At one time... Jerry Lawler wasn't a weird looking commentator...he was a bad ass!

[It's...Baylariat!]

I could easily copy and paste some facts about Jerry Lawler in here. He has an extensive list of accolades, moments, and famous angles that could be listed, but I'm going to take a different angle. I want to inform some of the younger generation about a guy who may not have looked like the stereotypical wrestler. He wasn't blown up like Hulk Hogan. Wasn't tanned and blonde like Ric Flair and Tommy Rich. But he was one of the top draws in wrestling during his hey day. He OWNED the Memphis territory. Anyone that was the NWA Heavyweight Champ during that time came to Memphis and NEVER got a clean finish against Lawler. Not Flair, not Race, not Bockwinkel, not even Stan Hansen pulled off a clean win against Lawler in Memphis.

The bottom line is Jerry "The King" Lawler was awesome. He was mostly a face in Memphis. Believe that or not. His feuds with Austin Idol, Tommy Rich, and Superstar Bill Dundee were major angles in his territory and garnered national attention thanks to PWI and other wrestling magazines. His matches were usually bloody slug fests that typically ended with a piledriver.

Matter of fact, Lawler even gained national media attention by wrestling Andy Kauffman, who during that time was on one of the most popular sitcoms on TV, Taxi. Lawler piledriving Kauffman and smacking the living hell out of him on Late Night with David Letterman made national headlines. Lawler was portrayed as a tough guy pro wrestler who wanted to prove that wrestling may be scripted, but there was nothing fake about the in-ring contact.

It's a damn shame that the WWF turned him into a cartoon character of a king and ended up nearly killing his aura around old school wrestling circles. Do yourselves a favor and research some of his matches on YouTube. Because to me, Jerry Lawler isn't the bad commentator who yelled 'PUPPIES' every time he seen a pair of tits. He's the legit badass who delivered a stiff piledriver to his ex wife in the middle of a ring during a storyline. He's the dude that threw fire in Andy Kauffman's face. He's the guy that was nearly killed by a car driven by Eddie Gilbert, on TV.

He's the KING! He's Jerry Lawler. And he was...at one time... a bad ass.

 

[Theo Mays]

Fuck yes! Fuckin' Lariat, awesome. And like always he is back with a great thread. And by God are you spot on or what. Most of the younger generation fans don't know a shittin' thing about Jerry Lawler minus the fact that he is an announcer and wasn't anything special during his time as a wrestler in the E. I'll admit that I use to be like that but then I decide to research up on Jerry Lawler and I found out just how much awesome he reeked. My father then filled me in on Lawler/Kauffmen and how big a deal it was. It really is a shame that Jerry is known for being that perverted announcer, when in reality he was just all kinds of awesome and kicked all kinds of ass in his day.

 

[Y2JChrisJericho]

Personally I loved both the Jerry Lawler the wrestler and announcer, in fact he's my favourite announcer ever when he was a heel. He never lost his touch either, I remember him wrestling a jobber named Al Jackson I believe and calling the match while wrestling, and that was during the early 90s. People who started watching the product now, the kiddies, I assume don't know shit about him, which is a shame because Lawler great, he had very good matches with just about anyone, and honestly if someone said Lawler was the best wrestler during his prime I would have a very hard time arguing with that.

 

[Davi323]

Jerry Lawler + Andy Kaufman + keeping the slap kayfabe for 20 years = what a real wrestling storyline should look like.

I agree wholeheartedly about Lawler formerly being a badass. I didn't get to watch a whole lot of Lawler growing up, as E$PN didn't show a lot of the AWA or USWA until after I was in high school and doing other things...but I knew who he was, thanks to the wrestling mags which I bought at the local pharmacy along with comic books, and knew that after Hogan and Flair, the kings of the WWF and NWA, that Lawler was one of the most successful pro wrestlers at the time. I have read his wikipedia page and have seen the insane amount of championships he has won as well.

However, I will disagree with the idea that it was the WWF/E that turned him into a clown. Lawler is who Lawler is. Sometimes the personality of the guy playing the "character" takes over. I submit that the Jerry Lawler we see on TV every Monday is worlds closer to the real Jerry Lawler than his wrestling personality ever was, the WWE is simply letting him be himself.

 

[3,000 Pound Gorrilla]

Is it the "E's" fault tho really? We as a society have moved away from "pure". Spot monkeys, over the top acts of quasi violence, a magician on the stick, and boobs (of course) are draws. King has just changed with the times. Of course, he can't do flippys off the Titantron... but he can scream "Puppies!!" and be a clown on the mic. I think the man is awesome. He was awesome as a wrestler and is awesome as an announcer. He and JR were gold.

Another thing to think about is... and I sigh as I am hitting my 33rd birthday in a few days... Age... I'm no spring chicken anymore. I have been watching wrestling for about 25ish years that I can really remember. The King's greatness is being lost..like anything great. When Nolan Ryan was smoking batters like cheap cigars... he was the King. He is now but a footnote to all but hardcore baseball fans. How many games in a row did Cal Ripken Jr. play in a row? Who's record did he break? See... Times change, people change.

I am a huge wrestling fan (and mlb fan obvisouly) but, in 20 years, will we remember Nexus? Edge? It's the way of the world.

And, there you have it.

 

[giblet55]

Lawler was a true wrestling god down south...

He was a smartass in those days, but he told it like it was, and his flying fist drop followed by a piledriver could always back it up.

