Murfreesboro Post
MURFREESBORO WEATHER

Teacher, office manager and professional wrestler




Smyrna resident Jennifer Morton, shown with WWE wrestling Hall of Famer Ricky Morton, has been in the professional wrestling business since she was 18 years old. Submitted photo

Smyrna resident Jennifer Morton, shown with WWE wrestling Hall of Famer Ricky Morton, has been in the professional wrestling business since she was 18 years old. Submitted photo

She’s been a school teacher and is currently an office manager for a trucking company.

Through it all, however, professional wrestling has always been in Jennifer Morton’s blood — literally.

Morton grew up most of her life around wrestling as her cousin and WWE Hall of Famer Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson of the Rock and Roll Express dominated the local and national scene.

Her brothers, Steve Morton and Shane Morton, also are professional wrestlers, and Jennifer competes and manages on a weekly and monthly basis.

“I was a school teacher for 13 years, but I needed more money and better insurance,” she said. “I’m an office manager at a trucking company.

“I actually got into wrestling when I was 18 and have been around it all my life. Of course, Ricky Morton is my cousin and both my brothers wrestle. I started managing them and walking them to ring, and it’s just something I want to be involved in. I’ve been in wrestling off and on for about 20 years.”

Morton has two stage names — Jennifer Morton and Double D — depending on what nights she wrestles or manages as a fan favorite or a heel.

“It just depends. On Friday nights, I’m the bad one and a heel,” she said. “The fans hate me. On Saturday nights I’m the face or the baby, and the fans love me. They love the Morton name.”

Being a heel can come with a price, Morton admits.

“About three or four weeks ago, I actually had to be walked out to my car by a referee and two security guards,” she said. “I had some fans threaten me.”

In Ricky Morton’s day, professional wrestling alliances tried to sell the sport as real. However, it’s now accepted as choreographed entertainment today.

However, that doesn’t mean the sport doesn’t take a toll on a wrestler’s body.

“It’s very physical,” Jennifer said. “I have had two shoulder surgeries and my jaw dislocated. I’ve had a sternum injury and a screw put in my thumb. It got dislocated pretty bad.

“It’s very, very physical and everybody says it’s fake. I have several doctor bills that aren’t very fake, though.”

Despite wrestling being a family affair, not everyone has been pleased with Jennifer’s passion for the sport.

“My mom isn’t happy at all, but my whole family does it,” she said. “I’ve got two nephews and my brothers and my cousin in it. I like to entertain and put on a good show and walk away feeling I did my part.”

Morton said she doesn’t have a timetable in terms of when she will walk away from professional wrestling.

“I think once I’m done, I’m completely done,” she said. “I’ll go support the shows and support my family, but I think I’ll just be done when I walk away. I’ll give advice and help anyone out I can, but I think once I make up my mind, I’m completely done.”

Leave a Reply