On September 2, 2000, the Windhams defeatedLa Artilleria Pesada (Lightning & Thunder) to win the WWC Tag-Team Championship.[38]
At the same time Kendall also wrestled imNWA Florida in the fall of 2000, defeating The Stone Mountain in a tournament to crown theNWA World Heavyweight Championship.[39] He later teamed withFidel Sierra to wrestle The New Heavenly Bodies (Chris Nelson &Vito DeNucci) at the NWA Florida OktoberSLAM! card on October 17, 2000.[40]
In November 2000 the Windhams traveled to All Japan Pro Wrestling to participate in the AJPW Real World Tag League 2000 event. They started out the series in victorious fashion, defeatingGenichiro Tenryu &Nobutaka Araya in Tokyo, Japan on November 19. The Windham Brothers were largely victorious during the tour, defeating Mike Rotundo & Steve Williams,Dan Kroffat &Yoshiaki Fujiwara, andMasahito Kakihara &Shigeo Okumura. They closed out the event by defeatingNobutaka Araya &Shigeo Okumura in Tokyo, Japan.
The Windhams then returned to WWC to defend their tag-team championship in December 2000. However, in their first defense on December 16, 2000, they were defeated by La Artilleria Pesada in Carolina, Puerto Rico. Kendall and Barry had a rematch on January 7, 2001, in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, but were defeated. This marked the final match in Kendall's career.[41]
Windham retired in 2002.[1]
Mike Rotunda is married to Windham's sister. His nephews,Windham andTaylor, wrestled for WWE as Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas respectively.[42] He has a son named Wyatt.[citation needed] He is currently president of a security business inBrandon, Florida.[2]
In 1990, Windham and his father Blackjack Mulligan were arrested by theUnited States Secret Service in a joint investigation with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for counterfeiting. The authorities found close to $500,000 in phony $20 bills. As a result of a plea agreement, both father and son spent 24 months in a federalprison and were released in 1992.[43]
