8 Most Powerful Backstage Politicians In Wrestling History

5. Jerry Jarrett

The architect of modern episodic pro wrestling television and a major-drawing wrestler in his own right, Jerry Jarrett was one of the most intelligent and successful bookers ever; under his pen, Memphis throughout much of the 1970s and 1980s was the U.S. city that drew the most fans on a weekly basis.

Of course he knew his way around the political landscape.

According to Memphis wrestling folklore, Jarrett was part of a crime in which Jack Donovan was violently punished for refusing to screw over promoter John Cazana. Donovan refused to press charges against Jarrett (and Jackie Fargo and Tojo Yamamoto) in fear of getting blackballed. Jerry refused to ever talk about it.

In addition to very dirty old-world politics, the sort of the sh*t that’ll get your head split open if you’re not careful, Jarrett had a knack for the usual: almost as soon as he got the book, he positioned himself on top at the expense of leading star Dennis Hall.

To younger readers, Jarrett, in selected ways, wasn’t too dissimilar to Paul Levesque (although Jarrett would no doubt consider Levesque’s television shows tedious in the extreme). He booked himself on top and made bold moves at a very early age.

In a totally brazen power grab, Jarrett formed a competing promotion to Nick Gulas, the Continental Wrestling Association, convincing the NWA to side with him in the process. That is politicking on a near-unprecedented scale; the fabled “new party”, only it actually happened. Mapping the origins of pro wrestling TV as full-on soap opera, it was extraordinarily successful

“Politician” is to many a synonym of “liar”. When Mike Tenay first negotiated with Jerry Jarrett about coming into TNA, he wanted assurances that Vince Russo had nothing to do with the nascent outfit. He’d heard the rumours. Tenay was told that Russo was not involved (he was). Tenay was only made aware when he was easing into the role. Jarrett did tell Tenay that he could leave with no ill feeling, but he knew what he was doing with the timing.