Barry Windham

[Exposer]

From pure talent alone, Barry Windham is one of the most talented wrestlers I've ever seen. He's basically good at everything. He was a great heel, a great face, great at selling, great at bumping, great at timing, great at structuring a match, great brawler, great charisma, could be really good on the mat, could work any pace, and is arguably one of the greatest tag wrestlers who ever lived. Starting as far back as 81 and through 93 Barry was absolutely tremendous a lot of the time. Once he went off to the WWF to do silly gimmicks and went out of shape he lost some of his awesomeness but I do enjoy some of his 99 WCW work. So, is he regarded by people here to be one of the most talented workers ever? Feel free to review some matches as well.

[Exposer]

Here's a review of mine from one of the Flair matches:

 

Ric Flair vs. Barry Windham – World Wide Wrestling 1987 (January maybe???)

I don’t know enough about the background of this match but my impression and knowledge tell me that this was an angle based off the young Barry trying to compete with the experienced Flair. They have several matches from 1986-1987 but this is the first one I’ve seen of them. It goes 45 minutes on free television and really delivers big time. This is really a tremendous match with a tremendous pace to go along with it. Barry’s fast paced baby face offense is really good and the crowd is molten for it. The mat work here is well done even if it’s mostly basic. Flair takes a great bump to the floor off his turnbuckle bump and that might be my highlight of the match. The string of near falls as Barry tries to win the championship is really excellent as he throws everything he can at Flair. The pacing is proven great here when the finish doesn’t seemed rushed at all and they work in a flow instead of a panicked state within the time limit. Barry can’t quite get the win as time expires but he proves himself as a legitimate championship competitor. Overall, with the crowd, pacing, mat work, excellent near falls, selling, and Flair’s bumping I’ve got to brand this as a really great matc. This is certainly a must see for hardcore fans and the only complaint I have is that the 45 minutes were broken up by commercial interruptions. If that wasn’t the case this could have been even better.

 

Here's the match that precedes the one above in a later review:

 

Ric Flair vs. Barry Windham – Jim Crockett Promotions 1/13/87

This was joined in progress but I think I saw a most of the match and the best parts at least. This was the prelude to the match the following week on World Wide Wrestling. The Horsemen are in Flair’s corner in this match but the Rock N Roll Express and Dusty Rhodes come out to even the odds and that’s where the tape starts here. Barry gets in a lot of offense on Flair and the crowd is fucking molten. Anytime one of the two hit the floor there’s confrontations between both sides watching at ringside. This is a very fun and exciting match with a fast paced build. Flair gets in his usual tactics on Windham including two low blows and a rake to the eyes from I think JJ Dillon. Windham gets a several near falls down the stretch and the crowd is off the hinges throughout this. Once Barry executes the lariat and goes for the pin the Horsemen intervene and cause the DQ. The Rock N Roll Express and Dusty Rhodes come in and clean house with Barry and the show closes with an intense crowd and a great promo by Barry. This was a lot of fun and did a magnificent job setting up for the title match the following week. I struggle to give call this a really great match because the whole match wasn’t in full. I still thought it was a great way to set up the following title match.

[JerryvonKramer]

I feel I'm more down on Barry than basically anyone else. I don't see, for example, how he was a "great heel", or even a "great face". Great at mechanics and wrestling fundamentals, sure, but not convinced he was a great heel or face. Up to 1989 so far in Crockett he always feels like a guy who can under deliver on any given night. I'm not as high on his Flair matches as most, and other matches which feel like they should be good on paper don't come to fruition -- the Bam Bam Bigelow match being only the most recent example of quite a few.

 

I remember his 91-2 stuff when he was working with Dustin Rhodes and feuding with members of the DA being pretty good, but all-in-all in my mind the jury is still out on him. I don't see this all-time great worker that he's cracked up to be and that's been my feeling for a long time.

