The Fabulous Freebirds had a very brief stint in WWE back in 1984, with claims that they abruptly left because of creative disagreements and backstage issues, including an altercation with André the Giant. Years later, Michael P.S. Hayes would return to WWE in a prominent backstage role, and the group as a whole was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016.

"There's some really loose ends on that about what really happened," he said. "What really happened was we walked out. Buddy [Roberts] and [I] came back, and then Vince [McMahon] and [I] were going to talk, because I don't think Vince ever really wanted all the Freebirds. I think he just wanted [me] to do the Rock 'N Roll thing."

Hayes recalled how he had a deal with Electric Records at the time Vince McMahon was interested in the Freebirds, but he had a philosophy of leaving a place as soon as he got traction, but things got complicated when Terry Gordy fell in love with the woman he'd eventually get married to. "I remember we're at the Vero Moda In, there close to Madison Square Garden, we were having a couple of drinks before he told me: 'I don't think I like this Michael...'"

At a later stage, the men would be in an airport in Pittsburg, where they changed their flights because of Terry Gordy, which is where Michael P.S. Hayes admits the situation with André the Giant ended up happening. 

"And here comes André! And it didn't take long. The three of us were all hiding behind the pillars, 'I hope he don't see us, please don't see us!'" Hayes recalled. "I'd already got in trouble for showing up – when it was his first time as an agent – he was an agent, he was running the show in Youngstown, Ohio, and we were staying in Columbus and I thought we were off.So I drank about, I don't know, ten/twelve beers and taking some valium."

Shortly after, Hayes and the Freebirds pulled up to a school where their next show was supposed to take place, where he'd find out that he was actually on duty. 

"And I walked in, and literally like the cartoons you see, they're both holding me up, and André's there, playing Cribbage or whatever and drinking his wine and goes: 'He drunk?' and they go: 'No, he's not!' and they let me go, wham! Faceplant."

Hayes explained that André was instrumental in their call-up to WWE, and through his actions he ruined everything that could have happened. Ultimately, because of what happened between them and André, the Freebirds decided to leave instead.

Even though the Fabulous Freebirds out of WWE before they could get off, Vince McMahon wouldn't just let them walk out, as Michael P.S. claims McMahon continued to call after them to get them to reconsider, while he just ignored him for a week.

"I tried to explain that we weren't making what [he] said we were going to make right up front, and this and that, but 'I'm sorry,' and 'we'll come back and make the shots,' and 'I would like to stay,'" he recalled. At the time, the Freebirds were already booked for a stint in Japan, and as Hayes flew up for a meeting with McMahon, the final nail in the coffin for their relationship with WWE happened. "This is the infamous meeting where I fell asleep..."

"And I come to the meeting with a beer," he chuckled. Even after passing out, Hayes didn't think there was anything wrong or that McMahon would be upset, but once he called a WWE booker, he quickly found out that he lost McMahon's trust. "At the time, I didn't understand, because we're Freebirds, that's what we do(...) Terry went back to Dallas, and Buddy just kind of was in purgatory, and I went and got the book in Florida."

Eventually, Hayes was brought into WWE, but had to work for the promotion as 'Dok Hendrix,' ditching his signature Freebirds look to become an interviewer, which he briefly commented on. "I was not fond of Dok Hendrix, but I knew that's what Vince wanted," he explained, noting that this unfortunately didn't work out too well for him. "I knew that it was sink-or-swim."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "What's Your Story? With Steph McMahon," and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.