9. Jerry Lawler Left The Company On Very Bad Terms
Paul Heyman and Jim Ross worked very well together behind the announce desk in 2001. However, that combination would never have occurred had it not been for the real-life arguments between Jerry 'The King' Lawler and Vince McMahon. Unhappy over the firing of his then-partner, Stacy Carter, Lawler decided to leave the promotion too. Nowadays, Lawler is portrayed as someone who has been pro-WWE forever. That's definitely not the case, because the announcer left on very bad terms in February, 2001. Later, Lawler would admit that he has regrets over that time period, because he was blinded by love. Nonetheless, the WWF didn't exactly cover themselves in glory either, making little attempt to convince Jerry he was needed. Things would work out well in the end, as The King returned later that same year. It would be the end of his natural chemistry with Jim Ross however, something which had become such a staple of programming that it was impossible to imagine shows without the duo. The pair would work together again, but Lawler's awesome heel mannerisms gave way to a much more babyface persona.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
