Always loved watching the Freebirds. The intro to the Movie Highlander with the Freebirds strutting into the Arena is cinema gold!

As a thirteen-year-old I remember getting cable for the first time and getting to find Georgia championship wrestling wow what a day that was!

Some of my first wrestling memories (other than Ric and Dusty) were the Freebirds and Von Erich fueds. Loved watching them!!!

Incredible time. The Fabulous Freebirds, The Von Erichs, Ronnie Garvin ‘Hands of Stone’, and so many great wrestlers. I could listen to these stories all day.

Please! THIS NEEEDS to be a regular segment! Feature a talent to educate fans. Looved this! I am older fan and I saw some of this as it happened but I still learned something! Wow one of my favorite episodes, soo good!

Gordy was awesome. I loved him as a single in 1989, I would have loved to see him get a good single push. And him and Doc as a team were friggin beasts.

The Freebirds were like the Road Warriors- an original concept that has been copied but never duplicated. Gordy was damn impressive, Hayes was magic on the promos, and Roberts was so hate-able that he could take the fall and get his heat back 5 minutes later. People rooted for Hayes and Gordy, (against anyone not a Von Erich) but I never saw anyone root for Buddy Roberts...great memories.

The Freebirds vs Von Erichs was one of the greatest and most entertaining feuds in the history of wrestling. Watching it as a kid back in the early/mid-80s was everything to me. Just awesome.

Thank you, Jim, for an accurate timeline! I've met too many people who don't know they weren't originally a 3 man team with Roberts. Hayes and Gordy were a regular 2 man team at first.

The Fabulous Freebirds were absolutely awesome! The greatest three man team ever, in my opinion.

Grew up a huge Freebird fan, went to school with Ray Gordy, Terry’s son. Great guy.

When I think of World Class Championship Wrestling,I think of the Von Erich brothers and The Freebirds…..

They had incredible chemistry and everybody knew their role and was perfectly fine playing it. What many younger fans don't realize is that Michael Hayes is a top-5 ever on the mic. And in many senses, I would prefer him working on the mic than somebody like The Rock because he could put over the opponent and talk on the mic as a heel or face and you completely bought into it. Terry Gordy was more or less 'the enforcer' who was one of the greatest big men ever. And Buddy Roberts was there to provide the viciousness in beatdowns, bu t look the fool and do the job when they lost. They were the perfect foil for The Von Erichs, consisting at that time of David, Kerry and Kevin. This led to creating the 6 man tag team belt which really meant something. And because it was a 6 man tag match, it was much easier to create great, exciting matches than if you were doing just singles matches. And that's perhaps one of the greatest legacy of the Von Erichs and Freebirds...nowhere else could you get a feud that revolved around 6 man tag matches. Quite a few groups have tried to replicate The Freebirds, but none of them have been successful in doing so.

I remember seeing Michael Hayes and Kerry Von Erich wrestle in Kerrville Texas. Afterwards we went to Dairy Queen and ran into Kerry. He ended up signing autographs for us kids. Great memories!

Corny's told that story about the o-z in the boot a few times and it makes me laugh every time. "And the crowd popped for it!"

Terry Gordy was at his best in 1981 when he split from Michael Hayes and started teaming with Jimmy Snuka. There is a classic promo where Snuka smashes three cinder blocks over the chest of Ken Patera using a sledgehammer. Terry Gordy proceeds to tell everyone watching at home to "go get a twelve pound sledgehammer and try it on yourselves, maybe put it on your heads and knock a little sense into you, and recognize some class when you see it". Gordon Solie deadpans his response by saying "no, no, Terry Gordy's comments are not well taken, and you sir are excused". It is my all time favorite promo and can be found on KZfaq by searching (GCW August 1-2 1981). Edit: also search KZfaq (Bob Roop explains his version of the sleeper hold to Gordon Solie. WCW February 1983) Gordon tells everyone at home to not try the sleeper hold yourselves. Bob Roop interrupts and says "unless it's on someone you don't like, like your sister or somebody". Gordon looks horrified. Classic.

