Michael Seitz (born March 29, 1959) is an American professional wrestling executive, retired professional wrestler and former musician, better known by the ring name Michael "P.S." Hayes. He is employed by the professional wrestling promotion WWE as Vice President, Creative Writing & Booking.

Debuting in 1977, Hayes came to prominence in 1979 as the founder and leader of stable the Fabulous Freebirds. Over the following 15 years, the Fabulous Freebirds wrestled for promotions including Mid-South Wrestling, the World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), and World Championship Wrestling (WCW), holding championships including the WCWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship, WCWA World Tag Team Championship, WCW World Tag Team Championship, and WCW World Six-Man Tag Team Championship. After largely retiring from the ring in 1995, Hayes worked as an announcer and interviewer for the WWF (now WWE) before segueing into a behind-the-scenes production role. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016 as part of the Fabulous Freebirds.

Professional wrestling career

Early career (1977–1979)

Hayes started wrestling in 1977 in the Tennessee regional promotions. In 1978, he wrestled his first tour overseas in Germany for IBV which later became the Catch Wrestling Association.

In 1978, Hayes formed a tag team with Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy called the Fabulous Freebirds.

Mid-South Wrestling (1979–1980)

In late 1979, Hayes and Gordy moved to Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling promotion, where they swiftly defeated Watts and Buck Robley for the Mid-South Tag Team Championship. Their first reign lasted until March 1980, when they lost to Paul Orndorff and Ted DiBiase. They regained the titles later that month. While in Mid-South Wrestling, Hayes and Gordy were joined by Buddy "Jack" Roberts, expanding the Freebirds from a tag team to a stable. Hayes adopted the moniker "P. S." ("Purely Sexy") and began moonwalking in the ring like Michael Jackson at his concerts.

The Freebirds' second reign as Mid-South Tag Team Champions ended in April 1980 when they lost to Buck Robley and Junkyard Dog. This led to a match on June 9, 1980 in the Municipal Auditorium putting Robley and Junkyard Dog against Gordy and Roberts (accompanied by Hayes), with the stipulation that the loser would have their hair removed. After Robley lost the match and the titles, Hayes poured hair removal cream in Junkyard Dog's eyes, (kayfabe) blinding him. The angle saw Junkyard Dog seemingly forced to retire from wrestling; after he gave a promo in which he revealed that he could not see his new-born daughter, the heat on the Freebirds became extreme, with fans attempting to attack them. The Freebirds added to the heat by appearing on television wearing dark glasses and carrying canes to mock the blinded Junkyard Dog. Junkyard Dog returned to the ring on August 2, 1980 at Mid-South Wrestling's "Superdome Extravaganza" show in New Orleans' Louisiana Superdome, defeating Hayes in a steel cage dog collar match. Junkyard Dog went on to face Hayes and the Freebirds in a series of violent matches, including dog collar matches, cage matches, "Jim Bowie" death matches, and loser leaves town matches. The feud culminated in a lights out no disqualification match in the Riverside Centroplex in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on November 4, 1980 where Junkyard Dog and Bill Watts defeated Hayes and Gordy. Following the match, Hayes and the other Freebirds left Mid-South Wrestling for Georgia Championship Wrestling.

Georgia Championship Wrestling (1980–1982)

In October 1980, the Fabulous Freebirds joined Georgia Championship Wrestling, where Hayes and Gordy swiftly defeated Mr. Wrestling and Mr. Wrestling II for the NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship. They defended the titles under the "Freebird Rule", where any two of the Freebirds would wrestle in title matches. In November 1980, the Championship was held up after a match against Austin Idol and Kevin Sullivan, after which the titles were abandoned. That same month, Hayes and Gordy defeated Steve Keirn and Terry Taylor to become the inaugural NWA National Tag Team Champions. In January 1981, Stan Frazier and Ted DiBiase defeated Hayes and Roberts for the title, with Hayes and Gordy regaining the titles five days later. Their second reign ended in June 1981 when Hayes and Roberts lost to DiBiase and Steve Olsonoski.

In June 1981, the Fabulous Freebirds disbanded after Roberts left Georgia Championship Wrestling and Hayes and Gordy began feuding with one another. In September 1981, Hayes and Otis Sistrunk defeated Gordy and Jimmy Snuka in a cage match for the NWA National Tag Team Championship. The titles were vacated shortly thereafter when Sistrunk left the promotion. The feud between Hayes and Gordy continued into early 1986, with the former partners facing each other in gimmick matches including lumberjack matches, taped fist matches, and "loser must drink from a baby bottle" matches.

In mid-1982, Hayes and Gordy patched up their differences and reformed the Freebirds as a duo. In July 1982, they defeated Big John Studd and Super Destroyer for the NWA National Tag Team Championship. They lost the titles to the Wild Samoans the following month. They left Georgia Championship Wrestling shortly thereafter for Texas.

