Buddy Roberts

"Solid worker in various tag teams. Became a regional star in the seventies thanks to Bill Watts, who paired him with Jerry Brown in the Hollywood Blondes in 1970 and later added him into the Fabulous Freebirds in 1980. In both cases Roberts' initial job was the be the glue guy who stooged and bumped for the babyfaces while doing most of the selling. Roberts was an active and ambitious bumper who threw himself into that role. With the Freebirds, Roberts was brought in so that Michael Hayes could take on more of a managerial role that would capitalize on his charisma while hiding his weaknesses as a worker. Terry Gordy was a savant, but having the 300-pound monster of the team do all the bumping and selling (Gordy was one of the best bumpers of the era) didn't make sense. Roberts fit in immediately as the Birds successfully moved to Georgia and became the anchor act on "Superstation" WTBS, one of the first regional stations to be broadcast to cable providers across the country. Throughout the next eighteen months, the Freebirds feuded with a revolving cast of babyfaces, from regional workers like Kevin Sullivan, Austin Idol, Robert Fuller and Stan Frazier (Uncle Elmer) to main event stars like Ted DiBiase, Junk Yard Dog, and Tommy Rich. Roberts wasn't the focal point of the feuds (Hayes) or the guy with the devastating moves (Gordy), but he helped keep their matches consistently entertaining. By the time the Freebirds moved to Dallas in late 1982, Hayes had developed into a better worker. As a result, Roberts started getting shunted into undercard feuds like the hair match with Iceman Parsons. While the schtick of Roberts wearing wrestling headgear over a wig to hide the shame of being bald was one note, Roberts was able to pull it off, giving Parsons something to do other than caddying for the Von Erichs. Roberts took on a more active role when the Freebirds moved to the AWA, as Gordy's popularity in Japan had soared, leaving Hayes and Roberts to carry the Freebirds banner without him for long stretches of time. The Freebirds eventually went back to work for Bill Watts in the UWF. Watts used Buddy as a transitional TV champion to try to put over Savannah Jack, an athletic but very green worker who left the business a few months later for health reasons. If you want to understand Buddy Roberts' capabilities in one match, try his TV title match against Terry Taylor with Bill Watts at ringside as the sole lumberjack, which was taped on 7/6/86 and aired on 7/12/86. Buddy was in his early forties by then, but he could still work."

[3.0] "This guy is a perfect example of a great character and a shit wrestler. He was great at getting heat from the crowd and his promos were ok, but he wasn't the best in-ring technician. I do agree with most that he was the least of the Fabulous Freebirds. His headgear gimmick in World Class was fun, even if it didn't produce any good matches from him. But I never turned on a wrestling show hoping to see a Buddy Roberts match or appearance."

[10.0] "Edited for a heightened score: Nothing but good things to say here. The Fabulous Freebirds were so great because each individual played such a critical role, and to their fullest capacity at that. Buddy was the maniac bumping workhorse of the group who would allow himself to become a human pinball. Perfect timing, crazy great body language and ability to make crowds become absolutely LIVID with relative ease. He almost always kept a fairly frantic pace which was uncommon for the time. I marked like nuts for the Iceman King Parsons feud and hot dang what fun that one STILL is! Had some really great matches with Johnny Mantell. Mic skills reflected his comfort in the ring - a total natural. Even his managerial stint leading The Samoan Swat Team was very enjoyable (my word he was ultra obnoxious here lol! ). The only negatives I can find is my own fault, for lagging it in finding more of his work outside of WCCW to watch! Definitely Recommended."

[4.0] "My least favorite of the Freebirds. (pretty much the jobber of the group) Mic skills were not the best, and wrestling skills average. If he wasn't part of the birds would rate a little bit lower."

[7.0] "The bump man for the Freebirds but he was more than that. He could work with the best of them & deserved oh so much more."

[8.0] "History teaches us that Roberts was a very important part of the Freebirds. Origionally assigned to the team as a glorified babysitter... the thought was Hayes/Gordy couldn't work enough so Roberts was going to take their bumps for them in the ring as well as keep them out of trouble outside the ring. Then a funny thing happened and Hayes/Gordy liked Roberts and he became like a brother to them. Roberts was already nearing the end of the line when he met Hayes/Gordy and they never were able to replace him. Of course Gordy would eventually find success in Japan with another gimmick, but Hayes/Jimmy Garvin never connected like Hayes/Roberts did. Personally I was a little too immature at the time Roberts was wrestling to really appreciate him. He certainly didn't appear to be a great wrestler at first glance. But once I learnt that good wrestling is about drawing money and connecting to the crowd, I learnt the value of a guy like Roberts. He was very over when he got the ball and had a chance to run with it."