Jerry Lawler’s Net Worth

Jerry Lawler, a semi-retired American professional wrestler and WWE commentator, has a net worth of $1.5 million. Known as “The King,” Lawler is a WWE Hall of Famer and has held more championships than any other wrestler in history, though he never won a WWE title. Lawler has also made his mark in the entertainment industry, notably appearing in the 1999 film Man on the Moon.

Early Life

Born Jerry O’Neil Lawler on November 29, 1949, in Memphis, Tennessee, Lawler spent parts of his childhood in Ohio, where his father worked for Ford Motor Company. From ages 7 to 15, he lived in Amherst, Ohio, near Cleveland, where he developed a lifelong love for Cleveland sports teams. He later moved back to Memphis, where his father passed away when he was just 19 years old.

Wrestling Career

Jerry Lawler began his wrestling career with the Continental Wrestling Association in 1977, where he fought for 12 years before moving on to the American Wrestling Association in the 1980s. By 1992, he had joined the WWF (now WWE), engaging in memorable feuds with stars like Bret Hart and Doink the Clown. Lawler’s legendary career spans several wrestling organizations, including the United States Wrestling Association (USWA). Despite not winning a WWE championship, Lawler gained prominence through his skill and charisma.

In addition to wrestling, Lawler transitioned into a role as a color commentator, first part-time in the late 1990s and later full-time after moving to the WWE in the early 2000s. He became a fixture on WWE programming, particularly known for his entertaining commentary style alongside announcers like Michael Cole.

Jerry Lawler Feud with Andy Kaufman

One of the most iconic moments in Jerry Lawler’s career was his feud with comedian Andy Kaufman in the early 1980s. Kaufman, known for his inter-gender wrestling skits, claimed to be the “inter-gender wrestling champion of the world” and challenged Lawler to a match. Their staged feud escalated after Lawler delivered his famous piledriver move on Kaufman, landing him in the hospital.

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The feud culminated in an infamous 1982 appearance on Late Night with David Letterman, where Kaufman launched into a tirade against Lawler, throwing coffee and hurling insults. This moment has since become legendary in wrestling and entertainment history, earning Lawler nationwide fame.

Jerry Lawler Health

In 2012, Lawler suffered a life-threatening heart attack while performing on Raw alongside Randy Orton, CM Punk, and Dolph Ziggler. He collapsed at the announcers’ table, prompting immediate medical attention. Lawler was clinically dead for 30 minutes but fortunately survived, recovering after an angioplasty to improve his heart function. Doctors later determined that the heart attack was caused by an unexplained cardiac arrest, rather than a blocked artery. Despite this scare, Lawler eventually returned to the WWE.

Other Ventures

Outside of wrestling, Jerry Lawler explored other interests, including releasing musical singles in the late 1970s and hosting his own talk show, The Jerry Lawler Show, in the 1980s. In 1998, he portrayed himself in Man on the Moon, the biographical film about Andy Kaufman, although tensions with Jim Carrey (who played Kaufman) on set led to several heated incidents.

Lawler has also appeared in films such as Girls Gone Dead and voiced himself in WWE video games, where he is a playable character. Additionally, he ventured into business, opening a wrestling-themed bar in Memphis and a BBQ restaurant in Cordova, Tennessee.

In 1999, Lawler made an unsuccessful bid for mayor of Memphis, receiving just under 12% of the vote. His artistic side also emerged when he painted the cover of the wrestling comic book Headlocked.

Personal Life

Jerry Lawler’s family has deep ties to wrestling. His cousin, The Honky Tonk Man, is a fellow professional wrestler. Lawler’s son, Brian Christopher (also known as Grandmaster Sexay), followed in his father’s footsteps as a wrestler but tragically died by suicide in 2018. Lawler later sued the County Sheriff responsible for Brian’s supervision. Lawler’s other son, Kevin, also became involved in wrestling as both a wrestler and referee.

Jerry Lawler Net Worth

Jerry Lawler net worth is $1.5 million.