James Ware
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.
Acted in
Biography: Booker T
2021
as (archive footage)
Biography: WWE Legends
2021
as Koko B. Ware (archive footage)
The Sheik
2014
The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment
2013
as Koko B Ware
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
2013
as Koko B. Ware
JCW Legends and Icons
2011
The True Story of WrestleMania
2011
as Koko B.Ware (archive footage)
WWE Hall Of Fame 2009
2009
as Koko B. Ware
World Wrestling Legends: 6:05 - The Reunion
2005
as Koko B. Ware
AWF Warriors of Wrestling
1995
as Koko B. Ware
WWF Bashed in the USA
1993
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWF: WrestleFest '93
1993
as Koko B. Ware
WWE Wrestling Grudge Matches
1993
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Royal Rumble 1993
1993
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Raw
1993
as Koko B. Ware
WWE Survivor Series 1992
1992
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE WrestleFest '91
1991
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE SuperTape vol. 4
1991
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Superstars & Stripes Forever: The March to WrestleMania VII
1991
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Royal Rumble 1991
1991
as Koko B. Ware
WWE Survivor Series 1990
1990
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE WrestleMania VI
1990
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Royal Rumble 1990
1990
as Koko B. Ware
WWE U.K. PPV
1989
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE SummerSlam 1989
1989
as Koko B. Ware
Fan Favorites
1989
as Koko B. Ware
WWE Royal Rumble 1989
1989
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: December '88
1988
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Survivor Series 1988
1988
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '88
1988
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: October '88
1988
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '88
1988
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE SummerSlam 1988
1988
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: April '88
1988
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
The Best of the WWF: volume 14
1987
as Koko B. Ware
WWE Houston Wrestling: November '87
1987
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
The Best of the WWF: volume 13
1987
as Koko B. Ware
The Wrestling Album II: Piledriver
1987
as Koko B. Ware
WWE WrestleMania III
1987
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: January '87
1987
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: January '87
1987
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WWF Wrestling Challenge
1986
as Koko B. Ware
The First Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament
1986
as Koko B. Ware
WWE Pay Per View
1985
as "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware
WCCW Thanksgiving Star Wars '84
1984
as Koko Ware
WCCW Cotton Bowl Extravaganza '84
1984
as Koko Ware