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. Ware was the first wrestler on television to fall victim to the Perfect-plex of newcomer Mr. Probably made it worse the guy sat up after everything Coco did to him. He later went on to the World Wrestling Federation, where he went from strong mid-carder to jobber to the stars. 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. In 1991 Koko made his debut in the USWA. 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. [5]. The feud got so out of control that it had to be settled with a Loser Leaves Town" match, a match that Eaton won, driving Sweet Brown Sugar out of the arena. It took all of five seconds and a slap for homeboy to piss off Koko. He continued wrestling in the promotion through the remainder of the year. [22] Koko faced his former partner Owen Hart on the June 18 episode of Superstars. Koko B. Ware is no exception to that rule. . [5] Koko also hooked up with Rex Hargrove and won the USWA Tag Team Championship once in 1993. 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 was born on June 20, 1957 in Union City, United States (65 years old). Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event, your favorite shows, new movies, live sports, and more. 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. [27] US District Judge Vanessa Lynne Bryant dismissed Ware's lawsuit in September 2018. By 1992 the WWF and the United States Wrestling Association started a talent exchange agreement which saw Koko B. Ware return to Memphis. 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. Id def flap to this. Elbowdrop from Ware, cover gets two. 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). [5] [7] Eaton and Sugar contested a series of grudge matches centered around the Mid-America title and their issues with each other. 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! The team wore neon parachute pants and were given the name High Energy. Despite his longevity, it appears that Ware isn't slowing down any time soon. Select from premium Koko B. Ware of the highest quality. At the same time, Ware made appearances in the USWA as part of a talent exchange program with WWF. Watch every Premium Live Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Shahid. He later went on to the World Wrestling Federation, where he went from strong mid-carder to jobber to the stars. The team ended in March 1993 after Hart injured his knee. Hopper and Uncle Cletus. In 1991 the WWF and the United States Wrestling Association started a talent exchange agreement which saw Koko B. Ware return to his old stomping grounds in Memphis (same area, different promotion). 10 Forgotten WWE Hall Of Famers: Where Are They Now? Eaton and Sugar won the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship. [21] Koko then embarked on a house show tour in England where he faced Jarrett and Kwang. Koko quickly aligned himself with manager Jimmy Hart and his First Family and changed his ring name to "Sweet Brown Sugar". here's a humorous take on that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Z3G389ybY. Ware wrestled for WWE from 1986 to 1994 but made special appearances in the late 1990s and 2000s. He was best known for his work in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories. Edan has previously written for WhatCulture, SportsKeeda, and The Roar. His first victory was on the September 7 episode of Wrestling Challenge against Bob Bradley. 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). At the same time, Ware made appearances in the USWA as part of a talent exchange program with WWF. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Possibly none. 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. Watch every Premium Live Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Disney + HotStar. Moments later, Koko dumped Davis to the floor and won his first title. Eaton, along with the rest of the First Family, tried in vain to unmask Lee but could not manage to do so. Tito whips Koko into the corner, follows in for a monkey flip, but Ware drops him with an inverted atomic drop and a right hand. Best wishes to Koko B Ware. During the course of the match Stagger Lee's mask was removed to reveal the man beneath it, prompting a heel turn for Ware. 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. [30] dropkick, headbutt or monkey flip. He held 16 titles during a 20-year career, including the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship. [26] In 2020 he married Pamela James. During a 1989 European tour, Ware was fired for his part in a physical altercation with WWF executive Jim Troy. Williams and Miller were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2015, and the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in 2020. In August 1986, Ware signed with the World Wrestling Federation, where he continued his fun-loving "Birdman" Koko B. Ware" persona, complete with a macaw named "Frankie". 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. He's working in CWA against the Patriot, who is referred to on commentary as "The Masked Patriot." I can't blame the dude. Koko B. Ware Koko Ware Stagger Lee Sweet Brown Sugar Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) Weight 228 lbs (103 kg) Born June 20, 1957 (age 65) Birth Place Union City, Tennessee Resides Collierville, Tennessee Debut 1978 Retired April 4, 2009 James Ware (June 20, 1957 ), better known by his ring name Koko B. Ware, is a retired American professional wrestler . 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. 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. Add a Comment. Unlike in many squash matches, Koko came out still looking strong despite losing the match.. In 1992, Koko 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. [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. Trivia. [5][7] Eaton and Sugar contested a series of grudge matches centered around the Mid-America title and their issues with each other. 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. He gained most of his popularity in the World Wrestling Federation when he was known as the Birdman . of 1 In February 1986, Koko moved on to Bill Watts' Mid-South/UWF territory, where he started calling himself Koko B. Ware. The same taping later saw Ware defeat Savage by countout in a dark match. On September 5, 2009 Ware's wife died after a battle with cancer. Wrestling. Paul Parlette Orndorff Jr., nicknamed "Mr. 