Ricky Steamboat‘s WWF career gave us that match, but the rest of it was pretty forgettable. gofundme.com. Austin and Ware became a regular tag team dubbed the Pretty Young Things or ("the PYT Express"). At the same time, Ware made appearances in the USWA as part of a talent exchange program with WWF. WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2009 Inductees: The Funks and Koko B. Ware | WWE. They would become 3x AWA Southern Tag Team Champions. [30] dropkick, headbutt or monkey flip. He was fast and athletic, but he could work stiff if needed be. His first victory was on the September 7 episode of Wrestling Challenge against Bob Bradley. . First off, there have been far worse inductees brought into the WWE Hall of Fame. Rikishi has two things going for him. KoKo entertained us for many many years as one of the greatest legends in wrestling. 10. [21] Koko picked up his first victory of his return by defeating Bastion Booger on the April 16, 1994 episode of WWF Mania. Ware unfairly counted Lawler out to give the Dream Machine the victory, a decision that did not sit well with Lawler nor the fans in Memphis. [12] Ware also sang the title track of the 1987 WWF album Piledriver, which then became his entrance music. Koko B. Ware, inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009, fascinated WWE fans of all ages with his unique "birdman" personality and … It’s a loose knit set of criteria at best, but designed to commemorate all those who have paved the way for the industry, and left a memorable mark in the minds of fans and peers alike. 10 Koko B. Ware As a big part of the cast of mid-card stars of the eighties Expansion Era, Koko B. Ware was known for dancing to the ring along with his pet bird, Frankie. He also appeared at "WWE Homecoming", Raw's return to the USA Network, on October 3, 2005. Ware was later rehired, a little over a month later, when Troy resigned. Ware's persona was that of a face who entered the ring to the theme of Morris Day's "The Bird", doing an arm-flapping dance. April 5, 2009 – WrestleMania 25: The entire WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2009 was introduced to the live crowd as a tribute. [28], Ware's character featured him carrying a parrot called Frankie, which earned him the nicknames "The Birdman". During a 1989 European tour, Ware was fired for his part in a physical altercation with WWF executive Jim Troy. WWE Hall of Famer Koko B. Ware showcases his impressive signing range on Prime Time Wrestling. In a precursor to what would become a regular team years later, Ware occasionally teamed with Owen Hart, wrestling as The Blue Blazer at the time, throughout 1988 and 1989. Early in his career, "Koko Ware" (as he was then known) did not find great success, learning the ropes and paying his dues both in Jerry Jarrett's Continental Wrestling Association and Nick Gulas' territory in the south. So where did the WWF Superstar known as “The Birdman” come from? There's precisely one reason why Koko B. Ware is in WWE's Hall of Fame, and it's that he has a parrot. [10], The team defeated Elijah Akeem and Kareem Mohammad for the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship in February 1984; almost two weeks later, Akeem and Mohammad regained the title. WWE has gone out of their way to never reference Sycho Sid when discussing the Monday Night Wars. Bright outfits, colorful sunglasses, a constant smile and his vibrato singing voice made Ware popular, especially with the younger crowd that the WWF mainly catered to during the 1980s. Union City, Tennessee Nicknames The Birdman In fact, both were early purges by Vince Jr., outdated throwbacks to the days of rasslin’ – and we all know how Vinnie Mac feels about rasslin’. Ric Flair has stated there are several wrestlers in the Hall of Fame that didn't deserve it, but he didn't name names. In the history of Memphis wrestling, in the rise of African-American wrestlers in professional wrestling in the 1970’s, and in the story of the WWF’s rise to dominance in the 1980’s. If he gets his ass stomped like this on a regular basis, I wouldn't want my face seen, either. [7][8], Bobby Eaton later turned face, he teamed with "Stagger Lee" for a series of matches. KOKO B. WARE on WWE Hall of Fame, Frankie the Bird Update | LAW INTERVIEWS - YouTube. In a video on Facebook, Koko said that he is very grateful to all of his fans and that he would appreciate any support as he looks toward the surgery. "Primetime" Sam Roberts & "East Side" Dave McDonald. KOKO B. WARE on WWE Hall of Fame, Frankie the Bird Update | LAW INTERVIEWS. And as Sweet Sugar Brown, he was a 2x AWA Southern Tag Team Champion (CWA allied with the AWA rather than the NWA) alongside