Tag: Jerry “The King” Lawler

Jerry “The King” Lawler Suffers Another Stroke, Pulled Out of Appearance

WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler is once again facing health challenges. According to TMZ Sports, the legendary commentator and former wrestler recently suffered another stroke, forcing him to cancel an upcoming convention appearance.

Lawler’s ex-fiancée shared that the stroke occurred last week while he was in Florida. Thankfully, reports indicate that he has since recovered enough to leave medical care, with his daughter planning to bring him home so he can rest for the next several weeks before resuming his normal routine.

The 75-year-old icon has battled through serious health scares in the past. He suffered strokes in both 2018 and February 2023, the latter of which required an ICU stay after he was rushed from his home to the hospital. Fans also remember the frightening scene in 2012 when Lawler collapsed on live WWE television due to a heart attack during Raw. Remarkably, he recovered and even returned to the ring in the years that followed.

While Lawler had been scheduled to appear at the HorrorHound event on September 12, organizers later confirmed his withdrawal due to “personal matters.” His last WWE appearance came earlier this year in February at a SmackDown taping in Tennessee, while his most recent in-ring match took place in 2023 at an AML Wrestling event.

Despite his setbacks, Lawler has consistently shown resilience throughout his career. Wrestling fans everywhere will be wishing “The King” strength and a smooth recovery as he takes time away from the spotlight to focus on his health.

Jerry “The King” Lawler Gives Health Update, Opens Up About Stroke Recovery

WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler recently provided an update on his health, discussing his ongoing recovery from a 2023 stroke and revealing details about his recent knee surgeries. The legendary commentator and former in-ring competitor spoke with Sportskeeda’s Bill Apter, sharing both the challenges he’s facing and his determination to keep moving forward.

Lawler’s Knee Surgery & Future Plans

At 74 years old, Lawler remains active but admitted that his knees have been giving him trouble. He recently underwent knee replacement surgery on his right knee, with another procedure expected for his left knee in the future.

“I feel great. I feel good except my knees are a little bit under the weather. I had my right knee replaced about six or seven months ago, and they said that takes about a year to get back to normal. My left knee needs to be replaced, too, but I’m going to wait a while on that one.”

Despite these setbacks, Lawler remains in good spirits and continues to make public appearances when possible.

Stroke Recovery: A Daily Battle

Lawler also reflected on the lingering effects of his 2023 stroke, admitting that while he has recovered enough to resume some activities, the impact is something he deals with every day.

“That’s [stroke] something that’s here constantly every day. I haven’t gotten over [it] because the effects of the stroke are always there. My whole right side of my body is damaged, and I can’t write real good, I can’t draw, but I can still sign autographs. Other than that, I feel fine.”

Fans will recall that Lawler was hospitalized following the stroke but made an inspiring recovery. While his days of wrestling and regular commentary are behind him, “The King” still finds ways to connect with the WWE Universe.

Lawler’s WWE Status & Recent Appearances

After decades as one of WWE’s most recognizable voices, Lawler’s long-standing contract with the company was not renewed in 2024. However, WWE still acknowledges his legacy, and he was seen on-camera during the February 7, 2025 edition of SmackDown, where he was shown in the crowd and received a warm ovation from the Memphis audience.

Although his full-time days in WWE may be over, Lawler remains a beloved figure in wrestling history. His resilience through health struggles is yet another testament to why he is, and always will be, The King.

Jerry “The King” Lawler Offers Positive Health Update After 2023 Stroke, Lawler’s WWE Broadcast Contract Has Expired

Over the last year, WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler has faced a few health concerns, most of which have been connected to a stroke he suffered in February 2023. While he continues to recover from his stroke, Lawler also notably underwent knee replacement surgery in March 2024. During a virtual signing with East Coast Autograph Auctions, Lawler provided a new update on his overall health following this recent knee operation.

“My health is great,” Lawler said (h/t POST Wrestling for the transcription). “I just [went] over to the doctors to get back on the road from my knee replacement and then of course, still some minor difficulties from the stroke. But all of that stuff is coming around fast.”

