During a recent interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling’s Bill Apter, WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler shared an interesting story about his legal dispute with Vince McMahon regarding the use of the title “The King.” Lawler recounted how he took legal action against McMahon after the WWE began promoting Harley Race as “The King” in Memphis and Nashville, a title that Lawler had long claimed as his own.
In a surprising turn of events, McMahon later reached out to Lawler personally. During their conversation, he invited Lawler to work with WWE while also allowing him to continue his wrestling career in Memphis. This arrangement opened up new opportunities for Lawler, blending his legacy in the Memphis territory with his work on a national platform.
Lawler reflected on the impact of this situation on his career and the wrestling landscape at the time, emphasizing how the wrestling business often involved complex relationships and negotiations. Below are some highlights from the interview with Sportskeeda:
Jerry Lawler on suing Vince McMahon:
We were in quite a battle. I remember I sued Vince McMahon when he brought in Harley Race as ‘The King’ in Memphis and then in Nashville. I sued him and I won the case, and I thought I was done with him for sure then.”
Jerry Lawler on how he began working for Vince McMahon in the early 1990s:
I don’t really know what happened, but he just called me one day and said, ‘Hey, wanna come up and work for us and continue to work in Memphis?’ And I said, ‘Well, if I can do that, yeah, I’ll do it.’”
