Jerry Jarrett Created Pro Wrestling as We Know It

Longtime wrestler and wrestling promoter Jerry Jarrett died this Tuesday at the age of 80. Perhaps better known to younger fans as the father of “Double J” Jeff Jarrett—who still performs regularly in All Elite Wrestling in his mid-50s—Jerry enjoyed a legendary six-decade career in wrestling. Over that span, Jarrett went from 14-year-old ticket vendor to undersized good-guy wrestler to Memphis-based booker and matchmaker to Tennessee territory owner to longtime Vince McMahon collaborator to, finally, the man who established the first legitimate national promotion to challenge the World Wrestling Federation in the wake of World Championship Wrestling’s collapse and sale.