World Class Championship Wrestling (1982–1984)

In 1982, the Freebirds left for World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), where they had one of their most famous feuds. Hayes was chosen by the fans to be the special guest referee during the Ric Flair-Kerry Von Erich NWA World Heavyweight Championship steel cage match at Christmas Star Wars. Hayes at one point knocked Flair out so Von Erich could get the pin and the title. Von Erich refused to pin him after the dirty deed which ultimately led to Gordy slamming the cage door on Von Erich's head. As this later cost him the title, it triggered the feud between The Fabulous Freebirds and The Von Erichs and ended a good respectful friendship between both groups. The Freebird-Von Erich feud ended for good in 1993 during a memorial card in tribute to Kerry Von Erich.

Hayes was always the leader of the group with his exceptional mic skills and he recorded the team's new theme song, Badstreet USA, in 1983. The video to the song features all three of The Fabulous Freebirds as well as Jimmy Garvin, who was often considered the fourth Freebird. They 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.

All Japan Pro Wrestling (1984)

In January 1984, Hayes, Gordy, and Roberts wrestled in Japan with All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) as part of its "New Year Giant Series", unsuccessfully challenging NWA International Tag Team Champions Giant Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta in Tokyo's Korakuen Hall. They returned to AJPW in October to November 1984 as part of its "Giant Series", during which Hayes unsuccessfully challenged NWA United National Champion Genichiro Tenryu in Nagasaki.

World Wrestling Federation (1984)

The Fabulous Freebirds debuted in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in August 1984. During their nine-week stint in the WWF, they primary competed in six-man tag team matches and tag team matches, with their main opponents being the Moondogs. Several of their matches aired on WWF on PRISM Network, WWF on MSG Network, WWF Maple Leaf Wrestling, and WWF Championship Wrestling. In September 1984, they were abruptly fired from the WWF after showing up late and drunk for a show.

Championship Wrestling from Florida (1984–1985)

In December 1984, Hayes joined the Florida-based NWA territory Championship Wrestling from Florida, where he initially formed a tag team with Dutch Mantel before reuniting with Gordy and Roberts. The Fabulous Freebirds initially feuded with Boris Zhukov, Jim Neidhart, Krusher Kruschev, and The Saint, then feuded with the Assassins. In January 1985, Hayes unsuccessfully challenged NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair in Fort Lauderdale.

The Fabulous Freebirds regularly wrestled for Championship Wrestling from Florida until spring 1985. They went to divide their time between Florida, Mid-South Wrestling, and Texas (wrestling at the 2nd Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions) before joining the American Wrestling Association.

American Wrestling Association (1985–1986)

In early-1985, the Fabulous Freebirds began wrestling for the Minneapolis-based American Wrestling Association (AWA). They competed primarily in the tag team division, though Hayes challenged AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel on several occasions. In September 1985 at SuperClash, the Fabulous Freebirds challenged AWA World Tag Team Champions the Road Warriors, winning the belts temporarily before the AWA overturned the decision. Later that month, the Fabulous Freebirds interfered in a bout between the Road Warriors and Jimmy Garvin and Steve Regal, helping Garvin and Regal win the titles. In January 1986, the Fabulous Freebirds lost a six-man tag team cage match to Jerry Blackwell and the Road Warriors. Following the match, the Fabulous Freebirds left the AWA to return to Texas. Hayes returned for a single night in April 1986, teaming with Jimmy Garvin in a loss to the Road Warriors in a cage match in the main event of the AWA supercard WrestleRock.

Universal Wrestling Federation (1986–1987)

In May 1986, the Fabulous Freebirds returned to Mid-South Wrestling, which had been renamed Universal Wrestling Federation with Sunshine as their manager. Soon after arriving, all three Freedbirds entered a tournament for the UWF Heavyweight Championship; Hayes was eliminated in the first round after wrestling Terry Taylor to a draw; Gordy went on to win the tournament. The Fabulous Freebirds vied with teams including the Rock 'n' Roll Express, the Fantastics, the Road Warriors, Chavo Guerrero and Terry Taylor, and "Dr. Death" Steve Williams amd Ted DiBiase. In October to November 1986, Hayes faced DiBiase in a series of "country whipping" matches. In November 1986 at the "Superdome Extravaganza" in the Louisiana Superdome, Hayes lost to Williams in a cage match.

After Gordy lost the UWF Heavyweight Championship by default to One Man Gang, the Freebirds engaged in a major heel versus 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. In August 1987, Gordy and Roberts left the UWF. Hayes remained in the UWF, allying with Shane Douglas against Big Bubba Rogers. In October 1987, Hayes briefly reformed the Fabulous Freebirds as a tag team with Jimmy Garvin as his partner. Hayes continued performing for the UWF until it closed down in late 1987.

Jim Crockett Promotions (1987–1988)

On April 9, 1987, the UWF was sold to Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP). The Freebirds joined the JCP roster in May 1987. Throughout mid-1987, they repeatedly challenged NWA United States Tag Team Champions The Midnight Express. At Starrcade '87: Chi-Town Heat in November 1987, Hayes teamed with Jimmy Garvin and Sting to face Eddie Gilbert, Larry Zbyszko, and Rick Steiner, with the match ending in a time-limit draw. In December 1987 and January 1988, Hayes had a series of matches against NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair, including a time limit draw that aired on NWA World Championship Wrestling. Hayes left JCP in January 1988 to return to Texas.

World Class Championship Wrestling (1988)