Despite his longevity, it appears that Ware isn't slowing down any time soon. In one of those wrestling coincidences" a masked man calling himself Stagger Lee debuted; the fact that he looked and wrestled like a masked version of Sweet Brown Sugar helped make him instantly popular. Later that night the duo defended their title against Terry Taylor and Bill Dundee, losing the title when Sugar accidentally" kicked Eaton and then left the ring. After USWA, Ware did not wrestle as much. He ended his WWF run with three straight victories as he teamed with Bushwhacker Luke Williams in house show matches in Philippines, Hong Kong, and Singapore against Reno Riggins and Barry Horowitz. The song's video featured top wrestlers of the day like Hulk Hogan and the Honky Tonk Man. Koko broke every single flying record with 'Lou' in the 1920's. He was the first man to eat corn while flying a plane, first man to fly around the world in 5 hours, and the most unreccord that he broke was that he was first man to fly naked while drinking RC Cola. 5 Times WWE Quickly Rehired Released Superstars - Cultaholic Koko B. Ware was a world famous wrestling technician in WWF before leaving his flock to join Ring of Honor. February 1, 1986. In 2003, Koko returned to the spotlight competing once again in the Memphis area for the Memphis Wrestling promotion. He started working for the independent circuit. RF VIDEO was lucky enough to sit down with one of the very first high flyers to ever start in the WWF back in the 80's. He was up there with the likes of Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant and all of the other top babyfaces at this time. 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. Ware would use the ring names Sweet Brown Sugar and Stagger Lee throughout the early 1980's while aligning himself with legendary manager "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart. Matthew Wade Osborne, known professionally as Matt Borne, was an American professional wrestler. Best. Ware made his debut as a fan favorite on the September 6, 1986, episode of Superstars, teaming with Paul Roma against the Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) in a losing effort. Profile Info Gender Male Real Name James Ware Ring Names Koko B. Ware Stagger Lee Sweet Brown Sugar Height 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) Weight 228 lbs (103 kg) Born June 20, 1957 (age 65) Birth Place Union City, Tennessee Billed From Union City, Tennessee Nicknames The Birdman Career History Roles Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, stiffing the everloving weewee out of a jobber, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Z3G389ybY. He is best known for his first run with WWF, where he held the WWF Intercontinental Championship for a record 64 weeks before losing it to The Ultimate Warrior at the 1988 SummerSlam. Koko also hooked up with Rex Hargrove and won the USWA Tag Team Championship once. During his career, Koko would often appear with a bird named Frankie, the pet that led to Ware having the nickname of "The Birdman" during his time in WWE. He is the cousin of fellow professional wrestler and color commentator Jerry Lawler. Ware's feud with Valiant was quickly expanded to include the heel Tojo Yamamoto and Ware's ally, Tommy Rich. James Ware [1] (born June 20, 1957), better known by his ring name Koko B. Ware, is a retired American professional wrestler who made his professional wrestling debut in 1978. Schyster. By 2003 Ware began to wrestle full time again. The team ended in 1993 after Owen Hart injured his knee. The show featured matches involving The Undertaker, The Steiners, and saw Shawn Michaels defend his Intercontinental Championship against Max Moon. Slick his here with Warlord, who powers Ware into the corner to start. He competed professionally from 1978 to 2009. He is at a facility in Mississippi. of 1 The best of Koko B. Ware | WWE WWE Network Shows Superstars Tickets Shop WWE Network Subscribe Now WWE Network Sign up on Peacock WWE Network Sign up on SonyLiv languages English German Spanish Arabic Follow WWE on Facebook Follow WWE on Twitter Follow WWE on Instagram Follow WWE on Reddit Follow WWE on YouTube WWE News WWE Photos WWE Videos In September 2009, Ware's wife died from cancer. After being fed up, Jimmy Hart finally slapped Sweet Brown Sugar and sent the sulking superstar back to the dressing room after which Bobby Eaton commented that Sugar had been whining like a woman". Ware's last WWE appearance came in 2005 when he was defeated by Rob Conway on an episode of Heat. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event and the worlds best TV and movies. It was not until late in 1980 that Koko's fortune changed when he participated in a battle royal to crown the first ever Mid-American Television Champion. Koko B. Ware - CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database Why Was Koko B. Ware Inducted Into The WWE Hall Of Fame? - TheSportster I am talking about none other than Koko B Ware!! News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Koko B. Ware was born on June 20, 1957 in Union City, United States (65 years old). 