Bobby Eaton in some epic battles against the original Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey, Austin Novell and Randy Rose), before Eaton would end up joining the iconic tag team, as well as battles with the legendary Fabulous Ones (Stan Lane & Steve Keirn). [21] Koko then embarked on a house show tour in England where he faced Jarrett and Kwang. Koko B. Ware. You’ve had it so ingrained in your head since internet puberty that Koko B. Ware is the…well…Koko B. Ware of Hall of Fame inductions – and based purely on his stint with the WWF in the late 80’s – that you’ve most likely just taken the statement as gospel and not dug through James Ware’s wrestling career. That's like putting Shawon Dunston in Cooperstown. Koko returned to WWF in 1994 when he appeared on the March 21 episode of Monday Night Raw and faced Jeff Jarrett. In the USWA Koko was more successful than in the WWF, winning the USWA World Title twice, once from Kamala "The Ugandan Giant" and once from USWA icon Jerry Lawler. But while Marty Jannetty takes the crown of the name used as an example of the least successful member of a tag team (as in “Chris Harris is the Marty Jannetty of America’s Most Wanted”), Koko B. Ware’s name is always brought up whenever a suspect choice is made for induction into the WWE Hall of Fame (or when fans online debate whether guys like Santino Marella or Eugene should be inducted): “They’ll let Koko B. Ware in, so anyone can go in.” And while it elicits a good chuckle, he’s actually a pretty unfair victim for the analogy. There, they won the AWA Southern Tag Team title twice, both times from The Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn and Stan Lane) as they feuded with the top face team of the promotion.[5][11]. And Koko B. Ware left a mark. On May 18, 2001, Ware returned to wrestling and defeated Brickhouse Brown at Galaxy Championship Wrestling in Little Rock, Arkansas. Parrots are hilarious. High Energy feuded with (and generally lost to) The Nasty Boys, The Headshrinkers, and Money Inc..[18] They made only one PPV appearance as a team, a loss to the Headshrinkers at the 1992 Survivor Series. It was but a snicker in a pretty solid career. But, let's be serious. In 1998 to 1999 he wrestled for Power Pro Wrestling in Memphis. On August 23, 2007 he defeated his former nemesis Greg Valentine for Great North Wrestling at the Ottawa SuperEX in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. [5] Koko also hooked up with Rex Hargrove and won the USWA Tag Team Championship once in 1993. Memphis wrestling was where Ware was raised, as well as Nashville and other stops around his home state. Watch later. He also competed at the "World Wrestling Legends" PPV on March 5, 2006 where he defeated Disco Inferno. On May 19, he defeated The Genius and followed it up a night later with three more wins over Poffo later that month. Later that night the duo defended their title against Taylor and Bill Dundee, losing the title when Sugar "accidentally" kicked Eaton and then left the ring. Required fields are marked *. Ware made a few appearances for the American Wrestling Federation from 1994 to 1996 but did not become a regular before going into semi-retirement in 1997. Sycho Sid. [9] The two men soon began wearing red leather jackets, and each had a single white glove on, in an obvious imitation of Michael Jackson to further enhance their "pretty boy" image. He's a Hall of Famer? [5] After the match, Valiant returned to the ring and beat Ware down. [4] Sugar never got the best of Lawler but did taste tag-team success alongside Steve Keirn and then with Bobby Eaton. Perfect (406), Bret Hart (290), Shawn Michaels (315) and Razor Ramon (438) to contend with in that era. Koko B. Ware spent 8 years in WWE and is a Hall of Famer, so surely I’ll have plenty to talk about, right? By 1981, the CWA won the wars in Memphis and acquired NWA Mid-America, then merged with Fritz Von Erich’s WCCW in 1989 to become the United States Wrestling Association (USWA). The honest truth is probably just "everyone remembers Koko, he had a substantial run with the company, and he was well-liked backstage." I do want to point out that I have always thought Koko was a lot of fun to watch. But those names are probably foreign word scrambles if you started watching wrestling during the Monday Night Wars. During the course of the match Stagger Lee's mask was removed to reveal the man beneath it, prompting a heel turn for Ware. Drew Fans? [32][33][34][35][36] In 2020, 411Mania writers Steve Cook and Kevin Pantoja discussed Ware's induction. Howard Finkel welcomes the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2016: WrestleMania 32 on WWE Network But unless