I never knew the freebirds were in the wwf during the 80's at one time.They obviously were not there too long as Vince would certainly have screwed them up as he did so many other great wrestling teams.F*ck you vince.
michael and gordy were definetly some of the best to ever do it... buddy im not sure why they kept him around? gordy was serously tough guy who you wouldnt want to mess with anywhere! hayes had the mouth and talent! i miss those days so much..
i guarantee airing old matches like that would bring more money than the crap we have now (raw,smackdown) i used to be proud wrestlin fan. now im ashamed! even if it wasnt totally real. they at least tried to make seem real and that they hated each other
@screamingdean5 Briefly. They were released soon after, rumors still circulate as too why. Apparently there was maybe some un-professionalism on their part (showing up drunk to events). Also its rumored that WWE really only wanted Michael Hayes, not Roberts and Gordy
I remember watching some old footage of them spike piledriving Dibiase and the fans just being absoultely enraged about it. You don't see heel factions like that anymore, but they were bad ass.
They also had David Wolff as their manager too, supposed to be a major part of the Rock N Wrestling Connection, but word is Vince wanted to split them and give Gordy a major push.
I think it was Hayes that McMahon wanted to give a major push too. He was going to be the WWF's "rock star" which would have fit in greatly at the time.
The old school promoters like Fritz, Gagne, and Watts all valued Gordy a great deal, but everything I've always read or heard was that Vince really wanted Hayes.
Which makes perfect sense, as Gordy is a classic, big, burly, naturally gifted rassler, while Hayes fit in perfect with the colorful, Rock n Roll 80s.
Hell yeah, I'd love to see one about the birds. I also would like to see one about the late great Bruiser Brody. Brody, AA, and the Birds all belong in the hall of fame.
Especially since Vinnie Mac owns the rights to all their WCCW matches now.I don't believe he owns any of the USWA's library though which would rule out a Jerry Lawler DVD,in spite of the fact that they were more or less a then-WWF farm system.
They were there for about a month. They were faces. It was when there were still regional wrestling promotions. It was around the time that the rock and wrestling stuff started. They didn't last long in the WWF at all. I guess the fans in the Northeast weren't big on 6 man tag matches. I think they appeared on Superstars 1 time & did a month's worth of house shows in 6 man tags against teams of jobbers.
They mainly beat the Moondogs in tag matches while they were in, though they did a lot of 6 man too. What I've always heard is that McMahon wanted to split them and make Hayes his "Rock n Roll" star with Dave Wolfe and Cindy Lauper.
I'm pretty sure Gordy was the first to leave and was supposed to go to Gagne who had been wooing him for a while, but went to Fritz. Roberts and Hayes weren't far behind.
Well this is my first time seening this footage. Because the free birds were always an NWA/WCW product. So this video is a rare one. especially in my wrestling history book.
From what I understand...they left the WWF after Vince wanted to split them up. He wanted Gordy to be on his own (to build him up as a challenger for Hogan) and have Hayes and Roberts as a tag team. They weren't ready to be seperated so they left and went back to either WCCW or NWA...I can't recall which.
Of course...that's the version I heard and it could be WAYYYY off. Heck..they could have been fired for the same reason the Rockers were fired in their 1st stint in WWE...too much drinky
I remmeber this well! They were there for about a month and then suddenly disappeared! The Briscoes also came and left suddenly also! I remmeber them challenging Adonis and Murdoch on Pipers Pit and beat them in a non-title match the following week! They used the double rowboat as the finnishing move.After that they left! GOOD MOVE! Vince would have destroyed their careers!!
Hey Saint ,I know that Gordy was a very young WWF Jobber in 1970s(late) ,so I guess they already had some kind of relationship! Glad they left because Vince wants no one to be bigger than himself!
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
I don't know if I'd call them legends. They were popular, kind of like the rockers were popular. I think they were before my time, as I got into WWE in the late 80's and I recall seeing them in the WWE. I do remember the douche with the long hair, Hayes, being a loud mouth announcer in the 90's with WWE though.
No, they were one of the biggest acts in wrestling during the 80s. They are undoubtedly legends. They were FAR more popular in terms of ticket sales than the Rockers ever were. They were the stars of TBS for about 3 years, helped make the JYD in Louisiana (which made them as well), and turned Dallas into the hottest promotion in the country for over a year when they challenged the Von Erichs. They were the lead heels in the UWF as well.
i saw a legends of wrestling episode on youtube where michael hayes said that they were supposed to be in the first or second wrestlemania but the freebirds messed it up somehow. Hayes didn't really elaborate further as to what happened. i'm only going on what hayes said on that show but that could be the reason.
ANSWER to your question - Anyone know why they weren't in the WWF longer ?
It's been said that Vince McMahon has hired a lot of wrestlers and wrestling promoters from other wrestling companies (competing wrestling organizations) just so he could 1-day say:
"I hired and fired this person;......and that person."
Many wrestlers have said this. Even promoter Erich Bishoff.
Could not wait to fire the Ultimate Warrior? So he kept him for over 4 years and gave him the World title? Let Paul Heyman book SmackDown for months?
