Barry Horowitz (born March 24, 1960) is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).
Early life Horowitz attended Florida State University, where he studied sports nutrition and wrestled. He is Jewish.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (1979–1981) Horowitz trained as a professional wrestler under Boris Malenko in Tampa, Florida, for 18 months and debuted in 1979 on the Floridian independent circuit. He went on to work for the World Wide Wrestling Federation, Jim Crockett, Sr.'s NWA Mid-Atlantic promotion, and promotions in Canada and Puerto Rico.
World Wrestling Federation (1981–1983) His first television appearance in the WWF came at a television taping for Championship Wrestling in Allentown, PA. Making his debut on the October 24, 1981, episode as an enhancement talent named Barry Hart, he was defeated by King Kong Angelo Mosca. He next faced Intercontinental Champion The Magnificent Muraco on All-Star Wrestling, and would later fall to Jesse Ventura, Adrian Adonis, and Greg Valentine. His first taste of success came on November 28, 1981, when he battled Jerry Johnson to a draw at an event in Poughkeepsie, New York.
As Barry Hart he became a fixture on WWF cards in 1982, facing Tony Altomare, Bulldog Brower, Jose Estrada, Adrian Adonis, Charlie Fulton, and a host of other performers during the year. On March 9 he competed against Jimmy Snuka on the March 13 episode of Championship Wrestling; Hart was defeated and did a stretcher job. Six months after his WWF debut, Hart scored his first victory when he defeated Charlie Brown at a house show in Highland Park, NJ on April 22. After another series of losses that would see him fall to Buddy Rose, Billy Graham, Swede Hanson, and Dick Beyer, Hart secured his second victory when he defeated Frank Williams in Harrisburg, PA on October 15, 1982. Ten days later he defeated Jeff Craney in Scranton, PA, but closed out the year with losses too Big John Studd, Charlie Fulton, and Bob Bradley.
Hart opened 1983 with a defeat to Big John Studd on Championship Wrestling, followed by losses to Mr. Fuji, Ivan Koloff, and Iron Mike Sharpe. In March 1983 he engaged in a house show series with Johnny Rodz. After battling Bob Bradley to another draw on May 17, he twice wrestled Wild Samoan Savage (Tama) to a draw later that month, as well as a draw against Pete Doherty. His final match of his first WWF run came on May 30, 1983, when he wrestled Tony Colon on a televised match.
Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling (1983–1984) Two days later Horowitz jumped to Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. Now wrestling as Brett Hart (not to be confused with Bret Hart), he was defeated by Greg Valentine in his television debut. He was initially used in similar fashion as in the WWF; Hart would fall to Gene Anderson, Kelly Kiniski, Bill White, Terry Funk, and others as his run progressed. His first victory came on July 24, 1983, when he defeated Tom Lintz at an event in Asheville, NC. After a loss to Jake Roberts, he rebounded to defeat Golden Boy Grey, Bill Howard, and Joel Deaton in August 1983. He began to move up the card, defeating Kelly Kiniski and The Ninja (Mr Pogo) in September. In November, Hart formed a team with Rick McCord and would face The Brisco Brothers in multiple encounters that month on MACW television, as well as The Assassins. As the winter began he continued to accumulate wins, defeating Jerry Grey in multiple encounters.
1984 began with a televised loss to Ivan Koloff on January 1, but Hart rebounded to beat Ben Alexander, Ali Bey, and Gary Royal. In February he changed his name back to Barry Hart, defeating Brickhouse Brown on February 12, 1984, at a house show in Roanoke, VA. However, despite numerous victories against undercard wrestlers he was unable to break through to the upper tier, losing matches to Stan Hansen, Tully Blanchard, and a rookie Nikita Koloff. Towards the end of the summer Hart formed a team with Sam Houston, facing The Long Riders (Black Bart & Ron Bass) and The Russians (Ivan & Nikita Koloff). In September 1984 the duo began a house show series with The Zambuie Express (Elijah Akeem & Kareem Muhammad). On November 15, 1984, at a Pro Wrestling USA event, Houston & Hart challenged The Long Riders for the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag-Team Championship but were unsuccessful. Hart closed out his MACW run on December 1, 1984, defeating The Inferno at a house show in Morgantown, NC.
Championship Wrestling from Florida (1984–1987) Horowitz then jumped to Championship Wrestling from Florida, making his debut at a TV event on December 26, 1984. Now wrestling as Jack Hart, he was defeated by Brian Blair. After defeating Mike Golden on December 30, he formed a team with his opponent and challenged The Youngbloods (Mark Youngblood & Jay Youngblood) for the NWA Florida United States Tag-Team Championship on January 9, 1985. On April 14, 1985, he faced NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion Jesse Barr but was unsuccessful. A week later he challenged NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Champion Brian Blair at an event in Orlando, FL but was defeated.
In July 1985 the NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship. had been vacated with a tournament held to crown a new champion. Hart defeated Coco Samoa in the first round on July 23; later that night he defeated Mike Graham to win his first singles championship. He held the title until September 2, 1985, when he lost to Kendall Windham at Battle of the Belts. He remained in CWF for two years, and was managed by heels such as Percy Pringle and Sir Oliver Humperdink.
