One of the original Freebirds, Michael “P.S.” Hayes has been a fixture in professional wrestling since the 1970s. He is a master of the DDT and introduced a new range of musical talent on the sport. He broke into wrestling as a teen and met another youngster, Terry Gordy. The two traveled through several regions and formed the legendary Fabulous Freebirds. Buddy Roberts joined the group and the trio revolutionized professional wrestling by introducing music to their ring entrances. Lynyrd Skynyrd played overhead as the Freebirds “rocked out” and dominated the tag team scene. In 1981, the group went their own ways, but reformed in Dallas. Hayes was named as the special referee of an NWA World Title match between Ric Flair and Kerry Von Erich in Dallas on December 25, 1982. Hayes attempted to help Von Erich win by punching Flair. When the challenger decided not to take the easy win, Hayes left the cage. The battle continued. Von Erich’s head landed near the cage doorway, and Terry Gordy slammed it shut. Von Erich suffered a concussion and the match was halted by the referee. The Freebird-Von Erich war was growing to new heights. Magazines and newsletters covered the hatred between the two groups as it flowed through Texas. On January 28, 1984, promoters awarded the NWA United National Heavyweight Title to Hayes. Six days later in Dallas, David Von Erich won the belt. On February 10th, David died during a tour of Japan. The news destroyed the wrestling community. Hayes continued to wrestle in both singles and tag team matches. In June 1985, Hayes upset Rick Martel to capture the AWA World Heavyweight Title and was handed the belt. Officials on the scene reviewed the actions of Hayes’ Freebird allies and returned the title to Martel after finding that there had been an interference. The March 4, 1988 World Class Card at the Dallas Sportatorium would be remembered for one specific reason. Michael Hayes would be performing as a member of the Freebirds, the song “Badstreet USA.” Buddy Roberts exited the crowd to join Hayes on stage to sing with him. When Roberts left the stage after the song, Hayes told the crowd that he was going to dedicate a song to David Von Erich. It was going to be Willie Nelson’s “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys.” Hayes proceeded to invite Kerry and Kevin Von Erich onto the stage with him. Seeing this action, Roberts and Iceman Parsons returned to the scene. A brawl ensued. Roberts picked up a guitar and headed towards Kerry with it. Hayes ended up being knocked out with the weapon. The brother duo assisted the wrestler back to the dressing room where he was identified as having a concussion. The injury caused Hayes miss a title shot two days later against WCCW World Champion, Al Perez. Kerry substituted for him and won the title. On March 25, 1988, Hayes accompanied Kerry to a defense of his World Class World Heavyweight Title in Dallas against Iceman Parsons. The lights went out during the match and when they returned to their full brightness, Hayes was knocked out outside the ring and Parsons was pinning Von Erich. The title did change hands and Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts were the guilty party. On May 7th in Nashville, Hayes beat Lex Luger for the NWA United States Heavyweight Title during the WrestleWar pay-per-view. Gordy joined Hayes in the Alliance and helped him with the victory. The Freebirds seemed to be reformed as Jimmy “Jam” Garvin joined the fold. Hayes and Garvin had previously teamed together in the AWA several years earlier. Hayes was the top contender to the NWA World Title. On May 22nd in Bluefield, Luger regained the U.S. Title. Hayes and Garvin beat The Midnight Express at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on June 14, 1989 in a tournament final to capture the NWA World Tag Title. Gordy also left the promotion to return to All-Japan. The Freebirds gave the brother tag team, The Steiners, a tag team title shot on November 1st in Atlanta and paid for it. Rick and Scott won the match and the NWA Crown. The Freebirds were determined to regain the championship. They defeated The Southern Boys in Jacksonville on November 20, 1990 when Hayes pinned Smothers after Little Richard Marley, The ‘Birds Roadie, tripped their opponent into a DDT. The bout was originally scheduled to be a six-man contest with Bobby Eaton and The Freebirds against The Southern Boys and El Gigante. But Gigante failed to show. The referee sent Eaton back to the dressing room and the bout was a regular tag bout. Hayes told the crowd that Gigante was at the Jacksonville International Airport, in the biggest package going back to Argentina. Hayes and Garvin regained the NWA-WCW World Tag Team Title on February 24, 1991 in Phoenix from the members of Doom. They lost the belts in March at a television taping in Montgomery, Alabama. Hayes retired from the sport later in the 1990s and became a television commentator for the World Wrestling Federation as Doc Hendrix. Into 2000-’01, Hayes continued to work for the WWF as a road agent. In July 2001, Terry Gordy died in Tennessee, devasting pro-wrestling fans everywhere. Hayes lost a dear friend and a person who he had grown in the sport with. Michael Hayes is responsible for changing wrestling. He was a world champion many times over, and his interviews were always memorable, both comedic and professional at the same time. The Freebird legacy remains. TITLE HISTORY: -A two-time co-holder of the NWA Mid-America Tag Team Title w/ Terry Gordy (1979) defeated Bobby Eaton and George Gulas w/ Terry Gordy (1979) defeated Bobby Eaton and The Mexican Angel -Co-holder of the NWA American Tag Team Title (1982-’83) w/ Terry Gordy -A six-time co-holder of the NWA/ WCCW Six-Man Tag Team Title (TX) w/ Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts (1982-’83) defeated Ben Sharpe, Mike Sharpe and Tom Steele w/ Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts (1983) defeated The Von Erichs w/ Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts (1984) defeated The Von Erichs w/ Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts (1984) defeated The Von Erichs w/ Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts (1986) defeated Kerry and Mike Von Erich and Brian Adias w/ Kerry Von Erich and Kevin Von Erich (1988) defeated The Fabulous Freebirds -NWA United National Heavyweight Title (1984) was awarded -A two-time co-holder of the WCCW World Tag Team Title w/ Steve Cox (1988) defeated The Samoan Swat Team w/ Steve Cox (1988) defeated The Samoan Swat Team -NWA United States Heavyweight Title (1989) defeated Lex Luger -A two-time co-holder of the NWA/ WCW World Tag Team Title w/ Jim Garvin (1989) defeated The Midnight Express, tournament final w/ Jim Garvin (1991) defeated Doom -Co-holder of the WCW World Six-Man Tag Team Title (1991) w/ Badstreet and Jim Garvin -Co-holder of the WCW United States Tag Team Title (1992) w/ Jim Garvin Research by Tim Hornbaker |
Michael Hayes Wrestling History |
PPV Ring Record TV Ring Record Career Record Legends of Pro Wrestling |