I think Mr. McMahon is working the marks. And I seriously doubt he hired the Birds to fire them. They were as hot as anyone in all of wrestling in 1984. I think he wanted them (Hayes in particular as his "rock star"), but it just didn't work out.
This is when Interviews were Interviews. Because now days ever Interview is a set down one which means wrote before said. I work for RCW out of Ohio and i once did a dark match for WWE Back when it was just turning names i wrestled Val Venis and i seen what happens and goes on back stage at a WWE show.
The Freebirds would have stayed had the management not had plans to split them up as single wrestlers. They had too much of a good thing going to let that happen.
It was a very short stint...I remember seeing only 1 TV match that came from the Spectrum in Philly and that was it....back around '84. I religiously watched the Saturday shows back then and that was the only match i remember seeing with them in wwf.
As long as we got access to WWE programming in Cape Breton & Nova Scotia,it always came on at noon on our CBS affiliate from Detroit,which was WJBK at the time.
Michael Hayes is my all time favorite. I met him back in '93 at the Atlanta Hard Rock Cafe. He was nice enough to let me get a picture made with him. He was with these 2 hot sluts who were annoyed when I appoached him. He just sort of ignored them and took the picture anyway. He's a huge guy, T.V. made him look smaller for some reason.
thats the way it always is...i ran into snitsky at a wwe wrestlemania axess tour and he was a freak...on tv he looks chubby and in person you can see every single muscle in his arms!
I think his size had a lot to do with teaming with Bam Bam who was so big, and often fighting pretty big guys. I'm not sure, but I used to see Hayes wrestle live frequently, and you are right, he's a pretty big dude, but doesn't really come across that way on TV.
When you go to a wrestling event live it's shocking how big some of the guys are- the smaller guys are really big and the big guys are enormous. I saw Buzz Sawyer from about 2 ft away long ago, he looked short and stocky compared with the others on tv, he was huge, I mean HUGE, looked like he'd have to turn sideways to make it through a doorway! Then the Road Warriors walked by....jeez-o-petey! They were...even...bigger..
You're right, the WWF was more of a three-ring circus then, and they would have made the Freebirds come to the ring in bird suits or something. "I'll tar and feather you, turn you into birdseed, and peck you to the mat!" or something like that.
Actually that's stupid, and wrong. At the time the Freebirds were in the WWF the only "gimmick" was the Honky Tonk Man. Everyone else used their old gimmicks (Mr. Wonderful, Andre, Hogan, Can-Ams, Muraco, Orton, etc). The WWF didn't become a circus until the early to mid 90s.
You're right to a point. I'm thinking of jackasses like "Adorable" Adrian Adonis, The Red Rooster, The Gobbledy Gooker (1990, but close enough), Koko B. Ware and The British Bulldogs coming to the ring with their pets. The mid 90's was even worse, until "Pillman had a gun."
However,both Adrian Adonis & Koko B. Ware made their gimmicks work,and it was an injustice to Terry Taylor to give him that Red Rooster gimmick because he actually was a solid talent but Vinnie Mac always did bury and disrespect talent who came from a rival company anyway
Agreed. I always think 1989 was when the WWF started to spiral. They went from one of the most realistic angles with Hogan/Savage and the jealousy over Elizabeth to Zeus, the movie character, fighting Hogan in the ring. From there, to The Ultimate Warrior's 1990 perms.
HTM came well after the Freebirds (about 2 years), plus he WAS using his old gimmick. Vince didn't make the Honky Tonk Man character. Wayne Ferris did. He had successful runs with that gimmick in Southeastern and Stampede (and probably elsewhere) before he went to WWF.
Brutus Beefcake and Hillbilly Jim (both in 84, the year the Birds came) were probably Vince's first gimmick guys that he created, unless I'm forgetting someone.
Actually Lannis, YOU'RE wrong AND you're time line is way off. HTM didn't start in the WWF until a solid 2+ years after this. Can-Ams were even later. However, the WWF did have gimmicks like the Missing Link, Kamala, and Hillbilly Jim around this time. There has always been a mix of "regular" wrestlers and more gimmicky types. It started long before the 90's.
@atworkstation Man that would of been something. What happened that got the Birds out of the WWE? I mean the tag team matches with the Freebirds vs say the Bulldogs or the Hart Foundation or the Killer Bees etc. etc. etc. would have been awesome. I could see the Birds winning the tag titles back then and say the IC title at the same time.
@PabloMGP I agree to a point, before 86 yes the nwa had better teams, but once the Bulldogs, the Bees, the Harts, the Rougeaus, the Dream Team, Strike Force the WWE had the better teams, with 2 exceptions, the LOD and the Horsemen.