Lawler has always been one of my favorite Legends, but it is too bad that in WWE's environment he's not that badass anymore. I will say this, back when it was him and Jim Ross, I used to love that their bond was so tight that Lawler would intervene on JR's behalf. When King would put his crown down and get out from behind the announcer's table I used to mark out something serious.

 

[Paul_J_L]

And who can forget his CLASSICS with Kerry Von Erich, and his fighting to be on the cover of PWI, by his AWESOME feuds with that crazy son-of-a-b!tch, Terry Funk!

I'm 27, and I must say that he was pretty f'n sweet back in the day. That was before Vince got to him in the announcer's booth. Hell, I even like the Kiss My Foot match with Bret, and the funny as hell promos he would cut in "preperation" for the match (who could forget the walking barefoot in horse manure).

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

And who can forget his CLASSICS with Kerry Von Erich, and his fighting to be on the cover of PWI, by his AWESOME feuds with that crazy son-of-a-b!tch, Terry Funk!

I'm 27, and I must say that he was pretty f'n sweet back in the day. That was before Vince got to him in the announcer's booth. Hell, I even like the Kiss My Foot match with Bret, and the funny as hell promos he would cut in "preperation" for the match (who could forget the walking barefoot in horse manure).

This. What's messed up is that Lawler legit nearly put Funk's eye out in an Empty Arena match in Memphis. That was a brutal ass match that was nearly unairable on TV because Funk wouldn't stop saying words like shit and bitch and other colorful things. They had some brutal matches. And their hatred was very underrated for their day. It was up there with Flair and Rhodes as far as just feeling the hatred between two wrestlers.

And Lawler's matches with Von Erich would have been much better if they fought more often during their primes. Their AWA/WCCW Unification match was very underwhelming and is only memorable because Kerry cut himself so badly with a blade, he nearly died of blood loss after the match. It was more or less Kerry Von Erich being clumsy with his blade that got more attention than the rivalry itself.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I have seen the list of championships that Lawler held and he is something like a 59x Memphis Wrestling Heavweight Champion, its unbelievable. For one man to stay at the top in one territory for as long as he did shows how over he was with the fans!

Lawler was awesome in the late 90s on the mic, and was certainly a bad ass back in his day, he was part of some seriously brutal matches and could brawl with the best of them.

It is sad to see the lack of effort he puts into his job now, as he is only a shadow of his former self, but I still love to see him put the mic down and get in the ring every now and again,

King is a legend in the business, and certainly should have the respect of every wrestling fan for what he has given over the years

 

[Immaculate]

I have seen the list of championships that Lawler held and he is something like a 59x Memphis Wrestling Heavweight Champion, its unbelievable. For one man to stay at the top in one territory for as long as he did shows how over he was with the fans!

I think that's because he is the owner of the Memphis wrestling federation

I've seen a bit of Lawler from AWA, his feud with Andy Kaufman, and his feud in WWF with Bret Hart. When I think of Lawler, I think of someone like Larry Zybsyko. Doesn't really have the size or the look, but has a dedicated following and can be an attraction for small time venues.

Though I must agree Lawler is a bad ass. He's also got a thing for younger women and strange rumors circulating about such.

I'm not sure if anyone mentioned this but when Lawler joined WWF as a commentator he was seen as real cocky and too rib him, the kliq, Undertaker and Mr Perfect would all take a dump in his crown.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

I think that's because he is the owner of the Memphis wrestling federation

I've seen a bit of Lawler from AWA, his feud with Andy Kaufman, and his feud in WWF with Bret Hart. When I think of Lawler, I think of someone like Larry Zybsyko. Doesn't really have the size or the look, but has a dedicated following and can be an attraction for small time venues.

Though I must agree Lawler is a bad ass. He's also got a thing for younger women and strange rumors circulating about such.

I'm not sure if anyone mentioned this but when Lawler joined WWF as a commentator he was seen as real cocky and too rib him, the kliq, Undertaker and Mr Perfect would all take a dump in his crown.

He didn't 'own' the territory until it was long gone. The territory was mostly ran by Jerry Jarrett and Jackie Fargo. Lawler booked some matches, but the NWA Heavyweight Title matches weren't booked by him.

Point of the thread is, Lawler was the "King of Wrestling" according to Memphis folks. Think about that. They basically said, "Fuck Flair, Fuck Harley Race, and Fuck a bunch of Nick Bockwinkel... we love JERRY LAWLER." Takes a strong personality to win over a fan base for so long.

And he's the "King" of gimmick matches, too. The Texas Death Match. The 5,000 dollar per punch match, Singapore Spike matches, Concession stand brawls. You name the gimmick, Lawler's done it... twice.

And the WWE turned him into a cartoon character.

 

[TheAssassin]

Yeah, Lawler used to be a great commentator. I still don't mind him really, just it seems like he's bored these days and his heart isn't into it as much as it used to be.

 

[Dyno Kid]

I'm glad this thread was started because Lawler's alway been a favorite of mine ! Today's fans who only know of Lawer the WWE announcer should really do themselves a favor and look up some of his legndary work from Memphis.

His feuds with Austin Idol, Tommy Rich, Bill Dundee, Jimmy Valiant, Joe Leduc, and the Dream Machine were great and worth looking up ! Great promo's and bloody brawls were a Lawler specialty in particular with his biggest rival Dundee.