Konnan
Undisputed Jack in the Box Parking Lot Champion
Before Attitude Era Vince 
A glimpse at things to come
The WWE Network has managed to gather an exciting collection of professional wrestling, spanning many promotions and periods of time. From the archives of AWA to the WCCW to WCW and more, the rabid wrestling aficionados' appetite can be whetted time and time again. With more libraries being added constantly, ones' $9.99 can be more than amply returned in classic library perusal alone.
However, due to legal wranglings, one library that will not see the light of the WWE Network is the United States Wrestling Association. USWA was formed in 1989 by the Von Erichs and Jerry Jarrett, merging World Class Championship Wrestling and Continental Wrestling Association. After merely a year as partners, the Von Erich's pulled out, with Kevin Von Erich suing Jarrett over revenue discrepancies. Jarrett and Jerry "The King" Lawler continued to run the promotion until 1996, when Jarrett sold the USWA to Lawler and partner Larry Burton. Those two sold the USWA to businessman Mark Selker, promising that it would turn a profit. USWA died in 1997, and Burton, Lawler and Selker went to the courts. Somewhere between Selker, Lawler and the Memphis television station lies ownership of the library.
This poorly-produced product may not look like much; for one, it is a lot of Jerry Lawler being pre-John Cena John Cena, rising above all of Memphis. Watching for some length of time would result in finding a gem: a 1993 heel Mr. McMahon.
Vince McMahon would use Lawler's home promotion in much the same way as he would employ Paul Heyman's Extreme Championship Wrestling, Ohio Valley Wrestling and in the more current working relationship with Ring of Honor: USWA served as a feeder system for the WWF. Lawler would keep his eye on potential WWF stars. The unique thing about USWA was that there was a full-on talent trade with WWF. Stars such as Brett "The Hitman" Hart and Tatanka would routinely wrestle for the USWA and appear at USWA tapings. In Memphis, there was no question as to the face or heel dynamic; Lawler always equaled face. This was especially interesting because mentions of Lawler's WWF escapades in USWA usually resulted in shifting the whole heel/face dichotomy. In the early 90's, WWF Lawler was pretty much a heel, so Lawler retold his WWF storylines from the perspective of the downtrodden, hard-working good ol' boy facing the big-city wheeler and dealer Vince McMahon, breezing into town with all flash and no substance.
I don't deign to know the business relationship between Lawler and McMahon, but somehow, Lawler got McMahon to step out of his commentator role and show up in USWA as that agitatin' Yankee. It is here that McMahon would build the foundations of the character that he would later introduce to WWF television.
Article from CageSide Seats
Link to playlist of the fukkery
McMemphis - YouTube
A glimpse at things to come
The WWE Network has managed to gather an exciting collection of professional wrestling, spanning many promotions and periods of time. From the archives of AWA to the WCCW to WCW and more, the rabid wrestling aficionados' appetite can be whetted time and time again. With more libraries being added constantly, ones' $9.99 can be more than amply returned in classic library perusal alone.
However, due to legal wranglings, one library that will not see the light of the WWE Network is the United States Wrestling Association. USWA was formed in 1989 by the Von Erichs and Jerry Jarrett, merging World Class Championship Wrestling and Continental Wrestling Association. After merely a year as partners, the Von Erich's pulled out, with Kevin Von Erich suing Jarrett over revenue discrepancies. Jarrett and Jerry "The King" Lawler continued to run the promotion until 1996, when Jarrett sold the USWA to Lawler and partner Larry Burton. Those two sold the USWA to businessman Mark Selker, promising that it would turn a profit. USWA died in 1997, and Burton, Lawler and Selker went to the courts. Somewhere between Selker, Lawler and the Memphis television station lies ownership of the library.
This poorly-produced product may not look like much; for one, it is a lot of Jerry Lawler being pre-John Cena John Cena, rising above all of Memphis. Watching for some length of time would result in finding a gem: a 1993 heel Mr. McMahon.
Vince McMahon would use Lawler's home promotion in much the same way as he would employ Paul Heyman's Extreme Championship Wrestling, Ohio Valley Wrestling and in the more current working relationship with Ring of Honor: USWA served as a feeder system for the WWF. Lawler would keep his eye on potential WWF stars. The unique thing about USWA was that there was a full-on talent trade with WWF. Stars such as Brett "The Hitman" Hart and Tatanka would routinely wrestle for the USWA and appear at USWA tapings. In Memphis, there was no question as to the face or heel dynamic; Lawler always equaled face. This was especially interesting because mentions of Lawler's WWF escapades in USWA usually resulted in shifting the whole heel/face dichotomy. In the early 90's, WWF Lawler was pretty much a heel, so Lawler retold his WWF storylines from the perspective of the downtrodden, hard-working good ol' boy facing the big-city wheeler and dealer Vince McMahon, breezing into town with all flash and no substance.
I don't deign to know the business relationship between Lawler and McMahon, but somehow, Lawler got McMahon to step out of his commentator role and show up in USWA as that agitatin' Yankee. It is here that McMahon would build the foundations of the character that he would later introduce to WWF television.
Article from CageSide Seats
Link to playlist of the fukkery
McMemphis - YouTube
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