@Cavillier1970 Matter of opinions man. I like a lot of the teams you mention but I was never too high on neither the Bees nor StrikeForce. Never really liked Santana and I always thought that singles competition was the place to be for Martel. As for the NWA, remember, at one point they had the Freebirds, The Road Warriors, The Horsemen, The Rockers & the Midnight Xpress in the promotion at the same time. Very difficult to top that. Again, matter of opinions
@PabloMGP I agree you mentioned some of the best teams ever, and dominated the tag team scene but this debate is like the Deadliest Warrior. I mean if they could punch the stats in a computer of these teams I'd love to see the end results. I think I'm a little more WWE side cause I live in Buffalo, NY and thats all we had here. We never had the NWA or AWA so I only got to see them on tv and read about them. I would have loved to see some legenary matchups
@Cavillier1970 Kudo's on the deadliest warrior comment. I grew up watching NWA and to me the wwf roster of the time aside from a few like Steamboat, Jake Roberts, Rude or Bad News, was pretty much a circus. It would be interesting to see the results in a simulator. Nice talking to someone who also grew up on Old School. Sad days for wrestling today ha?
@PabloMGP Maybe we fans should contact the WWE about doing something deadliest warrior with the best wrestlers/ teams who never faced off. I think it would be tagteams for the most past since it seems most singles wrestlers worked in both companies. Or also say the teams of one era vs another like the video games are now. But instead of players let the computer have 1000 matches and we find out whos the deadliest wa--- I mean the best tag teams. LOL
@Cavillier1970 That would be very interesting using a simulator. In fact they used that idea back in the day to see who would win in a boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Rocky Marciano among many other boxing legends, and their stats were as accurate as they came too. Rocky was decided to be the best of them all through the simulator with stats by many promoters back then. Look up The two boxing together, it was in real time as they actually were fighting each other in the simulator. ;)
I worked years ago with a guy named Sid, super nice guy, was a masked pro wrestler, had gone under the name the Terminator among many others. He said he and Gordy were old drinking buddies, that Gordy was the sweetest guy. Sid was probably the strongest individual I've ever met and he looked like he never lifted a weight in his life, just farm type strenth. Sad that Gordy is no longer with us. :(
I never knew the original Birds were in the WWF..classic..Vince should have not wanted to split them up..bastard lost some great talent..sucks Hayes came back under a lame ass name Dok Hendrix
What happened was the Freebirds worked several 6-man tag team matches and had a meeting with Vince where both Gordy and Roberts kept nodding off and Hayes was the only one to stay awake.
NOT, Vince wanted to use Bam Bam and Roberts as a mid card team and give hayes a big singles push. The birds said we stick together or we dont work for WWF. Vince said "goodbye then!"
Ok, so now that I think about it we're both correct...I just think it was misleading to say "the reason they left was because Vince wanted to split them up" when the split up was accelerated by Gordy and Roberts having problems during matches.
Lannis, how am I being a mark and defending Vince with what I posted? I am simply stating facts that I have found out by picking the minds of members at the Kayfabe Memories Message Board, some of which are former wrestlers.
Actually, that match was during the AWA/WCCW Superclash event (circa 1984), featuring the original Freebirds vs. the High Flyers (Jumping Jim Brunzell & Greg Gagne) and the Tonga Kid.
I never knew they were in the WWF either...Much less the original version of the Freebirds...always loved P.S. Hayes and his ability to give an interview LOL
I never knew the freebirds were in the WWF can any1 tell me when thet were their? you see us guys in england only got WWF or any usa wrestling from 86 onwards so plz keep hook us up with the uploads thanks alot guys
The reason they were released was because during a meeting with Vince, both Roberts and Gordy fell asleep. Hayes was the only one awake and the one Vince was most interested in in making a big name.
Prior to the time of this program, Maple Leaf Wrestling previously aired matches from Jim Crockett Promotions' Mid-Atlantic Wrestling as well as when they had matches in Canada, including at the Maple Leaf Gardens. All of that changed when Jack Tunney hooked up with Vince McMahon during this time.
Buddy Roberts what a bum. But Hayes and Gordy were awesome.
Dudeamis 2 months ago
How come the Freebirds never got over in the WWF? Was it just the Southern bias or what?
SimplyXxXWild 5 months ago
I understand Vince wanted to split them up and use them as singles.
BuckeyeJAG 5 months ago
I understand Vince wanted to split them up and use them as singlesand they wouldn't do it so they left and headed back to Texas.
BuckeyeJAG 5 months ago
Terry Gordy looks like Rocky from Mask
JanettySupportTour 6 months ago
Who is this idiot interviewer.
KRS1DropsKnowledge 9 months ago
@KRS1DropsKnowledge
Billy Red Lyons. He was a star in the Toronto territory for years and segued to promotional duties with Maple Leaf Wrestling/WWF back in the 80s.
yardape99 9 months ago
The FreeBirds were nasty!!
