Jerry Jarrett

September 4, 1942 — Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.

Jerry Winston Jarrett was an influential American businessman, promoter, and professional wrestler, a key figure in the history of wrestling in the southern United States. He founded the Continental Wrestling Association (CWA) in 1977, which became one of the most prominent promotions of its time. In 1989, he merged the CWA with World Class Championship Wrestling to create the United States Wrestling Association (USWA), expanding his reach nationally. Throughout his career, Jarrett also worked with WWF and WCW, and in 2002, alongside his son Jeff, co-founded NWA:TNA, a promotion that later evolved into Impact Wrestling. Recognized as a "wrestling genius," he was inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2009. Jarrett passed away in 2023 at the age of 80 from a heart attack while undergoing treatment for esophageal cancer. His legacy endures as one of the cornerstones of modern wrestling, both in the ring and behind the scenes.