Hey Scott,
Longtime reader with a question for you: What is your opinion of Jerry Lawler as a wrestler? (with a caveat if I may: try to disregard most if not all of what he's done in the WWF/E and focus on his Memphis days if you can, although I realize that may not be possible if you didn't get to see lot of his Memphis work up in Canada). I grew up watching Lawler, Dundee, Koko, etc. in Louisville in the 80's so he was a "hero" of mine and I'm curious where you see him in the pantheon of great wrestlers and am also wondering what's the highest rating you've ever given one of his matches. Thanks!
I can tell you that the highest rating was easily his empty arena match with Terry Funk, which was *****, although that was more Funk than Lawler. Anyway, I like Lawler just fine as a worker. He’s of the Shawn Michaels mold, where he doesn’t even have to be a technically gifted wrestler because he knows exactly when to make the comebacks in order to keep the match entertaining. And he always brought it for that shots at the AWA title. Of course the WWF run was much different, in-ring, but even then I ended up giving **** to his Summerslam match with Bret Hart. I don’t know where he ranks in the “pantheon” or anything, but he was a worthy Hall of Fame addition.
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Tags: Bret Hart, Canada, Shawn Michaels, Terry Funk, WWF
I’ve only ever seen Lawler in the WWE so can’t comment on his Memphis work. As a 10 year old wrestling fan in 1993, however, I absolutely hated him in the feud with Bret – magnificent heel work on his part. His color-commentary in the 1990s was also second-to-none. I can only imagine how good he was in his prime.
Scott, have you reviewed the Empty Arena match before and if so, what rant was it in?
Although the finish was stupid, I really liked Lawler’s match with Kerry Von Erich for the “Undisputed” belt.
Yeah, Lawler’s WWF run was a lot different to his other stuff. I think Lawler always worked best in hardcore type matches, which was why his matches in kid friendly WWF always sucked.
Thanks to 24/7, Ive seen far more Lawler than I ever had before. He had some really good matches in Memphis…the AWA title match vs. Curt Henning stands out. The empty arena match is by far the best match but its really the Terry Funk show as Scott mentioned.
I think its tough to judge Lawler because he was pandering to the Memphis crowd, which for whatever reason is the most bizarre group of fans on the planet in terms of what they’re into. They didn’t want ***** matches.
Mempho sure had some bizarre stuff over the years (here’s Lawler confronting Batman- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpaQlfJsqCs). I think Darth Vader ever wrestled a few times. It was this rough-and-tumble southern territory with the occasional mummy or wolfman thrown in.
Lawler himself was one of those guys I didn’t see live as a kid but read about and saw pictures of in the Aptermagsl He had a heckuva run as the top babyface and whatever he might lack in “workrate” and “moveset” he more than made up for with a commanding grasp of ring psychology.
Don’t forget Kane as an evil Christmas Tree.
Seriously, what were they smoking in Memphis, and where can I get some?
The Empty Arena match is basically a long angle more than a match. There are probably 25 better Lawler matches on tape, and it’s not even the best Lawler/Funk match.
Lawler’s workrate and bumping were outstanding and he had a perfectly solid number of moves, even if he wasn’t in Jumbo/Race territory on that front. He was maybe the most complete worker in the history of wrestling–he literally could do *everything* well or at least decently.
I also think we’re selling Memphis a little short stylistically. Yes, its strength was in brawls, but Lawler was a lot more than just punches. As were Mantell and Dundee and Savage and most of the other long-term Memphis stars.
And I think you’re overstating things a bit.
Lawler the most complete wrestler ever? I don’t even think the “maybe” qualifier makes that a legitimate statement.
Then again, this “sport” is all subjective anyway.
I agree that Lawler is one of the most complete of all time. I would have to put him in the Top 5 along with Flair, Race, Shawn Michaels, and Terry Funk. He could talk people into the seats, and he could work with anyone from Kamala to Jeff Jarrett to Bret Hart to Andy Kaufman. He could bump like a mofo, his offense was always believable, and he could do the chickenshit heel thing or the Ricky Morton “hero-in-peril” equally. The Kaufman angle blew up so super huge; the Letterman appearance still gets talked about by TV fans, people who “wouldn’t know a wristlock from a wrist watch”. The guy drew in multiple territorie and still can get heat after about 35 active years; impressive to say the least and certainly enough credentials to warrant such a high ranking.
“multiple territorie” is not a typo, it’s a tribute to Pat Patterson
One of the best heels ever: check.
One of the best babyfaces ever: check.
(Think of how few people are capable of pulling *that* off).
Incredible bumper: check. Got press-slammed by Jos LeDuc from the ring to a ringside table (a table sitting against the barricade, not the ring apron). Thrown from the Mid-South Coliseum bleachers to the floor by Bill Dundee. Numerous backwards-over-the-top-to-the-floor bumps. Used a flying fistdrop as a finisher for about 20 years straight and managed not to completely fuck up his knees in the process.
Charisma: check.
Incredible interview: check.
Incredible brawler: check.
Scientific/mat-based style: capable. (I did say “everything well, or at least decently.”) Dude would never be mixed up with Volk Han but he could hang with guys like Bockwinkel on the mat.
