When we last met, Terry Gordy was in the midst of his reign as the UWF's inaugural Heavyweight Champion and was probably the best big man in any promotion at that time. Freebird brother Buddy Jack Roberts was having the best matches of his career, freed mostly from the constraints of playing a goof that had plagued his 'Bird tenure previously. And then there was always Michael Hayes in his bleached blond, primping, growling, alternately vicious and hilarious glory. In the ring, outside of it, or raising verbal he!! on television commentary, Hayes was a veritable triple threat. The always-hip Jim Ross once referred to P.S. as "a Charles Manson-type cult leader." Oooooh, scary!

But, the guys from Badstreet were not alone. Their personal valet, Sunshine, was sure easy on the eyes. And the Angel of Death, ostensibly hired as a bodyguard, was there to watch the boys' backs if things got too out of hand.

As Bill Watts wound down his feud with Eddie Gilbert and the "Russian" Invasion in June 1986, he had a match with Sting. Sting had just broken away from the Bladerunners tag team and had aligned himself with Gilbert. Watts won, which entitled him to a five-minute bout with his that rotten Commie sympathizer Gilbert. Watts beat the proverbial tar out of Gilbert, leaving "Hot Stuff" a bloody mess. Watts' moment of glory would be short-lived, as the Freebirds hit the ring and attacked the Cowboy. Gordy applied the Oriental Spike to Watts, who was rendered unconscious.

This attack provided the perfect bridge between the end of Watts' Russian feud and the beginning of his battle with the 'Birds. With all due respect to the Cowboy, I don't believe anyone wanted to see him locked into a series of matches with Soviet stiff Korstia Korchenko. Watts could continue his "Walking Tall" persona, instead focusing his attention on the loud, disrespectful, longhaired ingrates from Badstreet, USA.  As I mentioned in a previous installment, Watts tagged-in various combinations- with Hacksaw Duggan, Terry Taylor, Ted DiBiase and Steve Williams to help him exact revenge on the dastardly Freebirds.

But one Freebird in particular seemed to profit from Watts' attention and participation in the feud. While Hayes remained the constant kettle stirrer and Gordy reigned as heavyweight champion, Buddy Roberts was wrestling at his career best. Roberts was often the designated jobber during the Freebirds run in World Class Championship Wrestling, but Watts must have recognized Roberts' significant talents and was able to motivate him. Terry Taylor was enjoying a very successful run as UWF World Television Titleholder, and Roberts began challenging Taylor for the belt.  During one Roberts-Taylor match, Michael Hayes ran in to help his Freebird brother, but Bill Watts emerged with his "Freebird Wing Clipper" and wiped out both Roberts and Hayes AND Gordy.

In several matches, Bill Watts, still armed with his baseball bat, seconded Terry Taylor. However, Watts' backup wasn't enough for Taylor to hold on to his belt. On September 28 in Tulsa, Buddy Roberts defeated Taylor for the UWF World Television Title. Even after Roberts' victory, Watts continued to accompany Taylor to the ring.

Still, there was no denying it - with Terry Gordy as Heavyweight champ and Buddy Roberts holding the Television title, the Freebirds ruled the UWF roost in the fall of 1986 (pardon the bad pun). While Roberts was battling Taylor, Gordy continued to defend the prime title of pro wrestling's most exciting company. Whether the opponents were "heels" or "faces," Gordy fought nevertheless. The One-Man Gang, Ted DiBiase, Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Chris Adams all challenged Bam Bam for the promotion's ultimate prize.  But out of all of these opponents, Gordy's best matches came against Steve "Dr. Death" Williams. If you are an aficionado of wrestling tapes, I strongly suggest that you acquire some UWF footage featuring a bout involving Gordy and Williams, either in a singles match or tag team action. Far from the punch-and-kick routine of much of today's wrestling big men, Gordy and Williams could trade Bam Bam slams, suplexes, piledrivers, and still brawl in an excellent, wild manner.

Even an apparent throwaway match could turn into a wild affair with Terry Gordy and the Freebirds involved. One such bout featured Gordy against Jeff Gaylord, hardly an even contest on paper. However, Hacksaw Duggan brawled with Gordy before the bout. Michael Hayes tried to break up the impromptu fight, but instead was mauled by Duggan as well. The Gordy-Gaylord match never occurred, but fans in attendance and watching on television were still treated to a great brawl.

