Jerry Lawler Reveals How Paul Heyman And Vince McMahon Came Up With The New WWE RAW Announce Team
As noted, WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler will return to the WWE RAW announce team on Monday's season premiere, calling the show with red brand newcomers Vic Joseph and Dio Maddin.
The King recently spoke with the Memphis Commercial Appeal and revealed that the return is part of a new opended-agreement with WWE.
Lawler revealed that just received a phone call from WWE TV Executive Vice President Kevin Dunn on Tuesday, and Dunn said the deal would be for however long Lawler wanted to do it.
"I got a call about it Tuesday morning from Kevin Dunn," Lawler said. "He said, 'I've got a proposition for you. It may be good news, and it may be bad news.' He knows I don't like to travel a whole lot anymore, so that was the bad part. I said, 'What's the good part?' He said, 'We want you back on Raw.'
"He told me it's for however long I want to do it, so that sealed the deal."
Lawler, who has met Joseph a few times but never met Maddin, also revealed that RAW Executive Director Paul Heyman is the one who wanted to put them on RAW. WWE Chairman Vince McMahon didn't want to put the younger commentators on WWE's flagship show without a veteran to back them up, which is when he told them to make the call to The King.
"It was Paul [Heyman's] idea to put Vic and Dio on Raw," Lawler revealed. "Apparently, what I was told, Vince [McMahon] said, 'You can't throw these two new, young guys on our flagship show. Call King.' That's how it happened."
Lawler is confident about his return to the company for Monday's big season premiere from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix.
"All I've been able to think about is what Vince told me when I first started over 25 years ago, 'It's live TV ? nothing can go wrong,'" Lawler said. "I feel real confident it'll be like riding a bike. I'll treat it exactly the way I always have ? like I'm watching the show in my living room with my neighbor. The name of the company is World Wrestling Entertainment. And I've always thought the commentators are an important part of the entertainment."