Koko B. Ware

Koko B. Ware
Koko B. Ware
	File:Koko Ware.jpg
Born	[June 20]], 1957; Union City, Tennessee
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Koko B. Ware; Stagger Lee; Sweet Brown Sugar; ”Blue Blazer”
Billed height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Billed weight	229 lb (104 kg)
Debut	1978

Koko B. Ware (born James Ware on June 20, 1957) is an American professional wrestler who made his professional wrestling debut in 1979. He gained most of his popularity in the World Wrestling Federation when he was known as the Birdman. He used to come to the ring with his macaw Frankie, flapped his arms like a bird before and after his matches while dancing.

Career

The Early Years

Koko spent his early days in the sport in the Mid-South, Georgia and other NWA territories where he impressed fans enough to vote him the Pro Wrestling Illustrated Rookie of the Year 1979. Initially he competed under the names “Sweet Brown Sugar” and “Stagger Lee” and was a popular face (good guy). 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 & Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert). During the course of the match Stagger Lee’s mask was removed to reveal the man beneath it, this prompted a heel turn for both Ware and Austin, dubbing themselves Pretty Young Things or the PYT Express as they competed in the Dallas, Florida and Memphis territories.

Together the “Pretty Young Things” won multiple regional tag-team titles and appeared on major cards presented by federations like the American Wrestling Association, Mid-South Wrestling and World Class Championship Wrestling

the WWF

In 1986 Koko B. Ware signed with the World Wrestling Federation Where he was repackaged as the fun loving “Birdman” Koko B. Ware with his pet Macaw “Frankie” that would sit on a perch at ringside while Koko was in the ring. The bright outfits, the colorful hair and friendly personality made Koko a big hit especially with the younger crowd that the WWF mainly catered to during the 80ties.

Koko’s first major showcase in the WWF was at Saturday Night Main Event on November 29, 1986 where he defeated Nikolai Volkoff. Unfortunately for Koko his initial success in the big match environment was not an indicator of things to come as he soon found himself losing repeatedly when he came up against such stars as Butch Reed, Greg Valentine and The Big Boss Man. From 1987 to 1993 Koko would appear on several WWF PPVs and Saturday Night Main Events but ended up losing every time, being used mainly to make established or rising stars look good.

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) 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 the USWA icon Jerry Lawler. Koko also hooked up with Rex Hargrove and won the USWA Tag Team Championship once. Koko B. Ware competed in the USWA until his semi-retirement in 1995

While competing in the USWA Koko B. Ware also got a bit of a push in the WWF when he teamed up with Owen Hart to form the high flying team known as High Energy, famous for their gigantic baggy brightly colored pants and checkered suspenders. High Energy feuded with (and generally lost to) The Nasty Boys, the Headshrinkers and Money Inc. making only one PPV appearance as a team (a loss to the Headshrinkers at the 1992 Survivor Series. The team ended in 1993 after Owen Hart injured his knee.

After High Energy ended Koko was mainly used as a “Jobber to the Stars” until he left the WWF in 1994.95

Semi-retirement and return

After leaving the WWF Koko made a few appearances for the American Wrestling Federation but did not become a regular before going into semi-retirement in 1995.

In 1999 Koko made a short-lived return to the World Wrestling Federation where he put on the “Blue Blazer” mask during the Owen Hart angle, when Hart tragically died the angle was dropped and Koko’s services were no longer needed.

Sadly Koko’s macaw “Frankie” died in a house fire in 2001 while Koko and his family were at church.

In 2003 Koko returned to the spot light competing once again in the Memphis area for the Memphis Wrestling promotion. He also competed at the “World Wrestling Legends” PPV on March 5, 2006 where he defeated Disco Inferno. He also appeared at "WWE Homecoming", RAW's return to the USA Network, on October 3, 2005.

He fought (and was defeated by) Rob Conway on the October 28, 2005 edition of WWE Heat and is currently in many independent wrestling organizations such as the AWA-Supreme Championship Wrestling where he has wrestled against people like Eric Draven and The Blackhearts.