1981

Recap and Preview

1980 saw longtime area promoter Nick Gulas, his co-promoter and TV announcer Harry Thornton, and his main attraction Jackie Fargo all retire. By the start of 1981, Jerry Jarrett, Fuller’s promoting partner, was running most of Gulas’s old cities. Tommy Rich returned to the area in 1980 and shocked fans by becoming a heel. Things had returned to normal by the year’s end when Rich became a fan favorite again. Other big news from 1980 though revolved around the injury that sidelined top attraction Jerry Lawler. The injury forced Jarrett to turn to a crew of veterans such as Billy Robinson, Ken Lucas, Bill Dundee and Rocky Johnson to pick up the slack. It also enabled a new star or two to emerge. With Jarrett picking up the Gulas cities, Bobby Eaton made a splash while Koko Ware, who had worked for both Gulas and Jarrett, began his steady climb to the top. Lawler was out of action approximately eleven months. As 1981 began Lawler was set to return and had set his sights on his former manager, Jimmy Hart, who had severed his partnership with Lawler while the King was injured. Their feud would open the doors to an interesting year ahead.

It’s Good To Be King

The table had been set. Jerry Lawler’s leg injury was healed. Promoter Jerry Jarrett had effectively teased Lawler’s return for several weeks. Lawler’s enemies were waiting in line. Finally it was time for wrestling’s King to return to his home, the rings of Jarrett Promotions.

Lawler had determined prior to his return to set his sights on three men in particular, Jimmy Valiant, who had spent much of 1980 with Lawler’s crown and who would end up as Southern champion during Lawler’s return, Paul Ellering, who had been named by Jimmy Hart as Lawler’s heir apparent and Hart himself, who had announced Lawler’s career as over when the injury occurred. He would get his shot at each early in 1981.