had used the Lynyrd Skynyrd song "Free Bird" and Willie Nelson's version of "Georgia on My Mind" up to that point and would on occasion in the future. In 1984, The Freebirds had a brief stint in the WWF but left when management wanted to split them up. The Freebirds then spent a few months in the AWA in 1985, feuding with The Road Warriors over the AWA World Tag Team Championship, winning the belts temporarily at the inaugural SuperClash event before the AWA overturned the decision. The Freebirds interfered in the match where the Warriors lost the belts to Jimmy Garvin and Steve Regal, and subsequently returned to Texas. In 1986, Hayes appeared in the opening credits of Highlander alongside The Fabulous Freebirds, working his Purely Sexy gimmick on the turnbuckle while writhing free of his ring robe. Universal Wrestling Federation/Jim Crockett Promotions (1986–1988) The Freebirds also spent several months in the Universal Wrestling Federation in 1986 and early 1987 with Sunshine as their manager. There they feuded with The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers) and with "Dr. Death" Steve Williams. In 1986, Hayes' partner in the Freebirds, Terry Gordy, became the first holder of the UWF heavyweight title. After losing the title by default to One Man Gang, the Freebirds engaged in a major heel vs heel feud with Skandor Akbar's Devastation Inc. group. The feud continued even after Akbar double-crossed Gang and helped Big Bubba Rogers win the title from him, and saw the Freebirds form an alliance with their former enemy Williams against Devastation Inc. After the breakup of the Freebirds, Hayes became a full-fledged babyface and remained in the UWF, which was later sold to Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) on April 9, 1987. At the JCP/UWF co-promoted pay-per-view event Starrcade '87, Hayes teamed with Jimmy Garvin (also now a babyface after reconciling with kayfabe brother Ron Garvin) and Sting to face the team of Eddie Gilbert, Rick Steiner and Larry Zbyszko whom they wrestled to a time-limit draw. He later challenged NWA World Champion Ric Flair and frequently teamed with Jimmy Garvin. Return to WCCW (1988) Hayes returned to World Class Championship Wrestling to find that his former Freebird partners Gordy and Roberts, in alliance with Iceman Parsons and The Angel of Death, had resumed their feud with the Von Erichs. After Gordy and Roberts helped Parsons win the World Class heavyweight title from