From Poughkeepsie Tag Title Triumph To Hall of Fame

Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham are WWE Hall of Fame bound.

The U.S. Express was a professional wrestling tag team in the 1980's composed of Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham in the WWF (World Wrestling Federation). Mike Rotunda would often be referred to as "Mike Rotundo" on WWF television.

Also See: Top 5 Most Memorable Wrestling Matches in Poughkeepsie

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.

The U.S. Express made their WWF wrestling debut on October 30, 1984 when they defeated the 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 Word tag-team titles. They would hold the titles for only two months before losing them to the team of The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff at Wrestlemania 1 at Madison Square Garden in NYC.

U.S. Express Regain the Tag Team Championships in Poughkeepsie

It was a heated crowd at the Mid Hudson Civic Center (now MJN Convention Center) in Poughkeepsie on June 17, 1985 while fans sat through Nikolai Volkoff singing the Soviet National Anthem (one of the best heel moves in wrestling history), but when Windham and Rotunda came down to the ring led by manager Captain Lou Albano to Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA", the crowd erupted in cheers. USA chants would be heard throughout the match and Windham and Rotundo would regain the titles, becoming two-time Tag Team Champions. It would become the only title change in civic center history.

Here are a couple of fan submitted photos from Hudson Valley area wrestling fan Eric Rassin from Hyde Park, NY from June 17, 1985 at Mid Hudson Civic Center.

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The U.S. Express broke up near the end of 1985 when Barry Windham left the WWF. They had their last match together under the WWF banner exactly one year to the day after they made their debut. Only days after Barry Windham left the WWF, Mike Rotunda was teamed up with Dan Spivey and they became the American Express.

WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024

Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham (The U.S. Express) will be inducted into the the WWE Hall of Fame on April 5, 2024 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania before WrestleMania XL. This will be Windham's second Hall of Fame induction, the first being in 2012 as a member of The Four Horsemen (a member while wrestling for NWA and WCW in the 80s and 90s).

This will be Mike Rotunda's first Hall of Fame induction. He wrestled for WWF and WCW in the 80s and 90s under the ring names Mike Rotunda, Mike Rotundo, Michael Wallstreet and IRS (Irwin R. Schyster). Rotunda's sons were also wrestlers (Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas).

The event will be livestreamed on Peacockin the United States and internationally on the WWE Network.