Terry Gordy

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Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States

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Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, United States

**Terry Ray Gordy** (April 23, 1961 – July 16, 2001) was an American professional wrestler. Gordy is best known for his appearances in the United States with promotions such as World Class Championship Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions/World Championship Wrestling and the Universal Wrestling Federation as a member of The Fabulous Freebirds, as well as his appearances in Japan with All Japan Pro Wrestling as one-half of The Miracle Violence Connection.

Championships held by Gordy over the course of his career include the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship, AJPW World Tag Team Championship, WCW World Tag Team Championship, NWA World Tag Team Championship, UWF Heavyweight Championship and SMW Heavyweight Championship.

He has been posthumously inducted into the Wrestling Observer, Professional Wrestling, and WWE Hall of Fame.

## Professional wrestling career

### Early career (1975–1982)

Gordy started wrestling in 1975 at the age of 14 as **Terry Mecca** for the International Wrestling Association. In early 1979, he began wrestling under his real name and formed the Fabulous Freebirds with Michael Hayes. Buddy Roberts was later added to the group.

### Memphis CWA Wrestling (1979 & 1984)

The Freebirds came to Memphis the first time in 1979 and feuded mainly with Jerry Lawler & Bill Dundee. They returned in 1984 feuding with Lawler & Austin Idol and later with Lawler & Phil Hickerson.

### Universal Wrestling Federation (1980–1986)

In 1986, when the Freebirds were in the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF), Gordy won the UWF Heavyweight title and held it for six months, before losing it via forfeit to The One Man Gang, after an angle the same night in which Gordy was injured by "Dr. Death" Steve Williams. During this time, Gordy and the Freebirds had an ongoing feud with the UWF fan favorite Hacksaw Jim Duggan, in which Duggan and Gordy frequently squared off, usually ending in a disqualification because of outside interference.

### World Class Championship Wrestling (1982–1988)

In 1982, the Freebirds went to World Class Championship Wrestling and had a heated and memorable feud with the Von Erichs (David, Kevin, Kerry and Mike) where they traded the six man title back and forth a few times over the years. Gordy was also at one time one half of the WCCW American Tag Team champions.

### All Japan Pro Wrestling (1983–1994)

After leaving JCP, Gordy teamed with Steve Williams as The Miracle Violence Connection in All Japan Pro Wrestling. During his time there, he also held the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship on two occasions.

### World Wrestling Federation (1984)

The Freebirds spent a very brief time in the World Wrestling Federation in 1984, but left after management suggested splitting them up.

### Jim Crockett Promotions/World Championship Wrestling (1987, 1989, 1992)

The Freebirds spent some time in the National Wrestling Alliance's Jim Crockett Promotions where they split to feud briefly, but later reunited.

In 1989, Gordy helped Hayes to reform the Freebirds, with Jimmy Garvin, in Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP), which became World Championship Wrestling in 1991. Later he alongside of Dr. Death Steve Williams defeated the Steiners to become World Tag Team Champions.

Gordy and Williams returned to World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1992 and won the WCW World Tag Team titles. They also won the NWA World Tag Team titles in a tournament at the Great American Bash card in Albany, Georgia, one week later, and unified the titles. Their feud with Rick and Scott Steiner; in Japan, this was hyped as a feud between the best foreign teams of the two top Japanese promotions (the Steiners were competing for rival New Japan Pro Wrestling at the time). Despite advances by New Japan, Gordy and Williams, out of loyalty to the AJPW founder and promoter, Giant Baba, refused to compete for the promotion (which had business ties with WCW at the time), leading to Gordy's departure from WCW before Halloween Havoc and Williams' departure after Starrcade.

In 1993 Gordy, while traveling from the United States to Japan for a tour, took an overdose of pain medication and slipped into a coma, ultimately suffering permanent brain damage. He returned to action later that year, but never received a shot at the Triple Crown again. In 1994, Gordy had a small reunion with Hayes and Garvin as the Freebirds in the Global Wrestling Federation where he and Garvin won the GWF Tag Team titles.