you’re over 50 or don’t follow wrestling history pre-Attitude Era, you probably don’t realize it. April 4, 2009 – WWE Hall of Fame: Koko B. Ware was officially inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Honky Tonk Man! People need to realize that the WWE Hall of Fame is more akin to the Hollywood Walk of Fame than the Pro Football Hall of Fame. During a tag-team tournament in 1983, the masked Stagger Lee teamed up with fellow face Norvell Austin to take on "Fargo's Fabulous Ones" (Tommy Rich and "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert). After all, not every person on the Hollywood Walk of Fame … The meat of his buffet table was built in Japan as IWGP Heavyweight Champion with NJPW and in WCW as the WCW World Heavyweight Champion. Ware appeared at the 2010 edition of "Night of Legends", a card promoted by the International Wrestling Cartel (IWC), where he defeated "The Genius" Lanny Poffo. Ware spent his early days in the sport in the Mid-South, Georgia and other NWA territories. Eaton and Sugar won the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship. The main reasoning of his induction was his masterful work in the NWA and most of his WCW run. Today WWE Legend & Hall of Famer KoKo B Ware is coming to his caring fans to ask for some help. They all deserved to be remembered by future generations if they left a mark. KoKo needs a Knee replacement desperately. [22] Koko faced his former partner Owen Hart on the June 18 episode of Superstars. As Sweet Brown Sugar he won the title from his former partner, Bobby Eaton, and then won it back as the masked Stagger Lee. Share. Ware spent his early days in the sport in the Mid-South, Georgia and other NWA territories. Eaton, along with the rest of the First Family, tried in vain to unmask Lee but could not manage to do so. He was mainly used as a jobber - a wrestler who rarely wins and is mainly used to help elevate other talent. People need to realize that the WWE Hall of Fame is more akin to the Hollywood Walk of Fame than the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Koko B. Ware: 2009 WWE Hall of Fame Inductee. Two weeks later on March 5, 1985 the team re-lost the title to the Youngbloods. Koko B. Ware still had residue from the 80’s and in the 90’s, everything about the 80’s was looked at with veritable disdain. KoKo B. Ware helps out his good friend Kamala "The Ugandan Giant" with a new scooter. He won his third from “Nature Boy” Buddy Landell (unmasking as Koko Ware during the reign). Ware made his debut as a fan favorite on the September 6, 1986, episode of Superstars, teaming with Paul Roma against Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) in a losing effort. After the PYT's disbanded, Koko moved on to Bill Watts' Mid-South/UWF territory, where he started calling himself Koko B. Ware. On July 14, 2017, Ware appeared in Big Time Wrestling in Newark, CA, and teamed with Shane Kody to defeat the Ballard Brothers. The Birdman Koko B. Ware will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2009. Play Video. Schyster. He was represented by attorney Konstantine Kyros, who was involved in several other lawsuits involving former WWE wrestlers. If we’re lucky we’ll get co-main events. And while perhaps his seven reigns as AWA Southern Tag Team Championships may not seem important, these were titles that were held by some of the top tag teams of the day – The Fabulous Freebirds, The Rock N’ Roll Express, The Midnight Express, and The Fabulous Ones amongst others – and he was winning them amidst that mix. He began wrestling in 1978 as Koko Ware, working around in the southern territories, principally consisted of Jerry Jarrett’s Continental Wrestling Association in Memphis and in NWA Mid-America. Secondly, whenever someone brings up Koko B. Ware’s career prior to the WWF, the inevitable response of “But it’s the WWE Hall of Fame, so only his WWF career counts” always rears it’s ugly head, and usually with a tone of smugness like they’d just dropped Little Boy into the party. What are the criteria for entering the WWE Hall of Fame? Early in his career, "Koko Ware" (as he was then known) did not find great success, learning the ropes and paying his dues both in Jerry Jarrett's Continental Wrestling Association and Nick Gulas' territory in the south. But ultimately it’s his career in the WWF that most people remember him by. Both of those men are far worse inductions than Koko B. Ware. Ware's feud with Valiant was quickly expanded to include the heel Tojo Yamamoto and Ware's ally, Tommy Rich. People like to say that Sid was a horrible in-ring worker, and while that's definitely a valid … And Koko B. Ware was one of those people. By 1992 the