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Lawrence Michael Rotunda is best known to the older WWE fans as the tax man IRS; who sided with "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase to form Money Inc. in the early 1990's. To some of the knowledgeable younger fans, he's known as the father of current WWE Superstars Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas.
Rotunda made his professional wrestling debut in 1981 after competing in football and amateur wrestling at the collegiate level for Syracuse University. His first big break was with the WWF in 1984 when he would team with Barry Windham to form The U.S. Express.
I first saw him as a kid on Jim Crockett Promotions (which eventually became WCW) when it would air on TBS every Saturday night at 5:05 central. He would use his amateur wrestling background as a gimmick, first as a good guy, then as a heel.
It wasn't until he returned to the WWE in 1991 where the IRS gimmick was born and is quite arguably his most successful run in the WWE. It would be a gimmick that lasted until 1997 with the WWE and later WCW, but he would return to the WWE from time to time with cameos as IRS as well.
Since today, April 17, 2018, is tax day, I'm going to take a look at the five greatest moments of IRS' run in the WWE and also WCW as VK Wallstreet. Before we get to #5, I must let you know that you need to PAY YOUR TAXES!
#5 - The Price Is Wrong for IRS
One of the highlights during the run of guest hosts on Monday Night Raw was former Price Is Right host Bob Barker. One of the segments on this September 2009 edition of Monday Night Raw was playing the standard pricing game as seen on the game show.
The segment is best known for Barker putting Chris Jericho in his place with some hilarious lines, but this segment did include a funny cameo from IRS. Every time he would bid on the prize up for grabs, he would always make sure the price included the sales tax.
#4 - Repossessing the Undertaker's Urn
IRS had his highest-profile singles feud late in 1994 with The Undertaker. The feud would culminate at the 1995 Royal Rumble when Undertaker defeated IRS in a 12-minute match.
It wasn't the match that was the key part of this situation, it was after when Ted DiBiase sent in druids to attack The Undertaker after the match. During the attack, King Kong Bundy came to the ring and attacked The Undertaker.
During the attack, IRS was able to repossess The Undertaker's urn. At the time, it was said that the urn possessed the power of The Undertaker. Eventually, Undertaker got his urn back and added King Kong Bundy to his Streak of WrestleMania victories.
#3 - Joining the nWo
When you join one of the most recognized factions of professional wrestling history; it is a big deal. During his WCW days, IRS was known as Michael Wallstreet. During a match on WCW Monday Nitro against Mike Enos, an old friend appeared.
Wallstreet's former tag team partner Ted DiBiase appeared to the ring with a contract to sign with the nWo. Enos thought the contract was for him, and that distraction led to Wallstreet getting the victory.
Though Wallstreet's tenure in the nWo only lasted a few months, it was at a time before EVERYONE was joining the faction, so it was a big deal.
#2 - Making the finals of the 1991 King Of The Ring Tournament
One of IRS's greatest solo accomplishments in the WWF was making the finals of the 1991 King Of The Ring Tournament. For those not familiar, the King Of The Ring typically had eight WWF/E Superstars in a single-elimination tournament that all played out on the same night.
IRS defeated The Berzerker in the first round, Hacksaw Jim Duggan in the quarterfinals and Jerry Sags of The Nasty Boys in the semifinals. Unfortunately for IRS, he ran into Bret "The Hitman" Hart in the finals and couldn't defeat him. Hart would go on to become the sixth-ever WWF King Of The Ring.
#1 - Winning the WWF Tag Team Championships three times with Money Inc.
The most success that IRS had was with the tag team Money Inc. with "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. The team formed less than a year after the IRS gimmick made its debut on WWF television.
Money Inc. defeated the legendary Legion Of Doom at a house show on February 7, 1992 (just days after forming) to capture their first WWF World Tag Team Championship. Their first reign with the titles would last 164 days.
They would go on to win the WWF World Tag Team Championships two more times for a total of three reigns before the group disbanded in 1993 due to DiBiase's retirement from professional wrestling.
