Kerry Von Erich's NWA Championship Defenses

On May 6, 1984 at the David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions Kerry Von Erich pinned "Nature Boy" Ric Flair in-front of 32,000 people at Texas Stadium to capture the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.

David had unexpectedly died just three months prior in Japan at only 25 years old.  Many believed that David would one day win the world championship and that Kerry was given then honor as tribute to David.

I was just 5 years old when Kerry won the title, but when I got older I watched this match and from what I understood after Von Erich won the championship he lost it back to flair a few days later.  Similar to Ronnie Garvin I never knew that Kerry defended the title, but he did.

From what I could find during his eighteen day reign he defended the title thirteen times in three different territories against six different opponents.

WCCW: World Class Championship Wrestling
CWF: Championship Wrestling from Florida
AJPW: All Japan Pro Wrestling


May 7, 1984 WCCW Fort Worth, Texas
defeated Terry Gordy

May 8, 1984 WCCW Muskogee, Oklahoma
defeated Terry Gordy

May 11, 1984 WCCW Sportatorium

defeated "Nature Boy" Ric Flair

I think this match is special because the Sportatorium in Dalls was the center on the Von Erich wrestling universe and for Kerry step into the ring as the NWA Champion.  You can find this match on the WWE network in the vault section on the May 26, 1984 episode of World Class Championship Wrestling.  

May 12, 1984 WCCW San Antonio, Texas

defeated "Nature Boy" Ric Flair

May 13, 1984 CWF Ocala, Florida

wrestled Mike Rotundo to a draw

May 13, 1984 CWF Orlando, Florida

defeated Billy Graham

May 14, 1984 CWF West Palm Beach, Florida

defeated Ron Bass by disqualification

May 14, 1984 CWF Fort Myers, Florida

defeated Billy Graham

May 16, 1984 CWF Miami, Florida

defeated Billy Graham by disqualification

May 18, 1984 CWF Lake City, Florida

defeated Billy Graham

May 19, 1984 CWF Tampa, Florida

defeated Ron Bass by disqualification

May 22, 1984 AJPW Tokyo, Japan

wrestled Jumbo Tsuruta in a 2 of 3 falls match to a draw at one fall each

You can find this match on you tube and it's a pretty high quality.  

May 14, 1984 AJPW Kanagawa, Japan

defeated by "Nature Boy" Ric Flair 2 falls to 1 to win the Championship

Thank you to Cage Match for the results and full credit to the photographers who took the photos.

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The Fabulous Freebirds in the WWF

The Fabulous Freebirds are one of the greatest wrestling tag teams of all time.  There were a few incarnations during their run from 1979 to 1994 with the primary players being Michael P.S. Hayes, Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy, and Buddy Jack Roberts and later in WCW with Jimmy "Jam" Garvin, Badstreet, and others.

In this post we are going to look at the short time that Hayes, Gordy, & Roberts spent in the WWF.  Originally brought in to be part of the Rock n' Wrestling Connection in fact David Wolff is the one that announced that they were coming in.

David Wolff was the manger of boyfriend of Cyndi Lauper when she and was instrumental in her coming to the WWF eventually managing Wendi Richter.  The Freebirds were to expand this connection and Wolff even appeared at ringside with the Birds.

On The August 4, 1984 episode of Georgia Championship Wrestling taped July 31st at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, NY David Wolff joined the commentary team of Vince McMahon & Tony Garea where he announced that the Fabulous Freebirds were coming to the WWF

August 4, 1984 Philadelphia Spectrum - Aired 8/19 on GCW
The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, & Buddy Roberts with David Wolff & Cyndi Lauper defeated Ron Shaw, Rene Goulet, & Charlie Fulton when Gordy pinned Fulton with a powerbomb

August 10, 1984 Kiel Auditorium, St Louis, MO - Aired 8/18 on GCW
The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, & Buddy Roberts with David Wolff defeated Jerry Valiant, Alexis Smirnoff, & Max Blue when Gordy pinned Valiant

August 25, 1984 Madison Square Garden - Aired 9/8 on GCW
Best 2 out of 3 Falls: The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, & Buddy Roberts with David Wolff defeated Butcher Vachon, Shaw, & Pete Doherty.  Gordy pinned Vachon with a cross body, Robert pinned Doherty with an elbow drop

August 29, 1984 Brantford, Ontario, Canada - Aired 9/29 on Maple Leaf Wrestling
The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, & Buddy Roberts defeated The Moondogs & Brian Mackney when Gordy pinned Mackney with a piledriver

September 8, 1984 Boston Garden
The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, & Buddy Roberts defeated The Moondogs

September 9, 1984 Manchester, NH
The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes & Terry Gordy defeated The Moondogs

September 10, 1984 Baltimore, MD
The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes & Terry Gordy defeated The Moondogs

September 11, 1984 Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, NY
Aired 9/22 on Championship Wresting
The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, & Buddy Roberts with David Wolff & Cyndi Lauper defeated Aldo Marino, Rusty Brooks, & "Iron" Mike Sharpe when Gordy pinned Marino with a piledriver

Aired 10/6 on Championship Wrestling
The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, & Buddy Roberts with David Wolff defeated Steve Lombardi, Carl Fury, & Bob Orton Jr when Hayes pinned Fury

September 16, 1984 New Haven, Connecticut
The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, & Buddy Roberts defeated The Moondogs

September 17, 1984 Columbus, OH
The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, & Buddy Roberts defeated The Moondogs