[El-P]

All time great to me. At his peak (88 or so), better than Flair. Could play any role and be great at it, fiery young babyface, vulnerable injured babyface, heel tag-team worker Horseman, face veteran tag-team leader carrying young Dustin, technical veteran heel against Scorp, brawler lone wolf heel against Pillman, had ton of great looking offense (he's one of the most graceful wrestler ever), could sell his ass off, beg like a chickenshit, make great fiery babyface comebacks, the guy could do litteraly everything and look great doing it. During WCW stint from 91 to 93 he was the best worker in the promotion overall, and that was after he passed his physical prime. I'd watch fat Barry Windham rather than tons of guys in their prime. All time great. He he hadn't blown his knee in 1993, who knows how many great matches he would have had still. Awesome awesome worker.

[soup23]

What would you say was the best stuff from Barry in 1988? I thought he was very hit or miss for big matches that year.

 

Bunkhouse stampede vs. Zbysko was a good match but not much more on a shitty card, Clash 1 was a classic match and Barry's best performance of 88 to me. I didn't like his match at clash 2 with Armstrong very much at all. GAB 88 vs. Dusty had the claw hold from hell as it was applied for 5 minutes and grounded the match to a halt. Clash 3 vs. Sting was a good match with an erratic Sting but missing a little something. I really like the Clash 4 tag although I would probably call Barry the 3rd best worker in the match. The match vs. Bigelow was not near as good as it could have been and featured Barry mugging for the crowd as a heel and essentially encouraging cheers by giving them the 4 horseman gesture. I thought that was a really sour performance. I do remember him being really good in the match he turned heel.

 

I am higher on the Flair matches and Barry overall than Parv, but he has lost a lot of rep going through some of these shows. I just can't point to too many Barry performances I would call great with lesser opponents. I remember really liking his 1991-92 stuff so hopefully that will hold up. I have no problem calling Barry a very good wrestler overall at this point but would be hesitant to call him great and I don't see any way he would be in my top 20 of US workers all time.

[shoe]

I like Windham a lot. I think the man has had a lot of really strong matches through the years. Let 's look at his Florida work 1st. He had good to great matches with Ron Bass, Harley Race, and Ric Flair.

 

He would move on to the WWF and have some decent matches. The most noteable being that Murdoch single.

 

Back to Florida he 'd have that classic with Flair at Battle of the Belts.

 

Eventually he would transition to Crockett and have two more amazing matches with Flair , and a real good one that only got like 11 minutes. He started teaming with Ronnie Garvin and I believe feud with both incarnations of the MX and have some hot matches. He would also have plenty of really good matches with other members of the Horsemen. Most notably Tully Blanchard that produced a couple of 4 * matches in 88. Their was 4 ( could be 3-5) matches where he tags up with Luger against Tully and Arn that produced in the ring. He also had a 6 man teaming with Sting and Luger against the Horseman in another excellent match where he carried the face side in the ring. Their is a lot more to his career , but I just wanted to start here.

 

I also think he was the best ever at the glossy eyed sell job.

[JerryvonKramer]

Would it be fair to say shoe, that for whatever reason, Windham's best stuff -- at least in Crockett -- happened on TV rather than big shows or Clashes? I mean aside from that awesome tag with Luger vs. Arn and Tully at Clash 1, I don't think he has any matches breaching my top 10 for the decade and I realise that could be because we haven't looked at TV matches beyond Clash and "specials" like Super Towns.

[shoe]

I wouldn't call him a bad big show worker by

any stretch. Though the weekly t.v is where he really shines. They put him

in a ton of spotlight matches and he really delivers.

[Dylan Waco]

On the Bigelow match it's important to remember that Bigelow is one of the most overrated wrestlers in history. The narrative of him being a "great" big man is so played out at this point it's comical. I've seen a lot of Bigelow over the years and while there is no question he was pretty good and a good athlete he usually under performs. I like the Starrcade match with Barry, but it's not outstanding.

 

I think Barry was a tremendously great wrestler. I would have no problem with someone who said he was a better tv match wrestler than big show wrestler, because I don't think he was booked in a way that gave him as many big show opportunities anyhow. I could point to big show matches of his I really enjoyed and that I think are all time greats, but the guy was very good on television. As I have said before I also think he was among the best tag workers I've ever seen. As in top five at absolute worst.

 

Maybe I'll watch some Barry soon and give more specific thoughts.

[soup23]

On the Bigelow match it's important to remember that Bigelow is one of the most overrated wrestlers in history. The narrative of him being a "great" big man is so played out at this point it's comical. I've seen a lot of Bigelow over the years and while there is no question he was pretty good and a good athlete he usually under performs. I like the Starrcade match with Barry, but it's not outstanding.

