Speaking through his blog on his official website, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross commented on the passing of legendary Memphis wrestler Jackie Fargo, who passed away earlier this morning aged 85.

“RIP Jackie Fargo who was arguably the biggest star ever in the Memphis area for years and was the inspirational mentor of my friend Jerry Lawler. Fargo took King under Jackie’s wing and helped start Jerry’s legendary, HOF career. Without question, Jackie Fargo was the most influential person in the storied career of Jerry Lawler. I’ve heard a litany of Fargo stories via riding with the King for all the years that we were broadcast partners so I felt like I almost knew the innovator and ‘King of the Strut.’

Fargo was not an imposing athlete but was naturally charismatic, believeable and had the ability to verbally and physically connect with his fan base aka customers/ticket buyers. Those skills, some actually unteachable, are the same, exact skills one must have to be successful in the biz today. The fundamentals of crowd psychology haven’t changed and likely never will to any significant degree.

Jackie Fargo was a master crowd psychologist and gave viable meaning to the term “less is more” when it came to in ring execution. Everything that he did had meaning and Fargo told such a viable, believeable story that every fan in the arena knew what Fargo was doing and why, all the while being able to process the story that he was telling and emotionally invest in it.

For someone to sell as many tickets over and over again to the same fan base for as long as Jackie Fargo did, is truly amazing.

My thoughts are with the King, Mr. Fargo’s family, friends and fans today and may the incomparable legend rest in peace.”