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Jerry "The King' Lawler comes to Richmond

Jerry "The King' Lawler comes to Richmond

Posted: Apr 12th 2008 By: mikeiles

Legendary professional wrestler and commentator Jerry ?The King? Lawler will headline a Mountain Wrestling Association show against area wrestler ?Legendary? Larry D. in Richmond on Friday.

The King took a few minutes earlier this week to chat with the Herald-Leader about his career, Kentucky's rich wrestling history and how he says his defeat of Randy Savage in Lexington years ago was among the best things to happen to the ?Macho Man.?

On Kentucky's contribution to professional wrestling and any impact from World Wrestling Entertainment's decision to no longer use Louisville's Ohio Valley Wrestling as a training league:

Lawler said he was surprised by WWE's decision to cut ties with OVW in favor of Florida Championship Wrestling. He said that WWE is moving some of its operations to Florida because a lot of the company's wrestlers live there.

But just because WWE no longer has a presence in Kentucky doesn't mean the state won't continue to influence the industry, he said.

?Kentucky just has a great history as far as wrestling ...? Lawler said. ?It's always been a place that has produced young talent.?

In light of the recent feud between wrestler The Big Show and boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., Lawler spoke about why his feud with Andy Kaufman still stands out as probably the most ?successful such rivalry:

?It was innovative in the sense that that was the first time that there was any crossover between a mainstream Hollywood celebrity and the world of ?wrestling,? Lawler said of the feud.

When the rivalry hit the airwaves on Late Night With David Letterman in the early 1980s, professional wrestling wasn't even close to being on a national media stage.

?At that time, for a small-time promotion in Tennessee and Kentucky to all of a sudden make national headlines ... was groundbreaking,? he said. ?That paved the way for things like Mayweather ... (and) it will always stand out because it was pretty much the first.?

Lawler on his commentary for WWE:

It all started by accident, he said. ?Macho Man? Randy Savage had been doing commentary for the company but jumped to rival World Championship Wrestling.

WWE owner ?Vince McMahon rushed into my locker room and said, "King, Savage is on the other show. Would you mind doing the commentary with me tonight?'? Lawler recalled. ?I thought it was just going to be a one-week thing.

?I never once intended to get into this business to be a commentator. My first love was always wrestling.?

And he says he and play-by-play man Jim Ross receive no direction from WWE's writers.

Lawler on still wrestling while in his late 50s:

He doesn't wrestle often anymore but does it because he likes smaller shows. ?It's a throwback to our old-school type of wrestling that I really loved when I started,? he said. ?WWE's great, but it's gotten so big that some of the shows are on the impersonal side.

?When I come to a venue like Richmond, the fans can come and bring their cameras and have their pictures made with me, come up and shake hands ...?

Lawler on his favorite memory of wrestling in Kentucky:

It was a loser-leaves-town match in Lexington against Randy Savage, who ran an area promotion with his father.

?Randy, I'm sure, never thought that losing that match would be the best thing that ever happened to him,? Lawler said. ?He was then forced to get out and basically go national. From there, he went on and caught on with the WWE and had a huge run as "Macho Man' Randy Savage.?

 

Tags: Jerry Lawler, WWE, WCW, Jim Ross

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Spotlight in History

  • 1984 Killer Khan became the WCCW Television Champion
  • 2010 Cody Jones became the NWA-OK Texoma Champion
  • 2010 Jack Legacy def. Jeff Starchild for the MWA Heavyweight Champion
  • 2010 Dustin Heritage def. Shane Morbid for the MWA MAX-Division Champion
  • 2010 A. T. F. (Al Farat & Gurkha Singh) became the NWA-OK Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
  • 2010 La Reina de Corazones became the NWA-OK Women's Champion
  • 2011 Rudy Edwards def. Ryan Styles for the SWCW All-American Champion
  • 2011 Bernie D & Max McGuirk def. Nemesis (Rage Logan & Damien Morte) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 2016 Tyson Jaymes def. Brandon Groom for the BCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 2018 Jack Swagger became the WCR Heavyweight Champion
  • 2018 The Von Erichs (Marshall Von Erich & Ross Von Erich) became the WCR Tag Team Champions
  • 2018 Damon Windsor became the WCR Revolutionary Champion
  • 2021 Jerome Daniel Griffey def. Tino Valentino for the ASP Heavyweight Champion
  • 2022 Drake Gallows def. Oxley for the RDW Heavyweight Champion
  • 2022 Derek James became the AWE Lion Heart Champion
  • 2022 Luna Nightshade became the RDW Women's Champion
  • 2022 Brandon Groom def. Derek James for the AWE Lion Heart Champion
  • 2022 Becky def. Luna Nightshade for the RDW Women's Champion