I certainly don't think Bigelow is great but certainly capable and that still doesn't excuse Barry from encouraging a positive reaction to himself as a heel.

[El-P]

On the Bigelow match it's important to remember that Bigelow is one of the most overrated wrestlers in history. The narrative of him being a "great" big man is so played out at this point it's comical. I've seen a lot of Bigelow over the years and while there is no question he was pretty good and a good athlete he usually under performs.

Pretty much agree with this.

[goodhelmet]

Here are some matches we have nominated for the Territory and Crockett 80s sets...

 

FLORIDA

 

Barry Windham vs. Harley Race

- This is probably the earliest example of Windham showing what he can do. Both guys bring the offense and they both even blade for our sick pleasure. In the shocker of all shockers, Barry pins Race in the middle of the ring on a roll up off the ropes. Harley tries to take Windham out after the match but Dusty saves. For his troubles, Harley piledrives Dusty on the concrete. The whole thing was pretty damn awesome and a nomination.

 

 

Barry Windham vs. Ron Bass

- Famous match where Windham defeats Bass but Bass beats Windham up after the match, puts the saddle on Windham and "rides" him. The match itself was pretty good with both guys dishing out punishment. Bass had a small cut so we got a little bit of blood out of it as well. I don't like the actual match as much as the Windham-Race match (that may change in the future) but this is an easy nomination and one of the better known Florida matches.

 

 

Ric Flair vs. Barry Windham (Battle of the Belts 2)

- The first 15 minutes or so are controlled by Barry. It may just be me but this match is flying by as Barry is keeping things going at a faster pace than I am accustomed to in Flair matches. Flair takes control after Barry runs into the corner and meets a Flair low-blow and they go outside which ends up with Barry being busted open. Inside, Barry turns the tide and puts Flair in the Figure-4. There are 2 ways you can look at it... either a typical Flair spot for the opponent to use Flair's move on him or a nod to the 1st Battle of the Belts. The last 15 minutes are just great back and forth action where the momentum keeps shifting and there are about 6 or 7 points where you think... this match is over. THe biggest problem might be that people knew there was no chance in hell that Barry was going to win but this was Florida and maybe it was possible he got a KVE run with the belt. This is an easy nomination but the big question now is which Flair-Windham matchup is the best. I think I may enjoy this one more than the 1/20/87 match (which was hurt by commercial breaks) but not as much as the Crockett Cup match. I'll have to revisit these when the sets are made.

 

 

 

CROCKETT

 

Barry Windham & Ron Garvin vs. Midnight Express, TV 12/86

Early on, the story is that when Windham is in, he controls the match but when Garvin is in, the MX gain the advantage. It stays this way for about ten minutes until Windham gets a knee from Bobby but even when he gets the tag, GArvin still gets roughed up by the MX. I remember watching this match 20 years ago live and thinking how the MX were such a better team because of how long they controlled the match. I know Tim Cooke will disagree but I really like these studio matches because the intimate setting allows smaller things like headlocks and arm bars and eye rakes to feel a little bit more painful to the viewer because you are right up on the action. The match ends in a time-limit draw but Condrey thought he had Garvin pinned. The MX is upset and Cornette lays Garvin to waste with some racquet shots. This match was the beginning of the Garvin-MX feud that would last through the next year and peak with the fire incident. This is a personal favorite but I think it stands on its own and warrants a nomination. THe fact that Garvin was being abused by the MX the entire match and laid out after only makes it more interesting in my view.

 

 

Ric Flair vs. Barry Windham, 1/20/87 (Ultimate Ric Flair)

Another must-have stone cold lock. The match structure isn't so much a Flair match as it is a classic wrestling match structure (face shine, heel takes over, hot end run) although Flair did this a lot. Windham takes control early on. Flair gets frustrated but plays the methodical "I know I am going long" game. The biggest mark early on is that the commercial breaks hurt the flow but we see that a ton. Flair tosses Barry outside mid-match and takes over. The end run has Flair and Barry going back and forth and I remember watching this in 1987 thinking "Barry is going to win it!" I always hated the ending as this could have been Barry's big moment. However, I think this compares favorably to the Flair-Taylor series and may be comparable to the best of the series.

