U.S. Express

The U.S. Express Class Of 2024
Information
Members	Barry Windham Mike Rotunda
Heights	Rotundo: 6'3"
Promotions	WWF
Debuted	1984
Disbanded	1987

The U.S. Express was a professional wrestling tag team comprised of Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).

History

Rotunda and Windham (real life brothers in law) had teamed off and on in the Florida territories before both were signed by the World Wrestling Federation (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. Captain Lou Albano also became their manager.

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 Tag Team Championship. 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 (Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake). After the loss of the tag-team gold the US Express never captured the spotlight in the WWF again 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 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 WrestleRock in April 1986. The team was not billed as the US 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.

Entrance music

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.

Championships and accomplishments

• World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment
  • WWF Tag Team Championship (2 times)
  • WWE Hall of Fame (Class Of 2024)

External links

• Profile