Jerry Lawler, known to wrestling fans as “The King,” will no longer be a part of WWE weekly broadcasts, TheWrap has learned.
“Jerry Lawler has a Legends agreement with WWE, however, he will no longer regularly appear on our pre-shows,” WWE told TheWrap in a statement. “He will continue to host special events, including WWE’s annual Hall of Fame celebration at WrestleMania.”
Lawler was previously part of the announcing team for “Monday Night Raw” alongside Jim “JR” Ross before moving to “Smackdown.” He then jumped over to the weekly pre-shows, but has been absent from those for some time.
Having joined WWE in 1992, Lawler has served as both a color commentator and occasional wrestler. Prior to that, he established himself as a major draw in Memphis, where he was dubbed “The King of Wrestling.” He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007.
While Lawler is known to abstain from drinking and drugs, unlike many other wrestlers of his era, he has had run-ins with the law. He was suspended from the company in June following an arrest for domestic violence, but those charges were later dropped. He also allegedly tore up a ticket he was issued in Tennessee and threw it back in the officer’s face in 1999.