I was an east coast kid but thanks to TBS and syndication, I grew up in Georgia Championship Wrestling and also World Class… the Freebirds, Von Erichs, Tommy Rich, Mad Dog Buzz Sawyer. Those are the guys I grew up on. I loved this segment Jim!

The WCW version with Jimmy Garvin & Bradstreet was pretty cool but nothing beats the original 😎🤼🤼💪

The "Freebird Rule" was so great for a heel team. You get Buddy Roberts the bump guy who can work, Michael P.S. Hayes, the mic guy, and showboat, and Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy who was that muscle. Great heel team/stable no actual manager but the Freebird Rule was such a great tag team hiccup never knowing which two you'd get on any night.

My favorite Freebird era was 1986/87 UWF Bill Watts. Man they were in their prime.

One of my favorite Freebird promos was the one they did in World Class where Terry Gordy was rolling around on the ground outside 😂

I could listen to Jim tell stories all day long

I was at that huge Superdome show w The Freebirds taking on - as I recall - a blind JYD, Bill Watts and Dusty Rhodes inside a cage w bullwhips. I remember local media being stunned that there were so many people at that Superdome show. The Freebirds generated serious heat.

Heaven help the person who touched Terry Gordy's van.

loved them in Highlander

I remember DDP and Johnny B Badd doing the 4 flat tires gimmick on WCW Saturday Night in 95 lol.

That Georgia Championship Wrestling with the Freebirds and Austin Idol, was the first time I had ever watched pro wrestling back in 1980. So freakin cool.

I hated the Freebirds when they were in Mid-South, back when it was just Lord Michael Hayes and Terry Gordy. Their main rivalry was Cowboy Bill Watts, Colonel Buck Robley, and Junkyard Dog. Then they added Buddy Roberts. I was young! By the time I was able to catch World Class a few years later. My mindset changed, I rooted for the Freebirds.

When I was little, I watched Georgia Championship Wrestling in Ottawa, Canada in 1980 on TBS. Freaking fantastic! Made me a life-long wrestling fan.

I begged my parents to get the cable package that had TBS in it, in 1981 so I could see Georgia Championship Wrestling. I lived in Maine then, so we had only WWF matches on TV.

I grew up on watching the Freebirds vs the Von Erichs. Those were the days!

I didn't like the Freebirds version with Hayes, Jimmy Garvin & Gordy. That version stayed beating the Midnight Express & Dr. Death Steve Williams a lot back in 1989. Cornette talked about it in his past episodes especially when he talked about Dr. Death beating the shit out of Jimmy Garvin with a wooden chair

I would buy a Freebirds BLU-Ray as soon as I saw it. They were great against everyone- especially the Von Erich’s.

Bam Bam was one of my top Five wrestlers. Loved when him and Kerry Von Erich would fight. Sooo cool when Terry would do promos & be spitting and jumping around.🤣🤣

Ive been watching wccw shows and the freebirds were legit heals..The crowd was insane and every episode Kerry comes out tornado punch half the show lol..Great matched and real heat..Freebirds are legendary..

The freebirds \ von Erich feud was one of the greatest of all time. I watch world class championship wrestling when I was a kid on Saturday and Sunday along with NWA world wide . That was fond memories.

I met Michael Hayes (and Shane McMahon and young Cena) working at PNC Arena in Raleigh NC. Hayes was nice as was Shane. They were brief encounters but I'll always remember. This would have been around 2003.

We had to spin the antenna to get Memphis wrestling, the freebirds drew a crowd.

I first seen the 'Birds on GA CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING, very early 80's, piledriving DiBiase, blinding JYD, Robert Fuller losing his Cadillac to the 'Birds. The Freebirds at the time was the best ever.

Georgia Championship wrestling was awesome! My favorite show on TV when cable was in it's infancy.

