CWF #27 Page #2
He did something with that
elbow pad and caught Windham". Barry falls out of the ring after
being clubbed in the head. Jaggers follows the fallen champion outside the
ring and proceeds to bash the now bloody Windham a couple more times.
Referee Ted Marshall tries to restore order but to no avail.
Jaggers suplexes Windham back in the ring. I can remember Barry's feet
hitting the CWF banner when he was up in the suplex. Ted Marshall calls
for the bell and disqualifies Jaggers but the battle rages on. As Barry
gallantly fights back Gordon Solie exclaims "Barry Windham, Barry
Windham...a severe laceration. Barry Windham battling with everything he's
got. His face a total crimson mask continues to fight!"
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Barry eventually floors Jaggers.
Barry leans through the ropes with the Hangman laying on the outside of the ring
apron and punches Jaggers. The referee is trying to restore order.
As they go to break, Gordon is shouting "we'll be back, we'll be back,
we"ll be back."
Thinking back on that match one could see that Windham's knee drop wasn't very
crisp yet, his lariat not as devastating. He was still just a bit too
thin, but the signs were all there that this kid was going places. How
could Barry Windham not become a star? First, he had raw talent that
needed shaping and molding. Second, CWF in 1980 and into 1981 was loaded with a
who's who of pro wrestling. Barry either battled or teamed with Dusty
Rhodes, Dick Murdoch, Dick Slater, Mr. Saito, Don Muraco, Mike Graham, Reggie
Parks and Dory Funk Jr. He learned from them all! They were his
teachers. Barry was a true student of the game.
If you could take a look at Barry Windham in this match against Hangman Bobby
Jaggers in 1980 and compare him to a match I touched on last month versus Harley
Race on CWF TV in 1983, you could see how far he has come in such a short period
of time. He had the "look". As I said, he filled out
physically, and his ring work improved a great deal. His shy, timid,
persona behind the mic as a youngster gave way to a more confident, young
superstar who was now truly comfortable behind the microphone.
But, it all had to start somewhere. And, in my opinion, it was this match
that put Barry Windham on the road to stardom.
NEXT
MONTH:
I look at the savagery that is Kevin Sullivan and The Purple Haze!