 

 

Ron Garvin & Barry Windham vs. Dick Murdoch & Ivan Koloff, TV 3/87

Murdoch rules. Seriously, he has Garvin and just mouths off the entire time which is entertaining in itself. Koloff and Dick take turns working the neck lock which doesn't seem that interesting (besides Murdoch's jawing) but makes sense if the goal is to setup for the brainbuster. When the heels take over on Windham, it is much more interesting with Murdoch just laying in the kicks and punches. After about ten minutes, the match picks up with Windham and Murdoch going to town on each other. Great visual of Murdoch missing a punch but the last 8 minutes or so is just back and forth MOVES with Murdoch going to the top with the driving knee, Barry crotching Ivan on the top rope and capitalizing with a leg drop to the groin and Windham hitting his big clothesline finisher. Some shenanigans as hell breaks loose, Petrov tries to interfere but as the ref is taking him out, Cornette and Eaton come out of nowhere, pop Garvin on the head with the racquet and Dick & Ivan are the champs! The post match interview is great and needs to be included. Definite nomination and one of my favorite studio matches.

 

 

Ric Flair vs. Barry Windham, Crockett Cup 4/11/87

I'll have to rewatch the TV match but I don't know which one I like better. I think this one may be helped by the fact that there are no commercial breaks. This should land in my Top 10 and this was another one of those matches where people should be pissed that they edit the commercial releases to hell.

 

 

Midnight Express vs. Barry Windham & Ron Garvin, TV 5/16/87

If you see the way people are talking about Chavo in the Mid South thread now, that is how people are going to talk about Ron Garvin after this set. One of the minor complaints I have about these NWA matches is a reliance on armbars, headlocks and other restholds but usually the formula is so solid that the wrestlers get their story told anyway. One of the little things I love about this match... Garvin gives Bobby a backdrop on the concrete. Later on, Windham delivers a powerslam to Bobby. If you remember the backdrop, you think that Bobby's back is toast but Barry picks him up before the count so Bobby doesn't have to kick out of the damaging situation. Hell, Bobby takes more damage tothe back after a Barry superplex. Then, later on, when Bobby is tagged in during a Windham FIP section, he is still selling the back. So awesome. The finish is also memorable and too convoluted to explain so just watch this match and tell me what you think. Nomination.

 

 

Midnight Express vs. Barry Windham & Ron Garvin (Handheld), Pittsburgh 7/10/87

This also takes a little while to get rolling but this was pretty damn great. Early on, Garvin and Windham shine including a great punch by GArvin outside that forces Eaton into the guardrail. The MX is frustrated early on and even tease a turn on each other. Then for some unknown reason, the match cuts out and it looks like someone was taping a bad B-flick and reralized they were messing with the MX tag. Windham plays FIP and the MX break out some good double teams and it seems like the Lane-Eaton duo is really starting to gel. DOn't get me wrong, both are such pros that they were having good matches early in their run but they were hitting a stride. Big Bubba interferes for what appears to be an MX pin but the ref sees BUbba's hat and gives the match to Windham & Garvin. I don't like the finish but this is a match worth watching.

 

 

Barry Windham vs. Lex Luger (TV 9/87)

- This starts out with Barry shining and outsmarting Luger. The rest of the match was a nice back and forth where no spots really stood out but where you were still interested in who would get the upper-hand. This has a bad ending as Windham is tripped up and Luger kind of stumbles onto him and then drops an elbow. A ref runs in to stop Tommy Young from counting the 3-count and Arn Anderson comes in and attacks Barry. I'll give this a low-level nomination but there are so many better matches out there.

 

 

Barry Windham vs. Arn Anderson, TV 9/87

This is for the Western Heritage Title and so much better than their Supertowns match. Arn starts early, showing his genius by claiming Barry had grease on his body after Barry used Arn's momentum to fling him out of the ring. This has some cool matwork sections, great selling, a heated crowd and some cool spots including Barry lifting Arn while Arn has a leg grapevine applied and ramming Arn into the ringpost. In the end, this goes to a draw but Arn is pissed he didn't win the title and lays out Barry. Good, solid nomination.

