Barry Windham vs Mighty Wilbur

This is from NWA Main Event in May of 1988. Barry was just starting his United States Title run. This was when I first got into wrestling, so in my mind Barry is the best U.S Champ ever. I remember so much of 88 NWA clear as a bell. While a lot of WWF from the same period is so foggy.

Probably because so much of the WWF Syndicated stuff bleeds together and I was rarely allowed to watch Prime Time Wrestling. Because Mama put me in bed at Eight PM.

Wilbur is a big dude and an interesting take on the hillbilly gimmick. Instead of the typical ethnic slur hillbilly gimmick. With guys who care barely speak English, dance barefoot and carry pigs. Wilbur is a simple grape picker from California who got into wrestling after stopping a mugger.

His intro was some really good stuff. For months Paul Jones bragged about his latest find. A wrestler called "The Mighty Wilbur". He was a huge mountain of a man and would be the man to lead his army to greatness.

Then Wilbur appears and he is a hillbilly. He is as strong and powerful as Jones claimed. But he has no mean streak. He simply does enough to win. He even shakes the referee and wrestlers hands.

Wilbur finally turns on Jones, after Jones slaps Wilbur. Later Paul Jones explains what happened. That months before, his former tag team partner, Red Bastien called and told him about his protege. He offers him to Paul Jones and Jones accepted. Only to realize Bastien wanted rid of Wilbur and still held a grudge toward Jones (the team had a sour break up).

Wilbur had a solid lower card face spot but broke his leg in a battle royal. Poor dude came back in May and had gained a lot of weight.

He takes on Barry here and it is a great Barry Windham performance. Occasionally people try to slight Barry by saying he never "carried" anyone. I think that is stupid, since if you put together anybodies best of list, it will be with great wrestlers.

Initially Barry bumps around for Wilbur. Until Wilbur gets a hold of him and does this falling suplex. It looked a house of cards falling. He gets Barry in a headlock and Barry hits a side suplex that shakes the ring.

He goes to work on Wilbur, pummeling him and trying to keep him from getting back on offense. Barry takes the time to bodyslam him. Barry had this awesome way of slamming Wilbur that got across how huge he is.

Eventually Barry misses the Yoshi elbow and Wilbur starts tearing into him with these hillbilly forearms.

Until JJ trips him up. Wilbur starts choking him on the outside and Barry locks the Claw on him. They get counted out.