### Extreme Championship Wrestling (1996)

In 1996, Gordy showed up in Extreme Championship Wrestling to challenge Raven for the ECW World Heavyweight title, as the "internationally recognized #1 contender". He had been working for the International Wrestling Association of Japan promotion in Japan, wrestling deathmatches. He lost, but went on to team up with Tommy Dreamer and later to reunite with "Dr. Death" Steve Williams to wrestle The Eliminators. He also wrestled Bam Bam Bigelow in what was billed as the first ever "Battle Of The Bam Bams". Gordy lost the match because of outside interference from The Eliminators.

### World Wrestling Federation (1996–1997)

Gordy had a brief run in the WWF as **The Executioner** in 1996 and 1997. He teamed up with Mankind, both managed by Paul Bearer, and feuded with The Undertaker. The Executioner came to the ring under a mask and carrying a plastic axe. He made his TV debut at the In Your House pay-per-view, *Buried Alive*, where he interfered in The Undertaker's Buried Alive match with Mankind, hitting him with a shovel and burying him with the help of several other wrestlers. However, at *In Your House 12: It's Time*, The Undertaker defeated The Executioner in an Armageddon Rules match, and Gordy left the promotion shortly afterwards. His final televised appearance was on the January 12, 1997 episode of *WWF Superstars*, where he lost to Goldust, after which Paul Bearer turned on him by hitting him with his urn.

## Personal life

Gordy left behind 2 young daughters Amber and Miranda Gordy and a son Ray Gordy. Gordy's son, Ray Gordy, wrestled for WWE as brand as "Jesse" and "Slam Master J" before being released in 2010. His nephew is Richard Acelinger, who competed for All Japan Pro Wrestling as Richard Slinger.

## Death

Gordy died of a heart attack caused by a blood clot on July 16, 2001. He was 40.

In 2014, he was posthumously inducted into the Southern Wrestling Hall of Fame. A year later, he was also posthumously inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum.

On April 2, 2016, Gordy was posthumously inducted by his son into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of The Fabulous Freebirds.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ Belly-to-back suplex
	+ Powerbomb
* **Signature moves**
	+ Big boot
	+ DDT
	+ Dropkick
	+ *Oriental Spike* (Thumb choke hold)
	+ Piledriver
	+ Running leg drop
	+ Running powerslam
	+ Samoan drop
	+ STF
	+ *Torpedo Lariat* (Lariat)
* **Managers**
	+ Sunshine
	+ Paul Bearer
	+ Jim Cornette
* **Entrance music**
	+ "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
	+ "Badstreet USA" by Michael Hayes and The Backstreet Band
	+ "Lovin' Every Minute Of It" by Loverboy
	+ "Piece Of Me" by Skid Row
	+ "I Love It Loud" by Kiss
* **Nicknames**
	+ "Bam Bam"
	+ "Ningen Gyorai" (Japanese for "Human Torpedo")
	+ "Original Powerbomb"

