Formed in 1979, Michael “P.S.” Hayes, Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy and Buddy “Jack” Roberts ushered in a new era in sports-entertainment. Never before had three competitors formed a tag team, thus when they won the NWA National Tag Team Titles in Georgia Championship Wrestling, “The Freebird Rule” was established. Under this stipulation, any two-man combination of the group’s members could defend the tag team championships, not just the duo that won them.

After a string of successes in Georgia, The Freebirds moonwalked their way into the Texas-based World Class Championship Wrestling and embarked on a legendary rivalry with the revered Von Erich family. During this time, the group’s leader, Michael Hayes, recorded a song entitled “Badstreet, U.S.A.” that The Freebirds used as an entrance theme. Although they originally entered the ring to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s aptly titled “Freebird,” Hayes’ new track would pioneer the use of individual and original entrance themes for competitors.

The Freebirds became a force to be reckoned with in WCCW. They were brutal in their tactics and also in their attitudes toward their opponents. It was those attitudes that helped them win the Six-Man Tag Team Titles six times and the NWA American Tag Team Titles. Roberts also became WCCW Television Champion and Gordy held the NWA American Heavyweight Title.