4.99. 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. Koko B. Ware Stats and Profile - eWrestlingNews.com [5] During an interview where Eaton and Hart bragged about the victory, Sugar complained that he was unable to win the Southern Title from Terry Taylor. IMPACT Wrestling/NJPW Multiverse United: Only The Strong Survive. After his time with WWE was through, Koko B Ware continued wrestling in independent promotions for years. . In 2015, a class-action lawsuit was filed by attorney Konstantine Kyros against WWE. In 1999, he retired from wrestling and took a couple of years off. [13] He was then granted an Intercontinental Title match against champion Randy Savage on the November 16 edition of Wrestling Challenge, a bout which went to a double countout. Koko B Ware | Wrestling Data 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). "The Birdman" came to the ring with a blue-and-yellow macaw named Frankie, both flapping and dancing . After dropping the gold in Florida, the Pretty Young Things returned to the Continental Wrestling Association in April 1985. In September 2009, Ware's wife died from cancer. WWE Hall of Famer Koko B. Ware set aside a few minutes of his schedule to answer questions from his fans, courtesy of SLAM! 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. A 28-year old, pre bird Koko Ware is just months away from signing with the World Wrestling Federation. In 1999, he retired from wrestling and took a couple of years off. 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. Ware was later rehired, a little over a month later, when Troy resigned. Reportedly, the two even crashed through the plate glass wall of a gift shop. WWE - WWE 24 - The Best Of 2018 (2 DVDs) DVDs Database CAGEMATCH Stephen Paul Keirn is an American retired professional wrestler. 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. From 1987 to 1993 Koko appeared on several WWF PPVs and Saturday Night's Main Events being used mainly to make established or rising stars look good. He was best known for his work in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories. [4], It was not until late in 1980 that Ware's fortunes changed when he participated in a battle royal to crown the first ever Mid-American Television Champion. Koko B. Ware Age: 65 years Promotion: Freelancer Personal Data Birthplace: Union City, Tennessee, USA Gender: male Height: 5' 8" (173 cm) Weight: 229 lbs (104 kg) Career Data Alter egos: Koko B. Ware a.k.a. The match also included former WWE wrestler James Ellsworth, and it was Ware's team that picked up the victory. [22] Koko faced his former partner Owen Hart on the June 18 episode of Superstars. Say what you will about Ware, but he's not among the wrestlers who go forgotten from The Golden Era. The crowd favorite was Jimmy Valiant, who Koko accidentally knocked into Danny Davis and eliminated Valiant. Needless to say, The Patriot realized it at this point. What followed were some sick punches and stomps, before Ware hits a SHOOT BRAINBUSTER(which he called the Ghostbuster) to pick up the win in over a minute, then slapped the Patriot during a pin. The PYT Express remained in Memphis for a period of time after this before moving on to other promotions such asMid-South Wrestling, World Class Championship Wrestling in Texas and Championship Wrestling from Florida. 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. Eaton, along with the rest of the First Family, tried in vain to unmask Lee but could not manage to do so. Koko B. Ware Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images In 1986, Ware signed with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) where he was repackaged as the fun loving Birdman" Koko B. Ware. Koko B. Ware Hospitalized [19] Ware appeared in the first match on the very first episode of Monday Night Raw on January 11, 1993, where he was defeated in a squash match by Yokozuna. High Energy feuded with (and generally lost to) The Nasty Boys, The Headshrinkers, and Money Incorporated. Multi-talented and multi-dimensional, "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware flapped his way into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009. 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. [25]. He left in 1997 before the company shut down later that year. 