I hated those guys when I was a kid... lol
OldSkaterGuy 10 months ago
RIP MJ notice the "Beat It" jacket
Ivor356 11 months ago
Freebirds were too good and too "real" to be in the WWF (E? Oh yeah thats right WWE ,Worst wrestling ever hahaha)
1977SOUTHERNBOY 1 year ago
Now this is a way to debut.
bootyman1979 1 year ago
freebirds in the hall of fame class 2011
adamfear17 1 year ago
Freebirds >>>>>>>> nWo
exe2517 1 year ago
I want to visit Badstreet, USA...
motleyhar 1 year ago 3
I never knew the freebirds were in the wwf during the 80's at one time.They obviously were not there too long as Vince would certainly have screwed them up as he did so many other great wrestling teams.F*ck you vince.
sammys70 1 year ago
hahah i've heard him cut this exact same promo before lol
davidducker 1 year ago
michael and gordy were definetly some of the best to ever do it... buddy im not sure why they kept him around? gordy was serously tough guy who you wouldnt want to mess with anywhere! hayes had the mouth and talent! i miss those days so much..
i guarantee airing old matches like that would bring more money than the crap we have now (raw,smackdown) i used to be proud wrestlin fan. now im ashamed! even if it wasnt totally real. they at least tried to make seem real and that they hated each other
arlichar11 1 year ago
Love the freebirds, but it looks odd seein them with the wwf logo in the back
oldlonesomesong 1 year ago
It's such a shame that Buddy Roberts can't talk anymore on account of his throat cancer and needs the aid of a box to talk at all.
landrykkb 1 year ago
WOW NEVA SEEN THEM IN WWF
kingheart120 1 year ago
To Bad that they didnt make it in wwf back in the 80s they was supposed to be at wrestlemania 1 but something happen and that was it.
bigdhorrorcrypt 1 year ago
Tell'em PS!!
Pontiac127 2 years ago
They left too soon. The tag team division in the WWF was second to none back in 84'.
VolumedMusicMan 2 years ago
If they're not in the hall of fame, Vince should be ashamed.
dpman72 2 years ago 9
@dpman72 They deserve to be in the Hall of Fame.
atworkstation 3 months ago
wtf?freebirds in the wwf
RMilvae 2 years ago
Freebirds are the Shit God Bless Bam-Bam
MegaThriller2009 2 years ago
PS Hayes on his game in that promo!
mrwrestlingII 2 years ago 2
thats a fuckin promo
wdwz4 2 years ago 2
yeah no hollywood wwe write could write that just great
hhhsucks92 2 years ago 3
Gee! I had no idea the Freebirds were ever in the WWF!
screamingdean5 2 years ago
@screamingdean5 Briefly. They were released soon after, rumors still circulate as too why. Apparently there was maybe some un-professionalism on their part (showing up drunk to events). Also its rumored that WWE really only wanted Michael Hayes, not Roberts and Gordy
s2h53 2 years ago
never knew they wrestled in wwe in 84!
wickedmountain 2 years ago
Freebirds must have smoked a lot of reefer.
NYCman530 2 years ago
these dudes, iceman king parsons, dusty rhodes and ric flair had the best promos of the 80's
jerbojones 2 years ago 2
Micheal Haze was damned good at the stick... he could talk as good as anybody past or present.
BradNC11175 2 years ago 5
I remember watching some old footage of them spike piledriving Dibiase and the fans just being absoultely enraged about it. You don't see heel factions like that anymore, but they were bad ass.
Jarsfan1997 2 years ago
lol, just as I posted this I saw the footage available on youtube. I should've known.
Jarsfan1997 2 years ago
brody does not deserve to be in the hall of fame in my opinion, but hayes and gordy do.
goodlookin41 2 years ago
Someone tell me. Where are the Freebirds now?
Jiltedin2007 2 years ago
Terry Gordy is dead. Buddy Roberts is retired. Michael Hayes is on the WWE creative team.
bjohns1975 2 years ago 5
They also had David Wolff as their manager too, supposed to be a major part of the Rock N Wrestling Connection, but word is Vince wanted to split them and give Gordy a major push.
roylucier 2 years ago
I think it was Hayes that McMahon wanted to give a major push too. He was going to be the WWF's "rock star" which would have fit in greatly at the time.
The old school promoters like Fritz, Gagne, and Watts all valued Gordy a great deal, but everything I've always read or heard was that Vince really wanted Hayes.
Which makes perfect sense, as Gordy is a classic, big, burly, naturally gifted rassler, while Hayes fit in perfect with the colorful, Rock n Roll 80s.
mamacornettesmoney 2 years ago
"Steel and Sex Appeal" Man as a kids me and my friends would use all those great catch phrases in our pretend wrestling matches :) Good Times
NYgbomb71 2 years ago 2
Be cool if Vince brought out a dvd about the Freebirds.
stylinnprofylin 2 years ago 4
Hell yeah, I'd love to see one about the birds. I also would like to see one about the late great Bruiser Brody. Brody, AA, and the Birds all belong in the hall of fame.
ed2kou1 2 years ago
AMEN BROTHER!! add dynamite kid, tiger mask, great muta and dick murdoch. then you got a show
bladestormviking 2 years ago
Especially since Vinnie Mac owns the rights to all their WCCW matches now.I don't believe he owns any of the USWA's library though which would rule out a Jerry Lawler DVD,in spite of the fact that they were more or less a then-WWF farm system.
landrykkb 1 year ago
Comment removed
jrazor28 2 years ago
vince has put me to sleep. i don't blame gordy and roberts.
diesel021234 3 years ago
They were there for about a month. They were faces. It was when there were still regional wrestling promotions. It was around the time that the rock and wrestling stuff started. They didn't last long in the WWF at all. I guess the fans in the Northeast weren't big on 6 man tag matches. I think they appeared on Superstars 1 time & did a month's worth of house shows in 6 man tags against teams of jobbers.