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. Eaton and Sugar won the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship.[5]. 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. Al Perez is a retired American professional wrestler. By 2003 Ware began to wrestle full time again. The neighbor heard the bird and thought there was a child trapped inside. I am talking about none other than Koko B Ware!! The crowd favorite was Jimmy Valiant, who Ware accidentally knocked into Danny Davis and eliminated. In 1991 Koko made his debut in the USWA. Koko B. Ware Stats and Profile - eWrestlingNews.com Koko B. Ware Born: 06/20/1957 in Union City, Tennessee Birthname: James Ware Height & Weight: 5'7", 228 Ib Titles Won: WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2009) Koko B. Ware is a retired American professional wrestler who made his professional wrestling debut in 1978. 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. It turned out that the Macaw was stuck inside the house in his cage as the fire roared around him. Copyright 2023 Fightful, Inc. All Rights Reserved. J.W. 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. With Owen Hart out of action Koko would return to singles competition and immediately entered a house show series with Skinner. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. At the Survivor Series in 1990, Koko became the first wrestler to fall victim to The Undertakers Tombstone piledriver in the Undertakers debut match. Many fans today remember Koko B. Ware as one of the late great Owen Hart's tag team partners. Koko quickly aligned himself with manager Jimmy Hart and his First Family and changed his ring name to "Sweet Brown Sugar". Pro Wrestling is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Giant Baba", "Next Official Memphis Wrestling Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony", "Independent Wrestling Results - August 2003", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Koko_B._Ware&oldid=1141222651, African-American male professional wrestlers, NWA North American Tag Team Champions (Florida version), NWA United States Tag Team Champions (Florida version), The First Family (professional wrestling) members, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 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, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 00:09. Moments later, Koko dumped Davis to the floor and won his first title. The team lasted until March 1993, but were broken up after Hart suffered a knee injury during a match against The Headshrinkers. Race had really slowed down and was rounding the home stretch of his career here. 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. A few seconds into the match, Ware lays into his opponent with several stiff shots, and a heavy clothesline. In 2001, Ware's house caught on fire while the wrestler was out. 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. [28], Ware's character featured him carrying a parrot called Frankie, which earned him the nicknames "The Birdman". Koko B. Ware Saw him at an indie show when I was a kid. He was most famous for his work in tag teams, especially as one-half of The Midnight Express. Introduction Below you can see all known star ratings for wrestling matches featuring in Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter.Please note that ratings are given to the overall match; not to the performers within them. The crowd favorite was Jimmy Valiant, who Koko accidentally knocked into Danny Davis and eliminated Valiant. 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. Match Type Shared Team Outcome for Koko B Ware Was eliminated by Koko B Ware Eliminated Koko B Ware; Al Snow (1)1 Event: 1 Match Type: Andre the Giant (4)4 Events: 2 Match Types: Animal (1)1 Event: 1 Match Type: Ax (2)2 Events: 1 Match Type: Bam Bam Bigelow (3)3 Events: 1 Match Type: Barbarian (2)2 Events: 1 Match Type . Ware's opponent for the night was a wrestler called The Masked Patriot. After the match, Valiant returned to the ring and beat Ware down. Continental Wrestling Association (19781986), United States Wrestling Association (19911997), NWA Florida United States Tag Team Championship, International World Class Championship Wrestling, USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship, "Frankie (Unknown-2002) - Find A Grave Memorial", "Kayfabe Memories: Bobby Eaton profile (part 2)", "WWF Saturday Night's Main Event Results (#8)", "WWF Saturday Night's Main Event Results (#14)", "the History of the WWE: WWF Match Results 1992", "the History of the WWE: WWF Match Results 1999", "the History of the WWE: WWF Match Results 2005", "Valour Wrestling 05/31/14 Battles ALS Results", "WWE seeking to block concussion-related lawsuits", "WWE Knocks Out Consolidated Concussion Case", "Wrestlingdata.com - The World's Largest Wrestling Database", "Mat Matters: WWE Hall of Fame's unforgiveable shunning of Ivan Koloff", "PWTorch.com - UNDER THE MICROSCOPE - 3/9 WWE Raw: Undertaker owns Evolution, Koko B. Ware's resume, JBL title history, Edge & Show vs. Hogan & Warrior", "Jake Roberts on WWE return, Ultimate Warrior HOF induction", "NO BRET HART IN CANADA, HOGAN'S ROLE IN TNA, THE KONG-BUBBA FIGHT, WWE HALL OF FAME AND MORE, "Daily Pro Wrestling history (03/07): Bruno Sammartino vs. He also competed at the World Wrestling Legends" PPV on March 5, 2006 where he defeated Disco Inferno. The team made only one PPV appearance as a team, a loss to the Headshrinkers at the 1992 Survivor Series. Ware's connection to Frankie was a large part of his gimmick. Koko B Ware. Koko also sang the title track of the 1987 WWF Album "Piledriver". In 1986, Ware signed with the World Wrestling Federation, where he debuted his fun-loving "Birdman" persona, complete with a macaw named "Frankie". In August 1986, "The Birdman" felt the time was right to make his WWE debut, coming to the ring with energy personified. He debuted in 1978 and became widely popular in 1986. [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. [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.[5].