As Lawler alluded to, his 2023 stroke resulted in a few short-term mental and physical difficulties. According to WWE alumni Dutch Mantel, “The King” was struggling to complete his sentences and create artwork with his right hand in the months following his stroke. After reaching out to Lawler over the phone, journalist Bill Apter also noted that he was experiencing some memory troubles. Despite that, Lawler was said to still be in great spirits at the time.

Six months after his initial hospitalization, Lawler returned to WWE for a surprise appearance in front of his hometown crowd in Memphis, Tennessee. This outing came in the midst of a commercial break segment during “WWE Raw,” in which Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn brought Lawler out onto the entrance stage to wave “hello” to the fans in attendance. Lawler later appeared on the November 28 episode of “WWE NXT” by announcing two of the qualifying matches for the 2023 “NXT” Iron Survivor Challenge.

Lawler’s WWE broadcast contract has expired.

PWInsider reports that WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler is no longer with the WWE after his broadcast contract expired with the promotion “at the onset” of the year, with WWE choosing not to offer “The King” a new deal. WWE and Lawler’s association isn’t fully at an end, however, as Lawler is said to remain under a WWE Legend’s deal.

Lawler’s departure from WWE ends a 31-year relationship between him and the promotion, which began in December 1992. While he continued to wrestle sporadically for WWE over the years, “The King” became best known to WWE fans for his role as color commentator, most notably during the Attitude Era, where he called matches with fellow WWE Hall of Famer and long-time friend Jim Ross.

News of WWE declining to re-sign Lawler was slow to get out, largely due to Lawler’s retreat from the public eye following a stroke in February 2023. Due to his health issues, including a 2012 heart attack on “Raw” that nearly cost Lawler his life, some in WWE were surprised by his departure, with onne person going as far as to say that Lawler would’ve been kept around under the old regime of McMahon’s and that Lawler’s departure was a true sign that “the old company is dead.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Hall Of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler Reportedly Recovering From Surgery

WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler recently underwent knee replacement surgery, according to PWInsider. Lawler’s health has been touch and go for years, suffering a second stroke in February last year — the effects of which required their own series of surgeries — but he has been recovering well since. He suffered his first stroke in 2018, six years after having cardiac arrest live on WWE TV. 

Surprisingly enough, “The King” has remained active in wrestling despite his long-standing health issues, wrestling as recently as January 2023. He even had a title run in Arkansas after putting his career on the line at 70-years-old, lasting 121 days. But the Hall of Famer was last seen in WWE in November 2023, announcing competitors for the “WWE NXT” Iron Survivor Challenge at Deadline, the latest of his sporadic appearances following his last full-time run as a commentator in 2020. 

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Jerry “The King” Lawler Reportedly Set For Friday’s WWE Smackdown in Memphis, Missing Convention

PWInsider reports that Jerry Lawler announced that he will miss The Big Event convention in New York as he is set to be at WWE SmackDown this Friday in his hometown of Memphis. He will appear at the taping but it’s unknown if he will be on camera.

Lawler said he was unable to get a flight after SmackDown to get him to NYC before the convention, so he had to back out.

Jerry Lawler Provides Health Update, Working To Regain His Speech Following Stroke

On a recent edition of the “WrestleBinge” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler shared an update on the progress of his recovery from the stroke he suffered this past February.

You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:

On his recovery: “I’ve had a bunch of different things and I’m still in rehab three times a week, and probably the main thing that’s drawing me back now, that you can probably tell as you hear me talk, my voice is not the same as it was beforehand. It’s slowly coming back, but it needed to come back a little more before I could make sense with my speech and vocabulary… I really don’t do a lot, just staying around the house and do three rehab sessions a week where I go into the hospital, and then I do some more at home here in Memphis, and that’s pretty much it.”

On working to regain his speech: “One [rehab session] is speech – that’s my main one. That’s three times a week. When I just started this, right after I had the stroke, I could barely talk. Now I go in and I sit down with this rehab lady and we just talk about different things. She has me read stuff, and all of this stuff has just helped me day in and day out getting my vocabulary better.”

On the stroke affecting his ability to sign autographs: “My right arm and my right leg and everything on my right side of the body, it’s not hurt me where I can’t walk around. I can still walk around, but I don’t have really good control of writing my autograph. I can write my autograph pretty good, but I’ve been so proud of my autograph and artistic ability to it, but that’s all sort of taken a while to come back.”

