One of the veterans of the professional wrestling business is Barry Darsow, who became highly popular for her character as Smash of Demolition. Another gimmick that Darsow played during his WWE run was the Repo Man.
While speaking with Wrestling Life Online, Barry Darsow shared the history of his wrestling career and how he became the Repo Man.
“Yeah, you know, it’s funny that… I was lucky with my career. I broke in the business with the Road Warriors and Rick Rude. We were all in the same camp. And all of us really kind of made our name in wrestling somewhere, somehow. When I started off… After about a year I was already a TV Champion. Then I was partners with Nikolai Volkoff and Jim ‘The Anvil’ Neidhart. And I was Tag Team Champions and then with Ivan and Nikita we were the World Champions, Tag Team, USA Champions.
“And then Demolition that was… I finally reached my goal in getting into the WWF at the time and became a Tag Team Champion. So, all of that. I wasn’t into being the champion or anything. That wasn’t something that I had to have or anything. It was just being in wrestling for me was the greatest. So, when I met with Vince, after the Demolition just parted its ways with each other, he asked me, he says, ‘What would you want to do?’ And I took about a week or two to think about it. And I could have been a rough and tough figure. But then I just would been Smash again. Why not just stay Smash?”
How Barry Darsow became the Repo Man
“So, I told him, I used to repo cars. He goes, ‘Oh, really? Well, maybe you should be the Repo man.’ And I said, ‘You know, I’ve been thinking about it.’ And then, like you’re saying, at that time it was all characters. So it was like, how could you be a character and stand out without being like anybody else. And then it was kinda like, Batman, The riddler. That’s when I said, ‘Why don’t I become that Repo Man that sneaks around, has that mask. Nobody knows Who I am but they really do know who I am. And then later on, we can take the mask off and then I can be that rough and tough Repo Man. And then I’ll be a babyface.
“Cuz at that time of my career, I really wanted to do stuff for Make-A-Wish. And being the biggest heel where kids hate you for treating so bad, once you turn good, they’re going to love you more than anybody. That was my train of thought. And when I told Vince that, Vince, he goes, ‘Barry, I love that.’ So, that’s how I became the Repo Man. And I told him, I said, ‘I don’t need to be Hulk Hogan, or this or that. I would rather be the guy to wrestle those guys. And have good matches and make them.”
Barry Darsow was happy to push other stars to the top
“Because for so many years I had people making me. And it was time for me to do that. And I didn’t know how much longer I had in my career. Because I was already hurt in my… I had five knee surgeries. Shoulder surgeries. I’ve had so many surgeries already, I just thought, ‘Well, I’m going to go out and have fun doing this.’ And there was no pressure. I didn’t have to have the greatest match. I didn’t have to be the champion, I just had to go out and have fun and get the guy over. And that’s what I think I did really well,” Barry Darsow said.
Were you a fan of The Repo Man?