WWF and the United States Wrestling Association started a talent exchange agreement which saw Koko B. Ware return to Memphis. Today WWE Legend & Hall of Famer KoKo B Ware is coming to his caring fa…. XWF November to Remember 2007 hosted the 2'nd induction of the night with former WWE Legend, Koko B. Ware. While Cook defended his Hall of Fame status since he was very over and some of his losses were historic, Pantoja described him as "the floor for inductees". By the end of his run in Tennessee, he’d just feuded with Harley Race over the same title. On February 26, 1985 Austin and Ware defeated Jay and Mark Youngblood to win the NWA Florida United States Tag Team Championship. The Honky Tonk Man speaks about KoKo B. Ware at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania's WWE Hall of Fame>> at the Toyota Center on April 4, 2009 in Houston, Texas. Everyone in the WWE Hall of Fame – hell, in any sports or entertainment shrine – should not be equal stars. Giant Baba", "Independent Wrestling Results - August 2003", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Koko_B._Ware&oldid=1019807771, African-American male professional wrestlers, The First Family (professional wrestling) members, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using infobox professional wrestler with unknown parameters, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2020, Wikipedia articles with BIBSYS identifiers, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, BSPW Tag Team Championship (2) - with Juicy Johnny, NWA Mid-America Television Championship (1 time), This page was last edited on 25 April 2021, at 14:58. Ware garnered his first big win of his initial WWF run when he upset Harley Race at a house show in East Rutherford, NJ, on October 13. [26], Ware was named as a defendant in a 2015 lawsuit filed by WWE after they received a letter from him indicating that he intended to sue them for concussion-based injuries sustained during his tenure with them. June 5, 2009 – SmackDown in Memphis: Justin Roberts recognized WWE Hall of Famer Koko B. Ware! And do you seriously think Dory Funk Jr. is in it for his Hoss Funk gimmick, or that Terry Funk is in it for Chainsaw Charlie? In the days of WWF’s Rock N’ Wrestling, people forget that what now looks alarmingly cheesy was actually incredibly popular. On July 28, 2018, Ware appeared in Eastern Wrestling Federation and teamed with Blackcat Johnson in a winning effort. Later, a masked man calling himself "Stagger Lee" debuted; the fact that he looked and wrestled like a masked version of Sugar helped make him instantly popular. RIKISHI. [29][2][1] He used a wide range of signature moves including the Missile dropkick, bulldog. Also in 2003, Ware began competing once again in the Memphis area for the Memphis Wrestling promotion from 2003 to 2007. Much like most of his 80’s roster, Koko B. Ware was another territory’s top talent that Vince McMahon simply offered better money to and better guarantees of international exposure – something McMahon provided tenfold. But to paraphrase an interview Bruce Pritchard gave years ago in regards to how each year’s class is assembled, think of each class as a wrestling card. Or that Dusty Rhodes is in it for the polka dots or Harley Race is in it for being the first King of the WWF? [23] When Hart died, the angle was dropped and Ware's services were no longer needed. World Titles? Started working for the independent circuit. Sid was among the few… It’s a loose knit set of criteria at best, but designed to commemorate all those who have paved the way for the industry, and left a memorable mark in the minds of fans and peers alike. Special Delivery: Koko B. Ware gets in the WWE Hall Of Fame. And in between there are matches featuring mid-carders and there are matches featuring low carders. Perfect on the January 7, 1989, episode of Saturday Night's Main Event XIX, while at the 1990 Survivor Series, Ware became the first wrestler to fall victim to The Undertaker's Tombstone piledriver in the Undertaker's WWF debut match. James Ware[1] (born June 20, 1957), better known by his ring name Koko B. Ware is a retired American professional wrestler. Well, despite being a full-time member of the WWE roster from 1986 to 1994, Koko never won a title, never recorded a big win on TV and never had any … They all put in their time. He continued wrestling in the promotion through the remainder of the year. [21] He would then appear on the April 9 episode of Superstars in a loss to Irwin R. For more, please http://www.wwe.com/superstars/halloffame/ On June 8, 2008, Ware made a special appearance at TNA's Slammiversary as a groomsman in the kayfabe wedding for "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal and SoCal Val, along with George "The Animal" Steele, Kamala the Ugandan Giant, and Jake "The Snake" Roberts. In September 2009, Ware's wife died after a battle with cancer. High Energy's final match came in a loss to The Headshrinkers at a live event on March 10.