Smash On How Infamous WWE/WCW Gimmicks Repo Man And Blacktop Bully Came About

Retired wrestler Barry Darsow played a variety of characters throughout his time in the industry. Most notably, Darsow was part of the tag team Demolition, where he was known as Smash. However, during a recent appearance with Wrestling Shoot Interviews, Darsow spoke about making the transition from Demolition to another gimmick after spending some time away from wrestling.

"Vince [McMahon] called me up and said, 'Hey, I really want you back up here,'" Darsow said. "'You're not gonna be [in] Demolition. ... You got any thoughts?' And I said, 'I used to repo cars, and I'd get into some situations that were tough to get out of. I think it'd be kind of neat if I was the Repo Man.'"

According to Darsow, McMahon took to the idea right away, suggesting that the wrestler don a mask for the character. Darsow was hesitant to wear a full mask, and suggested wearing a smaller domino mask; he would remain a heel but would incorporate comedic elements into his character to eventually turn babyface. McMahon agreed, but the decision was never made to turn Repo Man from a heel to a face.

"I really enjoyed the gimmick, because I was getting paid good money and I was acting," Darsow continued. "I ended up working with top guys — Randy Savage, 'Hacksaw' Duggan. ... And my job was to get these guys over and I didn't mind doing it at all."

Over time, Darsow said he began getting mixed reactions as Repo Man, with some in the crowd loving him and some hating him. At one point, McMahon reportedly wanted Darsow to portray Doink the Clown, but the former tag champion left the WWF after McMahon wouldn't turn him face. He wound up signing with WCW in 1994.

"Ric Flair was the booker then," Darsow said. "Ric came up to me and [said], 'Barry, I want you to be a bully somehow. A trucker. I just want you to be a mean truck driver. Come up with a name for yourself.'"

Darsow recalled getting in touch with Arn Anderson and Bobby Eaton and, over some beers, brainstorming up a new name for the incoming performer. The retired wrestler credited Anderson as being the one to come up with Darsow's new ring name.

"Just right out of the blue, [he] looks at me and he goes, 'You're the Blacktop Bully,'" Darsow shared. "And I looked at him and I said, 'Arn, that's the greatest name of all time.'"

Flair loved the idea, and it wasn't long before Darsow was booked in WCW as the Blacktop Bully rather than his real name. However, after a match against Dustin Rhodes at WCW Uncensored 1995, Darsow and Rhodes were both fired. The two men used blood in their match — something that was strictly forbidden in WCW at the time. Though he would later return to WCW, that was the end of the Blacktop Bully.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Wrestling Shoot Interviews with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.