## Championships and accomplishments

* **All Japan Pro Wrestling**
	+ Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
	+ World Tag Team Championship (7 times) - with Stan Hansen (2) and Steve Williams (5)
	+ World's Strongest Tag Determination League (1988, 1990, 1991) – with Stan Hansen (1988) and Steve Williams (1990 and 1991)
* **Georgia Championship Wrestling**
	+ NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Michael Hayes
	+ NWA National Tag Team Championship (4 times) - with Michael Hayes (3) and Jimmy Snuka (1)
* **Global Wrestling Federation**
	+ GWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jimmy Garvin
* **Mid-South Wrestling Association | Universal Wrestling Federation**
	+ Mid-South Louisiana Championship (1 time)
	+ Mid-South Mississippi Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ Mid-South Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Michael Hayes (1) and Buddy Roberts
	+ UWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* **NWA Mid-America**
	+ NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Michael Hayes
* **Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame**
	+ Class of 2015
* ***Pro Wrestling Illustrated***
	+ PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (1986)
	+ PWI Tag Team of the Year award in 1981 - with Michael Hayes
	+ PWI Tag Team of the Year award in 1992 - with Steve Williams
	+ Ranked #**31** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1992
	+ Ranked #**36** of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003
	+ Ranked #**3**, #**16**, and #**34** of the top 100 tag teams of the "PWI Years" with Michael Hayes, Steve Williams, and Stan Hansen, respectively, in 2003
* **Southeastern Championship Wrestling**
	+ NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship *(Northern Division)* (1 time)
* **Smoky Mountain Wrestling**
	+ SMW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* **Texas Wrestling Hall of Fame**
	+ Class of 2014
* **World Championship Wrestling**
	+ WCW World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Steve Williams
	+ NWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Steve Williams
	+ NWA World Tag Team Championship Tournament (1992) – Steve Williams
* **World Class Championship Wrestling | World Class Wrestling Association**
	+ NWA American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ NWA American Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Michael Hayes
	+ NWA Brass Knuckles Championship *(Texas version)* (1 time)
	+ NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship *(Texas version)* (6 times) - with Michael Hayes & Buddy Roberts (5) and Iceman Parsons & Buddy Roberts (1)
	+ WCWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Michael Hayes & Buddy Roberts 2
* **WWE**
	+ WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2016)
* ***Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards***
	+ 5 Star Match (1988) with Stan Hansen vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada on December 16
	+ Best Brawler (1986)
	+ Match of the Year (1984) with Buddy Roberts and Michael Hayes vs. the Von Erichs (Kerry, Kevin, and Mike) in an Anything Goes match on July 4
	+ Tag Team of the Year (1980) with Buddy Roberts as The Fabulous Freebirds
	+ Tag Team of the Year (1981) with Jimmy Snuka
	+ Tag Team of the Year (1992) with Steve Williams as The Miracle Violence Connection
	+ Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2005) – as part of The Fabulous Freebirds

1Won while WCW was still affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance and prior to the NWA and WCW World Tag Team Championships being briefly unified.
2The Freebirds' 5th reign carried over after the title's name was changed to the WCWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship since they were the champions at the time the title was renamed.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Greg Oliver and Steve Johnson (2005). "Top 20: 7 The Fabulous Freebirds", *The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams*. ECW Press, 46–52. ISBN 978-1-5502-2683-6.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Greg Oliver and Steve Johnson (2005). "The National Era (Mid-1980s to present): The Miracle Violence Combination", *The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams*. ECW Press, 284–285. ISBN 978-1-5502-2683-6.
3. ↑ Cawthon, Graham (2013). *the History of Professional Wrestling Vol 1: WWF 1963 - 1989*. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 1492825972.
4. ↑ Cawthon, Graham (2013). *the History of Professional Wrestling Vol 3:Jim Crockett and the NWA World Title 1983-1989*. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 149480347X.
5. ↑ Cawthon, Graham (2014). *the History of Professional Wrestling Vol 4: World Championship Wrestling 1989-1994*. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 1499656343.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Solie's Title Histories: WCW
7. ↑ Foley, Mick (1999). *Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks*. ReganBooks. ISBN 0-06-039299-1.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Cawthon, Graham (2013). *the History of Professional Wrestling Vol 2: WWF 1990 - 1999*. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
9. ↑ It's Time . Pro Wrestling History (1996-12-15). Retrieved on 2015-06-17.
10. ↑ WWF 1996 . The History of WWE. Retrieved on 2016-12-07.
11. ↑ Solie's Title Histories: AJPW - ALL JAPAN PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING
12. ↑ Solie's Title Histories: AJPW - ALL JAPAN PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING
13. ↑ Solie's Title Histories: GEORGIA CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING (NWA)
14. ↑ Solie's Title Histories: GWF - GLOBAL WRESTLING FEDERATION
15. ↑ Oliver, Greg 2014-11-26. Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2015 announced . *Slam! Sports*. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved on 2014-11-28.
16. ↑ The Internet Wrestling Database - PWI Ratings for Terry Gordon . Retrieved on 2015-12-05.
17. ↑ Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years . Wrestling Information Archive. Retrieved on 2010-09-15.
18. ↑ Solie's Title Histories: NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE
19. ↑ Solie's Title Histories: NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE
20. ↑ Solie's Title Histories: SMW