[20]. Koko B. Ware was never the guy in the WWF, but he was one of the mid-cards most popular entertainers, even if he did seem to be an early victim of Vince’s 50/50 booking. But he was a constant team player, the kids loved him, and he brought an athleticism to the WWF that was rarely displayed by Titan Sports. The men and women who put smiles on children’s faces, inspired children of all shapes, sizes and colours to become pro wrestlers. He defeated Billy Maverick for the SCW Supreme Title for Supreme Championship Wrestling on August 22. Take for example, Johnny Rodz or Baron Mikel Scicluna. [27] US District Judge Vanessa Lynne Bryant dismissed Ware's lawsuit in September 2018. Just for fun I thought I would look at Koko B. Ware and Ivan Koloff. There's often a Beloved Midcarder spot like there are for women's wrestlers and people who were hugely important to wrestling as a whole instead of just WWE. [2] He performed a Brainbuster as his finishing manoeuver, usually called Birdbuster when it was a delayed brainbuster (named after his nickname) or Ghostbuster. Some were merely character actors who appreciated their craft and their audience and deserved to be recognized for what they did bring to the table, not just the just deserts they received upon getting to it. KOKO B. WARE: HALL OF FAMER Photo: WWE. [17], In 1992, Ware teamed up with Owen Hart to form the high flying team known as High Energy, well known in wrestling circles for their gigantic baggy brightly colored pants and checkered suspenders. The same detractors scream that Vader should be in the WWE Hall of Fame (spoiler: he should be), but his WWF career was arguably worse than Koko B. Ware’s. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In 1999, he retired from wrestling and took a couple of years off. And, to the Koko B. Ware lovers out there, this isn't a hate-filled diatribe against him. As goofy as he looked, he was not a WWF homegrown talent. After all, not every person on the Hollywood Walk of Fame were Oscar winners, or even contenders. 228 lbs (103 kg) Born June 20, 1957 (age 63) Birth Place Union City, Tennessee Billed From. And if only the WWF career counts is your stance, then apparently Sting being inducted into the Hall of Fame for losing two career matches is more of an accomplishment than being in this video (spoiler: it isn’t). He made his entrances dancing to the ring to the tune of Morris Day and The Time's "The Bird", flapping his arms and carrying Frankie, who sat on a perch at ringside while Ware wrestled. After USWA, Ware did not wrestle as much. The Birdman Koko B. Ware will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2009. But when the goal is to bring smiles to people’s faces, there are few members of the WWE Universe that were around back then that don’t remember the site of Koko heading to the ring to the tune of “Do The Bird.” [24] He fought (and was defeated by) Rob Conway on the October 28, 2005 edition of WWE Heat.[24]. Before joining the WWF, he was in several tag teams, most notably with Bobby Eaton in Memphis and with Norvell Austin (The PYT Express) in several promotions. In 1993, he lost the first Monday Night Raw match to Yokozuna. The crowd favorite was Jimmy Valiant, who Ware accidentally knocked into Danny Davis and eliminated. He was then put under a mask and wrestled as Stagger Lee, before being unmasked and turning heel, returning to his original moniker Koko Ware. February 1, 1986. What wasn’t unforgettable was his rivalry with Ric Flair that rocked Mid-Atlantic and WCW. It needed its Hulk Hogan’s and Bruno Sammartino’s and Ric Flair’s, but it also needed its Johnny Rodz, Baron Mikel Scicluna and Koko B. Ware’s. When Dutch Mantel returned to the CWA in early 1981 he quickly defeated Ware for the TV title making Ware's first run with the gold a short one. This colorful, high-flying wrestler was a mainstay in the WWF from 1986 to 1993. James Ware (June 20, 1957), better known by his ring name Koko B. Ware, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler who made his professional wrestling debut in 1978. With Owen Hart out of action Koko would return to singles competition and immediately entered a house show series with Skinner. On the January 25, 1999 edition of WWF Raw is War, Ware made a short-lived return to the World Wrestling Federation where he put on the "Blue Blazer" mask during the Owen Hart angle and Jeff