Jerry “The King” Lawler will return to the ring for his first WWE match since suffering a serious heart attack on the air in September 2012, according to Yahoo Sports.
The 63-year old wrestling icon collapsed during a live broadcast following his participation in a tag team match with Randy Orton. Dr. Michael J. Sampson, the ringside doctor, was able to use CPR to make sure Lawler did not die.
In just two months after the incident, Lawler was back at the commentators’ desk watching his heart attack ridiculed and re-enacted by CM Punk.
Lawler has been trying to fight his way back from the near-death experience ever since it happened. He even cut fried chicken out of his diet for five days of the week. In February “The King” told WMC-TV that his goal was to be able to step into the ring again:
"The one thing I've not done since the heart attack is get back into the ring and wrestle," he explained. "And, Lauryn says that I've been, the one thing that's different about me since the heart attack, she says, 'You're depressed. You're going through depression.' Which I don't feel it. I don't think it. But, yeah, I certainly do miss the wrestling and I do want to go back and do it some more."
Lawler was able to get in some practice during the first round of the NBA playoffs. During a time out in a Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers playoff game, Lawler, dressed in a Grizzlies jersey, body slammed a fan wearing a Clippers jersey.
However, the real test will be when Lawler steps in the ring to tag team with 72-year old WWE Hall of Famer Dory Funk Jr. The match is part of the !Bang! wresting promotion and will take place on May 25.