2 and the Freebirds were my first fave wrastlers. I was 10. To this day Terry's Piledriver is one of the all time great finishers. Poor Million Dollar Teddie when he took 6 lmao

That picture of Cornette looks like Herman Munster

For real though, has anyone had a better post in ring career in the business than Michael Hayes? Despite how wild the dude seems to be, he must be an absolute wrestling genius to hold onto the position he has all these years.

As a fan in the 80's, who witnessed the Freebirds and the Von Erichs first hand, Mr. Cornette is 100% correct in his assessment.

Freebirds vs Von Erichs was great the rest was watered down version of group. Gordy was heart of Freebirds.

People forget Freebirds had some great runs with the Road Warriors, AWA and NWA

I grew up in Abilene Tx was in the world class championship wrestling and freebirds vs von erichs were the best feuds ever. Bad street

I remember Jim Cornette back in the day when he carried around the tennis racket in Mid South Wrestling, if I remember correctly he managed the midnight express and they had a lot of battles with the Rock n Roll Express here in my hometown at the Alexandria Coliseum in Alexandria Louisiana.

Freebirds vs. Von Erichs... I saw it as a kid.. classic shit!

What awesome team the Freebirds were it would've been cool to see them battle against Hart Foundation when everyone was in their prime. Rest In Peace Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts

People that wasn't around when the Freebirds vs JYD was happening, it's hard to describe just how hot that feud was at that time. I was lucky enough to see that feud from start to finish in Mid-South. I haven't seen any feud since that was white hot.

On Terry Gordy: "He was a wildass f'n country boy who didn't know his own strength and would kill you playing with you." He makes him sound just like Lennie from "Of Mice and Men". 😂

Free Birds Express VS Von Ericks was as epic as RNR Express VS Midnight Express

Oh my God the way that you describe the feud between the Van Eric's and the freebirds I wish we could see wrestling like this on a weekly basis on cable TV today i wish we could see wrestling that means something to our hearts to our souls to our spirit, I mean I grew up as a 40 year old man at 19 years old watching the war between WWE and WCW at war but the kind of heat you describe in this video blows me away

Great breakdown on the Freebirds they are definitely wrestling royalty in my book

When Jim said everybody who was a wrestling fan got cable to watch Georgia championship wrestling he is 1,000,000,000% spot on

I remember watching Georgia Championship Wrestling on Channel 29 out of Philadelphia in 1981, when the Freebirds were split up, with Michael Hayes calling Terry Gordy "Baby Huey." On one show, Gordy's with Gordon Solie cutting a promo, and Michael and Kevin Von Erich come out, tie a bonnet and bib on Gordy, and stuck a baby bottle in his mouth! Great stuff!

Don't forget the Freebirds had a part in the movie the Highlander

Speaking of re-doing "four flat tires"...we just re-did it in our local promotion here in St. Louis a couple of weeks ago. Some angles are just timeless.

Good stuff guys. I grew up on the freebirds. Amazing tv at the time. Incredible. Memories. 👍

At the expense of my hometown Favs the Von Erichs, I Loved me some Freebirds. Terry Gordy was my favorite.

The free birds one of the great stables. I member seeing Gordy and dr death being a completely dominant tag team. The heat generated back then was unreal just crazy.

Loved the free birds it was normal to see Terry Gordy in stores here in Soddy daisy TN just North of Chattanooga great guy

The Freebirds were featured in the greatest movie ever made.

My introduction to wrestling was Mid-South Wrestling…Junkyard Dog, etc

The Freebirds were and are iconic! I give Jim his due ...he is putting aside his personal dislike for them to recognize their value. Jim this is by far your best take. Kudos

Excellent matches. i recall on netflix interview with Hayes and Roberts. Roberts had a throat problem. Interview was awesome. WOuld love to hear more stories, scandar agbar awesome interview. agbar had a piece of the dallas sportsatorium memorabilia. incredible talent. wwe will never do that. so sad. thank you for the memories.