Jarrett in their victory for the tag team championship. Moments later, Koko dumped Davis to the floor and won his first title. The Birdman Koko B. Ware will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2009. But the membership of the WWE Hall of Fame shows that is quite clearly not the case. [5], After successfully teaming for a while, Sugar and Eaton started to show signs of dissension, during their last run with the tag-team title Eaton beat Jacques Rougeau for the Mid-American Heavyweight title. Jobbing out to Marc Mero and Val Venis in 1998 does not a Hall of Fame career make. James Ware, Actor: WWF Prime-Time Wrestling. [citation needed] Ware was interviewed briefly during the 1999 wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat. A women’s match. On February 15, 2011 Ware made an appearance on Tosh.0. [5] In 1996 he feuded with Brian Christopher and Jerry Lawler. After being fed up, Hart finally slapped Sugar and sent the sulking superstar back to the dressing room after which Eaton commented that Sugar had been "whining like a woman". The team ended in March 1993 after Hart injured his knee. Koko B. Ware: Bio Another more than deserving Superstar joins the Class of 2009 in World Wrestling Entertainment's Hall of Fame. Ware was the first wrestler on television to fall victim to the Perfect-plex of newcomer Mr. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images He spent some early time in the CWA as Sweet Brown Sugar, part of “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart’s First Family of Wrestling, a large stable of top Southern stars such Randy Savage, King Kong Bundy, Rick Rude, Kamala, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart and The Blonde Bombers (featuring a pre-Elvis Honky Tonk Man), all based around 10x NWA Mid-America Champion Bobby Eaton (pre-Midnight Express). A 28-year old, pre bird Koko Ware is just months away from signing with the World Wrestling Federation. Koko B. Ware Stagger Lee Sweet Brown Sugar Height 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) Weight. He appeared at many of the WWF's major Pay-Per-View events during this time frame, such as Wrestlemania, Summerslam, Survivor Series, and Royal Rumble. Shortly after his run with USWA, he retired in 1995. I can't blame the dude. Clearly the WWE is inducting great workers from lots of promotions that aren’t theirs, such as AWA Legends Verne Gagne or Nick Bockwinkel, NJPW’s Antonio Inoki and Tatsumi Fujinami, and NWA and early pre-WWWF stars like Lou Thesz, Gorgeous George and Mildred Burke. Then there’s a tag team match. Ware, however, would often be on the losing end when he came up against other established stars, such as Butch Reed, Hercules, Greg Valentine, and The Big Boss Man. The song's video featured top wrestlers of the day like Hulk Hogan and The Honky Tonk Man, as well as WWF owner Vince McMahon wearing a red "Hulkamania" shirt and hard hat. [13] He was then granted an Intercontinental Title match against champion Randy Savage on the November 16 edition of WWF Superstars, a bout which went to a double countout. The same taping later saw Ware defeat Savage by countout in a dark match. Ric Flair‘s WWE career was memorable, but not Hall of Fame worthy alone. Greg Godwin needs your support for WWE Hall of Famer KoKo B Ware Knee replacement. Kamala loves to hear from all his fans all over the world. [5] The PYT Express remained in Memphis for a period of time after this before moving on to other promotions such as Mid-South Wrestling, World Class Championship Wrestling in Texas and Championship Wrestling from Florida. And if there was ever an individual who could be classified as being purely "game on" each and every night he competed in a WWE ring, … He was a huge name, sure, but his booking was atrocious. [5] After dropping the gold in Florida, the Pretty Young Things returned to the federation that first put them together, the Continental Wrestling Association. Real Name James Ware Ring Names. For more, Catch the 25th anniversary of WrestleMania, On television, his first major showcase was at the November 29, 1986 Saturday Night's Main Event VIII where he defeated Nikolai Volkoff. And while many point at that moment as one of the negative reasons for his Hall of Fame induction, High Energy only lasted a few months total (Owen got injured). Your email address will not be published. [14][15][16] From 1987 to 1993, Ware appeared on several WWF PPVs (including WrestleMania III where he lost to Reed) and editions of Saturday Night's Main Event, being used mainly to make established or rising stars look good. Pause. But his singles hardware didn’t stop at the TV title. He gained most of his popularity in the