Week of Sun 05-05 to Sat: 05-11

  • 05-05 1941 Maurice Shapiro became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-05 1958 Jim LaRock became the TSW United States Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-05 1958 Jim LaRock def. Sandor Kovacs for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-05 1978 Jerry Brown & Bobby Jaggers def. Ray Candy & Steven Little Bear for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 05-05 1982 King Kong Bundy def. Kerry Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-05 1982 Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia def. The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 05-05 1986 Rick Rude def. Lance Von Erich for the WCCW Television Champion
  • 05-05 2002 Red Eagle def. Terry Montana for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Champion
  • 05-05 2002 Terry Montana def. Red Eagle for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Champion
  • 05-05 2007 The Compound Varsity (Romero Contreras & Justin Lee) became the FCW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-05 2012 Kareem Sadat def. David Kyzer for the SWCW Hardcore Champion
  • 05-05 2017 El Greengo Loco & Karnage def. Team Dean Machine (Christopher Dean & Jerry Dean) for the BPPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
  • 05-05 2024 Tzuki def. Guerrerito for the EDW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-06 1959 Pretty Boy Collins & Duke Scarbo became the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Champion
  • 05-06 1969 Ramon Torres & Alberto Torres def. Karl Von Stroheim & Treacherous Phillips for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 05-06 1974 Rip Tyler def. Bob Sweetan for the TSW Brass Knucks Champion
  • 05-06 1984 The Rock & Soul Connection (Buck Zumhofe & King Parsons) def. The Super Destroyers (Super Destroyer 1 & Super Destroyer 2) for the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
  • 05-06 1984 The Von Erichs (Fritz Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich & Mike Von Erich) def. The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy, Michael Hayes, & Buddy Roberts) for the WCCW World 6-Man Tag Team Champion
  • 05-06 1984 The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich & Mike Von Erich) became the WCCW World 6-Man Tag Team Champion
  • 05-06 1985 The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) became the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
  • 05-06 2005 Shane Morbid def. Kenny Campbell for the SRPW X Division Champion
  • 05-06 2005 The 918 Boyz (Timmy J & Cade Sydal) became the SRPW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-06 2011 Jeff Starchild became the MWA Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-06 2017 Lone Star, Inc. (Cody Burns & Trey Cole & The Longhorn Outlaw) def. Simply the Future (J. D. & Alex) for the WFC Tag Team Champions
  • 05-06 2017 Team Dean Machine (Christopher Dean & Jerry Dean) def. El Greengo Loco & Karnage for the BPPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
  • 05-06 2023 Thrash def. Jason Jones for the WFC Prime Champion
  • 05-06 2023 MLP def. Red James for the RDW Brass Knucks Champion
  • 05-06 2023 Red James def. MLP for the RDW Brass Knucks Champion
  • 05-07 1984 Killer Khan became the WCCW Television Champion
  • 05-07 2010 Cody Jones became the NWA-OK Texoma Champion
  • 05-07 2010 Jack Legacy def. Jeff Starchild for the MWA Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-07 2010 Dustin Heritage def. Shane Morbid for the MWA MAX-Division Champion
  • 05-07 2010 A. T. F. (Al Farat & Gurkha Singh) became the NWA-OK Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
  • 05-07 2010 La Reina de Corazones became the NWA-OK Women's Champion
  • 05-07 2011 Rudy Edwards def. Ryan Styles for the SWCW All-American Champion
  • 05-07 2011 Bernie D & Max McGuirk def. Nemesis (Rage Logan & Damien Morte) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-07 2016 Tyson Jaymes def. Brandon Groom for the BCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-07 2018 Jack Swagger became the WCR Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-07 2018 The Von Erichs (Marshall Von Erich & Ross Von Erich) became the WCR Tag Team Champions
  • 05-07 2018 Damon Windsor became the WCR Revolutionary Champion
