This week’s flashback travels 31 years into Memphis Wrestling History
This Monday night card (for April 24, 1977 ), had a main event of Rocky Johnson vs Harley Race for the NWA World’s Heavyweight title. The semi-final match featured Jerry Lawler defending his Southern title against former NWA world champ Jack Brisco. Also on the card were the American Dream, Dusty Rhodes and Mike Graham. This wasn’t the first time the NWA World champ had defended the world title in Memphis , nor was it the last. The importance of the NWA world champion being on this card, as well as the appearances of Jack Brisco, Dusty Rhodes and Mike Graham, speaks volumes as to the real battle that had already taken place over the Memphis territory.
A little over a month earlier, (on March 14, 1977 ), the last Jerry Jarrett-Nick Gulas card took place in Memphis . Jarrett had been the Memphis booker for most of the past decade. Jerry Jarrett had built and handled all of the West TN side of the promotion for promoter Nick Gulas. The reasons for the Jarrett-Gulas split have been talked about many other places, so I won’t rehash it here. What I do want to bring up is how the ruling body of wrestling, the NWA (National Wrestling Alliance), accepted Jerry Jarrett’s split from Gulas, and allowed them into the fold.
When I talked to Jerry Jarrett about it, he explained that when the split took place, he went to the NWA board of directors and asked to be able to promote under the NWA banner in Memphis . Nick Gulas demanded that the NWA ban any of their wrestlers from being able to wrestle for Jarrett in Memphis . Jerry Jarrett simply asked the NWA to allow the wrestlers to decide if they wanted to wrestle in Memphis . Over the years, Jerry had built great relationship with NWA board members: Eddie Graham ( Florida ), Jim Barnett ( Georgia ) and Jim Crockett Sr. (Mid-Atlantic). These relationships were instrumental in getting the NWA board to side with Jerry Jarrett. The fact that Nick Gulas did not have a good relationship with the wrestlers, really hurt his cause because he wasn’t able to get anyone to willing to wrestle for him against the new Jarrett promotion.
As you read over it, be sure to look below the surface and realize how important this card was in Memphis wrestling history. With an attendance of 8,693 along with this being the first major card for the upstart promoter Jerry Jarrett, this card was really what got the ball rolling for an amazing run in Memphis .
----Mark James is the author of “Memphis Wrestling History – Cards, Matches, Results, Newspaper Clippings” Vol 1. He is currently finishing up Vol 2 and we will have full details on it here when it becomes available. James also is the webmaster to the BEST Memphis Wrestling site in the area – www.memphiswrestlinghistory.com Take a look at the site!!!