September 18, 1984 Struthers, OH
The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, & Buddy Roberts defeated The Moondogs

September 19, 1984 Erie, PA
The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, & Buddy Roberts defeated The Moondogs

September 22, 1984 Miami, FL
Michael Hayes defeated Rene Goulet

September 23, 1984 Minneapolis, Minnesota
Michael Hayes & Pat Patterson defeated The Moondogs
This match was advertised as The Freebirds vs. The Moondogs and The Spoiler

September 24, 1984 London, Ontario, Canada - Aired 10/13 on All Star Wrestling
Michael Hayes pinned Dave Barbie

September 28, 1984 Kiel Auditorium, St Louis, MO
The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, & Buddy Roberts defeated The Moondogs by count-out

September 29, 1984 Kansas City, MO
The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, & Buddy Roberts defeated The Moondogs by disqualification

September 30, 1984 Chicago, IL
The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, & Buddy Roberts defeated The Moondogs by count-out

The Freebirds lasted 57 days in the WWF wrestling 16 matches a unit including debuting at Madison Square Garden.  They appeared on four televisions show for the promotion, All Star Wrestling, Championship Wrestling, Maple Leaf Wrestling, and Georgia Championship Wrestling.

Rumor has it that the Freebirds left the promotion after Andre "fired" them for showing up late for a show and that Vince McMahon wanted to break the group up.  Whatever the reason the Birds didn't last long.

Michael Hayes returned to the WWF in 1995 as Dok Hendrix commentator and backstage interviewer.  He eventually started working behind the scenes in various roles still to this day.

Terry Gordy returned to the WWF in November 1996 for a two month run as the masked Executioner including wrestling The Undertaker at In Your House 12 "It's Time" in an Armageddon Rules Match.

On April 2, 2016 The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, Buddy Roberts, & Jimmy Garvin were inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame.

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The Last Match: The Fabulous Freebirds

The Fabulous Freebirds are one of the greatest and most revolutionary tag teams of all time.  They were unique in that they were a three man team who won the tag team championships and originated what would become known as the Freebird Rule as any two of the three members could defend the titles.

The teamed formed in Mid South Wrestling in 1979 and continued until they disbanded in 1994.  They had success all around the territories including the AWA, WWF, WCW, NWA, Memphis, Florida and more.  They are perhaps best known for the amazing feud in World Class with the Von Erich family.

The Freebirds were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016.

Michael P.S. Hayes
Last Match: July 25, 1999 WWF Fully Loaded 1999 Buffalo, New York
with The Hardy Boys: Matt & Jeff lost the Tag Team Championships to The Acolytes: Bradshaw & Faarooq in a no disqualification match

Hayes was pinned in the match that cost the Hardys their titles.  Hayes would go on to compete in the WrestleMania X-7 Gimmick Battle Royal.  Hayes was no doubt the leader of the Freebirds and also was with the team for its entire run.  One of the most colorful and flamboyant men in wrestling.

"Bam Bam" Terry Gordy
Last Match: June 10, 1999 NWA Southwest, Dallas, Texas
defeated The New Dr. X

One of if not the best big man in wrestling Gordy began wrestling in 1975 at the age of 14.  After his run with the Birds Gordy had a successful tag team with "Dr. Death" Steve Williams in All Japan Pro Wrestling and WCW from 1990 - 1993.  Gordy is also a two time AJPW Triple Crown Champion, the promotions top championship.

Gordy passed away on July 16, 2001 from a heart attack.

Buddy Jack Roberts
Last Match: April 2, 1993 GWF Dallas, Texas
with Michael P.S. Hayes was defeated by Chris Adams & Kevin Von Erich

Debuting in 1965 after being trained by Ivan Koloff he joined up with the Freebirds becoming the third member in 1979.  He stayed with the Birds through their major run in World Class leaving them in 1987.  Retiring in 1989 he came out of retirement for his final match teaming with Hayes.

He battled throat cancer but died from pneumonia November 26, 2012 at the age of 65.
 

Jimmy "Jam" Garvin
Last Match: August 2, 2000 Lutte 2000 Verdun, Quebec, Canada
with Ronnie Garvin was defeated by The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers: Jacques & Raymond to win the Johnny Rougeau Tag Team Title

Jimmy Garvin began wrestling in 1968 traveling the independents winding up in World Class in 1983.  He began a loose association with the Freebirds during this run.  On June 14, 1989 he returned to WCW as a official member of the Freebirds teaming with Hayes at Clash of the Champions VII winning the vacant NWA World Tag Team Championships.

He teamed with Hayes until 1992 when he left WCW.  He rejoined Hayes and Gordy in Global Wrestling Federation in 1994 as The Fabulous Freebirds until the promotion folded later that year.

Freebirds Match
Last Match: May 28, 1999 Power Pro Wrestling, Memphis, TN
Michael P.S. Hayes & Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy wrestled Glen Kulka & JR Smooth to a no contest

This is the last match of record that I can find involving members of the Freebirds.  It's only fitting that it's the two original members in Hayes & Gordy that have the final official match of The Fabulous Freebirds.

Badstreet: Brad Armstrong 

Last Match: February 12, 2011 A Nightmare to Remember Villa Rica, GA

defeated by Kyle Matthews

During the Freebirds run in WCW Brad Armstrong donned a masked competing as the mysterious Badstreet.  His association with them was short but I felt should be included.

Sadly Armstrong passed away on November 1, 2012 at the age of 50.

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