Barry Hardy

Barry W. Hardy (born July 5, 1962) is an American professional wrestler and trainer who has competed in North American independent promotions since 1987, including East Coast Wrestling, Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, the National Wrestling Alliance, New Millennium Wrestling and Larry Sharpe's World Wrestling Association.

Training under Charlie Fulton for a year, he eventually made his professional debut in 1987.

On February 15, he also made his WWF debut appearing on WWF Superstars with Barry Horowitz against WWF World Tag Team Champions Demolition (Ax and Smash) at the Broome County Arena in Binghamton, New York.

He would appear three more times teaming with Sonny Austin against The Bushwhackers (Bushwhacker Butch and Bushwhacker Luke) in Rochester and losing to The Ultimate Warrior in Niagara Falls, New York on June 27 and Jake "The Snake" Roberts in Wheeling, West Virginia on October 2, 1989.

On October 3, he and Alan Reynolds lost to The Rockers at the Toledo Sports Arena in Toledo, Ohio.

Hardy also had stints in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation, most notably as one half of "The Lords of Darkness" and the second incarnation of "The Executioners" with Duane Gill from 1990 to 1995.

Born in Richmond, Virginia, Hardy eventually contacted Larry Sharpe and tried out at Sharpe's Monster Factory wrestling school.

Meanwhile, on the independent circuit, Hardy teamed with Duane Gill as The Lords of Darkness and were managed by "Pretty Boy" Larry Sharpe and competed in Mid-Atlantic independent promotions eventually winning the tag team titles in Atlantic States Wrestling Alliance and Sharpe's World Wrestling Association several times between 1990 and 1992.

The two would also start the Baltimore Monster Factory.

Hack Myers met Axl Rotten while at the wrestling school and, introducing him to promoter Paul Heyman, eventually brought him into Extreme Championship Wrestling.

They also began appearing on WWF television, although used as preliminary wrestlers, he and Gill had matches on WWF Primetime Wrestling against The Legion of Doom (Hawk and Animal), The Orient Express, The Rockers (Marty Jannetty and Shawn Michaels) and "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and Sgt. Slaughter between 1990 and late 1991.

On June 5, 1990, he and Gill faced WWF Tag Team Champions Demolition at the War Memorial Auditorium in Rochester, New York.

They also faced Rhythm and Blues (The Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine) in Hershey, Pennsylvania on August 28.

As well as teaming with Gill, Hardy occasionally teamed with different partners such as with Paul Perez against WWF World Tag Team Champions The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) and with Ross Lindsay against Power and Glory (Hercules and Paul Roma).

Hardy also faced a young Shane Douglas at the Onondaga War Memorial in Syracuse, New York on December 23, 1990.

The following year, Hardy and Gill defeated Cream Team (Dino Casanova and Rip Sawyer) to become the first MEWF Tag Team Champions on August 2, 1991.

In the WWF that year, he also wrestled "Texas Tornado" Kerry Von Erich, Big Bully Busick and Million Dollar Champion Virgil.

In March 1992, Hardy appeared at a "Live" St. Patrick's Day special for MCW Wrestling where he and Denny Kass defeated The Nightmares (Danny Davis and Ken Wayne).

He also faced "Dirty" Dan Kanareck in a singles match and was pinned after using a neckbreaker.

Held at the Continental Cable studios in Madison Heights, Michigan, these matches were later aired on the promotion's weekly television show.

During mid-1992, he faced Bret Hart, Crush, Bob Backlund and Lance Cassidy.

During his matches with Backlund and Cassidy, Doink the Clown played practical jokes on his opponents after the match setting up Backlund to slip on a banana peel and putting a "kick me" sign on Cassidy's ring jacket.

When Cassidy put the jacket back on after the match, Doink kicked him.

Hardy later appeared in single matches against Tatanka and "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith on WWF Superstars and teamed with Kato of the Orient Express losing to The Bushwhackers on May 5, 1992.

He and Gill also participated in two of three 40-man battle royals held that year.

The first, on June 2, included Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase and IRS), The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobs and Jerry Sags), The Beverly Brothers (Beau and Blake Beverly) and High Energy (Koko B. Ware and Owen Hart) as well as Sgt. Slaughter, Bret Hart, British Bulldog, Virgil, Tito Santana, Rick Martel, "The Texas Tornado" Kerry Von Erich, Skinner, Repo Man, Jim Powers, Jim Brunzell, Glenn Ruth, Phil Apollo, Barry Horowitz, Bobby Star, Dublin Destroyer, Rick Johnson, Al Hunter, Bob Knight, Rick Danger, Jerry Davis, Scott Antonio, Tony Ulysses, Bruce Mitchell, Joe Milano and several others.

The battle royal was later featured on WWF Rampage '92.

The second battle royal took place two months later.

He and Gill (as The Executioners) took part in a 40-man battle royal won by Tatanka and which included Tito Santana, Bret Hart, Sgt. Slaughter, Col. Mustafa, Shawn Michaels, Crush, Kerry Von Erich, Virgil, Skinner, Repo Man, Barry Horowitz, Jim Powers, Brooklyn Brawler, Reno Riggins, Dale Wolfe, Brian Costello, Chuck Casey, Dom Jones, Burt Spears, Thor Anderson, Tom Cumberland, Mark Kordis, Legion of Doom, Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase and IRS), The Beverly Brothers (Beau and Blake Beverly), The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobs and Jerry Sags), High Energy (Koko B. Ware and Owen Hart) and The Natural Disasters (Earthquake and Typhoon).

The battle royal was the first and largest held in WWF history and was later profiled in WWF Magazine.

These were considered the largest battle royals held at a professional wrestling event until the introduction of the annual three ring 60-man battle royal at World War III three years later.

He made his last WWF appearances on WWF Primetime losing to Davey Boy Smith on September 28 and Bret Hart on October 5, 1992.

On January 23, 1993, Hardy and Gill lost the WWA Tag Team titles to ECW Tag Team Champions The Super Destroyers in an interpromotional event between the World Wrestling Alliance and Eastern Championship Wrestling at the Radisson Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, they briefly regained the titles before losing them to Chris Candido and Chris Evans and left for the WWF shortly after.

He and Gill would begin wrestling in the World Wrestling Federation as The Executioners in early 1993.

On March 9, only three days after losing their tag team titles, he and Gill also made an appearance as Toxic Turtles at the sold-out Augusta Civic Center with 8,000 in attendance.

Their match was later taped for WWF Challenge.

In singles matches, Hardy faced Tito Santana in his last WWF television appearance and was pinned by Santana in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania on July 6, 1993.

He wrestled against Tatanka, Jim Duggan, Virgil, Mr. Perfect, and Razor Ramon as well as teaming with Reno Riggins, the Brooklyn Brawler, Bert Centeno and Barry Horowitz.

Appearing on Monday Night Raw throughout the year, he and Gill would face The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Steiner), The Quebecers (Jacques and Pierre) and Men on a Mission (Mo and Mabel).

They had previously faced Men on a Mission in their WWF debut on WWF Challenge several months before splitting up with Gill in 1995.