WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda (IRS) to Release Memoir Chronicling a Storied Wrestling Legacy
WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda, better known to fans as Irwin R. Shyster (IRS), is set to release a memoir that will take readers through his remarkable journey in professional wrestling and beyond according to PWInsider reports. The book, co-written with acclaimed wrestling author Ian Douglass, has already been completed and is expected to be released once publishing plans are finalized.
A Career That Spanned Generations
Rotunda’s career is a tapestry woven through multiple eras of professional wrestling. A standout amateur wrestler at Syracuse University, he transitioned to the pro ranks in the early 1980s and quickly found success. Teaming with Barry Windham as The U.S. Express, Rotunda captured the WWF Tag Team Championship twice and even competed at the very first WrestleMania.
Fans of the late 1980s and early 1990s remember Rotunda for his successful run in the NWA, where he became World Television Champion and formed part of the notorious Varsity Club with Rick Steiner, Kevin Sullivan, and Steve “Dr. Death” Williams. Later, in WCW, he performed under personas like Michael Wallstreet and VK Wallstreet, including a stint with the nWo.
But it was in the WWF during the early ’90s that Rotunda created one of the most enduring gimmicks of the era. As Irwin R. Shyster (IRS), he embodied a crooked taxman who preached financial responsibility while cheating his way to victories. Alongside Ted DiBiase as part of Money Inc., IRS won the WWF Tag Team Titles three times and even faced Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake at WrestleMania IX.
Rotunda officially retired from full-time wrestling in 2004 after a tour of Japan but made occasional appearances in events such as WrestleReunion and WWE’s Raw 15th Anniversary Battle Royal. His career came full circle when he and Barry Windham were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2024 as part of WrestleMania 40 weekend.
A Family Steeped in Wrestling Tradition
Mike Rotunda’s memoir carries added significance because of his legacy outside the ring. He is the father of Windham Rotunda (Bray Wyatt), one of WWE’s most creative and beloved modern performers, who tragically passed away on August 24, 2023, at the age of 36. He is also the father of Taylor Rotunda (Bo Dallas/Uncle Howdy), a former NXT Champion, and part of The Wyatt Sicks—he's carved out his own unique WWE career.
The book promises to blend Rotunda’s personal journey with his family’s deep ties to wrestling, providing fans of the golden era and modern audiences alike with insight into a wrestling family whose contributions span decades.
H/t to PWInsider: "WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda will be releasing a memoir, co-authored by the great Ian Douglass, Douglass announced today during an interview with PWInsiderElite.com"
🗣️ Wrestling.news | Backstage Take
Mike Rotunda has long been considered one of the most respected veterans of his era — a consummate professional who never needed the spotlight of a world championship to leave his mark. His memoir has the potential to be a must-read for fans who love behind-the-scenes history, character creation in the golden age of WWE, and stories from the road.
Given his connection to Bray Wyatt, whose passing left a lasting void in wrestling, the book also holds deep emotional weight. Fans will likely look to this memoir not just for nostalgia, but for a chance to better understand the man who raised one of wrestling’s most inventive minds. WWE has faced questions about how it honors Wyatt’s legacy, and Rotunda’s voice might provide some much-needed perspective and healing. Personally, cannot wait to purchase and read it.