On thanking those who sent him messages of support: “I would like to say thank you for being concerned and worried about my upkeeping and what I’ve had going on. It’s just awesome to know that there are fans out there wondering what am I doing during my time off. It’s nice to talk to them.”

Source: eWn

Jerry “The King” Lawler Returns To The Ring As Guest Manager

WWE Hall of Famer and Memphis native and wrestling legend Jerry “The King” Lawler recently appeared for the special Wildfire Wrestling event which took place last Friday before the Memphis Tigers’ game against Tulane.

SportsZone posted footage to their YouTube Channel with Lawler returning to the ring as a guest manager. Lawler’s son Kevin posted a video clip and photos on Facebook.

The 73-year old Lawler has recently started making public appearances again after he suffered a stroke suffering a stroke in February of this year.

Jerry Lawler Returns To WWE During A Commercial Break On RAW

Jerry Lawler made his return to WWE during a commercial break on this week’s episode of WWE RAW.

The WWE Hall of Famer, who suffered a stroke back in February, came out to wave to the crowd in his hometown of Memphis, TN.

Jerry “The King” Lawler Reportedly “Still Struggling With His Health”

Jerry “The King” Lawler is hanging in there.

On the latest episode of Jim Ross’ “Grilling J.R.” podcast, the fellow WWE Hall of Fame legend and former longtime on-air broadcast partner of the aforementioned Memphis Wrestling legend gave an update on the health issues that “The King” has been dealing with as of late.

As noted, Lawler suffered what was reported to be a stroke, and was hospitalized in February of 2023 as a result. He would go on to make a pre-recorded appearance at the WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony during WrestleMania 39 Weekend a couple of months later, but has been relatively quiet since then.

“Good Ole’ J.R.” noted on his “Grilling J.R. The Dark Side of Mid-South” podcast this week that he spoke with his longtime friend and shared the update on Jerry Lawler’s health.

“I talked to Lawler just the other day,” Ross said during the show. “He’s still struggling with his health. He’s got good doctors, and they think they have identified many of the issues, but he’s not out of the woods yet in terms of achieving a good level of health.”

Ross continued, “As always when we talk, his voice starts off a little bit weak and then it gets stronger as he talks and we laugh and we tell stories with each other.”

Check out the complete episode of the “Grilling J.R. The Dark Side of Mid-South” podcast by visiting Spotify.com.

Source: Rajah.com

A Recovering Jerry Lawler Helps Jimmy Hart Induct Andy Kaufman Into The WWE Hall Of Fame

Andy Kaufman’s momentous stint in wrestling was undoubtedly enough to warrant a position in the WWE Hall of Fame, and the comedian’s time has finally arrived. The late Kaufman was inducted into the company’s Hall of Fame last night as a part of the 2023 class and, though a recent stroke prevented him from appearing in person, the moment would not have been complete without involvement from Kaufman’s notorious in-ring rival, Jerry “The King” Lawler. Lawler has long been campaigning for Kaufman to be inducted, and he was finally able to see it through this year.

“One of [the] most memorable moments in my career certainly involved Andy Kaufman,” Lawler said, speaking from his home. Lawler was likely referring to the onscreen tussle that took place on an episode of “Late Night with David Letterman” in 1982 during the pair’s ongoing wrestling feud. In a pre-recorded video, Lawler stated that tonight would have been the biggest night of Kaufman’s life, and then introduced fellow Memphis veteran Jimmy Hart to induct the legendary comedian.

Kaufman and Lawler engaged in a heated rivalry during Kaufman’s time in the Memphis territory in 1982 and 1983, with Kaufman acting as a despised heel who preferred to wrestle women, and Lawler stepping in as a hero who aimed to take Kaufman down a peg or two. At the time, many viewers were fully convinced of the feud’s reality, though Kaufman and Lawler were actually close friends who were working together to put on as entertaining of a performance as possible. Devastatingly, Kaufman passed away from cancer just a short time later in 1984. However, his brief foray into the world of professional wrestling spawned a lasting legacy that’s influential to this day.

Source: Wrestling Inc.