RainKing211 3 years ago
No Vince wanted to break them up. They split, leave it to Vince to fuck things up.
ed2kou1 2 years ago 3
They mainly beat the Moondogs in tag matches while they were in, though they did a lot of 6 man too. What I've always heard is that McMahon wanted to split them and make Hayes his "Rock n Roll" star with Dave Wolfe and Cindy Lauper.
I'm pretty sure Gordy was the first to leave and was supposed to go to Gagne who had been wooing him for a while, but went to Fritz. Roberts and Hayes weren't far behind.
mamacornettesmoney 2 years ago
I agree, I watched the Freebirds In the AWA, and then NWA, but the WWF??? Never saw that, but here it is. Someone please explain.
Filmaker25 3 years ago
Jsr 450
Well this is my first time seening this footage. Because the free birds were always an NWA/WCW product. So this video is a rare one. especially in my wrestling history book.
jsr450 3 years ago
All this time, i never even KNEW they were in the WWF. Must've been REALLY brief!
UdoShan 3 years ago 3
From what I understand...they left the WWF after Vince wanted to split them up. He wanted Gordy to be on his own (to build him up as a challenger for Hogan) and have Hayes and Roberts as a tag team. They weren't ready to be seperated so they left and went back to either WCCW or NWA...I can't recall which.
Of course...that's the version I heard and it could be WAYYYY off. Heck..they could have been fired for the same reason the Rockers were fired in their 1st stint in WWE...too much drinky
dansaint2249 3 years ago
Thanks bro
sean1333 3 years ago
I remmeber this well! They were there for about a month and then suddenly disappeared! The Briscoes also came and left suddenly also! I remmeber them challenging Adonis and Murdoch on Pipers Pit and beat them in a non-title match the following week! They used the double rowboat as the finnishing move.After that they left! GOOD MOVE! Vince would have destroyed their careers!!
1975tooto 3 years ago
Hey Saint ,I know that Gordy was a very young WWF Jobber in 1970s(late) ,so I guess they already had some kind of relationship! Glad they left because Vince wants no one to be bigger than himself!
1975tooto 3 years ago
I think i remember a wrestler say the reason why P.S. Hayes left was because he was to much a complainer
Interscope100 2 years ago
That announcer sounds like hes ready to fall asleep.
ZX2ManDave 3 years ago 2
they are the Freebirds a wrestling team from 80's one of the best around during the 80's
Astraldragon1 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
who are these douche bags
8791nahtanoj 3 years ago
Are you even a wrestling fan! The Freebirds are legends!
ed2kou1 3 years ago 4
This comment has received too many negative votes show
I don't know if I'd call them legends. They were popular, kind of like the rockers were popular. I think they were before my time, as I got into WWE in the late 80's and I recall seeing them in the WWE. I do remember the douche with the long hair, Hayes, being a loud mouth announcer in the 90's with WWE though.
8791nahtanoj 3 years ago
They qualify as "legends" from their run in World Class and feud with the Von Erichs.
And for the most part they WEREN'T popular--they were hated.
pronkb000 3 years ago
pronkb000,
what do u mean the freebirds were NOT popular?
rulebreakers can be popular too.
The Road Warriors are living proof of that.
luv4piggy 3 years ago
No, they were one of the biggest acts in wrestling during the 80s. They are undoubtedly legends. They were FAR more popular in terms of ticket sales than the Rockers ever were. They were the stars of TBS for about 3 years, helped make the JYD in Louisiana (which made them as well), and turned Dallas into the hottest promotion in the country for over a year when they challenged the Von Erichs. They were the lead heels in the UWF as well.
mamacornettesmoney 2 years ago 24
It's possible that WCCW might have folded up a lot sooner if it had not been for the red hot feud between the Freebirds & the Von Erichs.
landrykkb 1 year ago
They were in the WWF for maybe a month. Anyone know why they weren't there for longer? They would have been huge!
jpez123 3 years ago
i saw a legends of wrestling episode on youtube where michael hayes said that they were supposed to be in the first or second wrestlemania but the freebirds messed it up somehow. Hayes didn't really elaborate further as to what happened. i'm only going on what hayes said on that show but that could be the reason.
ryanwade2006 3 years ago
WWF officials wanted to split the team up!!
BOUDERSAMAD 3 years ago
ANSWER to your question - Anyone know why they weren't in the WWF longer ?
It's been said that Vince McMahon has hired a lot of wrestlers and wrestling promoters from other wrestling companies (competing wrestling organizations) just so he could 1-day say:
"I hired and fired this person;......and that person."
Many wrestlers have said this. Even promoter Erich Bishoff.
LiptonGuy 3 years ago
bingo mr. lipton guy. vince is that way, he likes to say "i hired paul heyman just to fire him", "i could not wait to fire the ultimate warrior".
therealdeal858 3 years ago
Could not wait to fire the Ultimate Warrior? So he kept him for over 4 years and gave him the World title? Let Paul Heyman book SmackDown for months?
