Smash

Wrestler

Popular As Smash (wrestler)

Birthday October 6, 1959

Birth Sign Libra

Birthplace Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.

Age 64 years old

Nationality United States

Height 6 ft 2 in

Weight 290 lb

#36773 Most Popular

1959

Barry Allen Darsow (born October 6, 1959) is an American retired professional wrestler who performed as Smash, one half of the tag team Demolition.

He also wrestled as Krusher Kruschev, Repo Man, the Blacktop Bully and "Mr. Hole in One" Barry Darsow.

1980

Throughout his career, he worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and several regional promotions in the 1980s and 1990s.

1983

He returned to Hawaii, before he began wrestling in 1983 in Georgia for Georgia Championship Wrestling before moving later that year to Mid-South Wrestling as Crusher Darsow, a turncoat American who was now a Soviet sympathizer and a tag team partner of Nikolai Volkoff.

1984

He changed his name to Krusher Khruschev and became the first ever Mid-South Television Title champion in a tournament by beating Terry Taylor in the finals on May 2, 1984, but lost it to Taylor on June 16, 1984.

Darsow moved on to Florida Championship Wrestling where he teamed with Jim Neidhart.

They won the Florida United States Tag Team Titles on October 11, 1984, from Hector Guerrero and Cocoa Samoa.

The team held them until December 1984, when they lost them to Mark and Jay Youngblood.

Khruschev moved on to the National Wrestling Alliance to work for Jim Crockett Jr.. in December 1984.

He was awarded a third of the NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship with Ivan and Nikita Koloff after they fell out with their former partner Don Kernodle.

The Koloffs had already won the NWA World Tag Team Championship and Ivan declared that any two of them could defend the titles.

They feuded with The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson) and The Road Warriors.

1985

On July 9, 1985, he and Ivan lost the NWA Tag Titles to the Rock 'N Roll Express.

The Koloffs subsequently regained and defended the belts without Khruschev's participation.

At Starrcade 1985, on November 28, Khruschev won the vacant NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship by defeating Sam Houston.

Later on that night, he was in the Koloffs' corner as they lost their Tag titles back to the Express in a cage match with Kernodle in the Express's corner.

1986

On January 11, 1986, Khruschev severely injured his knee in a match with Houston on TBS.

He lost the title to Houston and had to take almost six months off to recover.

When Khruschev returned, Nikita was feuding with Magnum T. A. for the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship.

On August 17, 1986, Khruschev helped Nikita win the title in the final match of a Best of 7 series by holding the referee while Nikita used his "Russian" chain on Magnum.

After helping Nikita defeat Magnum, Khruschev and Ivan targeted the new NWA United States Tag Team Championship, which was to be awarded to the winners of a tournament.

They reached the finals, held on September 26, 1986, and defeated the Kansas Jayhawks (Dutch Mantel and Bobby Jaggers) with Nikita's help to become the first US Tag Team Champions.

In October 1986, Magnum T. A. had a car accident that ended his career, and after admitting that he respected his one-time rival, Nikita turned his back on Ivan and Khruschev to team with Magnum's good friend, Dusty Rhodes.

Kruschev and Ivan briefly feuded with Nikita and Rhodes but primarily defended their titles in rematches against Mantel and Jaggers.

On December 9, 1986, they lost the US Tag Titles to Ron Garvin and Barry Windham.

Darsow left the NWA after disputing a pay off with Jimmy Crockett.

Darsow next went to the World Wrestling Federation.

He was brought into the company to be part of the tag team Demolition, which had originally consisted of Bill Eadie as Ax and Randy Colley, who had been Moondog Rex of The Moondogs, as Smash.

Darsow was tabbed as the new Smash after Colley, who wore face paint like Eadie did as part of his character, was deemed too recognizable even in disguise due to fans chanting "Moondog" at him whenever Demolition wrestled.

At first, they were managed by Luscious Johnny V, but he was soon replaced by Mr. Fuji.

Their initial feuds involved the team of Ken Patera and Billy Jack Haynes, and Strike Force (Tito Santana and Rick Martel).

1988

On March 27, 1988, at WrestleMania IV, they defeated Strike Force to win their first WWF World tag team title, which they held for a record 16 months.

During this reign, they fell out with Mr. Fuji as he turned on them to manage their arch-rivals, The Powers of Pain (The Barbarian and The Warlord).

This double turn at Survivor Series '88 was the solution to the massive popularity being enjoyed by Demolition.

Originally, they were the heels in their rivalry with the Powers of Pain; however, as a result of the incident at the Survivor Series, Demolition became full-fledged babyfaces.

Demolition conclusively won the feud with their ex-manager and his new team when they defeated the Powers and Fuji in a five-man handicap tag match at WrestleMania V.

1992

He is a four-time former world tag team champion, winning three WWF World Tag Team Championships as part of Demolition and one NWA World Tag Team Championship as part of a three-man team with Ivan and Nikita Koloff (although the NWA no longer recognizes any former tag team champions prior to 1992, Darsow's championship is considered part of the WCW World tag team championship lineage), and a one-time NWA United States Tag Team Champion.

Darsow attended high school in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, with six other future wrestlers: Curt Hennig, Richard Rood (Rick Rude), Brady Boone, Tom Zenk, John Nord (The Berzerker), and Scott Simpson (Nikita Koloff).

He also worked as a bouncer with The Road Warriors, Hawk and Animal.

Darsow made his debut in Hawaii as Tsar Mongo, before a short stint in New Zealand.