68
Years
45
Movies
15
TV Shows
8.8
Rating
James Ware, better known by his ring name "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler who made his professional wrestling debut in 1978. He gained most of his popularity in the World Wrestling Federation when he was known as the Birdman. Ware came to the ring with a blue-and-yellow macaw parrot named Frankie, and would flap his arms like a bird while dancing before and after his matches. Before joining the WWF, Ware worked as a part of several tag teams, first with Bobby Eaton in Memphis and then later on with Norvell Austin as one half of the The P.Y.T. Express in several promotions.
68
Years Old
45
Movies
15
TV Shows
8.8
Avg Rating
James Ware, better known by his ring name "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler who made his professional wrestling debut in 1978. He gained most of his popularity in the World Wrestling Federation when he was known as the Birdman. Ware came to the ring with a blue-and-yellow macaw parrot named Frankie, and would flap his arms like a bird while dancing before and after his matches. Before joining the WWF, Ware worked as a part of several tag teams, first with Bobby Eaton in Memphis and then later on with Norvell Austin as one half of the The P.Y.T. Express in several promotions.
1985
James Ware, better known by his ring name "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler who made his professional wrestling debut in 1978. He gained most of his popularity in the World Wrestling Federation when he was known as the Birdman. Ware came to the ring with a blue-and-yellow macaw parrot named Frankie, and would flap his arms like a bird while dancing before and after his matches. Before joining the WWF, Ware worked as a part of several tag teams, first with Bobby Eaton in Memphis and then later on with Norvell Austin as one half of the The P.Y.T. Express in several promotions.
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. The crowd favorite was Jimmy Valiant, who Koko accidentally knocked into Danny Davis and eliminated Valiant. Moments later, Koko dumped Davis to the floor and won his first title. After the match, Jimmy Valiant returned to the ring and beat Koko down. Koko’s feud with Jimmy Valiant was quickly expanded to include the heel Tojo Yamamoto and Koko ally Tommy Rich. 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.
Koko floundered until September 1981 when he was chosen to referee a Southern Heavyweight Championship title match between Jerry Lawler and “The Dream Machine". 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. Koko quickly aligned himself with manager Jimmy Hart and his First Family and changed his name to Sweet Brown Sugar. Sugar never got the best of Lawler but did taste tag-team success alongside Steve Keirn and then with Bobby Eaton. Eaton & Sugar won the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship. On June 8, 2008, Koko made a special appearance at TNA's Slammiversary as a groomsman in the wedding for "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal and So Cal Val, along with George "The Animal" Steele, Kamala the Ugandan Giant, and Jake "The Snake" Roberts.
On April 4, 2009, Koko was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by The Honky Tonk Man.
On September 5, 2009 Ware's wife died after a battle with cancer.
On February 15, 2011 Koko made an appearance on Tosh.0.
He is one of only three wrestlers to sport 'WWF' on his trunks.
Gender
Male
Birthday
June 20, 1957
Birthplace
Union City, Tennessee, USA
Also Known As
WWE WrestleFest '91
1991
Invasion of the Bodyslammers
1993
The Wrestling Album II: Piledriver
1987
JCW Legends and Icons
2011
WWE WrestleMania VI
1990
WWE U.K. PPV
1989
WWE SuperTape: Volume 4
1991
WWE Royal Rumble 1993
1993
WWE WrestleFest '93
1993
WWE SummerSlam 1989
1989
WWE Royal Rumble 1991
1991
WWE Survivor Series 1990
1990
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
2013
WWE Wrestling Grudge Matches
1993
The Sheik
2014
WWE Bashed in the USA
1993
WWE Survivor Series 1988
1988
WWE WrestleMania III
1987
WrestleMania III (Duplicated)
1987
WWE Royal Rumble 1989
1989
+ 25 more movies
Raw
1993
WWF Wrestling Challenge
1986
Saturday Night's Main Event
1985
Saturday Night's Main Event
1985
WWE Old School
1973
Biography: WWE Legends
2021
Mid-South Wrestling
1981
Mid-South Wrestling
1981
World Class Championship Wrestling
1982
World Class Championship Wrestling
1982
USWA Championship Wrestling
1977
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
1981
WWE Hall of Fame
2005
AWF Warriors of Wrestling
1995
Power Pro Wrestling
1986