World Wrestling Federation (19871990) Horowitz joined the World Wrestling Federation on January 24, 1987, when he faced Brad Rheingans at a house show in Detroit, MI; however, he would not appear on television until the July 25 episode of WWF Superstars of Wrestling when he competed against Koko B. Ware. Wearing suspenders and a vest with an outline of a handprint on the back, which he patted as a self-congratulatory measure, he spent three years in the WWF as an enhancement talent (primarily against up and coming babyfaces). Horowitz became a full-time member of the roster, competing not only on television but also on house shows, and quickly entered house show series in the summer of 1987 with Brady Boone and the newly arrived Dingo Warrior (soon to be renamed Ultimate Warrior). Horowitz faced much of the WWF roster in his first year, competing against Paul Orndorff, Chavo Guerrero, Sam Houston, Bam Bam Bigelow, Don Muraco, and many others. On the November 8, 1987 edition of WWF Superstars of Wrestling he faced The Ultimate Warrior on one of the latter's first televised appearances. Although Horowitz's win years later over BodyDonna Skip was promoted as his first victory, he did have numerous pinfall victories during his first WWF run. The first was in Kitchener, Ontario, on July 22, 1987, over Brady Boone. That year he would also pin Lanny Poffo, David Sammartino, Sivi Afi, and Jerry Allen.
Horowitz began 1988 with a loss to Lanny Poffo at a house show in Indianapolis, IN on January 2. He next appeared on television, falling to Randy Savage on WWF Prime Time Wrestling. He continued a lengthy house show series with Outback Jack as well as face David Sammartino. On March 8, 1988, Horowitz faced Owen Hart in the latter's WWF tryout in a dark match for a Wrestling Challenge taping in Bristol, TN. On April 24 in Landover, MD Horowitz pinned Jose Luis Rivera, and on May 2 he gained his first televised victory when he pinned Rivera again, this time on Prime Time Wrestling. After televised defeats to Ken Patera and Sam Houston, he rebounded to defeat Scott Casey on May 19, 1988 in Kansas City, MO. Overall for the year, Horowitz registered fifteen singles victories, defeating Allen, DJ Peterson, Jose Luis Rivera, Iron Mike Sharpe, and Poffo. As the fall began Horowitz pivoted to a lengthy house show series with the now signed Owen Hart, who was wrestling as The Blue Blazer. On the September 20th edition of Prime Time Wrestling the Blue Blazer defeated Horowitz on television. On the November 26th edition of Superstars of Wrestling, Horowitz faced WWF Intercontinental Champion The Ultimate Warrior but was unsuccessful.
Horowitz opened 1989 with a defeat to Tim Horner at a house show on January 1 in Auburn Hills, MI. On January 15th he appeared at the 1989 Royal Rumble PPV, losing to Sam Houston in a dark match. Horowitz continued to be featured on television, facing much of the WWF babyface roster with matches including Rick Martel, Bret Hart, Jake Roberts, Sam Houston, Hillbilly Jim, The Red Rooster, Tito Santana, Koko B Ware, Jim Neidhart, Jimmy Snuka, and Dusty Rhodes, amongst others. On August 9, 1989 he faced Brian Adams (the future Demolition Crush) in a dark match on Wrestling Challenge, and on the October 1st episode of Challenge he was defeated by Roddy Piper. On the October 3rd edition of Challenge he faced two other wrestlers participating in dark matches; facing Al Perez and Tugboat. As the fall began, Horowitz engaged in a house show series with Tugboat prior to the latter's WWF debut, and would also face Perez multiple times.
As with the previous year, Horowitz registered multiple victories in 1989, including an improbable pin over a young Ken Shamrock in Greensboro, North Carolina, on July 29. Barry would also defeat Scott Casey, Mike Reskin, Mark Young, Jeff Bronsky, Louie Spicolli and The Blue Blazer on house shows, and pin Dusty Wolfe on the May 22, 1989 episode of Prime Time Wrestling
He began 1990 with a house show encounter with Koko B Ware on January 1 in Marion, IN and would continue to face "The Birdman" on various live events during the winter. His final WWF match came on April 22, 1990 when he was defeated by Mark Young in Waco, TX, after which he departed for World Championship Wrestling.
Tag-Team with Steve Lombardi Horowitz occasionally teamed with another preliminary wrestler, Steve Lombardi (the "Brooklyn Brawler"). Their first match came on the July 26, 1987, episode of Wrestling Challenge, where they were defeated by The Young Stallions. On August 21, 1987, they secured their first victory, defeating Sivi Afi & Scott Casey at a house show in Detroit, MI. This was followed a day later by a win over Afi & Casey in Landover, MD. In one house show event, Horowitz and Lombardi defeated Jerry Allen and Scott Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts on August 23, 1987. In the fall the duo would enter a house show series with the Young Stallions. On the December 5th edition of WWF Superstars of Wrestling Lombardi & Horowitz would face The British Bulldogs, but were defeated.
The duo began the new year with a defeat to The Young Stallions at a house show in Wildwood, NJ on January 9, 1988. The team rebounded to defeat Lanny Poffo and Scott Casey on January 26, 1988, in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The match would later air on an episode of Primetime Wrestling on February 19, 1988. Three days later on Prime Time Wrestling they would fall to The Killer Bees, and on February 27 on Wrestling Spotlight and March 14th on Prime TimeLombardi & Sharpe would again fall to the Stallions. The two teams squared off again on the April 30 episode of WWF Superstars, with Roma & Powers again winning. On June 26, 1988 the duo were defeated by The British Bulldogs on Prime Time Wrestling, and then resumed their series with the Young Stallions that summer on the house show circuit. The duo closed out the year with a loss on the December 4th edition of Wrestling Challenge to The Rockers.
World Championship Wrestling (1990)