Barry Windham really got it. Whether portraying the eager rookie when he was cute and young, or the bad-ass veteran later in his career, he was always a pleasure to watch.
Here is Windham in a Tag Team match with Rugged Ronnie Garvin. Soon after the bell rings, the young blond finds himself at the mercy of the sadistic bad boys, while the beefier Garvin helplessly watches his partner’s suffering. The tension and testosterone in the air as the heels isolate and torture the rookie is thick enough to taste.
The villains, Murdoch and Koloff, use all the dirty, dick-head moves that we love — that come naturally to the best heels: grabbing the victim by the hair or face like a bitch, trapping him against the ropes, standing over him and looking down in disgust, you know the drill. These two brawlers aren’t pretty either, which makes Barry look even more beautiful. They wear the classic black gear favored by all dirty cheaters. Barry and his partner, in contrast, wear blood-red speedos and boots, which set off their bright blond hair nicely. Can you tell I like watching pro wrestling?
Barry sells like a pro: he rests his arms submissively on the ropes when being punched in the face rather than defending himself. He lays face down, exhausted and beaten on the canvas humping the mat, not even fixing his wayward red speedo. He drapes his long soft body on the ring ropes like laundry drying in the sun, a look of utter despair and sublime agony painted on his face. You rookie wrestlers who want to learn how to suffer need to watch some classic Barry Windham beat-downs.
