Did Jerry Lawler deserve a reign as NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion?

[It's...Baylariat!]

I ask this because I've been a fan of Jerry Lawler for many years. Not the Lawler on TV. That guy's awful. I'm talking about the KING Jerry Lawler. From Memphis, Tennessee. The man was a God in Memphis Wrestling. The fans were enamored with a simple looking guy who was damn good at beating people.

The appeal to Lawler was that he had that star quality. He carried himself as a man who was a master at his craft and someone who was better than most. Lawler also had some real great feuds back in his heyday in the 80's. To me, I think Flair or Race should have at least gave Lawler a month or so with the NWA belt. It would have been amazing to have Lawler win the most prestigious title in all of wrestling during that time. Instead, Lawler got a run with the AWA World Heavyweight Title simply because he and Jerry Jarrett were about to buy the promotion.

And Lawler's never really had a legit reign with a prestigious title. He's came close to beating Nick Bockwinkel when the AWA belt was prestigious. Same goes for Race and Flair. Close calls, but no win. So what do you think, folks? Did Jerry Lawler deserve a reign with the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Title? Could he have made the belt work? And if he didn't deserve it, why not?

 

[bullsgo]

I always thought so. As NWA champions go, Tommy Rich lowered the bar considerably. Because of his regional success, Lawler could have made at the very least a credible NWA transitional champion

 

[boozinjedi]

He deserved one of those 1 to 2 month reigns,Where Flair was the heel..everybody went nuts that he lost,BUT some time later when he won it back...they shook hands and everyone was all lovey-dovey!!
Any of these names ring a bell to that scenario..
Ronnie Garvin..
Kerry Von Erich..
Get the point..

Lawler DEFINITELY deserved some time on top!!

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

I always thought so. As NWA champions go, Tommy Rich lowered the bar considerably. Because of his regional success, Lawler could have made at the very least a credible NWA transitional champion

This is what made me frustrated. Tommy Rich was only champion to screw over Harley Race. Lawler would have made a great champion if he were to have ever held the belt. He was the natural underdog and no one in the match loses credibility. Because Lawler usually had 'favoritism' in Memphis, even if Race or Flair dropped the belt to him, they could have chalked it up to 'Lawler paid off the REF!' or something.

But Lawler deserved more than what he had, and that's the point I'm making.

 

[klunderbunker]

I don't think so, no.

As you said, he's a god in Memphis. Outside of there, he's ok but he's far from a legend. During his heyday of the 80s, Race and Flair were dominating the title scene. While Lawler would have been great if the title never left Memphis, as a national or international guy I'd have to go with no. He was indeed great in the ring, but I don't think he was that great, even for a transitional reign.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

I don't think so, no.

As you said, he's a god in Memphis. Outside of there, he's ok but he's far from a legend. During his heyday of the 80s, Race and Flair were dominating the title scene. While Lawler would have been great if the title never left Memphis, as a national or international guy I'd have to go with no. He was indeed great in the ring, but I don't think he was that great, even for a transitional reign.

See, the thing with that is he didn't draw outside of Memphis because there was no exposure to Memphis Wrestling on a national basis. Kerry Von Erich was only as big as he was because he was seen everywhere. Same can be said with other stars. I believe that if Lawler would have had the benefit of national TV exposure, he would have been as big as the Von Erichs, if not bigger. But he wouldn't have had the chance to be a draw outside of Memphis simply because it wasn't known if he could draw outside of there or not. It was a mystery and the promoters went with the sure things in Race and Flair, as Lawler isn't at their level at all.

 

[klunderbunker]

The difference with Race and Flair vs. Lawler is that Race and Flair had the in ring abilities to back themselves up. They had characters and in ring work. Lawler had the character and charisma but he was lacking in the ring. He had the punches and the piledriver, but not much outside of that. He was ok, but there would ahve come a point where the fans wouldn't accept what was going on in the ring anymore and that wasn't something that was going to be allowed for lack of a better term.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

The difference with Race and Flair vs. Lawler is that Race and Flair had the in ring abilities to back themselves up. They had characters and in ring work. Lawler had the character and charisma but he was lacking in the ring. He had the punches and the piledriver, but not much outside of that. He was ok, but there would have come a point where the fans wouldn't accept what was going on in the ring anymore and that wasn't something that was going to be allowed for lack of a better term.

True. His in ring prowess wasn't exactly up to par with the rest of the industry during that time. I'd wonder what a 60 minute match with him is like? Bet it would be a LOT of rest holds and possibly Lawler teasing the piledriver a few times. But overall, he could have been alright. He was over enough to make a transitional champ in my eyes. As long as the belt didn't leave the Memphis area. We're talking Lawler wins the belt in Memphis, then drops the belt in New Orleans or Little Rock, or Mobile, AL. But he was very limited in the ring. Especially for title matches that need 30-60 minutes.

 

[klunderbunker]

Which the thing is that's exactly what the NWA wanted to stay away from. They wanted the traveling champion that wrestled 40 minutes a night against every terrible local champion there was. Flair and Race were mythical wrestlers for the most part that you almost never saw but when they came around to your town. Lawler, as great of a character as he was, just doesn't fit that mold at all.

 

[BrothersMinistryofDarknes]

most definately. does anybody know waht regional champion from that era holds the most wins for the respective heavywieght belt? Its Jerry Lawler. 28 times USWA heavyweight champion. Damn right Jerry deserved to be NWA champ.

For petes sake they put it on Tommy Rich. And thats was just to piss off Harley Race. Lets face it.. Jerry deserved it, but wasn't gonna get it because of the "Good Ole' Boy's."


Back in those days the promoters could make you or break you. Jerry didn't draw in other territories because the top "Good Ole' Boys" did not like Jerry, so they had the promoters make him look bad.

If anyone deserved it back then it was definately Jerry Lawler.