Jeff Jarrett: Fallen From Grace In The Company He Helped Found?

[Jack-Hammer]

There's a story on the main page that's a follow up to something I read earlier this week on another site. The story is about Jeff Jarrett and his current position with TNA.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Jarrett didn't appear at the recent One Night Only ppv in which stars from the company's past were featured is pretty telling. Apparently, according to the report, Jeff Jarrett no longer has any real clout with Dixie Carter stemming from all the drama surrounding his relationship, and eventual marriage, to Karen Angle. As we all know, Kurt Angle went on a rampage once he found out that his ex wife was involved with Jeff Jarrett. Allegedly, Angle threatened to quit if Jarrett wasn't gone from TNA and, basically, that's what happened. Jeff Jarrett disappeared for the better part of a year before things eventually smoothed over, or so it seems. In late 2011, both Jeff & Karen were written off television in order for Jarrett to put focus on the Ring Ka King project over in India. However, Ring Ka King is pretty much dead at this point as its television deal with The Colors Network wasn't renewed. The report also says that another wrestling related project that Jarrett had in the works with for the Speed Channel has gone up in flames. Lastly, the report alleges that Bruce Pritchard & Eric Bischoff are against bringing Jarrett back or an on screen role in TNA.

This is especially one of these situations in which nobody outside of a handful of people know all the facts. One thing that is known is that Jarrett's influence within the company he founded with his father Jerry is far from healthy. That much was certain when he was, for all intents & purposes, banished from the company at Kurt Angle's behest. I've never really been a huge fan of Jarrett's but if all this is true, I can't help but feel bad for the guy. Say what you will about him, Jarrett is a hard worker and, again if all this is accurate, then it sucks that internal politics is practically forcing him out of a company he helped found.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

I suppose it's a shame becuse he was the foundation of TNA for many years. But hasn't TNA moved on from him now? Or at least they should've. Jarrett was good at many things, but he didn't excell at anything. He was, at most, a one time world champion. Yet he ended up with multiple WCW & NWA title reigns. So I have no real sympathy for him. He achieved more than he had any right to and now his carrer is basically over. He won't be the first wrestler to fade away.

Hey, maybe he shouldn't have burnt his bridges with WWE all those years ago. There would likely have been another run for him in that company after WCW folded and I'm sure they'd welcome his input backstage.

 

[ABMorales787]

He's still getting a check and is still a backstage figure so I see no problem for the moment. Jeff's just not a needed character in TV right now. That can't be helped.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Who is of more value to TNA — Kurt Angle or Jeff Jarrett?

Fact is, based on what "evidence" we've been given here by means of dirt sheet reports, Jarrett did this to himself. He put his dick before his company, and nearly ran out or caused irreparable damage to the relationship with TNA's biggest star. Say what you will about Sting, Styles and even Hulk Hogan, but Kurt Angle is the name and the start that put that company on the map.

Again, based on what we know, or what's being "reported" here, it's his own fucking fault, so how does it suck that his lack of judgement "is practically forcing him out of a company he helped found"? You reap what you sow.

 

[MB1025]

I don't think using the One Night Only PPV non appearance is anything really. I mean if he was going to return to TNA they wouldn't do it on a one off 15 dollar gimmick PPV. He would return on Impact or one of the Big 4 PPV's.

Anyways all that other stuff is just whatever really. He put himself in a situation where he wasn't going to win. I am sure doing what he did to Kurt not only pissed Kurt and Dixie off, but a lot of the boys most likely were not happy about it either.

 

[GameOver]

He's a loser anyway, TNA will be no worse off without him. Dixie and Co, have taken it to far greater heights then Jarrett ever would've, give him props for taking the guts to start the company but he didn't do that either that was mostly his daddy.

Jarret has always thought he was the greatest things since slice bread which is not even remotely true, the only time he was good IMO was in his first WWF tenure and that was because of the talent he was facing and Debra.

 

[mlp420]

The guy still owns 20% of the company, so why should anyone feel bad for him? Dixie Carter and her family are the ones that have poured millions of dollars into it and gotten/kept it on national TV. When Jarrett was running it they were getting ready to go under.