  • 05-07 2021 Jerome Daniel Griffey def. Tino Valentino for the ASP Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-07 2022 Drake Gallows def. Oxley for the RDW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-07 2022 Derek James became the AWE Lion Heart Champion
  • 05-07 2022 Luna Nightshade became the RDW Women's Champion
  • 05-07 2022 Brandon Groom def. Derek James for the AWE Lion Heart Champion
  • 05-07 2022 Becky def. Luna Nightshade for the RDW Women's Champion
  • 05-08 1970 The Hollywood Blondes (Jerry Brown & Buddy Roberts) became the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 05-08 1985 The Snowman became the MSW Television Champion
  • 05-08 1988 Kerry Von Erich def. King Parsons for the WCCW World Champion
  • 05-08 2004 Brandon Groom def. Michael Barry for the NWA-OK Oklahoma Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-08 2004 John O'Malley became the IZW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-08 2004 Kenny Campbell became the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 05-08 2004 Luc Lapointe & Se7en became the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-08 2010 Excellence Personified (Dustin Heritage & Se7en & Michael Barry & Jack Legacy) became the TAP Tag Team Champions
  • 05-08 2010 Wage def. Eric Rose for the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 05-08 2010 John O'Malley def. Kevin Morgan for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-08 2010 Michael H def. Tex for the 412PE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-08 2010 J. R. Orullian & The Unknown def. The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Dennis Williams) for the 412PE Tag Team Champions
  • 05-09 1967 Gorgeous George, Jr. & Jack Brisco def. The Assassins (Assassin #1 & Assassin #2) for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 05-09 2004 John O'Malley def. Chris Matthews for the ACW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-09 2004 Se7en became the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 05-09 2004 Bernie Donderwitz def. Se7en for the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 05-09 2009 Crazy Beautiful (Brett Taylor & Michael York) def. Team SuperBad (El Super Colibri & Justin Lee) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 05-09 2009 Dane Griffin def. Dustin Heritage for the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 05-09 2009 BLK-OUT (Jermaine Johnson & Montego Seeka) def. Impact, Inc. (Johnny Z & Bernie D) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-09 2015 The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Billy Ray [1st]) def. Hurricane Ross & J. R. Orullian for the NAW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-09 2021 Erica def. Brandon Barricade for the ASP All Time Champion
  • 05-10 1966 The Assassins (Assassin 1 & Assassin 2) became the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 05-10 2008 Jerry Bostic became the 3DW Violent Division Champion
  • 05-10 2014 Billy Ray [1st] def. Running Wolf for the NAW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-10 2014 American Made def. Tim Rockwell for the UWE United States Champion
  • 05-10 2019 Kody Lane def. Latrell Upton for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 05-10 2023 Leo Fox def. The Wolf of War for the RDW Iron Man Champion
  • 05-11 1976 Karl Kox & Bob Sweetan def. Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 05-11 1981 Ernie Ladd def. Kerry Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-11 2008 The Midnite Rider def. Outlaw for the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
  • 05-11 2008 Limited Edition (Les Mayne & Dane Griffin) def. The South Side Soul Assassins (Tyson Jaymes & 3rd Rail) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 05-11 2013 Billy Ray [1st] became the NAW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-11 2013 The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Billy Ray [1st]) def. Pretty In Pink (Mike Rose & Michael Duplanti) for the NAW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-11 2019 Drake Gallows became the KCW National Champion
05-07
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  • Jerry Brown May 10th
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