As we noted over the weekend, multiple media outlets in Mexico report that wrestling figure Konnan has undergone surgery to amputate one of his legs due to medical complications. The 62-year-old is reportedly hospitalized in San Diego, California in what has been described as a delicate state of health.
Conrad Thompson and Jeff Jarrett addressed the news on the latest episode of “My World,” with both men emphasizing Konnan’s lasting impact on professional wrestling in the United States and Mexico.
Thompson said PWInsider’s Mike Johnson confirmed the general belief within the industry is that the report is accurate, though no official announcement has been made.
Jarrett said he reached out to Konnan immediately after seeing the news. “I saw that headline come across, I immediately texted him. I didn’t ask any details. Just said, ‘Hey dude, love you. Hope all is well,'” Jarrett said. “We texted back and forth. He said some funnies, like he always does, and we went on about our way.”
Konnan’s Role in Changing American Wrestling
Thompson made the case that Konnan is one of the most underappreciated figures in wrestling history, crediting him as the person who pushed luchadores into the American market.
“A lot of people would say the straw that stirs the drink is the luchadores,” Thompson said of WCW’s cruiserweight division. “Smart asses will say, ‘Well, actually, Paul Heyman had them in ECW first,’ and that’s correct. But how did they get into ECW? How were they on Paul’s radar? And the answer is, they had an advocate named Konnan.”
Thompson pointed to Rey Mysterio, Juventud Guerrera, Psicosis, and La Parka as wrestlers whose American crossover was directly tied to Konnan’s advocacy. He also noted that when Rey Mysterio was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, he chose Konnan to induct him.
Jarrett echoed the sentiment and went further, arguing Konnan was central to what made WCW Nitro work. “If you take out the Lucha Libre aspect of Nitro, I just don’t think you have — yes, you have NWO, and I’m not trying to say that it was the end all, be all — but I just think he was a massive part of the success of Nitro,” Jarrett said.
Jarrett also said he does not believe Rey Mysterio becomes the global icon he is today without WCW’s platform. “Rey Mysterio, the legend and icon that he is today, without Nitro — I personally don’t think so,” Jarrett said. “You kind of look at Rey against Dean Malenko, Chris Jericho — that kind of group. The Lucha Libre goes without saying.”
Konnan’s Eye for Talent
Jarrett described Konnan as someone who could identify and develop talent in ways few others could. “Eye for talent, creative, short-term thinker and long-term thinker,” Jarrett said.
He recalled Konnan pitching talent to him over the years. “I can remember — oh boy, this goes way back — but we would have different conversations. He’s like, ‘J, I’ve got this guy down here,’ and all of a sudden, Fenix appeared,” Jarrett said. “I could give you four or five. If we had enough time, I could go back and really think through all this. But like, Fenix— when he started talking about Fenix, I’m just like, son of a gun, he’s athletic.”
Konnan’s Impact on AAA and TNA
Jarrett stressed that AAA’s history cannot be told without Konnan. “You remove Konnan from the history of AAA, and I guarantee you it does not look the same — not even remotely close,” Jarrett said.
Jarrett laid out the timeline: Antonio Pena founded AAA but passed away 12 years later. His son Dorian inherited the company as a young man, with his family stepping in to help run the business. Through the transitions, Jarrett said Konnan remained a constant force in keeping the promotion alive and relevant.
Konnan also directly influenced TNA’s creative direction. “The day before I launched TNA, I knew that the X Division needed to have a big part of Lucha in there,” Jarrett said.
On a personal level, Jarrett said Konnan was instrumental in one of the hottest stretches of his career as a heel. “Me and Karen — Konnan knew exactly how to heat up the King of the Mountain down there,” Jarrett said. “I think there was a period that was the hottest I’d ever been as a heel, was kind of one of those runs in Mexico. Man, it just all fit and glued.”
Konnan Compared to Dusty Rhodes
Thompson posed a question to Jarrett and the audience: Who is the American equivalent of Konnan? The criteria included in-ring drawing ability, a great mind for booking, and a willingness to invest in individual talent for their personal growth.
Both Thompson and Jarrett independently arrived at the same answer: Dusty Rhodes.
“Right out of the gate, who broke on the scene and was a little bit unorthodox? Konnan had a big body. This guy had a big body,” Jarrett said. “Then he got the book, and was creative and tried different things and made a mark. And then kind of in his later years, he would pick favorites — not favorites, but like, ‘Hey man, I’m going to do something with this guy here.’ And this guy picked and kind of still has quite the impact on the business today. I’m going to go with the American Dream, Dusty Rhodes.”
Thompson agreed. “He has a lot in common with Dusty. He was a major draw, incredible business mind. Can book for business. Can create cards,” he said.
Jarrett closed the segment with a message for his friend: “Prayers up for my man. He’ll pull through. He always does. Man, he always does.”
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