I think Mr. McMahon is working the marks. And I seriously doubt he hired the Birds to fire them. They were as hot as anyone in all of wrestling in 1984. I think he wanted them (Hayes in particular as his "rock star"), but it just didn't work out.
mamacornettesmoney 2 years ago
I think I heard they were fired due to un-professionalism. Really I think McMahon just wanted Hayes...not necessarily Gordy or Roberts
s2h53 2 years ago
the freebirds left because vince wanted to split them up
theogofextreme 2 years ago
Your next WWE Hall of Fame inductees!!!!
saanzacs 3 years ago 3
The Fabulos Freebirds Michael P S Hayes Buddy Roberts, & Bam Bam Terry Gordie God rest your soul Terry!!
bigwillietheb 3 years ago 5
Micheal Hayes has some of the best mic skill i've heard and he is awesome he should be like a 15 time heavywieght champion.
jesxe69 3 years ago 5
Wow, an actual quality interview. Not too shabby.
cubbiie 3 years ago 2
This is when Interviews were Interviews. Because now days ever Interview is a set down one which means wrote before said. I work for RCW out of Ohio and i once did a dark match for WWE Back when it was just turning names i wrestled Val Venis and i seen what happens and goes on back stage at a WWE show.
OLDSKOOLCHAOS 3 years ago
thanks for posting this rare footage
batistalosttakerwon 3 years ago 5
Freebirds were some of the hardest partying dudes ever!
asdffd 3 years ago 3
The Freebirds would have stayed had the management not had plans to split them up as single wrestlers. They had too much of a good thing going to let that happen.
MaxK18 3 years ago 5
God damn Freebirds here to stay!
a08390 3 years ago 4
Dok Hendrix.
GarfieldVsSnoopy 3 years ago 2
HALL OF FAME!!!!
cdowg187 3 years ago
Gordy and Roberts should have shut up and let Hayes to the talking. This interview turned from being great to embarassing.
steburton 4 years ago
It was a very short stint...I remember seeing only 1 TV match that came from the Spectrum in Philly and that was it....back around '84. I religiously watched the Saturday shows back then and that was the only match i remember seeing with them in wwf.
jpez123 4 years ago
the saturday shows came out in the morning right ?
RICARDOAGUAS 4 years ago
Most TV markets put them on in the morning....I think.
jpez123 4 years ago
As long as we got access to WWE programming in Cape Breton & Nova Scotia,it always came on at noon on our CBS affiliate from Detroit,which was WJBK at the time.
landrykkb 1 year ago
Is that Michael Hayes.... or Michael Jackson????
Nice jacket!!!
retoronto 4 years ago 2
I was thinking the same thing,just beat it
lookatthisfunnyvid03 3 years ago 3
Michael Hayes is my all time favorite. I met him back in '93 at the Atlanta Hard Rock Cafe. He was nice enough to let me get a picture made with him. He was with these 2 hot sluts who were annoyed when I appoached him. He just sort of ignored them and took the picture anyway. He's a huge guy, T.V. made him look smaller for some reason.
squabs217 4 years ago 5
thats the way it always is...i ran into snitsky at a wwe wrestlemania axess tour and he was a freak...on tv he looks chubby and in person you can see every single muscle in his arms!
rockabillysilly 4 years ago
I think his size had a lot to do with teaming with Bam Bam who was so big, and often fighting pretty big guys. I'm not sure, but I used to see Hayes wrestle live frequently, and you are right, he's a pretty big dude, but doesn't really come across that way on TV.
mamacornettesmoney 3 years ago
When you go to a wrestling event live it's shocking how big some of the guys are- the smaller guys are really big and the big guys are enormous. I saw Buzz Sawyer from about 2 ft away long ago, he looked short and stocky compared with the others on tv, he was huge, I mean HUGE, looked like he'd have to turn sideways to make it through a doorway! Then the Road Warriors walked by....jeez-o-petey! They were...even...bigger..
goldenagenut 3 years ago
I don't think the WWF would have known what to do with them anyway. I don't see them fitting in with the WWF's image in the 80s.
jlward 4 years ago 2
Why not have the birds battle the Heenan Family? That was one of some of the great possiblities the WWF had. Shame on Vince Jr.
VolumedMusicMan 4 years ago
You're right, the WWF was more of a three-ring circus then, and they would have made the Freebirds come to the ring in bird suits or something. "I'll tar and feather you, turn you into birdseed, and peck you to the mat!" or something like that.
innsaane 4 years ago
Actually that's stupid, and wrong. At the time the Freebirds were in the WWF the only "gimmick" was the Honky Tonk Man. Everyone else used their old gimmicks (Mr. Wonderful, Andre, Hogan, Can-Ams, Muraco, Orton, etc). The WWF didn't become a circus until the early to mid 90s.
Lannis32 4 years ago
You're right to a point. I'm thinking of jackasses like "Adorable" Adrian Adonis, The Red Rooster, The Gobbledy Gooker (1990, but close enough), Koko B. Ware and The British Bulldogs coming to the ring with their pets. The mid 90's was even worse, until "Pillman had a gun."
innsaane 4 years ago 2
However,both Adrian Adonis & Koko B. Ware made their gimmicks work,and it was an injustice to Terry Taylor to give him that Red Rooster gimmick because he actually was a solid talent but Vinnie Mac always did bury and disrespect talent who came from a rival company anyway
landrykkb 1 year ago
Agreed. I always think 1989 was when the WWF started to spiral. They went from one of the most realistic angles with Hogan/Savage and the jealousy over Elizabeth to Zeus, the movie character, fighting Hogan in the ring. From there, to The Ultimate Warrior's 1990 perms.
