The Rise of Pro Wrestling in the American Psyche

In the late 1970s, Terry Bollea debuted as a wrestler in his home state of Florida. He worked the territory circuit for two years in Memphis and Atlanta, but also in places like Jonesboro, Arkansas, and Booneville, Mississippi. Prior to McMahon consolidating the industry, there were thriving regional and local promotions throughout the country. That’s where Bollea got his start, on the back roads of the southeastern United States.