 

[akathelaw]

It's obvious Ring Ka King was designed to give the guys in TNA that Hogan disliked something to do. Jarrett was being booked in humiliating ways prior, they were attempting to make him leave the company. It's pretty lame, but Jarrett's ego doesn't match his ability or appeal. He's an okay midcarder, he had a long and successful career but his time is over.

 

[BigDaddyKewl]

I think if they wanted to bring him back on TV they could. Everybody expected him to apart of the Aces and 8s. He could work with some of the younger talent like Roode, Storm and Aries. He's still in decent wrestling shape at his age. But like RVD it seems like hes run his course. If they bring him back they would have to give him a big chunk of TV time. Why are you going top invest into a guy whos in the twilight of his career and isnt that big of a name to begin with. Looks like Jeff's lost all his stroke.

 

[Vintage]

I want the Double J MMA exibitions to start up again. He can claim to have been undefeated in Mexico street fighting or something and put King Mo over.

Whatever it takes.. but we need Jeff "bah gawd" Jarrett back. TNA needs it's King of the Mountain. With Flair gone we need someone to strut around.



However.. banging your marqui names wife (understandably so) isn't a good look. It was a bonehead business move. However I have to give the founder a pass on that move for 2 reasons

1) things just happen sometimes
2) she's worth the trouble.

 

[Pedigree1]

Totally agree with IDR! Yes Jeff and his late Father did find and built this company. Yes Jeff Jarrett is indeed a very smart individual and a great businessman. But the fact that he thought with his Penis instead of his head he did this to himself. Kurt Angle is the biggest name still on the roster of TNA he is the marquee star.

When Jeff stole or however you want to put it,karen away from Kurt no shit Kurt went ballistic. Who the hell wouldn't go bat shit if another man stole your wife. As we all know Kurt said its him or me and Dixie chose to keep Kurt and really Jeff was ran out of the company he founded. In the end it is his own damn fault and jeff has no one to blame except for himself!

He still owns like 25% or something so he is totally not out of luck but he needs to be kept away from TNA!

 

[dsotm5150]

I'm not surprised Jeff got himself run out of his own company. He has a notorious reputation for being a self centered jackass. The man burned his bridges in WCW, burned his bridges beyond repair with WWE, hell burned his bridges within his own organization. I hate it for him, but when you give up the controlling stock of your company to someone else, you can no longer do whatever you think is best and get away with it.

 

[Trance Metaphor]

It still pisses me off to this day that Jeff Jarrett took Karen Angle away from Kurt Angle. Like, the dude got over his own wife's death pretty quickly. It's just repulsive in a way. But, even with that being said, the guy was still pretty much a founding figure of TNA. In TNA's early days, the guy was consistently Champion and a focal point in the main storylines. Of course he didn't deserve any of that. I never saw him as a guy that deserved to be World Champion to begin with. There was nothing special about him as an in-ring performer. He was good on the mic, but his wrestling was boring. I think perhaps he should get an induction into the TNA Hall of Fame before he completely fades out though. That's all that he should get at this point. There's really nothing left for him to do in TNA anyway. His best days are over and behind him.

 

[TheHorndogSays]

I feel no sympathy for Jarrett. My one experience with him was at a signing here in Richmond. As was typical for the UWF/TNA house shows at the time the talent was scheduled for 30 minutes of signing. He was out there for maybe 10 minutes before retreating to the back with reports claiming he told the promoter he had "better things to do backstage". The event was a fundraiser for the Virginia Autism society and fans had bid on the chance to walk out to the ring with a superstar as their "guest manager" and according to his guest manager who I later spoke with, he told him that he was not allowed to come out to the ring with him but could walk down to the ring after he had already entered the ring. So that's my semi-personal reason for feeling no sympathy for him.

All reports indicate he viewed himself as a bigger talent than the drawing power he actually had. Furthermore he jeopardized the company by not only ticking off their top talent at the time but he tried to hide the fact. The fact he hid the fact from the people who were now technically HIS BOSS removes any "you can't help who you fall for" because you CAN help whether or not you tell the company.