TheGloryofRoma 4 years ago 2
HTM came well after the Freebirds (about 2 years), plus he WAS using his old gimmick. Vince didn't make the Honky Tonk Man character. Wayne Ferris did. He had successful runs with that gimmick in Southeastern and Stampede (and probably elsewhere) before he went to WWF.
Brutus Beefcake and Hillbilly Jim (both in 84, the year the Birds came) were probably Vince's first gimmick guys that he created, unless I'm forgetting someone.
mamacornettesmoney 3 years ago
Actually Lannis, YOU'RE wrong AND you're time line is way off. HTM didn't start in the WWF until a solid 2+ years after this. Can-Ams were even later. However, the WWF did have gimmicks like the Missing Link, Kamala, and Hillbilly Jim around this time. There has always been a mix of "regular" wrestlers and more gimmicky types. It started long before the 90's.
TheDDG 3 years ago 3
This was b/4 the 1st Wrestlemania, who knows
had The Freebirds stayed Hayes may have been
the one tagging with Piper against Hogan & Mr
T. He could have claimed that he was the real
rock & wrestling connection not Lauper.
HARRYBUTOCKS 3 years ago 12
@HARRYBUTOCKS That was a possibilty.
atworkstation 1 year ago
@atworkstation Man that would of been something. What happened that got the Birds out of the WWE? I mean the tag team matches with the Freebirds vs say the Bulldogs or the Hart Foundation or the Killer Bees etc. etc. etc. would have been awesome. I could see the Birds winning the tag titles back then and say the IC title at the same time.
Cavillier1970 1 year ago
@Cavillier1970 It would have been good, But the wwf tag team scene could never be compared to the Tag Team devision in the NWA. Never
PabloMGP 7 months ago
@PabloMGP I agree to a point, before 86 yes the nwa had better teams, but once the Bulldogs, the Bees, the Harts, the Rougeaus, the Dream Team, Strike Force the WWE had the better teams, with 2 exceptions, the LOD and the Horsemen.
Cavillier1970 7 months ago
@Cavillier1970 Matter of opinions man. I like a lot of the teams you mention but I was never too high on neither the Bees nor StrikeForce. Never really liked Santana and I always thought that singles competition was the place to be for Martel. As for the NWA, remember, at one point they had the Freebirds, The Road Warriors, The Horsemen, The Rockers & the Midnight Xpress in the promotion at the same time. Very difficult to top that. Again, matter of opinions
PabloMGP 7 months ago
@PabloMGP I agree you mentioned some of the best teams ever, and dominated the tag team scene but this debate is like the Deadliest Warrior. I mean if they could punch the stats in a computer of these teams I'd love to see the end results. I think I'm a little more WWE side cause I live in Buffalo, NY and thats all we had here. We never had the NWA or AWA so I only got to see them on tv and read about them. I would have loved to see some legenary matchups
Cavillier1970 7 months ago
@Cavillier1970 Kudo's on the deadliest warrior comment. I grew up watching NWA and to me the wwf roster of the time aside from a few like Steamboat, Jake Roberts, Rude or Bad News, was pretty much a circus. It would be interesting to see the results in a simulator. Nice talking to someone who also grew up on Old School. Sad days for wrestling today ha?
PabloMGP 7 months ago
@PabloMGP Maybe we fans should contact the WWE about doing something deadliest warrior with the best wrestlers/ teams who never faced off. I think it would be tagteams for the most past since it seems most singles wrestlers worked in both companies. Or also say the teams of one era vs another like the video games are now. But instead of players let the computer have 1000 matches and we find out whos the deadliest wa--- I mean the best tag teams. LOL
Cavillier1970 7 months ago
@Cavillier1970 That would be very interesting using a simulator. In fact they used that idea back in the day to see who would win in a boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Rocky Marciano among many other boxing legends, and their stats were as accurate as they came too. Rocky was decided to be the best of them all through the simulator with stats by many promoters back then. Look up The two boxing together, it was in real time as they actually were fighting each other in the simulator. ;)
ScyberPsylock 5 months ago
@Cavillier1970 I'm sorry, I meant the Rock & Roll express, not the Rockers. Huge mistake
PabloMGP 7 months ago
@HARRYBUTOCKS hayes said on wwe24\7 it was his biggest mistake leaving the wwf back then because vince had big plans for the freebirds.
NAYellowjackets 1 year ago
@NAYellowjackets Word was Vince wanted to split them up thats why they left
pointman913 8 months ago
Is Terry Gordy dead now, or just f'd up?
joepod 4 years ago
Dead.
His son (Ray?) is Jesse of Jesse and Festus fame.
timg138 4 years ago
Terry Bam Bam Gordy truly did die in July 2001. May he continue to R.I.P.
RCBIFE 4 years ago 2
I worked years ago with a guy named Sid, super nice guy, was a masked pro wrestler, had gone under the name the Terminator among many others. He said he and Gordy were old drinking buddies, that Gordy was the sweetest guy. Sid was probably the strongest individual I've ever met and he looked like he never lifted a weight in his life, just farm type strenth. Sad that Gordy is no longer with us. :(
goldenagenut 3 years ago
I never knew the original Birds were in the WWF..classic..Vince should have not wanted to split them up..bastard lost some great talent..sucks Hayes came back under a lame ass name Dok Hendrix
mooky9669 4 years ago
What happened was the Freebirds worked several 6-man tag team matches and had a meeting with Vince where both Gordy and Roberts kept nodding off and Hayes was the only one to stay awake.
csumb84 4 years ago 2
That's still a stupid reason to get rid of them. This is wrestling, and there are some odd characters. Hayes was the brains behind it anyway.
Lannis32 4 years ago
NOT, Vince wanted to use Bam Bam and Roberts as a mid card team and give hayes a big singles push. The birds said we stick together or we dont work for WWF. Vince said "goodbye then!"
karie1275 3 years ago
Yes, that was the plan but the incident with Gordy and Roberts falling asleep in the meeting with Vince is what sealed their fate.
csumb84 3 years ago
LOL What?!?
goldenagenut 3 years ago
I suspect that would have been on account of being drunk the night before.
landrykkb 1 year ago
Now THAT is a lost WWF gem!
zackskyler 4 years ago 4
The reason the 'birds left the WWF was because the company tried to split them up. They weren't ready for the group to be divided then.
raf6066merc 4 years ago
No, the reason they left is because Roberts passed out during a match. They were fired.
KaneRobot2 4 years ago
Ok, so now that I think about it we're both correct...I just think it was misleading to say "the reason they left was because Vince wanted to split them up" when the split up was accelerated by Gordy and Roberts having problems during matches.
KaneRobot2 4 years ago
Stop being a mark and defending Vince everytime he's criticized.
Lannis32 4 years ago
Lannis, how am I being a mark and defending Vince with what I posted? I am simply stating facts that I have found out by picking the minds of members at the Kayfabe Memories Message Board, some of which are former wrestlers.
csumb84 4 years ago 3
If you watch the beginning of the movie Highlander you see footage of the Freebirds wrestling in the WWF
LastResortMan 4 years ago
Actually, that match was during the AWA/WCCW Superclash event (circa 1984), featuring the original Freebirds vs. the High Flyers (Jumping Jim Brunzell & Greg Gagne) and the Tonga Kid.
docsabotage 4 years ago
I think that was AWA as it had Greg Gange against them but I am not sure.
okrabay 3 years ago
Did they actually have any matches in WWF?? If so, any ideas on where I can find that information?
disapointedpooch 4 years ago
I never knew they were in the WWF either...Much less the original version of the Freebirds...always loved P.S. Hayes and his ability to give an interview LOL
miggy25 4 years ago
I never knew the freebirds were in the WWF can any1 tell me when thet were their? you see us guys in england only got WWF or any usa wrestling from 86 onwards so plz keep hook us up with the uploads thanks alot guys
amaribling 4 years ago
shame vince dropped the ball on the freebirds
MRDXKLIQ101 4 years ago
vince wanted to split them up that is why they left besides what good would the freebirds done in the wwf
Freebird79 4 years ago
They stayed like 2 months...right
krushvelvet67 4 years ago
Freebirds in WWF, just don't look right.
ed2kou1 4 years ago
thank you for posting.
jasonptp 4 years ago
The reason they were released was because during a meeting with Vince, both Roberts and Gordy fell asleep. Hayes was the only one awake and the one Vince was most interested in in making a big name.
csumb84 4 years ago
some good stuff.
badstreetusa 4 years ago
Prior to the time of this program, Maple Leaf Wrestling previously aired matches from Jim Crockett Promotions' Mid-Atlantic Wrestling as well as when they had matches in Canada, including at the Maple Leaf Gardens. All of that changed when Jack Tunney hooked up with Vince McMahon during this time.
Crusader7077 4 years ago
Thats not Lord Blears?
HungreyBoi05 4 years ago
Watch my video entitled "Hogan Loves Canada"
At the beginning, he says "Billy Red Lyons for Maple Leaf" Wrestling"
timg138 4 years ago
who the f**k was that interviewer?...and what year was that from?
mt312006 4 years ago
Billy Red Lyons is his name.
As for what year this is from, the date this aired is posted TWICE on this page. For the third time, it's from 9/13/84.
timg138 4 years ago
Hayes cut that promo alot....3rd different youtube vid i saw with on it
ArnoldOldSchool 4 years ago
Hey this is rare footage I know the Freebirds weren't in WWF for long.
WWEFanatic2007 4 years ago
That's because Vince wanted to split them up.
HARRYBUTOCKS 4 years ago
what year is this from?
jateb52002 4 years ago
As the description says: Maple Leaf Wrestling 9/13/84
timg138 4 years ago
1984
nwo1969 4 years ago