 

 

Lex Luger & Barry Windham vs. Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard, Clash 3/27/88

I have seen this match a dozen times and it still rules. Tully gets his ass handed to him and then Arn and Tully work over Windham all working up to the hot tag. Shit, when Tully got Windham in the Slingshot Suplex, I thought it was either over or Luger would save. I can't recall anyone kicking out of it. When Luger got the tag, it actually meant something as the former Horseman gets his revenge. Great ending with Arn getting knocked loopy by the chair. Strong nomination.

 

 

Barry Windham vs. Tully Blanchard, 4/10/88 NWA Main Event

SHOE: This is booked as a result of the 6 man tag the prior week. This had a real grizzly feel to it. Both guys had you believing that they don't like one another. Blanchard was great with all of his cheapshotting throughout the match. Windham took some holy fuck bumps to the outside. My favorite cheapshot of Tully's was when they were both on the outside. Tully starts to run from him. Barry follows, and Tully stops and pivots and nails Barry with a wicked clothesline. What a great cross up of a traditional wrestling spot. The finish was chaotic but well executed. Overall another high end nomination from 2 of the NWA's best.

 

 

Arn Anderson/Tully Blanchard vs Steve Williams/Barry Windham, 4/17/88 NWA Main Event

SHOE: This was a real solid tag. The early face shine really didn't do much for me, but I did love how Windham fed Tully to Doc for just a sick looking press slam. Now the FIP work by Windham was really great . Plus the heels just doing some real fun work on Windham's arm. Arn in particular was really great at working the arm. Hot tag was a lot of fun. Finish was telegraphed, but oh well. I give this a low-end nomination.

 

 

Lex Luger, Dr. Death & Nikita Koloff vs. Ric Flair, Barry Windham & Arn Anderson, Houston 6/10/88

The faces just massacre the Horsemen early on and the crowd is going nuts. Doc, Luger and Nikita ll get the chance to shine as the Horsemen just bump and stooge, making the power guys look like a million bucks. It also helps that the crowd is eating it up. The tide turns when Flair draws LUger into the Horsemen corner and Arn Anderson racks him while the ref is not looking. Luger ends up playing face in peril and the Horsemen all look excellent in attacking him like sharks. Flair makes the mistake of going to the top rope because Luger just launches him across the ring. He gets the tag to Nikita but that doesn't do much good as Anderson just blasts him in the ribs and the Horsemen go to work on him as well. Eventually all hell breaks loose and it ends in a double countout but this was rocking while it lasted. Easy nomination.

 

 

Sting vs. Barry Windham (Clash 9/7/88)

- Goddammit, this was going great until Sting no-sold the back suplex. Anyway, really good solo Sting match with someone not named Flair. For awhile there, Sting wasn't shining, he was squashing Barry. However, when Barry was in control, the match was solid. Hell, Barry even juices. I didn't like this as much as the Nikita/Doc tag but I'll give it a low-level nomination.

 

 

Midnight Express vs. Ric Flair & Barry Windham, Clash 12/7/88

Flair & Windham were such an awesome team. It is too bad that Dusty was booking at the peak of the Windham turn so he could feud with Windham because they should have put Flair and Windham together long before this. Hell, they could have done variations of Luger & Sting vs. Windham & Flair for the entire summer and Bash tour. I actually like faux-face Midnight Express since Stan Lane has fan-friendly offense and Eaton was never a guy you hated anyway. Condrey & Eaton couldn't have pulled it off but it works just fine here. I do have a couple of gripes in this match. During the Flair flip corner run, Flair ran right to the MX corner and Lane just stood there. Lane should have shook the ropes or pushed him off or grabbed a leg... anything. Also, Eaton had Flair pinned for more than a three count but Tommy Young stopped counting becasue Lane entered the ring and it took Windham forever to knock Eaton off of Flair. Still, there was too much good stuff here not to nominate it.

 

 

Barry Windham vs. Bam Bam Bigelow, Starrcade 12/26/88

This is much more like it for a Windham match. Barry was bouncing around like a pinball for Bam Bam's offense. I loved the Bigelow gutbuster but compared to the other famous moves of the day, I don't know why he wasn't using it as a finisher. My only complaints were Bigelow was inconsistent in selling his knee and the countout finish was weak. Still, this is an easy nomination.

 

 

Barry Windham vs. Lex Luger, Chi-Town Rumble 2/20/89

This became a feud about 8 months too late as Dusty and Barry feuded throughout the summer and fall. These guys match up really well without each other. This one was action-packed and I love how Windham hurt hs hand on the ringpost, preventing him from fully applying the claw. Windham gives Luger a vicious piledriver after the match and I am nominating this match.

[soup23]

Guess I am int he minority on the Bam Bam match. I certainly wish his Chi Town match with Luger had more time because it was just starting to get real good when it ended and Barry's selling of the hand was done really well. May actually be my favorite Windham performance besides the Flair matches and Clash 1 tag.

[goodhelmet]

I am probably in the minority on the Bam Bam match because in the same thread, Loss voted no.

[shoe]

I haven't watched the Bigelow match in a while, but I did like it.

[Dylan Waco]

On the Bigelow match it's important to remember that Bigelow is one of the most overrated wrestlers in history. The narrative of him being a "great" big man is so played out at this point it's comical. I've seen a lot of Bigelow over the years and while there is no question he was pretty good and a good athlete he usually under performs. I like the Starrcade match with Barry, but it's not outstanding.

I certainly don't think Bigelow is great but certainly capable and that still doesn't excuse Barry from encouraging a positive reaction to himself as a heel.

 

I haven't watched the match in some time and that may be a valid point. Of course if encouraging a positive reaction to himself as a heel is a serious criticism it's time to start shitting on Flair hard.

[soup23]

Kind of a shame how much Windham was wasted in 1990 after he came back. I just went through the results and besides a match on main event with Luger and a five minute match with Armstrong, he was essentially in squash matches on tv until October and was bogged down vs. Superheroes on PPVs.

[Childs]

Windham was probably my favorite wrestler for a time when I was a kid, so I'll always be biased. He was in the main event of the first WWF show I went to (six-man teaming with Rotunda and Andre against Studd, Bundy and Heenan) and the 45-minute TV match against Flair was seminal in making me a Crockett loyalist. Then his match against Flair at the Crockett Cup was probably the greatest live match I saw in my youth.

 

That aside, I believe he holds up as a tremendous talent. He was great as an inspired babyface challenging Flair, and then his heel turn was tremendously well executed. I loved him with the black glove and the dark chin stubble. He added an air of physical menace to the Horsemen that just wasn't there with Ole, and you could stick him in a tag team with just about anybody. He was agile enough to work with small guys, big enough to work with big guys, threw good punches, had the badass rollover superplex.

 

I would generally agree that he comes off best as a TV wrestler, though the Battle of the Belts and Crockett matches with Flair were pretty great and he was damn good on most of the PPVs in 1992 and the first half of 1993.

 

Will's Windham comp was the first one I bought from him; I was just so excited that someone had painstakingly recreated the career of a wrestler I liked so much as a kid. So in a sense, Barry also deserves credit for inspiring me to send so much money to Will over the years that I've surely furnished a room of his house.

[Dylan Waco]

He was wasted often. The US Express was a MASSIVE waste of his talent. They have matches I like, but putting Windham with Rotundo is the ultimate in saddling a great guy with feces.

 

One thing I would stress is that I really love Barry's early 90's run in WCW. Several excellent performances in tags and excellent singles matches as well.

[Matt D]

He was wasted often. The US Express was a MASSIVE waste of his talent. They have matches I like, but putting Windham with Rotundo is the ultimate in saddling a great guy with feces.

 

One thing I would stress is that I really love Barry's early 90's run in WCW. Several excellent performances in tags and excellent singles matches as well.

Hennig/Hall is worse

[Dylan Waco]

He was wasted often. The US Express was a MASSIVE waste of his talent. They have matches I like, but putting Windham with Rotundo is the ultimate in saddling a great guy with feces.

 

One thing I would stress is that I really love Barry's early 90's run in WCW. Several excellent performances in tags and excellent singles matches as well.

Hennig/Hall is worse

 

Relative to that point in time possibly, but Hall had an obvious upside because of his look. Rotundo had no upside. Ever.