High flying: capable. There is film footage from the 1970’s of Lawler doing a swanton bomb. Had the flying fistdrop, dropkicks, occasionally a top-rope legdrop. Much better at this than he’s usually given credit for.
Longevity: check.
Ability to get over in different environments: check. A huge draw as Memphis’ top heel and later top babyface, over in the WWF through several different periods and styles, over in ECW. Didn’t really get over in Japan but he only went over there twice (and even then I’ve heard good things about his IWGP title match with Fujinami).
Overall health: Lawler has wrestled a physical, bump-heavy style in a 35-year career and has had exactly ONE major injury (the broken leg that knocked him out for 18 months in 1980). The guy is the Cal Ripken of wrestling, which is something he absolutely does not get enough credit for.
I’ve been annoyed by Lawler’s commentary act for a long time, and while at his peak he was never on the level of Lawler and Ventura, he was also better than a lot of other guys. I’ve watched plenty of Lawler footage from throughout his career and if there was a major, glaring weakness in his repertoire, I’m missing it.
I’ll say it again: there are very few wrestlers throughout history who were as complete a package as Jerry Lawler.
Thread hijack, but Scott will appreciate this:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/07102009/news/regionalnews/biff__wham__pow__178573.htm
This HAS to be viral marketing for the animated DVD movie…right?
Or it is just a regular day in NYC?
I was at CitiField the other day and saw a guy dressed as Spider-Man playing the saxophone (badly I must say).
BTW, can’t wait for that DVD!
I was lucky enough to have seem the bulk of Lawler’s greatest Memphis matches in person. He will never be thought of as a high flyer or “scientific” wrestler and I would agree with that for the most part. What he could do was get people emotionally involved in what he was doing. Face or heel, Lawler could work the hell out of a crowd.
Remember, at the top of his run in Memphis wrestling was on from 1100 to 1230 on Saturday mornings. During that time over 60% of the televisions OWNED in Memphis were turned on and watching Memphis Championship Wrestling. Think about that. Sixty percent of all televisions were on the same station. EVERY week, not just when the big stars were coming to town. Tickets for the Monday night shows didn’t go on sale until Sunday afternoon, but would still sell over 9000 seats each week. Two or three times a year there would be crowds turned away from a 12,000 seat venue.
As I watch this Smackdown is on with Jeff Hardy and CM Punk faking eye injuries. Lawler and Dundee did an eye injury angle that filled the arena in Memphis. Dundee injured Lawler’s eye but Lawler fought him that week anyway. Incredible match that was completely believable.
He may not have sold as many tickets/PPVs world wide as Hogan or Flair, but that shouldn’t keep off anyone’s top 5 list. He could talk better than anyone, except Flair. His punches look better than anything in today’s WWE or TNA.
I happen to be watching My Breakfast with Blassie while reading this thread. Serendipity!
Lawler’s greatest talent was his understanding of the mental and psychological aspects of a wrestling match and crowd. Think how easily and brilliantly George Romero manipulated the audience with Dawn of the Dead; we fear the zombies at first, then laugh at them, then root for them against the bikers. Lawler was like that; he could make the crowd feel and react however he wanted them to.
Another comparison might be the NWA glory days of the Tully & Arn tag team. They didn’t wrestle with the flash and zing of the Midnight Express, but their matches were a clinic in tag-team psychology.
If I were an up-and-coming wrestler trying to get noticed by the crowd, I would want all the Lawler tapes I could get.
If anybody has the Wrestling Gold series – there was a match on Volume 1: Busted Open in Texas between Bob Sweetan (booker, and top babyface) against Lawler (heel). The match was nothing but stall tatics for 15 minutes, and yet listening to Dave Meltzer and Cornette analyze it was amazing.
Lawler, in his book, talked about the Andy Kaufman feud and how Andy didn’t really want to wrestle him because they couldn’t make it work – and Lawler booked a surperb match with a lot of heat and hate – and little to no work.
I’m sure Lawler could work, but I think a lot of Lawler’s mystique was his mic skills and his ability to hold an audience before he got into the ring as a heel or a face.
Kind of like Hogan, or the Rock . . . and even Flair (sometimes) as they had “it” on the outside of the ring and made people want to see them win, lose, or whatever.
Lawler vs. Funk was more about Funk being crazy. I got a old comp tape of Funk (during his classic days without the long hair and beard) just going crazy on everybody and thing. One angle was him in a empty arena cage just destroying some guy . . . (Enough on Funk for now)
I always liked Lawler in the WWF – just for the mic work. Knew Vince would never try to push him as anything other than a comic heel, or an “announcer” – but before Lawler truly had to become the company man after the “Stacy Carter F up” – there was some glimer of the old King. I enjoy his early heel announcer work in the WWF/E.
But Lawler knows the game . . . still he is someone who had a great legacy, but he wasn’t the biggest NATIONAL name in Wrestling that made great investments and was able to convince himself that he was a god. (Although I got to wonder as low Hogan is right now – if there would be a time – he’d finally go low enough to betray the values he invented.)