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. Koko B Ware worked a one-off television match against Rob Conway in October 2005 on 'WWE . He is the current GCW Television Champion, after pinning Matt Cardona at GCW Say You Will. RELATED: The 10 Longest-Tenured WWE Wrestlers To Never Win A Title. My pick is Koko B. Ware. Always resplendent in eye-catching, colorful outfits, he was accepted immediately by WWE fans around the world, especially the younger generation. Since they both disappeared from our screens, most fans may have forgotten about the pair. Koko B. Ware | BWWE Wiki | Fandom 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. Koko returned to WWF in 1994 when he appeared on the March 21 episode of Monday Night Raw and faced Jeff Jarrett. [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. On that very same night that The Rockers went crazy, Ware found himself on the outs with the WWF, after getting into a physical altercation with company executive Jim Troy. [5][7] Eaton and Sugar contested a series of grudge matches centered around the Mid-America title and their issues with each other. Koko would beat the shit out of some guys for no reason. Bright outfits, colorful sunglasses, a constant smile and his trademark vibrato voice instantly made Koko a big hit, especially with the younger crowd that the WWF mainly catered to during the 1980s. The first match between Yokozuna and Koko B. Ware was a highlight to be a squash match. [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. . Rather, even casual and lapsed fans from the . REVIEW: WWF WrestleFest 91: Contains A Hidden Gem Having made his debut in the late 1970s, the native of Union City, Tenn., plied his craft into the 1980s in such areas as Memphis, Dallas, Lousiana, and Florida. 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. [ citation needed ] Ware was interviewed briefly during the 1999 wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat . Eaton, along with the rest of the First Family, tried in vain to unmask Lee but could not manage to do so. On February 26, 1985 Austin and Ware defeated Jay and Mark Youngblood to win the NWA Florida United States Tag Team Championship. Elbowdrop from Ware, cover gets two. Koko in this current era would be so beloved by the internet. Koko B. Ware - WikiMili, The Best Wikipedia Reader Koko B. Ware | WWE The neighbor heard the bird and thought there was a child trapped inside. Id def flap to this. On July 14, 2017, Ware appeared in Big Time Wrestling in Newark, CA, and teamed with Shane Kody to defeat the Ballard Brothers. 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. So much so that, for most of the match, Hogan EXCLUSIVELY tags himself in after Koko has been working. $54.95 . My god. It turned out that the child that the neighbor was referring too was Frankie. Hailing from the Australian Capital of Sport, Melbourne, Edan is a fan of Carlton, AC Milan, The New York Giants. After the match, Valiant returned to the ring and beat Ware down. [7][8] Bobby Eaton later turned face, he teamed with "Stagger Lee" for a series of matches. Austin and Ware became a regular tag team dubbed "The Pretty Young Things" or ("The PYT Express"). [22] Koko faced his former partner Owen Hart on the June 18 episode of Superstars. 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. He wrestled primarily for independent promotions in the Southeastern United States. Koko B. Ware was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009. Koko quickly aligned himself with manager Jimmy Hart and his First Family and changed his name to Sweet Brown Sugar. Watch every Premium Live Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Shahid. He debuted in 1978 and became widely popular in 1986. The match wasn't the only shoot that Koko was involved in. [5] They left the promotion in March 1985. RELATED: 10 Times Wrestling Matches Got A Little Too Real. Watch WrestleMania and other WWE Premium Live Events on Flow. He was most active throughout the 1980s and 1990s in the Tennessee-based United States Wrestling Association (USWA) and Smoky Mountain Wrestling (SMW), and had two short stints with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) under the ring names of T.L. Ware spent his early days in the sport in the Mid-South, Georgia and other NWA territories. The crowd favorite was Jimmy Valiant, who Ware accidentally knocked into Danny Davis and eliminated. He also competed at the World Wrestling Legends" PPV on March 5, 2006 where he defeated Disco Inferno. Full body measurements, dress & shoe size will be updated soon. [21] Koko then embarked on a house show tour in England where he faced Jarrett and Kwang. Do the Bird!: The best of Koko B. Ware | WWE Jimmy Garvin's mid 80's brainbuster was a nasty one too. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event and the worlds best TV and movies. After the match, Jimmy Valiant returned to the ring and beat Koko down. Koko B. Ware - Uncyclopedia Koko got his start in Jerry Jarrett's territory around 1978 and had some fun feuds with Jimmy Valiant and the incredibly underrated Bobby Eaton. He defeated Billy Maverick for the SCW Supreme Title for Supreme Championship Wrestling on August 22. Koko's feud with Jimmy Valiant was quickly expanded to include the heel Tojo Yamamoto and Koko ally Tommy Rich. Ware wrestled for WWE from 1986 to 1994 but made special appearances in the late 1990s and 2000s. He held the title until October, when he lost to Harley Race; he regained the title the following month. The Bushwhackers consisted of Butch Miller and Luke Williams while the Sheepherders also included Jonathan Boyd and Rip Morgan as members at times. here's a humorous take on that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Z3G389ybY. [5] Koko also hooked up with Rex Hargrove and won the USWA Tag Team Championship once in 1993. 