Jerry Jarrett and Tojo Yamamoto
Tojo was one of the area’s most hated wrestlers but when he helped a blond
haired rookie and took him under his wing, the fans went crazy.
Jerry Jarrett had one of the best minds in wrestling. As a promoter and
matchmaker, Jarrett knew what the fans liked and gave it to them. The trick was
making them wait a little while to get it. The scenario for a Jarrett-Tojo match was
almost always the same. The heels would beat the snot out of Jarrett. The fans
would yell and scream for Tojo to get in there and clean house. That anticipation
would build up to a near fever pitch. When the time was right, the weakened
Jarrett would finally make the hot tag to Tojo who would then proceed to chop
the stuffing out to the now hated bad guys and the fans would get their payoff.
They loved to watch Tojo goto town on the bad guys!
In the early 1970s, the team of Jerry Jarrett and Tojo Yamamoto was probably
the Memphis fans favorite tag team. Everywhere they went, be it a high school
gym, an American Legion Hall, Ellis Auditorium or the Mid-South Coliseum, the
seats would be packed.
Even after those early years, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, whenever Jerry
would get an itch to get back in the ring, he would call on Tojo and they’d get
back together. The magic would happen again and the fans would cheer them
on just like before. In the fans eyes, it was as if they had never lost a step.
Having interviewed many Memphis wrestling stars over the past few years, they
all have the same thoughts about Tojo. Wrestling was his life, period. If you were
a young guy, he wasn’t always the easiest guy to get to know. When you did, he
always made sure you learned the business the right way. He took care of the
business and cared about it.
Comments from Eddie Marlin:
I'll tell you something about Jerry... If it wasn't for Jerry Jarrett, there would not
have been Memphis Wrestling. It was a slow go in West TN until Jerry took over
and blew the top off the joint.
Comments from Al Green:
Jerry Jarrett is the most honest promoter I ever worked for. He’s a good man to
work for and I’d trust him with anything.
Don and I also had some of our greatest matches with Jerry and Tojo. We were
fought all over the territory with them. As much as the fans hated us, they loved
Jerry and Tojo. We did real good business with them.
Comments from Jerry Jarrett:
I feel honored to be included with Tojo in the HOF. If anyone ever deserved to
be recognized for their contributions to the success of Memphis wrestling, it
would be Tojo. Tojo literally lived for this business. Without his encouragement, I
would not have had a career in this business. Without his contributions to the
business in Memphis, the promotion would have not flourished as it did and
therefore would have not been the breeding ground for so many wrestlers who
became national stars.
Tojo was one of the area’s most hated wrestlers but when he helped a blond
haired rookie and took him under his wing, the fans went crazy.
Jerry Jarrett had one of the best minds in wrestling. As a promoter and
matchmaker, Jarrett knew what the fans liked and gave it to them. The trick was
making them wait a little while to get it. The scenario for a Jarrett-Tojo match was
almost always the same. The heels would beat the snot out of Jarrett. The fans
would yell and scream for Tojo to get in there and clean house. That anticipation
would build up to a near fever pitch. When the time was right, the weakened
Jarrett would finally make the hot tag to Tojo who would then proceed to chop
the stuffing out to the now hated bad guys and the fans would get their payoff.
They loved to watch Tojo goto town on the bad guys!
In the early 1970s, the team of Jerry Jarrett and Tojo Yamamoto was probably
the Memphis fans favorite tag team. Everywhere they went, be it a high school
gym, an American Legion Hall, Ellis Auditorium or the Mid-South Coliseum, the
seats would be packed.
Even after those early years, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, whenever Jerry
would get an itch to get back in the ring, he would call on Tojo and they’d get
back together. The magic would happen again and the fans would cheer them
on just like before. In the fans eyes, it was as if they had never lost a step.
Having interviewed many Memphis wrestling stars over the past few years, they
all have the same thoughts about Tojo. Wrestling was his life, period. If you were
a young guy, he wasn’t always the easiest guy to get to know. When you did, he
always made sure you learned the business the right way. He took care of the
business and cared about it.
Comments from Eddie Marlin:
I'll tell you something about Jerry... If it wasn't for Jerry Jarrett, there would not
have been Memphis Wrestling. It was a slow go in West TN until Jerry took over
and blew the top off the joint.
Comments from Al Green:
Jerry Jarrett is the most honest promoter I ever worked for. He’s a good man to
work for and I’d trust him with anything.
Don and I also had some of our greatest matches with Jerry and Tojo. We were
fought all over the territory with them. As much as the fans hated us, they loved
Jerry and Tojo. We did real good business with them.
Comments from Jerry Jarrett:
I feel honored to be included with Tojo in the HOF. If anyone ever deserved to
be recognized for their contributions to the success of Memphis wrestling, it
would be Tojo. Tojo literally lived for this business. Without his encouragement, I
would not have had a career in this business. Without his contributions to the
business in Memphis, the promotion would have not flourished as it did and
therefore would have not been the breeding ground for so many wrestlers who
became national stars.
