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There were almost too many versions of "The Midnight Express" over the years to count. I guess the two teams that stand out as the premier team were Dennis Condrey and Bobby Eaton or Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane. Add to that Randy Rose, Norvell Austin, Bob Holly, and Bart Gunn and you have the full list of most of the players involved in the Midnight Express. For me personally I recognize Eaton and Lane as The Midnight Express. I am sure many could and would disagree with me, however.
Condrey and Eaton are probably most noted for their feuds with The Rock and Roll Express, the Fantastics and Magnum TA/Mr. Wrestling II. But in all of tag team history, with very limited exceptions, was there ever a feud as hot as the midnight express vs. the Rock and Roll Express. Some could contest that this feud lasted more than twenty years, and others would contest that it still rages on today in the Independent/Legends scene.
When looking over their long and esteemed careers it is amazing to hear their feats as a team. Just listen to the names that they squared off with in the ring (and more than likely beat): The Fantastics, The Brainbusters, The Dynamic Dudes, The Steiner Brothers, The New Breed, The Road Warriors, The Stompers, The Rock and Roll Express, Golden and Fuller, and even themselves (various members of the team once fought each other each using the name the midnight express).
And how is this for accomplishments...At least 23 tag titles won over the last four decades from Mid-south, The NWA, The WCW, the ASW, the CWA and the AWA. Many members also held various singles titles and they were managed by a multitude of talented managers like Jimmy Cornette and Paul Heyman.
Now let's talk about what these guys brought to the preverbal dance of wrestling since that is the focus of "Spotlight". They were high flyers, ground attackers, submission specialists, brawlers and methodical thinkers. They had it all in one slice and dice package of a team. Moves that today seem common place and mild were created by Lane and Eaton. You see Jeff Hardy Swanton his way off the top rope, that move has direct links back to the Midnight Express. How about Shawn Michaels' varied move set? Half of it comes from this well rounded tag team. But they meant more to wrestling than moves and titles. Wrestling changed because of this team. The way angle's are handled, the way wrestlers dress (Bobby wasn't called "beautiful" for nothing), and even the way guys hop into the ring all can be directed back to these boys.
One very significant feat that doesn't get talked about enough when it comes to the midnight express was their easy transition from heel to face and vice versa. Teams today don't change that often, if at all. Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch will more than likely forever be heels. But the Midnight Express knew how to creatively bring a fan's attention into them so well that they made you delight in them or hate them on a turn of a nickel. And either way they got you to spend your hard earned money to buy a ticket.
Tag teams today, whether it is because of the product, the television being so prominent, the wrestlers themselves or the over saturation of the product DO NOT put any "butts in the seats" as I am guessing Michael "PS" Hayes would state. Your premier singles stars such as Austin, HHH, Jericho, The Rock, Cena, and the Undertaker do that. Even when you have four huge singles stars get it on in a main event (See John Cena and Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker and Batista at No Way Out 2007) at a PPV that isn't the match that sells the show. Tag Wrestling just isn't booked the same as it used to be but The Midnight Express vs. The Rock and Roll express headlined sold out shows across this great country and on the independent circuit today could still do so because of the time, energy and talent that made it happen the first time around. They also had fantastic finishers throughout the years. Today, many of the teams have individual finishers but that wasn't the case when the express ruled the tag world. They made a definite stride to make it that the finisher used two people at the same time or in succession. With moves like the Rocket launcher, the flapjack, and the Veg-o-matic, how could they've gone wrong?
What is a bigger testament to them and their legend and what is the most important trait they brought to wrestling is their longevity. On occasion these guys still wrestle today and a feud that began over two decades ago with the Rock and Roll express can still be seen today in the independent circuit. How many teams of today will we see fifteen years from now? This is the legacy they lived during their hay-day and leave for the wrestlers of today to look up to. Until next time in spotlight...