 

[Jaffa]

First off all I was under the impression Jarrett and Karen Jarrett these days first started swapping spit in 2009 and the Jarrett suspension was a year after the divorce and 2 years after his wife's death still a doushey move to Kurt though. I was also under the impression during this time Carter bought Jarrett's minority 29% share in the company. Either way I don't really mind Jarrett being there or not being there he is a good midcarder and I find him entertaining but I never watched TNA for Jarrett he just happened to be there.

 

[fenderjapan]

Jeff Jarrett was a mediocre midcarder who somehow slipped and fell into a world championship in WCW...now he is considered a main eventer and I'm not exactly sure how or why it happened. He's like the Wolfgang Van Halen of wrestling...there are far better talents who could do a better job than him but he had an important daddy. He helped found the company that would become WWE's distant second...important? Maybe. But clearly they don't need him in the ring or out of the ring.

 

[chrisddusombre]

Does that name ring a bell??? No??? He help found WWE... Point is no one cares who founded what. Jarrett's time is done and if he comes back the company will be worse off..

 

[Sheamus' Suntan]

I umm...feel like the black sheep here but I was always a little bit of a Jarrett mark. I dunno what it was, but yeah...I was, though I KNEW better. I knew he was manipulating TNA for his own, to get titles where he couldn't before and I knew there was the Karen Angle thing...

I guess he did deserve this, but a part of me still goes and thinks; he'll eventually be back. It may take a little bit of time but he'll be back. TNA will never fully get rid of him, he's almost a cornerstone whether Angle likes it or not.

 

[HBsam31]

Jarrett is still getting paid I am sure, and is still around so I can't imagine it is all bad. It is a shame that he is being forced out of a company he helped build, but it seems he did it to himself. He really isn't needed on tv right now, and hell if he has made a comfortable living for himself he should just hang it up and enjoy his family. There could be a silver lining in this for Jarrett.

 

[OneTooManyPunts]

It may be a shame because of what he did to help establish and create TNA, but it is not a shame from a business or creative stand point. TNA has done just about everything with Jeff Jarrett that could be done from a story line standpoint. He was the heel champ, the face champ, the redemption story, the evil turn coat, and the leader of a faction.

I don't think it's too hard to believe that in today's TNA, where Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff have a direct line to Dixie Carter and creative, that Jeff Jarrett is on the outside looking in.

Personally, I don't honestly miss seeing him. TNA needs more than anything, to continue to develop their young talent, and create new stars. Every time Hogan, Sting, Jarrett, and even to a lesser extent Angle get thrust in to major storylines, it leaves another young talent on the outside looking in.

 

[Judah's Lion]

Double J's circumstances seem unfortunate on the outside-looking-in. but as the OP mentioned, none of us know every detail that's going on behind the scenes.

i remember watching the "Rise and Fall of WCW" dvd again not long ago. during the chapter/s detailing the undeserving champions, Jarrett is mentioned. right there along with Vince Russo and David Arquette.

-- the guy broke 6,000 guitars, but never drew a dime --

that's a nearly direct quote directed towards him. i kinda agree. i can name several feuds he was in and even remember matches and outcomes. but i think that's more due to my memory and passion for wrestling than it is for his talent. he was a decent mid-card heel that got the job done, but whenever he got outta that spot, it just felt forced, out of place or a combination of both.

however, all that said, i can put my passion for wrestling aside and say that even though i hated his character in the ring (sometimes the desired kind of heel heat he was trying to get, other times the opposite kind of heat just cuz i hated everything about his on screen persona), it seems to be a sucky situation that he's in. whether his wounds are self-inflicted or not, i don't wish total destruction and public humiliation on anyone and hope all is well in his personal life, assuming his professional life is shot from here on out.

