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Wrestling's ?King' Proves All Heart In Return To Ring

Wrestling's ?King' Proves All Heart In Return To Ring

Posted: May 27th 2013 By: CMBurnham

Early last week, WWE Hall of Fame wrestler Jerry "The King" Lawler said he never gets nervous before matches.

Not before slapping comedian Andy Kaufman on "Late Night with David Letterman" in 1982.

Not before stepping in the ring at WrestleMania XXVII in front of 71,617 fans and a pay-per-view audience of larger than a million.

But Lawler admitted Saturday night in the cozy setting of Dory Funk Arena was a little bit different.

"I had some butterflies before this," Lawler said. "It isn't often you return to doing something you love for the first time after nearly dying.

"This was special for me."

Eight-and-a-half months after he suffered Sudden Cardiac Arrest while providing commentary on an episode of Monday Night Raw airing live on USA Network, Lawler teamed with Funk, Johnny Magnum and Jessica "Powerhouse" Hill to take on Quinton "Drop Back" Hitchcock, Cory "Wild" Weston, Romero Youngblood and Hollywood Heather.

Lawler spent most of the match in the ring for his team, doing numerous comedy spots (including a pre-match bit where his blood pressure was checked by a ringside physician), as well as offensive moves that saw his opponents eagerly bump for him.

That all led to the big moment where he faced off with Heather - with whom he'd shared humorous banter throughout the encounter. Playing the heel role, Heather slapped "The King" in the face, receiving a piledriver and a three-count in return.

"You have no idea how great it was to be in there with him," said Hollywood Heather, 21, better known to her fellow Vanguard High School Class of 2009 alums as Heather Webber. "I've been watching him for 15 years, and it's just wonderful to have him here.

"You can learn so much being around him, just with how he works the crowd and the psychology he uses,'' she said.

Webber did joke that when Lawler told her he was going to piledrive her, she said, "You're gonna what? I don't want to be dropped on my head!"

Lawler, who received the "Fighting Heart" award from Funk earlier in the evening, said he was assured by his cardiologist that stepping back in the ring would not be a risk. However, he added that something that happened in a tag match about an hour before his cardiac arrest could have been the trigger.

"I have watched the tape of that over and over again, and wrestling sure is different now than when I started," Lawler said. "There is a moment where Dolph Ziggler delivers six or seven elbows to my chest. It was just bang, bang, bang. I think that knocked my heart out of rhythm (something Lawler said his doctors verified could be the case)."

So, Lawler says anytime Ziggler, the current world champion, tells a joke in the locker room, "The King" grins and replies with "you kill me, Dolph! No, literally, you killed me!"

Humor like that is part of what Lawler, 63, brought to the ring Saturday night in Ocala and always has.

"Jerry Lawler is my hero - he really is," said Funk, himself a WWE Hall of Famer. "I'm very proud of him and very thankful he chose to come to !Bang! TV to have his first match back.

"He's very important to this business. He's quite a man, and I feel fortunate to be able to call him my friend. It's always great to see him."

 

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Spotlight in History

  • 1967 Billy Red Lyons became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 2009 3rd Rail def. Se7en for the SWCW Luchadore Title
  • 2009 Se7en became the SWCW Luchadore Champion
  • 2014 Bobby Starr def. Guy Atticus for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 2019 Gorgeous Garcia def. Brock Landers for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 2025 Stephen Nitro became the NAW Indigenous Land Champion
  • 2025 Rex Mori def. Rook Tyler for the TexPro Dynasty Title

