Jerry Lawler returned to television at the 2023 WWE Hall of Fame.
The WWE Hall of Famer suffered a massive stroke back in early February but has already made an impressive recovery. After spending time in outpatient therapy, Lawler returned home in March.
The veteran made his return to WWE television in a pre-recorded segment for the 2023 Hall of Fame. Lawler paid tribute to Andy Kaufman before handing over induction duties to Jimmy Hart.
Jerry Lawler And Andy Kaufman Became Friends In The Early 1980s
Andy Kaufman found fame on both stage and screen and is perhaps most well known for his role in the hit sitcom Taxi. However, Kaufman’s involvement in professional wrestling is still fondly remembered by fans to this day.
In the early 1980s, Kaufman declared himself the Inter-Gender Wrestling Champion of the World. The star offered money to any woman who could pin him to the mat. This sparked a feud with Jerry Lawler in the Continental Wrestling Association in Memphis, Tennessee. During the acclaimed feud, both men convinced the watching world that their feud was genuine, with Lawler slapping Kaufman on Late Night With David Letterman in 1982.
Kaufman had appeared on the show in a neck brace, claiming that Lawler had broken his neck with a Piledriver.
Despite their on-screen rivalry, Kaufman and Lawler were good friends until the star’s death in 1984.