If you think that CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Cesaro et al had it rough having to find their way into the upper echelons of the WWE without being allowed to trade on their past as collateral, being casually belittled as rookies, then you don't know the half of it with Jerry Lawler. Before joining the WWF in 1992 he was a 52 time Southern Heavyweight Champion, and is an icon in Memphis, the King of Wrestling having sold out arenas there years before many current WWE superstars were born. Lawlers the reason that the Memphis territory lasted as long as it did after the battle throughout the eighties for the legacy of US wrestling saw Vince McMahons WWF victorious, and the majority of the NWA territories fall by the wayside. His status as a heavy draw in the area kept the box office booming because Lawler refused to do what every other star of the era was doing, and signing with the big boys. While the WWF was going national and battling Jim Crockett Promotions and the AWA for the soul of Americas pro wrestling audience, Lawler was doing what hed always done: wrestle and sell out houses all over his turf. And then the WWF came knocking - not to recruit him, but to replace him. Theyd finally signed the legendary Harley Race in 1986, but had a problem: their policy of refusing to recognise the history and success of organisations outside of the WWF meant that they couldnt use Races incredible career to date to get him over. Their solution? Have him win the second annual King Of The Ring tournament, but have it translate into a new gimmick, the King of Wrestling. Sound familiar? Thats because it was infringing Lawlers incredibly successful regional gimmick. It was poor form, but the WWF was all about poor form and disrespect in the 1980s, because Vince McMahon simply wanted to win. Lawler was old school, and (contrary to his onscreen personas on Monday Night RAW) a smart, creative guy who knew to pick his battles. He sucked it up and ignored it until the WWF came to tour on his turf, advertising Race as the King of Wrestling. In May 1987, Lawler sued the WWF; incredibly, he won. Vince McMahon is many things, not all of them good: but hes always impressed when someone shows a set of cojones as large as his. From then on, Lawler and the WWF werent at loggerheads far from it. They began working together in 1992, McMahon taking WWF superstars to the then USWA in Memphis as heel invaders while the King heeled it up in the WWF. That was the beginning of the Mr. McMahon heel boss character and when Memphis finally gave up the ghost, Lawler had a new job and a whole second career waiting for him, twenty-two years after beginning the first one. The Race relations issue wasnt the last time hed stand on principle, though. When his wife, WWF valet/wrestler Stacy the Cat Carter was sacked by the company in February 2001 for being a massive liability and a pain in the rear end, Lawler quit outright in support of the woman he loved. The marriage, sadly, wouldnt show the same degree of fortitude in the face of trouble, and in November a newly single Lawler returned to the WWF once more. If youre wondering how a sixty-five year old man who debuted in 1970 can be considered punk rock: well, firstly punk rock began a lot earlier than you think it did. Secondly, he may not necessarily be going to shows every weekend, but with his fiercely principled and individualist streak Lawlers right up there with the best of them. Thirdly, hes never touched a drop of alcohol, a single cigarette or come within spitting distance of narcotics: the man was straight edge before straight edge was even a thing.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
