Just days after publishing my story on Derek Couch (FKA Robbie McAllister) of The Highlanders, a tag team on WWE television between 2006-08, his former partner felt obliged to respond. In that story, Derek spoke of how he felt he’d let Russell (Murray FKA Rory McAllister) down during their time in the WWE. On Facebook, Russell posted this response:
You never failed me, cousin. NEVER feel that way. You were the only family I had when we were trying to get there. You slept beside me in cars for years whether it was 120 degrees or 20 below. You gave me hope when I thought there was none and you picked me up when I missed my country and my family.
We shared a journey together that few can match. ‘You guys are the last tag team journeymen’ Arn fucking Anderson said those words. We wrestled from St. Catherine’s Ontario to Tokyo, Japan when people who couldn’t even speak our language showed up dressed like us. We entertained millions.
My dream was to become the first person from Scotland to sign a WWE contract and you were there with me every step of the way to achieving that.
We may not see each other as we used to, but you are the best friend I will ever have in this life.
It is and always will be an honor to call you my cousin and the honor was all mine to share the ring with a man who believed in me as much as I believed in him.
Highlander strong is something we share. We achieved greatness in the ring and are both highly successful out of it!
Saor Alba. Alba gu brath!!
Quite the glowing response, as you can read for yourself. Having not done interviews for quite some time, I managed to persuade Russell to talk to me for something he hoped would be cathartic for him. I believe it was.
Forming A Bond
Driving everywhere together in a 1991 Escort that survivived until they made it to television, the tandem would travel to learn from the likes of Tom Prichard, Waldo Von Erich and countless others. They had no connections and ties but were able to build friendships along the way, enabling them to have a floor to sleep on or maybe even a bed to crash for the night. They paid their dues the old school way.
“We went where the knowledge was but we were attached to nobody,” Murray told WrestlingHeadlines.com. “Realistically, we were just a couple of f*cking idiots in a car trying to wrestle.”
“We were two guys that had no idea about the business at all.”
“We got to WWE and really this wasn’t quite the poetic thing we thought it was.”
They had a charming naivety to them and both admit to having no conception of how to deal with the political side of the locker room and what that entailed. They signed WWE deals in 2005, subsequently heading to Ohio Valley Wrestling and working under Paul Heyman, before arriving on Monday Night Raw in 2006. They wrestled for two years on television as an entertaining duo that would garner decent pops throughout the United States and beyond.
Yet, it was a moment on TNA impact that would be the lingering memory of Robbie McAllister. On a live episode, he was shown on screen sat in the audience under his real name labelled as a WWE talent. The WWE roster had been forbidden to attend by Vince McMahon, so his appearance effectively killed his – and by proxy, Rory’s – WWE careers. Murray revealed he burst out laughing when John Laurinaitis called him to enquire about the incident.
“Regardless of what happens, I’ve got my boy’s back,” he recalled to me, as he sat in the bar, at the time, next to Harry Smith awaiting Derek’s arrival and the furore that would accompany it.
“That man gave up his family life time for a dream that WE had. (He) tightened up his boot straps and walked right into that bar where everybody was; into the viper’s nest.”
Several senior members of the roster took their shots at him, which he took on the chin, figuratively not literally. The pair were released in 2008.
“The TNA thing – although it’s kept Robbie relevant – I feel it’s kind of taking away from what we actually were: which was fun to watch.”
Moving On
Murray started working at a juvenile detention centre as well as a gym, keeping things ticking over so as to not touch his savings built up during his three-year stint in WWE. With a son aged only one at the time, Murray had responsibilities and simply couldn’t afford to take any chances at pursuing a full-time career in professional wrestling. However, he wrestled independently until 2015.
“I didn’t want to be one of those guys making $100 at a show,” he explained, “needing that money to get by and holding on to the old days. I didn’t want to be that person I’ve seen in so many locker rooms.”
Echoing the sentiment of joy rather than bitterness that Derek Couch held regarding his WWE stint, Murray is equally as content with how his time at the top of the business worked out.
“You see a lot of people leave there and they’re bitter. The business is so full of people who think they should have been the king,” he continued. “Maybe you should have worked harder. In reality, you weren’t. So, enjoy what you had.”
“I went from living in a f*cking car to being able to go in to any store and being able to buy what I wanted to buy. I set up a life. I came to a different country with nothing and that company gave me a home, motorcycles, sports cars.”
“I feel the same way as Robbie. It was an honour to do it. I think we left our mark on it. Life became very good for me, which makes me look back with even more fondness on my time in WWE.”
Braveheart
He knew tag teams don’t last forever, with a typical shelf life of 2-3 years. Deeply content with his life and how it’s played out; it’s a far cry from the twenty-three-year-old who departed his home country so long ago.
“I left Scotland with nothing,” Murray explained, before revealing what he set himself to achieve when crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
“I had one goal in wrestling and it was to be the first Scottish guy to make it in to WWE, and I was.”
He was indeed, but a fellow Scot has previously incorrectly claimed that particular accolade. That man is former WWE champion, Drew McIntyre. According to Russell, McIntyre signed his contract when The Highlanders had already been on TV for 6-8 months. He and Derek signed their contracts in early 2005 and began on WWE TV in 2006. Drew signed in 2007.
“Drew’s had an amazing career, you know, but for all the accolades he can take, that’s not one of them. C’mon dude. You’ve been a f*cking world heavyweight champion. Give me something,” he laughed. “His career’s been awesome. I’m so proud of him. Scotland should be proud of him too.”
Working in aviation today, the father of two, who enjoys creating artwork and playing his guitar, reflects with great affection on time spent in the wrestling stratosphere with his tag team partner.
“I left with my integrity and that means more to me than anything else. I never holed myself into the business. I didn’t try to kiss any arse when I was there and neither did Robbie.”
“Wrestling was very good to both of us. I love Robbie like he’s my real brother.”
“I don’t look for notoriety. Fame was never something I was interested in. You see people fighting to stay relevant. I didn’t give a sh*t about that.”
Derek’s goal was just to get to WWE; Russell’s was to be the first Scotsman to sign for WWE. They both achieved their respective goals. They played their old school gimmick with aplomb, had a wonderful time doing it and are happy post-wrestling. Long live The Highlanders!