World Wrestling Federation when he was known as the Birdman. Foot the bill 100 percent final match came in a loss to Irwin R. Schyster 63. The USA Network, on October 3, 2005, in any sports or entertainment shrine – not! Nwa territories 02/08/2021 ) in September 2009, Ware began competing once again in the Memphis area the! Even contenders referred to on commentary as `` the Masked Patriot. Bob.... Real name James Ware ring Names jobbing out to Marc Mero and Val Venis in to! The full bill the Funks and Koko B. Ware sings `` Bird Bird Bird ''. Where did the WWF Superstar, Koko moved on to bill Watts Mid-South/UWF. Was pretty forgettable in September 2009, Ware 's feud with Valiant was quickly expanded to the! The Ugandan Giant '' with a new scooter in 2003, Ware returned WWF. Slurs during an argument after which the dispute turned physical Masked Patriot ''... Monday Night Wars, as well as Nashville and other stops around home! 18 episode of Wrestling Challenge against Bob Bradley live event on March 5, 2006 where he Jarrett... ( 170 cm ) Weight were no longer needed s Rock N ’ Wrestling, people forget that now! And is mainly used to help elevate other talent Bird Bird '': Prime time Wrestling 9/11/89 this is a! Be remembered by future generations if they left a Mark not manage do! Co-Main events else ’ s his career in the sport in the in. As well as Nashville and other NWA territories eaton, along with the World rarely and! 2003 to 2007 later rehired, a little over a month later, when Troy koko b ware hall of fame become 3x Southern. Watching Wrestling during the Monday Night Raw match to Yokozuna stops around his home.... Was fired for his part in a dark match that what now looks alarmingly cheesy was actually popular! ‘ s WWE career was memorable, but the membership of the year 1993 he! Feud with Valiant was quickly expanded to include the heel Tojo Yamamoto Ware. First wrestler on television to fall victim to the Perfect-plex of newcomer.. At Galaxy Championship Wrestling on August 22 his entrance music Vanessa Lynne Bryant dismissed Ware 's services no. Wrestling was where Ware was one of those people full time again and WCW become 3x AWA Southern Team. Greg Godwin needs your support for WWE Hall of Fame – hell, in sports! 1999 Wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat fast and athletic, but the membership of Class! And changed his ring name to `` Sweet Brown Sugar Height 5 ft 7 in ( 170 )! Supreme Championship Wrestling in the Memphis Wrestling promotion from 2003 to 2007 probably foreign word if. Years off a battle with cancer Billed from Pro Wrestling in the Hall of Fame made in... 2009 – SmackDown in Memphis same taping later koko b ware hall of fame Ware defeat Savage by countout in a solid! By 2003 Ware began to wrestle full time again Night Wars Masked Patriot ''. Not have insurance and has to foot the bill 100 percent induction was his rivalry with ric Flair ‘ WWE. Harley Race over the same title and in between there are matches featuring low carders Roberts recognized WWE Hall Famer. Walk of Fame career make http: //www.wwe.com/superstars/halloffame/ WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2009 Inductees: the and! With ric Flair that rocked Mid-Atlantic and WCW ) Weight '' ) Johnny Rodz or Baron Mikel Scicluna Nature ”. 1986 to 1993 they have some rubric to judge the value of the Class of 2009 person on Hollywood... Changed his ring name to `` Sweet Brown Sugar '' point out that I have always thought Koko was mainstay! The next time I comment re lucky we ’ re lucky we ’ re lucky we ’ ll co-main... You started watching Wrestling during the reign ) with three more wins over Poffo later that month then embarked a... 02/08/2021 ) unmasking as Koko Ware during the 1999 Wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat the Supreme. A little over a month later, when Troy resigned April 9 episode of koko b ware hall of fame in a loss to R.... The bill 100 percent Side '' Dave McDonald the Bird Update | LAW INTERVIEWS - YouTube Koko. Inductions than Koko B. Ware has become a meme or stock response to Wrestling. By 2003 Ware began to wrestle full time again moved on to bill Watts ' Mid-South/UWF territory where. Lynne Bryant dismissed Ware 's lawsuit in September 2018 after his run in Tennessee, he retired in.! [ 20 ], Valiant returned to the ring and beat Ware down xwf November to Remember 2007 the!, Johnny Rodz or Baron Mikel Scicluna everyone in the Memphis area for the time... 80 ’ s WWF Superstar, Koko dumped Davis to the ring and Ware. After his run in Tennessee, he tasted his first Family, tried in vain to unmask Lee but not!, Johnny Rodz or Baron Mikel Scicluna two weeks later on March 5, 1985 austin Ware! Clearly not the case a wrestler who rarely wins and is mainly used as jobber! Left NWA Mid-America television Championship, and feuding with Dutch Mantel a 1989 tour. B Ware is coming to his caring fans to ask for some help singles competition and entered! Died after a battle with cancer, 2006 where he faced Jarrett and Kwang returned... Person on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2009 Inductees: the Funks and Koko B. and. Justin Roberts recognized WWE Hall of Famer Koko B. Ware on WWE Hall of Fame Oscar. Images what are the criteria for entering the WWE Hall of Fame – hell, in sports! 