Jerry Jarrett
Jerry W. Jarrett (born September 4, 1942 in Nashville, Tennessee) is an American promoter and professional wrestler, and the father of wrestler Jeff Jarrett. He is the founder and, as of 2005, the part-owner of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Like World Wrestling Entertainment Chairman Vince McMahon, Jarrett started as promoter and then became a wrestler later in life.
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Career
Born into poverty, Jerry Jarrett's was exposed to the wrestling business at a very early age. His mother worked as a ticket vendor, and Jarrett began selling programmes for a promotion owned by Roy Welch and Nick Gulas at the age of seven. After receiving his driving license at fourteen, he became a wrestling promoter, renting buildings, advertising shows, constructing the ring, selling tickets, and stocking refreshments. He worked as a promoter until he left Nashville to attend college. Upon graduating, Jarrett worked for Welch and Gulas as an office assistant, and became a referee by default after a referee no-showed. He soon returned to promoting, working his way up from local promotions to regional, then federal promotions.
While working as a referee, Jarrett decided to become a wrestler, and was trained by his friend and future tag team partner Tojo Yamamoto and veteran wrestler Sailor Moran, and wrestled his first match in Haiti in 1965.
Jarrett became a successful wrestler in the South, particularly in his home state of Tennesseee, forming tag team with Jackie Fargo and Tojo Yamamoto. At one point he participated in the extremely hazardous Scaffold Match.
Jarrett operated multiple wrestling promotions across the years, including – Mid-Southern Wrestling, the Continental Wrestling Association, the United States Wrestling Association, World Class Championship Wrestling and, most recently, Total Nonstop Action. Jarrett was often the business partner of Jerry Lawler. In the 1970s, Jarrett began televising his shows.
Total Nonstop Action
In 2002, Jarrett was engaged in running a construction company when his son Jeff convinced him to open another wrestling promotion. J. Sports and Entertainment, a limited company with Jerry Jarrett as Chief Executive Officer and Jeff Jarrett as President, announced on May 10, 2002 that they had formed Total Nonstop Action in conjunction with the National Wrestling Alliance. In October 2002 Jarrett sold his controlling interest in TNA to Panda Energy International, and J. Sports and Entertainment was effectively replaced by TNA Entertainment, a company owned and operated by Panda Energy. Jarrett was still a shareholder, but no longer the owner of TNA.
TNA aired its first Pay Per View on June 19, 2002
Jarrett's old school approach to wrestling has led to disagreements with then-booker Vince Russo. In particular, Jarrett was unhappy with Russo's promos containing profanity and his edgy storylines. He is understood to prefer current TNA Booker, Dusty Rhodes. Until April 2003, Jarrett was personally involved in the booking of the promotion.
On June 18, 2003 Jarrett made an infrequent onscreen appearance when he was interviewed by commentator Mike Tenay in the course of the first TNA Anniversary Show.
When TNA moved its headquarters to Orlando, Florida, Jarrett remained in Tennessee, and later began working with Bert Prentices USA Championship Wrestling promotion.
On May 19, 2004 Jarrett was hospitalised with severe chest pains. He was given a triple bypass on May 23 and appeared to make a full recovery. However, on September 25 Jarrett was again hospitalised, this time with an irregular heartbeat. He was later fitted with a pacemaker, and given a clean bill of health.
Profile
- Height: 5'7" (170.2 cm)
- Weight: 189lbs (85.7 kg) (competitive weight)
- Birthday: September 4, 1942
- Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
- Resides: Hendersonville, Tennessee
- Trained By: Sailor Moran and Tojo Yamamoto
- Professional Debut: 1965
- Previous Identities: Hawaiian Flash
- Finishing/Signature Move(s): Lou Thesz Press
Championships/Accomplishments
- 1-time NWA World Tag Team Champion (with Jackie Fargo)
- 10-time NWA Southern Tag Team Champion (6-time with Tojo Yamamoto, 3-time with Jackie Fargo, 1-time with Johnny Marlin)
American Wrestling Association
- 3-time AWA Southern Tag Team Champion (2-time with Tojo Yamamoto, 1-time with Jackie Fargo)
Continental Wrestling Association
- 1-time CWA Tag Team Champion (with Tojo Yamamoto)
Books
- The Story of the Development of NWA-TNA: A New Concept in Pay-Per-View Programming (2004)
External Links
Interview with Jerry Jarrett covering his years as a promoter