 

[New Hot Fed]

I actually think he would have been a more exciting reveal than anything they did with Aces & 8s and Bully. Cause I think JJ plays the villain very well and it would have made a logical move for him to go after TNA. The plus is that JJ is like a free agent that TNA don't have to pay more, they already have him so it would be stupid to not use him.

I won't cry for it, though. Cause they're doing to him what he did to his own father when Jeff ostracized his father from TNA where Jerry could not even speak to his grandchildren.

 

[IT Factor]

At the time Aces & Eights started, it was thought that Jarrett would have some kind of role in the group. And considering how lackluster the group as a whole has been so far, maybe they should've stuck with that idea. Whether you like the guy or not, Jarrett is a decent in-ring guy and a standout type of character who would've given the group more credibility. He's the founder of TNA! Who better to hijack a company than it's founder?

As for the personal side of it, I don't care really. If Jarrett is on the outs because of Karen, that sucks but it happens. If it is because of heat between Hogan and Jarrett that was inevitable given their past history. Jarrett created and helped shape TNA into what it is today. The very least that should happen is getting to end his career there on a high note.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

For me, Jeff Jarrett is quite possibly the most unfairly maligned wrestler of all time. People say that he never deserved to reach the level of World Champion, yet reports have it that he would have been WWF Champion had it not been for Steve Austin (meaning that Vince McMahon DID think he was good enough). People deride his WCW World Title reigns, yet the types of DDP and Booker T escape the vitriol? His dominance of the NWA World Belt has been criticized but he was the biggest full time name in NWA/TNA and he stepped aside when the big names came in, he has spent his time time since putting over talent - who was the first step on Jeff Hardy's road to redemption?

As for his relationship with the former Karen Angle. It's my understanding that his relationship with Karen started after she had separated with Kurt due to his cheating on her and that Angle's real spite came from her having custody of their children. It is also reported that they have had an amicable relationship for quite some time, so I doubt that there would be any lingering animosity today years after it happened with Jeff having had high profile in the company long after he married Karen.

This looks to me like the rumor mill making a mountain out of a molehill. Had Double J appeared at the throwaway pretaped PPVs, it would lessen any impact that reappearing on Impact would have. Jeff is probably happily bringing up the 5 children and awaiting the call when and if he is required. Impact has enough going on presently to fill their 2 hour slot without him.

 

[IT Factor]

For me, Jeff Jarrett is quite possibly the most unfairly maligned wrestler of all time. People say that he never deserved to reach the level of World Champion, yet reports have it that he would have been WWF Champion had it not been for Steve Austin (meaning that Vince McMahon DID think he was good enough). People deride his WCW World Title reigns, yet the types of DDP and Booker T escape the vitriol? His dominance of the NWA World Belt has been criticized but he was the biggest full time name in NWA/TNA and he stepped aside when the big names came in, he has spent his time time since putting over talent - who was the first step on Jeff Hardy's road to redemption?

As for his relationship with the former Karen Angle. It's my understanding that his relationship with Karen started after she had separated with Kurt due to his cheating on her and that Angle's real spite came from her having custody of their children. It is also reported that they have had an amicable relationship for quite some time, so I doubt that there would be any lingering animosity today years after it happened with Jeff having had high profile in the company long after he married Karen.

This looks to me like the rumor mill making a mountain out of a molehill. Had Double J appeared at the throwaway pretaped PPVs, it would lessen any impact that reappearing on Impact would have. Jeff is probably happily bringing up the 5 children and awaiting the call when and if he is required. Impact has enough going on presently to fill their 2 hour slot without him.

I agree completely. Jeff Jarrett is one of those guys that the IWC loves to hate on. He was always underrated in my view and not given the proper opportunity in other major feds like WWF and WCW that he got in the beginning of TNA. Who can deny big moments like Jarrett attacking Moolah? I still laugh my ass off when I see that in highlight packages from WWE's greatest moments. A lot of Jarrett's latter WWF and WCW stuff made me laugh like his parody of Sting in WCW. In the long run, I'd like to see Jarrett return and have a few more big money matches and retire. He doesn't necessarily have to become TNA World Champ, but he does need a high note to close out his career.