Week of Sun 11-08 to Sat: 11-14

  • 11-08 1967 Billy Red Lyons became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-08 2009 3rd Rail def. Se7en for the SWCW Luchadore Title
  • 11-08 2009 Se7en became the SWCW Luchadore Champion
  • 11-08 2014 Bobby Starr def. Guy Atticus for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 11-08 2019 Gorgeous Garcia def. Brock Landers for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 11-08 2025 Stephen Nitro became the NAW Indigenous Land Champion
  • 11-08 2025 Rex Mori def. Rook Tyler for the TexPro Dynasty Title
  • 11-09 1960 Danny McShain became the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 11-09 1976 The Spoiler def. Bill Watts for the TSW North American Title
  • 11-09 1978 Ron Bass became the TSW Brass Knucks Champion
  • 11-09 1986 One Man Gang def. Terry Gordy for the UWF Heavyweight Title
  • 11-09 1986 Savannah Jack def. Buddy Roberts for the UWF Television Title
  • 11-09 1986 Bill Irwin & Leroy Brown def. John Tatum & Jack Victory for the UWF Tag Team Titles
  • 11-09 2002 Sonny C def. Butch Dalton for the OCW Oklahoma Television Title
  • 11-09 2002 Dexter Hardaway def. Terry Montana for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Title
  • 11-09 2012 Kyle Kelly def. Steven Sterling for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 11-09 2012 The Swamp Men (Amphibian & Reptile) def. The Legion of Bromance (Justin Lee & Max McGuirk) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 11-09 2013 Michael Wolf def. Kidd Krash for the OWA Junior Heavyweight Title
  • 11-09 2013 The Syndicate (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders) def. The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Richard Sharpe) for the SWCW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-09 2013 Kidd Krash def. Michael Wolf for the OWA Junior Heavyweight Title
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  • 11-09 2024 Hell's Kitchen (The Canadian Red Devil & The Lunchador) def. The Grudge (Dr. Corvus & Giganto) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 11-10 1976 Bill Watts & Billy Robinson def. Karl Kox & Ken Patera for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 11-10 1987 Matt Borne def. Ted Arcidi for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 11-10 2002 Kool Ade def. Li'l Joe for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 11-10 2002 Jeffrey Parker def. Kool Ade for the ACW Hardcore Title
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  • 11-10 2007 J. D. Rebel & Fuel became the SECW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-10 2011 Uncle Mikey & Michael Titus became the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-10 2018 Alex Royal def. J. D. for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
  • 11-11 1964 Danny Hodge became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-11 1985 Eddie Gilbert & The Nightmare def. Wendell Cooley & Al Perez for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 11-11 1988 Eric Embry def. Jeff Jarrett for the WCCW World Light Heavyweight Title
  • 11-11 2006 Mustafa Sharmoot def. Glen Steel for the AACW Heavyweight Title
  • 11-11 2017 Running Wolf def. Dusty Gold for the NAW Heavyweight Title
  • 11-11 2022 Nova Phoenix became the CPW Women’s Champion
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  • 11-12 1979 Bill Watts & Buck Robley def. Mike George & Bob Sweetan for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 11-12 2002 Baby B def. Jeffrey Parker for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 11-12 2011 The Jersey Kings (Scott Riley & King James) def. Pork Chop & Shane Cortez (subbing for Big Smooth) for the SRPW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-12 2022 Ronnie Morton def. Ryan the Ripper for the RDW Brass Knucks Title
  • 11-12 2022 Andrew Fenix def. Dove Puro for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 11-12 2022 San La Muerte became the WAH Spotlight Champion
  • 11-12 2022 Elijah Sparks def. San La Muerte for the WAH Spotlight Title
  • 11-13 1950 Verne Gagne became the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-13 1964 Angelo Savoldi def. Hiro Matsuda for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title
  • 11-13 1965 Jack Brisco became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-13 2010 Arrogant Money (Randy Price & Austin Tacious) def. Awesome X (Kevin Morgan & Xavior) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-13 2010 Awesome X (Kevin Morgan & Xavior) def. Arrogant Money (Randy Price & Austin Tacious) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-13 2015 The Pen Palz (Skyler Fayden & Dimitri Alexandrov) became the SRPW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-13 2015 Lance Osburn became the SRPW United States Champion
  • 11-13 2015 Jon Cross def. Riker for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
  • 11-13 2021 Rebel Hearts (Christian Temple & Justin Gray) def. The Psychotic Messengers (Maniac Mike & Malachi) for the EPW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-13 2021 Striker def. Warren Powers for the EPW All-American Title
  • 11-13 2022 Subject to Death (Leo Fox & Derek James & Cade Fite) became the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champions
  • 11-13 2022 Derek James became the BPW Lion Heart Champion
  • 11-13 2022 Cappuccino Jones def. Derek James for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 11-14 1980 Bruiser Brody def. Stan Stasiak for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 11-14 2009 Goldeneye def. Sage for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 11-14 2009 John O'Malley def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Title
  • 11-14 2009 Running Wolf def. Michael H for the 412PE Heavyweight Title
  • 11-14 2010 Greatness On Demand (Rage Logan & Damon Windsor) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 11-14 2015 Aaron Neil def. Double D for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 11-14 2015 Nemesis (Bobby Starr & Damien Morte) def. The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-14 2015 Rolling Thunder became the NAW Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-14 2020 Alex Royal def. Sam Stackhouse for the WFC Heavyweight Title
  • 11-14 2020 Dimitri Alexandrov def. Tim Rockwell for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
11-08
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