Jim Barnett (wrestling)

James E. Barnett (June 9, 1924 – September 18, 2004), was a professional wrestling promoter.

Barnett was one of the promoters of Australia's World Championship Wrestling and the former owner of Georgia Championship Wrestling, which later was renamed World Championship Wrestling.

Barnett shaped the future of professional wrestling in Australia when in 1964 traveled to Sydney with Johnny Doyle to inspect the Australian wrestling scene.

They returned under the banner of "World Championship Wrestling" presenting their first card on October 23, 1964, at the Sydney Stadium, and continued until 1974 when Barnett sold the promotion to Tony Kolonie and returned to the United States.

Barnett was a master at playing one wrestler against another (e.g., Tommy Rich, Eduardo Miguel Perez and others). He was also prone to making outrageous statements, one being that he was a millionaire. While he lived like one, he had to dip into box office receipts to cover his high lifestyle. He was sued by wrestler, and booker Ole Anderson and had to come clean in a deposition that he was basically broke and never was worth a million dollars.

In later years, Barnett served as an adviser to the World Wrestling Federation (many credit him with masterminding the first three WrestleMania shows, which helped the organization establish their identity), Jim Crockett Promotions and World Championship Wrestling. (He was the man Ted Turner trusted the most in the business.)

Barnett was one of the few known men in wrestling who was openly gay. Fact|date=December 2007

Barnett is known for lying about having a love affair with famously gay actor Rock Hudson. Fact|date=April 2008

Championships and accomplishments

*Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
**Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

Resources

* [http://mrkurtnielsen.com/CAC-RIP/JimBarnett-RIP.html Website covering his death]
* [http://www.mediaman.com.au/profiles/barnett.html Jim Barnett Media Man Profile]