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. Watch every Premium Live Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Shahid. Koko was born in Union City, Tennessee, on June 20, 1958. 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. After that the guy moves like he doesn't have a clue where he is and Koko keeps hammering him to stay down. With Owen Hart out of action Koko would return to singles competition and immediately entered a house show series with Skinner. [13] He was then granted an Intercontinental Title match against champion Randy Savage on the November 16 edition of Wrestling Challenge, a bout which went to a double countout. Collections; Project #ShowUs; . Great Savings & Free Delivery / Collection on many items. 1/1 KOKO B WARE 1990 CLASSIC WWF CARD 119 PRINTING PRESS PLATE WRESTLING VINTAGE. Wrestling. 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. [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. Koko was interviewed briefly during the 1999 wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat. Bobby Eaton later turned face, he teamed with "Stagger Lee" for a series of matches. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2015 Topps WWE Road to Wrestlemania Hall of Fame #25 Koko B. Ware wrestling card at the best online prices at eBay! Sugar never got the best of Lawler but did taste tag-team success alongside Steve Keirn and then with Bobby Eaton. He previously wrestled for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Federation. He held 16 titles during a 20-year career, including the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship. [5][6], Ware floundered until September 1981, when he was chosen to referee a Southern Heavyweight Championship title match between Jerry Lawler and the "Dream Machine". Wallace Stanfield "Stan" Lane is an American retired professional wrestler and color commentator. Giant Baba", "Next Official Memphis Wrestling Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony", "Independent Wrestling Results - August 2003", BSPW Tag Team Championship (2) - with Juicy Johnny, NWA Mid-America Television Championship (1 time), The Texas Outlaws (Bonecrusher and Crowbar), The Dog Catchers (Dog Catcher #1 and Dog Catcher #2), The Shooting Stars (Troy Haste and Jerry Faith. He left in 1997 before the company shut down later that year. Koko, however, would often be on the losing end when he came up against other established stars, stars as Butch Reed, Greg Valentine, and The Big Boss Man. However, most mid-level wrestlers still usually managed a run with the secondary Intercontinental Championship or the Tag Team titles. Ware wrestled for WWE from 1986 to 1994 but made special appearances in the late 1990s and 2000s. The Bushwhackers are a professional wrestling tag team who competed first as the New Zealand Kiwis and then as The Sheepherders during their 36-year career as a tag team. Tito Santana vs Koko B. Ware (WWF, 1-21-1991) - Tape Machines Are Rolling Koko B. Ware A second lawsuit brought against the company was brought on by the Dynamite Kid, former WWE Champion Ivan Koloff, and WWE Hall of Famers Blackjack Mulligan and Koko B. Ware. To hear the entire episode, check out Prime Time with Sean Mooney. 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. According to Ware, the idea of bringing his pet Macaw to the ring came from his wife. The team managed to defeat the team of Elijah Akeem and Kareem Mohammad for the AWA Southern Tag Team title in February 1984, although they only hung on to the gold for a little under two weeks before Akeem and Mohammad regained the title. Koko is one of the guys thats just a blind spot to me. [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] In 2020, 411Mania writers Steve Cook and Kevin Pantoja discussed Ware's induction. [29], After being inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009, Ware has been a point of controversy because, working as a carpenter, he was inducted before world champions Ivan Koloff,[31] Randy Savage or Bruno Sammartino. In the modern era, where there are more shows, more titles, and the title reigns are usually shorter, most wrestlers leave WWE with at least one title reign under their belt, even if it is with the 24/7 title. [24] He fought (and was defeated by) Rob Conway on the October 28, 2005, edition of WWE Heat.[24]. Sign up for BINGE to watch. When Dutch Mantel returned to the CWA in early 1981 he quickly defeated Koko for the TV title making Koko's first run with the gold a short one. During the course of the match Stagger Lee's mask was removed to reveal the man beneath it, prompting a heel turn for Ware. On May 18, 2001, Ware returned to wrestling and defeated Brickhouse Brown at Galaxy Championship Wrestling in Little Rock, Arkansas. 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