10 Things You Might Have Forgotten About WrestleMania I
1. The US Express Were Criminally Short-Lived
Finally, one thing that the existence of the WWE Network is really good at reminding you of is just how many massive names from the history of professional wrestling never had a significant run in the WWE. Back in the '80s, contractual arrangements seemed to see workers jump backwards and forwards between the WWE and JCP/NWA/WCW regularly.
One of those workers who did this jump was Barry Windham. Windham’s legacy in the present day is that of a god of the Southern wrestling scene, who spent a large period from the late '80s onward winning practically everything the NWA had to offer. At the time of the first WrestleMania however, Windham was early into his career, and teaming with future IRS Mike Rotundo, would form the US Express to quickly became WWE tag team champions going into WrestleMania.
It’s been stated that the iconic ‘Real American’ theme that defined the Hulkamania era had originally been intended for the US Express and it’s not hard to believe why. The Express worked a young stallion patriot aesthetic; they worked athletic and engaging matches and were the kind of tag team which ran smoothly off '80s Americana like a well-serviced Mustang. The Express would face the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff at WrestleMania, losing the titles through nefarious means in what would amazingly be the high point of Windham’s tenure in the WWE.
Windham would be gone from the company by the autumn, and it would be Windham’s last match on WWE pay per view until 1996, when age and ring wear had started to take its toll on his body. Despite Windham's legacy, the criminally short burst in the promising US Express was his high point in WWE, running from just October 1984 to August 1985 - oh Barry, what could’ve been.