Remembering the Past – USWA

Let me start this column off by saying thank you to Kayfabe Memories for asking me to write for their web site. Some of you might remember me, my name is "Big Business" Brown, and I’m an indy wrestling manager. I’m currently working with some Florida indy promoters but there was a time between 1994–1996 when I was in the USWA, part of the talent roster, and actively touring with the company. It was a wild ride to say the least, . . and although I’m sure I won’t be able to write a monthly column forever, I do have lots of USWA memories of the past, during the time I was on the road with the company. The boys all knew the company as Jarrett Promotions, a joint venture between Jeff Jarrett’s dad Jerry, and the infamous “King” Jerry Lawler. Seemed like we never really called it the USWA . . . mainly because Jarrett Promotions was the name on the checks we got every week. 

During my time with the USWA, I managed some great guys and many of them are still in the business today. Most of them are still doing the indy scene, but some are still in the old territory, working for groups like NWA Georgia, Memphis Pro, USA Wrestling in Nashville (which is the old NWA Nashville). Some of those guys have gone onto bigger and better, and some of them, well, I have no idea where they are. Specifically, three workers come to mind (who I’ll mention later), and I spent a lot of time on the road with these three . . . up and down the highway, in the hotels, in the arenas and doing TV tapings.

After all, that is the only reason I left Florida to go to Memphis, so I could get on national TV. Back then, the USWA still had a good TV presence. Not as good as WCW or the WWF but at least they were on in many different markets, I think the peak was somewhere around 140+ different cities. 

Over the next few months, I’m going to tell you about some of my memories about the territory, the road, the guys, working with Jerry Lawler and Randy Hales who were handling booking with Jerry. I also want to tell you a little bit about the three guys I managed the most: The Gilberts, Doug and Eddie, and Tommy “Wildfire” Rich.  More...