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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The Fabulous Freebirds unique WCW Championship reign

Recently while researching my blog post One Day Champions I came across a very odd match listing and I just had to share it here.

On February 18, 1991 in Montgomery, Alabama The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael PS Hayes and Jimmy "Jam" Garvin lost the WCW World Tag Team Championships to Rick and Scott The Steiner Brothers.

I know what you are thinking, one team losing tag titles to another team isn't that unusual, in fact it has happened several times.  What makes this unique is the next entry in the title lineage.

February 24, 1991 Wrestle War 91 Phoenix, AZ Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin (w/ Big Daddy Dink) defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Doom (w/ Teddy Long) to win the titles at 6:57 when Garvin pinned Simmons after Reed accidentally hit his partner with a foreign object thrown in the ring by Long, with Dink then shoving Garvin onto Simmons for the win; prior to the bout, the challengers were escorted to the ring by Diamond Dallas Page who then introduced Dink as the Freebirds' "road boss" before leaving ringside; after the match, DDP and the Diamond Dolls returned ringside and celebrated with the new champions as Reed assaulted Simmons with the weapon and left the ring with Long

Yes you read that correctly they lost the titles 6 days before they won them making the Fabulous Freebirds that only Champions whose title run was negative days.  It was literally over before it began!

I realize that the match that was held on February 18th was taped for television and didn't air until March 9th, however they still technically lost the titles before even winning them.

This incident is a result of WCW and they odd televisions taping schedule for their syndicated shows which they taped several weeks in advance.  I recall reading in Mick Foley's book about how he watched the team of Pretty Wonderful: Paul Roma & Paul Orndorff cutting a promo about beating Cactus Jack & Kevin Sullivan for the tag team championships before Cactus and Sullivan had even won them.

What's even more interesting to me is that according to The History of WWE Doom would defend the titles at house shows between the 18th & 24th while The Freebirds were billed as tag team champions at house shows between the February 24th and March 9th.

At the end of the day though,officially the Fabulous Freebirds were Tag Team Champions for negative six days.

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The entire television taping held on February 18, 1991 thanks to www.thehistoryofwwe.com

WCW @ Montgomery, AL - Civic Center - February 18, 1991 (1,500)
TV taping:
Included the debut segments of the Diamond Mine, Larry's Legends, and the first appearance of Tracy Smothers & Steve Armstrong as the Young Pistols
Bobby Eaton defeated Buddy Landel via disqualification when Terry Taylor interfered; after the bout, Tom Zenk made the save only to be knocked down by Eaton
Tom Zenk & Bobby Eaton defeated Terry Taylor & Buddy Landel
Sting & WCW US Champion Lex Luger defeated two unknowns; the bout didn't air due to a blown spot in which Luger was to have press slammed Sting onto the opponents outside the ring; Sting hit the apron on the way down and the two opponents were out of position to make the catch
Worldwide - 3/9/91:
Sting & El Gigante vs. Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker & Lt. James Earl Wright
Dan Spivey vs. Tim Parker
Tracy Smothers & Steve Armstrong vs. Jim Boss & Pat Rose
Sid Vicious vs. David Isley
Bobby Eaton vs. Terrence Taylor
Barry Windham vs. Brad Armstrong
WCW World Champion Ric Flair vs. Tim Horner
Pro - 3/9/91 - featured Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyzsko on commentary:
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin to win the titles at 4:06 when Scott pinned Garvin with the Frankensteiner after Rick hit a clothesline on Garvin, knocking Garvin backwards into Hayes on the top, causing Hayes to crotch himself; Hayes & Garvin did not win the titles until 2/24
Worldwide - 3/16/91:
Bobby Eaton & Tom Zenk vs. Terrence Taylor & Buddy Landel
WCW Tag Team & US Tag Team Champions Rick & Scott Steiner vs. Rob Morgan & John Peterson
Big Josh, & WCW Six-Man Tag Team Champions Ricky Morton, Tommy Rich, & the Junkyard Dog vs. Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker, Lt. James Earl Wright, & Magnum Force
Ron Simmons vs. Joe Bruce
Tracy Smothers & Steve Armstrong vs. Doug Vines & Jeff Sword
Sid Vicious vs. Larry Santo
El Gigante vs. Joe Cruz
3/91 - featured Lance Russell & Diamond Dallas Page on commentary:
Brian Pillman defeated WCW TV Champion Arn Anderson via disqualification in a non-title match at 3:04 when Barry Windham and Sid Vicious interfered after Pillman hit a clothesline off the top; Pillman's shoulder was taped as a result of his injury sustained by the Horsemen; after the bout, Pillman fought off Anderson and Vicious, and avoided Vicious' powerbomb, but was eventually beaten down
Dark match: Barry Windham & WCW TV Champion Arn Anderson defeated Doom in a streetfight after Butch Reed accidentally hit Ron Simmons with a shoulderblock; after the bout, the two partners brawled around ringside