Despite all of the great action and title success, the Freebirds were headed for an abrupt landing. In November, Terry Gordy was involved in a serious auto wreck, and suffered a concussion. This preceded one of the strangest World Heavyweight Title changes ever and brought on the worst night of the 'Birds UWF tenure. On November 9 in Tulsa, Bill Watts ordered the Freebirds to wrestle in a six-man tag match against Ted DiBiase, Steve Williams and Terry Taylor on the same card where Gordy would later defend his title against the One Man Gang and Roberts was scheduled against Savannah Jack. A wild brawl took place (what other kinds of brawl were the guys ever involved in?) and Dr. Death "injured" Gordy's arm.

The worked arm injury came into play later that evening. The Gang stood in the ring, awaiting his match with Gordy. Michael Hayes appeared with Bam Bam, who had his arm in a sling. After an exchange of less-than-friendly words, Hayes announced that Gordy could not defend the title. Referee Tommy Gilbert then took the championship strap and handed it to the new UWF World Heavyweight champion, The One-Man Gang. Gordy forfeited the title without ever wrestling the match.

More bad times were ahead for the Freebirds on that cold night in Tulsa. Savannah Jack beat Buddy Roberts for the Television title.  As a footnote, the UWF tag belts also changed hands that night, with Devastation, Inc., members Bill Irwin and Leroy Brown beating John Tatum and Jack Victory for the UWF Tag Team titles. It might not sound like much now, since wrestling belts are usually just ornaments for angles on today's wrestling scene, but the fact that all three titles of a major promotion changed hands on one televised show was a very big deal in 1986.

The Freebirds were enraged, but soon would have a chance for revenge. Although Gordy was still sidelined, Buddy Roberts and Michael Hayes were featured in the main event of the Thanksgiving 1986 Superdome Extravaganza on November 27 in New Orleans. Hayes and Roberts were involved in yet another unique, Bill Watts-designed gimmick match. Terry Taylor faced Roberts in a barbed wire cage match up. Meanwhile, Hayes was up against Steve Williams in a "regular" steel cage contest. These bouts were held simultaneously. The stipulation was that the first wrestler to win his match would be allowed to enter the other ring to help his partner. A sort of singles cage tag-team match, if you will. Taylor pinned Roberts and was able to assist Dr. Death. Hayes was then on the wrong end of a beating by two of his old nemeses and went down in defeat.  As disappointing as November 1986 may have been, The Freebirds could not feel sorry for themselves, as old enemies from the past, as well as betrayal from within, still lay ahead.

Thanks for taking the time to read this installment. Stop on by the UWF Message Board here at Kayfabe Memories sometime. Continued thanks and appreciation to the folks who have e-mailed me with comments regarding my UWF memories. As always, please feel free to e-mail me at CL11@swt.edu with any comments, suggestions or questions regarding this or any other installment.

I tried to come up with a fitting conclusion that worked as a tribute to Terry Gordy. Steve Anderson, who writes the Remote Patrol column at Wrestleline, expressed just what I wanted to articulate. So, with his kind permission. 

"Bamm Bamm, we hardly knew ye.
 
I just want to reflect on a man who probably won't receive a great number of reflections ... Terry Gordy had been out of the wrestling spotlight for some time now. His death . at the age of 40 will probably not earn banner headlines, but it is a loss nonetheless. It is a loss I feel.

.. down in the Georgia area, Michael Hayes, Buddy Roberts, and Terry Gordy had formed a "corporation." After capturing the Georgia National tag team championship, they would pick and choose any two men to defend the belts claiming that they were operating under the Freebirds entity, not as individual wrestlers.

Maybe it was done before. I'm really not sure. But, to me, it was a cool concept. The mystery that enveloped every match. Who would wrestle? Was it fair? Would the third interfere and claim that since they were all Freebirds, the interference was perfectly legal?

Inevitably, Terry Gordy was the constant in that equation. He was always one of the two wrestling in the match.

In those early days, the guy could cut a promo. He wasn't verbose, nor did he possess a huge vocabulary. But his natural style and intensity carried him.

Rest in peace, Terry Gordy."
Courtesy http://wrestleline.com/columns/anderson/july01/anderson71701.htm

Freebird
(Allen Collins/Ronnie Van Zant)

If I leave here tomorrow
Would you still remember me?
For I must be traveling on, now,
'Cause there's too many places I've got to see.
But, if I stayed here with you, girl,
Things just couldn't be the same.
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now,
And this bird you cannot change.
Lord knows, I can't change.

Bye, bye, it's been a sweet love.
Though this feeling I can't change.
But please don't take it badly,
'Cause Lord knows I'm to blame.
But, if I stayed here with you girl,
Things just couldn't be the same.
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now,
And this bird you'll never change.
And this bird you cannot change.
Lord knows, I can't change.
Lord help me, I can't change.

Until then, happy Father’s Day to all of the Dads out there and happy Independence Day to all Americans everywhere. I’m sure Bill Watts will be flying his flag on the 4^th.