Terry Gordy was a beast...him and Dr. Death...the Miracle Violence Connection...but yeah the Freebirds in Dallas...with "Freebird" playing and those confederate flag robes...that was a great gimmick and a great entrance.

I was a 100 percent Free bird fan. Loved them Michael Terry and Buddy and then Jimmie

I use to watch them in person at East Park Recreation Center in Houma, LA. Back then the Freebirds traveled in a Green LTD Ford four door. I remember them being jacked with all the way to their car after the match.

That bread truck callback...chefs kiss.

I wasn't alive for their wrestling but the opening scene of the first Highlander movie was where I first knew them from, matched up against The Hi-Flyers and Tonga Kid.

The irony is that each Von Erich took more drugs than the three Freebirds combined.

My first exposure to the Freebirds was when they were in the AWA and it's a part of their career that isn't talked about a whole lot but boy they really knew how to Garner heat among the fans when they would come through Milwaukee. I thought their Feud with Jerry Blackwell was really really good.

As a little kid watching this feud I was a total mark even my grandma would be cussing when Michael Hayes came on TV

It was Sullivan teaming with job guy Mike Davis. Davis won his first match the week prior against Rocket Monroe. The Freebirds picked Davis as Sullivan's partner. That was part of the angle in order to get a shot at the tag titles. The Freebirds would pick Sullivan's partner and Idol was the supposed to be the referee. I remember seeing it when it first aired.

I got hooked on wrestling when I flicked through channels and seen Gordy n Kevin vonerich fighting .i said to my older brother look at these guys. I had seen Andre n snuka before that .Angelo mosca . But the birds caught my interest n Gordy became my favorite

The Austin Idol flat tire thing was redone in Mid South with Terry Taylor. Part of his heal turn.

DDP and Johnny B Badd also did the four flat tires thing on WCW

The freebirds/von Erich feud seemed to be ubiquitous in wrestling for a time due to all the coverage in the Apter mags.

I'm so glad I was around to watch the epic freebird/von erich feed from the beginning. I hates the freebies with a passion! But I am older now and respect the work they did

My favorite tag team of all time, well them and of course the 4 horsemen with Ole and Arn!

I was a big fan of the Freebirds. I was like 4-5 during their awa run and thought they were so cool.

I never ever missed an episode of G C R. Loved that show.

Great stuff as always Jim! Love hearing your input on the men who provided so much enjoyment (and fear) in my life as a kid!

My most memorable promo is from Georgia Wrestling is when my Brother, Terry tore off his white t-shirt and “ dirty white boy “ had been written on his chest.

Cornette's promos for the sponsors are gold!

I was about 83 when we got cable in Manchester NH, I was 8 years old and saw the Legion of Doom and the Road Warriors and I was hooked on the Coolest wrestling I’d ever seen. We only ever had WWF cards up here or on tv

Buddy went to high school with my aunt in Surrey BC. She had a few stories about him back then.

love the history segments.

I remember getting WTBS early on. DiBiase was a face, so were Sullivan and Orndorff. Wildfire and Buzz Sawyer feud was 💰. Gordon Solie was golden. Dusty was either in Carolina or Florida and would come through to help out Rich and get into it w/Ole.

I just thing that Buddy Roberts is so underrated. He was the glue that held it together.

Freebirds...greatest team ever. Hayes still #1 personality

I grew up in ATL I got too watch without cable. The Days of the Omni was Awesome. GCW was the best...

"Do it in the ear, folks!" -Jim Cornette

I low key want that PS Hayes art as a tat

I just love the ad Segways 🤣👏🏿

Thanks Jim for giving props to LYNYRD SKYNYRD & RONNIE VAN ZANT

When Austin Idol didn't show, Mike Davis, who was later one of the Rock & Roll RPMs substituted for him. He did well, but got pinned and carried out of the ring. I believe they piledrived him. That got them more heat by hurting this guy that had the heart and guts to go up against them with Sullivan.

"Freebird" by Lynard Skynard is still my Favorite Freebird Ring Entrance Music.