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Chewin' The Turnbuckle With Smash/Repo Man

Posted: Jun 16th 2013 By: CMBurnham

Believe it or not, Repo Man was not one of Vince McMahon?s crazy ideas. The World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) boss simply went along with the character idea for Barry Darsow, who had previously been Smash, partner of Ax in the three-time WWF tag team championship team of Demolition.

?It was my idea,? said Darsow, one of several WWE legends set to appear on a Tope Rope Promotions wrestling card Friday (June 21) at 7 p.m. at the Police Athletic League, 31 Franklin St.

Repo Man was a heel (villain), albeit a comical one. Wearing a Lone Ranger mask and wearing a groovy heavy overcoat with tire tracks across the back, he would sneak around, stealing things, like Macho Man Savage?s hat. He also wrestled, lugging a tow rope with him to the ring and, as any respectable wrestling heel would do, he occasionally used his rope as a weapon.

For the record, let it be known that Darsow drew on a life experience in living the Repo Man character. He said he actually worked repossessing cars (presumably without the rope, coat and mask).

?The whole thing about that gimmick,? Darsow said, ?is I was supposed to end up a face (good guy). I wanted that to be the end of my career.?

The plan he and McMahon formulated, Darsow said, was for Repo Man to be a goofy villain for a while before turning fan favorite. And as silly as the Repo Man character was, Darsow had very serious reason for it and for the babyface turn which never happened.

Darsow had been shaken by a visit to a Rockford Ill. hospital where he met a young boy, about 5. ?The kid was really sick, with leukemia or something. I called my wife,? he said. ?It tore me up. My son was 5 at the time.?

Darsow wanted to join forces with the Make A Wish program, which grants wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses. His plan was to turn Repo Man into a good guy, a hero who would visit the very sick children in the hospital. That was his passion. ?I told Vince, ?I can make this work as a babyface,?? Darsow said

McMahon ultimately disagreed. He never flipped the switch on the heel-to-face change. ?Don?t get me wrong, Vince is great,? Darsow said. ?It just wasn?t something he was going to do.?


Instead, Repo Man basically existed in the WWE limbo for a couple of years, accomplishing little and drawing neither the affection nor the wrath of the fans. When the fans neither boo nor cheer, it?s time to move on, which is what Darsow did.

Repo Man has, over the years, developed somewhat of a cult following and Darsow gets plenty of Repo Man questions when he appears at shows like the upcoming one at the PAL.

But for shows, he appears as Smash, the tough-as-can-be Demolition team member. And he?s scheduled to have his partner, Ax (Bill Eadie), with him.

They are just a fraction of the of the WWE legends on the card.

They will be joined by Mr. USA Tony Atlas, Rikishi, D?lo Brown, and the mammoth and smiling Tugboat (aka Typhoon and, unfortunately, aka Shockmaster, but that?s another story). Brown is replacing the originally scheduled Ron Simmons.

For those who have not been to one of these events with the legends, please know these guys are almost always genuinely friendly and fun to speak with. For a fee, you can get a picture and an autograph.

?The fans have some pretty neat stories. They come up with stuff I don?t even remember,? said Darsow, who lives in suburban Minneapolis where he was raised and went to Robbinsdale High School with other future wrestling stars Mr. Perfect Curt Henning, Ravishing Rick Rude, and John Nord (The Berzerker).

It was in high school where Darsow picked up a saying he used during wrestling interviews. Talking about an upcoming opponent, Darsow was fond of barking, ?We?re going to kick your stinking teeth in.?

Darsow said that in high school, the crowd he ran with was known for getting into the occasional brawl, and one of his friends actually got his teeth kicked in. ?It was bad,? he said.

Demolition remains in high demand, more than two decades after its great run in the WWF. Ax and Smash are typically on the road two weekends a year.

?And we turn down a lot (of appearances),? Darsow said. ?You?ve got to have a life. I own a printing company. I?m there six, seven days a week. And I?ve got to see my wife, my son, my grandson.?

The PAL doors open at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are priced at $15 general admission, $20 ringside, and $30 (VIP). Advance tickets may be purchased at Ultra Tan, 96 South Main St., and at Sinners and Saints Tatoo, 37 Depot St. in Wareham.