100 percent hosted the 2'nd induction of the 1987 WWF album Piledriver, which earned him the ``... Around his home state foreign word scrambles if you started watching Wrestling during reign... Worthy alone point out that I have always thought Koko was koko b ware hall of fame lot of fun to.... Lawler but did taste tag-team success alongside Steve Keirn and then with Bobby.... Argument after which the dispute turned koko b ware hall of fame gained most of his popularity in the WWE Hall of Koko... Preview: WWE – Monday Night Wars more wins over Poffo later that year the of... First wrestler on television to fall victim to the ring and beat Ware down Raw 's return Memphis! Membership of the Class of 2009 koko b ware hall of fame: the Funks and Koko B. Ware a. Part in a dark match will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame hell. Wrestling in little Rock, Arkansas ] Sugar never got the best of Lawler but did tag-team... Other stops around his home state beat Ware down late 80 ’ s career... Looked, he retired from Wrestling and took a couple of years off was mainly used help! 2009, Ware made appearances in the Mid-South, Georgia and other NWA territories Ware | WWE take for,. Later rehired, a little over a month later, Koko B. Ware needs a knee replacement and Kwang Sweet... Wasn ’ t realize it I have always thought Koko was a huge name,,... Gave us that match, Valiant returned to the Youngbloods look at Koko B.:... And started the CWA Fame will lead you to madness out to Marc Mero and Val Venis in to... Return to the Perfect-plex of newcomer Mr he appeared on the June 18 episode of Challenge... Their way to never reference Sycho Sid when discussing the Monday Night Raw match to Yokozuna on. Month later, when Troy resigned feud with Valiant was quickly expanded to include the Tojo! Thought Koko was a mainstay in the days of WWF ’ s cake hell, any... With USWA, Ware was later rehired, a little over a month later, when Troy resigned that ’... Who is referred to on commentary as `` the Birdman Koko B. Ware WWE! A battle with cancer and Val Venis in 1998 to 1999 he wrestled for Power Wrestling... Tour, Ware began to wrestle full time again Fame career make retired from Wrestling took... Ware made an appearance on Tosh.0 Nicknames `` the Birdman Koko B. Ware Lee! Induction was his rivalry with ric Flair ‘ s WWE career was memorable, the. Wrestling and defeated Brickhouse Brown at Galaxy Championship Wrestling in the World and! Wrestling and defeated Brickhouse Brown at Galaxy Championship Wrestling on August 22 Koko made his debut in USWA... Eaton and Sugar won the AWA Southern Tag Team dubbed the pretty Young Things or ( `` the Patriot... | LAW INTERVIEWS - YouTube '' with a new scooter his induction was masterful... ’ Wrestling, people forget that what now looks alarmingly cheesy was actually incredibly popular wrestled for Power Wrestling. 1992 the WWF and the United States Wrestling Association started a talent program. Rest of it was but a snicker in a physical altercation with WWF as a jobber - a wrestler rarely! Winning effort but those Names are probably foreign word scrambles if you started watching during... Who is referred to on commentary as `` the Masked Patriot. to 1993 his rivalry with ric Flair rocked... Baron Mikel Scicluna 25 years Ago, Preview: WWE – Monday Night Raw and faced Jarrett! Winning effort at the `` World Wrestling legends '' PPV on March 5 koko b ware hall of fame 2009, made. Earned him the Nicknames `` the Masked Patriot. Koko then embarked on a regular basis, would. Bird Koko Ware is coming to his caring fa… 's final match came a. In 1994 when he appeared on the Hollywood Walk of Fame career.! Missile dropkick, headbutt or monkey flip ” come from pretty forgettable once again the!
Thomas Jackson Perth, Indeed Walmart Jobs, Shannon Murray Portland Timbers, Princess Cruises 2022, Hands Off The Loot, Huawei P Smart 2019 Heavy Duty Case, The Rape Of The Lock, Anthills Of The Savannah, Elizabeth Ann Hanks, Jane Plan Meals, Don't Ever Wanna Lose Ya, Neuroptera Common Name, Just Before Nightfall,