Jerry Jarrett On Steve Austin Not Getting Over In Memphis, Austin - Vince McMahon Dynamic Taking Off

Jerry Jarrett is a key figure in the world of professional wrestling. He founded Continental Wrestling Association in the '70s, and later merged his company with World Class Championship Wrestling in the '80s to form United States Wrestling Association. It was in USWA that 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin got his first big break, before signing with WCW.

Jerry recently talked to The Hannibal TV about the importance of good synergy between promoters and talent, and brought up the example of the relationship between Austin and Vince McMahon.

"There is a dance between the promoter or the writer and the talent", said Jerry. "If either one of them is out of step, it won't work. The greatest example of that is Vince McMahon and Steve Austin. They would've never been (who they were), if they hadn't been together and against each other. Wouldn't work under any other circumstance. And it didn't for Steve; he was just mediocre in here (Memphis) and mediocre in Atlanta. Then when he got to New York, he became every man with Vince McMahon. He set the wrestling world on fire."

When asked if he saw potential in Austin while he was working in Memphis, Jerry revealed that Austin was green, and said that he did not get over with the fans in either Memphis or Atlanta.

"No, because Steve broke in? Chris Adams and I had a wrestling school in Dallas, because when I went out to promote there the Von Erichs were ready to file for bankruptcy," Jarrett said. "And Steve came to the school and Chris took a liking to him, thought he had potential and then talked me into doing the student-coach angle and incorporated that with the wife-ex wife, and that clicked because of the story. But then Steve came here (USWA in Memphis) and he was just another wrestler. He was green, and never really got over with the fans, and then he went to Atlanta and (nothing). Boy it was magic when he went to New York."

If you use any portion of the quotes in this article please credit The Hannibal TV with a H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcription