Michael Hayes new song pays tribute to Terry Gordy

WWE star pays tribute to his former tag team partner in song! By Phil Allely In a recent article on WWE.com former Fabulous Freebird Michael 'P.S' Hayes talks about his new song 'Freebird Road' and how it was conceived as a tribute to his best friend (the late) Terry 'Bam Bam' Gordy. One of the original Freebirds line-up Gordy was rightly acknowledged as one of the toughest men in the wrestling business. The team had some of the finest feuds in history against combos such as the Von Erich's, Road Warriors and many others. Gordy also went on to headline in Japan alongside fellow hard-hitter 'Doctor Death' Steve Williams. Gordy's last main role before his sad passing in 2001, was as The Executioner for the WWE in a feud with Undertaker. In their prime The Fabulous Freebirds (Gordy,Hayes, Buddy Roberts) were the hottest team in the industry, they also innovated the concept of entrance music for grappler's. Their song of choice was appropriately 'Freebird' by Lynyrd Skynyrd. “I was listening to ‘Brickyard Road’ by [Lynyrd Skynyrd vocalist] Johnny Van Zant, which is a tribute song to his brother Ronnie, who died in a plane crash. Listening to the song, I started to notice the parallels between what the song was saying about Ronnie and how I felt about Terry,” Hayes elaborated. Hayes retired from the ring, taking up a major role with the WWE creative department and has moved up the ladder greatly since then, he now commands a high level of power on the Smackdown brand. He did of course manage The Hardy Boyz during their initial WWE run (as the colourful DoKHendrix) and has appeared on screen at times and been instrumental in some of the best and worst of the WWE product (depending on your views). His recent appearances have seen his dress sense lampooned by performers at the annual Hall Of Fame ceremony. A natural in-ring performer in his prime Hayes has always had music in his blood and loves step inside the studio. “The purpose of doing this wasn’t just to record another song, it was to teach people about this guy who was just born to wrestle,” Hayes explained. “I think Jimmy Garvin (one of the more recent incarnations of the Freebirds) said it best, ‘God put Terry Gordy on Earth to wrestle,’ and when you look at his career, it’s hard to argue with that. But more importantly, I wanted people to know the man outside of the ring.” Receiving a positive reaction the song seems destined to highlight the career and life of Gordy to a whole new audience, and embrace his legacy in the ring. “It’s one thing to know the competitor and the man, but it’s another thing to know someone’s dad or husband, that puts a whole different spin on things and what the song really means,” Hayes told WWE.com. “I really hope that people are able to see what a fun-loving guy Terry was,” Hayes said. “As much as he was a tough guy inside the ring, he was the opposite at home. Terry was a really good guy and I wanted to introduce him to a whole new generation of wrestling fans.” “This is one of those things that makes me content with my life,” Hayes said. “If I never do another thing with my life, I know I’ll be happy that I was able to honor my friend this way.” You can see The Freebirds in action on numerous WWE released DVD's and online.

Snake and Funker to retire!!

Snake and Funker hang up their boots - for real this time?


by Phil Allely

Jake "The Snake" Roberts (aged 55) is having what is billed as his final match on January 29th at the Pro Wrestling Guerilla show in conjunction with WrestleReunion in Los Angeles. Roberts will be facing his protege Sinn Bodhi, the former Kizarny in WWE. Roberts has had a storied career and wrestled across the globe for everyone from the WWE (where he was a top level heel and popular face in the 1980s-1990s, to a stint in WCW as an opponent to Sting, recent years have seen him make some semi-regular WWE/TNA appearances and step into the ring at many Indy shows. Roberts lengthy history of drug dependence and reputation for no-showing events proved to be the downfall of the man dubbed by many as one of the greatest psychological grappers of all time. he could still be a wonderful addition to the WWE/TNA training/development teams if he could beat his inner demons. Roberts of course will go down in the ho]istory books as the man who invented the DDT and for his feuds with the likes of Randy Savage in the WWE

Living legend Terry Funk (aged 66) is also stating that he will have his last match on that same show but Funk has retired several times over the years. The man who helped elevate the orginal ECW, gained godlike staus in Japan with his hard-hitting style and has given his body and soul to Wrestling and constantly returns to the ring to perform in some of the most brutal and barbaric matches known. If this is the last in-ring hurrah for the Funker it will be a be greeted loudly by his loving family who are on tenterhooks each time the OAP sets foot in the ring and attempts his moonsault and bloodspilling ways of old. Funk had some blistering fesud throughout his career, battling Ric Flair, Mick Foley and many other top name perfomers across the globe, he is one of only a hanful of men to have been inducted into both the WWE and WCW wrestler's Hall of Fame.

Both men featured prominently in the documentary film Beyond The Mat, which offered a look at the wrestling industry from behind the scenes and outside of the restraints of wrestling company politics and management agents.