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From All-American to Most Wanted: Gaylord points to the hairstyle that nearly made him a wrestling superstar.

Jeff Gaylord, a former wrestler who worked for the Memphis-based USWA in the 1990s, has been arrested for allegedly robbing the U.S. Bank in Monument, Colorado. Gaylord has also been named a suspect in an earlier bank robbery at a U.S. Bank location in Castle Rock. I worked with Gaylord, an ex-football star for the University of Missouri, several times in Memphis. A fourth round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in the 1982 draft, Gaylord never developed in the ring or on the mic. And he was not the most intelligent guy around. The only thing that surprises me is that he actually got away the first time.

From the Colorado Tribune:

Gaylord, 50, was arrested for the Jan. 14 bank robbery at a U.S. Bank in Monument as well as a robbery and attempted robbery at a branch in Castle Rock. Authorities arrested Gaylord at his home Jan. 15, following a two-hour interrogation conducted by multiple jurisdictions, including Monument police, Littleton police and the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Street Task Force, said S. Blaskowsky, detective with the Monument Police Department. Witnesses to the robbery got a license plate number, leading officers to his home.

 The official investigation disclosed the bank robberies were not Gaylord’s first experience with the art of disguise. Gaylord is a retired pro-wrestler, also known as “Missouri Tiger,” “The Black Knight,” “The Hood” and “The New Spoiler.” Gaylord’s professional wrestling photographs depict a massive, muscle-bound 1980s performer, complete with a mullet and Speed-o as a further sign of the times. 

The times clearly changed for Gaylord, who reportedly told investigators his crime spree was driven by “personal economic conditions,” Blaskowsky said.
Investigators believe Gaylord is the same person wanted for a robbery at the U.S. Bank at the King Soopers on Founders Parkway in Castle Rock. On Dec. 23 a disguised man passed a note to a teller, demanding money and claiming he had a gun.

Gaylord is 6-foot 3-inches tall and weighs more than 250 pounds. “He is built like a brick…house,” Blaskowsky said.

 I find it amusing that Officer Blaskowsky paused after saying “brick”—just like the Commodores’ singing their hit “Brick House.” (Or perhaps he described Gaylord as a “brick shithouse,” which would certainly be appropriate, given the quality of his work.) I also snickered at the line about Gaylord and “the art of disguise” since he did indeed masquerade as a wrestler. Yes, clearly the glory days of “the mullet and “Speed-o” are over for Gaylord. Often managed by Downtown Bruno, Gaylord headlined occasionally in Memphis, but only because the promotion was struggling talent-wise. Hell, even I was often booked in the main event at the Coliseum back then. Gaylord’s promos were an incoherent mess that made the Ultimate Warrior sound like a genius (not the Genius, mind you) by comparison.

Gaylord was also supposedly involved in a backstage incident with the late Eddie Gilbert at the Dallas Sportatorium. The Missouri All-American allegedly sucker-punched Gilbert and the two brawled momentarily until Eddie’s brother, Doug, intervened. Eddie later claimed that a promoter offered to pay Gaylord $1,000 to injure him out of revenge for no-showing a card. After the situation cooled, Eddie said he asked Jeff, “Why didn’t you come to me and explain the situation? Then we could have acted like you hurt me and then split the $1,000.” Licking his wounds in the dressing room, the Tiger reportedly said, “Oh, yeah. That’s a good idea, Eddie.” When Gilbert relayed this story to me, he rolled his eyes and shook his head.

In addition to witnesses getting his license-plate number (sigh), Gaylord gave himself away when the teller asked to see his gun. He responded by kissing both biceps and bellowing, “Righht heerrreee.” I can’t help but think that if Bruno had been the brains behind his latest caper, Gaylord would have pulled this off. Bank on it.