Jerry Lawler shares rare footage of The Undertaker from his pre-WWE days
WWE Hall of Famer Jerry "The King" Lawler recently shared rare and vintage footage of The Undertaker from his early days as a wrestler. Along with the video, Lawler added that The Undertaker, then known as the Master of Pain, made his first-ever appearance on Memphis TV 31 years ago. He faced Rodney Napper at the Memphis-based Continental Wrestling Association.
The video in question shows The Undertaker, or rather the Master of Pain, cutting a promo against Rodney Napper before facing him inside the ring in 1989 at CWA.
Wrestling in black-and-red colored attire and without his trademark black hat, the Master of Pain is barely recognizable as The Undertaker. Still, he didn't face much of a problem in putting away Napper in dominant fashion, as he would later do to other opponents in his WWE matches.
Jerry Lawler and The Undertaker in CWA
The Undertaker has been a pioneering figure in WWE for the past three decades and will hopefully continue to remain so, even after his recent retirement. Similarly, Jerry Lawler, although he hasn't won any championships in WWE, is still a hugely respected figure in the world of professional wrestling.
Much like The Undertaker, Lawler also has a connection to CWA. Not only did Lawler perform as a wrestler in the now-defunct company, but along with Jerry Jarrett, Jeff Jarrett's father, he was also the co-owner of the Memphis-based promotion.
Lawler might have made a name for himself as a commentator in WWE, but he was a former champion in CWA, having held the CWA World Heavyweight Championship on one occasion.
However, it was different for The Undertaker. It wouldn't be until he made his WWE debut in 1990 as the supernatural character that he would achieve worldwide fame. This just goes to the show that the right gimmick can do wonders in the world of professional wrestling.