[ohtani's jacket]

Man, that is harsh on Rotundo. When Windham left and Spivey came in, Rotundo carried that team, which is a heck of a lot more challenging than being saddled with Rotundo.

[Dylan Waco]

Man, that is harsh on Rotundo. When Windham left and Spivey came in, Rotundo carried that team, which is a heck of a lot more challenging than being saddled with Rotundo.

Rotundo is the most boring wrestler I've ever seen. No one I'd rather watch less. Bring on Mike George and Mike Rapada. Anyone but him

[JerryvonKramer]

I didn't see guys saying Technical Ted was "saddled" with Rotunda in that thread.

 

I feel Windham is a guy who is given a lot more passes than people allow to others. Then again, it seems that mostly everyone prefers Windham matches than me -- people are really talking about that Sting match from Clash 3 and that Luger match from Chi-Town? I didn't think much of either of them, although did think Barry's individual performance in the Clash 3 match was very good. I didn't even think Windham/Flair was the best match on the card for Crockett Cup 87. And how come it's Bigelow's fault that that match isn't much cop?

 

We've talked so much in recent times about why smoothness and execution and those sorts of things aren't the be all and end all, but Barry to me always seems like a guy who is just smooth, just really natural and good, but not much more.

 

I don't see, for example, what his case for being a top-20 80s US worker would be over Technical Ted. To me, Ted can overcome some of the shortcomings and limitations of the WWF style through character work. A consummate heel through and through. He can work almost as well in that setting as he did back in Mid-South. I don't see Barry being strong in the character stakes. I don't see him being great at much beyond smoothness and execution.

 

People are invited to tell me why I'm wrong, that's what the microscope is all about. I will also get round to seeing some of the TV matches soon.

 

Honestly though, as Chad and I are wrapping up the 80s going through the PPVs and Clashes, I'd easily rate Ron Garvin over him.

[Exposer]

A few more Barry reviews:

 

Ric Flair & Barry Windham vs. Midnight Express (COTC 4 12/7/88)

This was a very good big time tag match with some great heat. Eaton and Flair’s exchanges are the best part of this with both guys duking it out and throwing some tremendous strikes. Stan Lane’s offense is so weak but Flair and Windham did a terrific job of selling all of it. Flair and Windham were bump machines as well in this just taking everything from the MX and selling their offense wildly and awesomely. Eaton gets dropped on the railing and plays FIP pretty well here. Barry is given the job of working over Eaton which he does quite well using some good offense like a vertical suplex and powerslam. The hot tag to Lane is fun and the final few minutes are insanely molten with crowd heat. Eaton hits his leg drop on Barry but Flair nails Eaton with J.J.’s shoe behind Tommy Young’s back to score the win for the Horsemen. The Chattanooga crowd is livid afterwards. This was a very good and fun 80s JCP/WCW tag with an awesome crowd and showed some of Windham’s ability to control a heat segment.

 

Barry Windham vs. Dustin Rhodes (12/29/92 Philadelphia Handheld)

This is shortly after Barry’s heel turn on Dustin but the crowd doesn’t care. They’re all for Barry, chanting his name and wishing for Dustin’s arm to be broken. Barry gets on the mic when Dustin comes out and talks shit starting a really awesome brawl on the floor. Dustin gets in some face shine time before Barry catches him with the leaping DDT. Barry hits his vertical suplex/pin combo then starts working on Dustin’s arm. There’s one point where Barry just jabs Dustin in the arm before executing a hammerlock slam. That’s attention to detail that I really enjoy. Barry is very methodical offensively but he keeps me interested. The bizzaro crowd refuses to get behind Dustin but it’s kind of an entertaining novelty. Dustin gets a little comeback in him and goes up top but misses an elbow drop on a tremendous bump to continue selling the arm. Barry regains the upper hand momentarily until Dustin inadvertently shoves him into the referee. Dustin hits the bulldog and covers Barry but the ref is out. He tries to revive the ref; meanwhile Barry gets ahold of one of Dustin’s boots and totally creams him in the back of the neck with it. That was a hell of a boot shot. Barry gets the win with that and the crowd is elated. I really enjoyed this feud when watching it for the WCW SC poll and continue to do so. This was a really good house match with some awesome intensity in parts.