My World with Jeff Jarrett - NWA in the WWF [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Welcome to 2022 Jeff and today we’re going to be discussing here on My World when the National Wrestling Alliance made its way to the World Wrestling Federation with you as the focal point!

It’s really important to note here Jeff that this is only going to cover your run as a member of the NWA in early 1998. But oh boy there’s a lot to talk about.

You’re only back in the World Wrestling Federation for 75 days in 1997 when they have to repackage you again. You’re literally three weeks removed from working the Undertaker at In Your House. And then this happens…

On December 30th, 1997 at the New Haven Coliseum a new angle was born. From the Observer: “Cornette came out with Dennis Coraluzzo and Howard Brody as the President and Vice President of the NWA, the oldest wrestling organization in the world and mentioned it was the organization of great champions like Lou Thesz and Harley Race. They then had a match to crown the NWA North American champion with Jarrett going against Barry Windham, not billed as a Blackjack but still with the black hair and moustache, and billed as a former NWA world heavyweight champion. The idea they were going back to tradition and wrestling was blown because the match was terrible, with Jarrett mainly clowning around rather than wrestling. As Windham set up a superplex, Coraluzzo distracted the ref and Cornette hit Windham with his tennis racquet and Jarrett was crowned the champion. They did a presentation in the ring with Cornette, Brody, Coraluzzo and Jarrett when Austin came out again. The first three got out of the ring but Jarrett didn't see him coming and got the stunner.”

So much to unpack here Jeff so let’s start at the beginning. When are you told the NWA is to debut in the World Wrestling Federation?

What did you think of the idea and having you be the person along with Jim Cornette to launch the angle?

Are you excited to work with Jim as it seems like he’s going to be your manager?

For those of you who don’t know…Dennis Coraluzzo was a Northeast promoter and Howard Brody was a promoter based out of Florida. They were really two of the last “NWA” promoters and this is during the Dan Severn as NWA Champion era. How shocking was it to you that Vince would feature these two guys who have 0 mainstream credibility at the time?

How surreal is it to see the NWA featured in this way?

This NWA isn’t what the NWA of the past is. The powerhouse NWA that was once the operating system for professional wrestling is now just a bunch of indies paying fees for the right to promote themselves as members of the NWA. This isn’t exactly the nWo invading WCW is it?

The NWA in the previous 3-6 months were…well the last 3 years were meaningless. Once Shane Douglas threw down the NWA Title in ECW in 1994 screwing the NWA over it was effectively a non-entity. This couldn’t have excited you to be attached to a dead brand right?

Working with Windham to become the new NWA North American Champion on Monday Night Raw in a Northeast town…seems backwards does it not?

Meltzer would report, “Doug Furnas was originally to be Jeff Jarrett's opponent in the NWA North American title match on the New Haven Raw. Apparently they either were trying to hide the angle or there was a mix-up as the match didn't appear on the posted schedule, Furnas saw his name not on the show and apparently left, and they had to round-up Barry Windham as a sub.”

Is that how you remember it?

Now we’re just 2 - 2 ½ months removed from Steve Austin ripping you a new one when you’re trying to take merchandise money out of his pocket…and here you are launching a new angle to try and get you over as a big heel…and here he comes out to stun you and mock your strut. Personal feelings aside…is this angle and gimmick dead on arrival when then and there?

There were no plans to put you and Austin in the ring together at this point was there?

The story and rumor and innuendo at the time was that Vince Russo booked this to keep Jim Cornette out of his hair. Is that how you remember it?

Did you think this was going to be successful?

You got Russo booking this, McMahon signing off on it just to piss Cornette off but you also have Bruce Prichard and Pat Patterson on creative. Did you ever talk with them about this?

Did this angle need Dan Severn … or the NWA Title to be the launching point … instead of the North American title?

Speaking of the North American title … the person holding it at the time … Reckless Youth Tom Carter … vacated the title for the angle. Tom sadly never made it to TV…did you ever hear of him or work with him?

Working with Barry Windham … was he at his best here?

You’ve said over and over again on this podcast your question was always what’s next…was there a plan here?

In the Observer Meltzer would report there’s talk of bringing in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express and Dirty White Boy for the gimmick. Would Tony Anthony had worked in this era for the WWF?

It’s originally announced that at Madison Square Garden on January 10th you were to face Dude Love but you don’t wrestle on the show. It is around this time that Jill is diagnosed with cancer is that right?

Jeff this is a story about your life so whatever you’re comfortable with discussing by all means. Who do you contact? Who’s your support system in the company?

Mike Tyson is announced as appearing at the Royal Rumble with rumors of him having something to do at WrestleMania. How big a deal is this for you when you hear about this?

You’re back on the road in Anaheim at the Arrowhead Pond in front of 12,783 fans and lose to Owen Hart via DQ when Jim Cornette interferes. Any memories of this match?

The next day you’re in Las Vegas working Dude Love at the Thomas & Mack Center in front of 3,822 fans and Dude gets the win via count out.

At the Rumble you & Owen Hart start a feud as we discussed in our Owen Hart episode. You & Cornette attack him in the aisle way on the way to the ring and he returns to eliminate you shortly after you enter the Rumble. Was this something you were expecting to be a long term program?

The Rumble has 300,000 buys from San Jose. In contrast WCW ran Souled Out headlined by Ric Flair and Bret Hart and Lex Luger and Randy Savage and gets 380,000 buys. This is probably the closest the competition has been in a long time. Did you feel like at this point with the change in creative and the comeback of the WWF coming off Survivor Series 1997…you made the right move?

The classic Raw from Fresno is the next night. I say classic not because of you vs. Bradshaw but its the night of the Austin - Tyson angle that really jump starts the WWF. Before we discuss you…watching that angle did you think it was going to be as big as it was?

Let’s talk a little bit about ratings here on the business side of things. The month of January sees the WWF actually reach a 4 in the ratings on January 19th which is the first time they’ve done that since May of 1996 when they would run head to head against Nitro. And still Nitro is drawing at the worst a 4.3 in the month. Did you think the WWF was a better product at this point than WCW?

Back to you Jeff and you work Bradshaw in a North American title defense and Meltzer would have this to say: “Jeff Jarrett retained the NWA North American title beating Blackjack Bradshaw in 3:41. Rock & Roll Express, wearing tag belts this time (although never called NWA tag team champions) were at ringside and interfering freely. Blackjack Windham was at ringside as well but seemingly asleep while all the interference was going on. Bradshaw worked a lot stiffer and more aggressive after his Japan stint. Windham did a run-in and went to hit Jarrett, but instead gave Bradshaw the lariat when Windham moved leading to the pin. Rock & Rolls and Jarrett were beating on Bradshaw after the match when Windham teased saving him, then turned on him and Jim Cornette announced that the former NWA champion Barry Windham had rejoined the NWA. Windham looked like he was asleep, which matches the way he's been wrestling.”

Bringing Ricky & Robert into the mix has to be a big deal for you does it not?

Did you see a change in Bradshaw from your last stint in the company? Meltzer speculates the change was from a trip to Japan…what did you see different in the future JBL?

Pairing Windham with the group after the week before you defeating him to become the champion - seems odd does it not?

So this is the NWA right now - Jim Cornette, you, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express & Barry Windham. Was this something you think Vince McMahon was behind?

Later that night you tape Shotgun and the Legion of Doom defeat the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express with you & Windham at ringside. How surreal is it to see this match be taped for a Shotgun considering 10 years before this was a main event in a ton of buildings at the time?

In Davis, CA the next night it’s a Raw taping. From the Observer: “Jarrett & Windham beat LOD in a weird match. Match was boring, with Morton, Gibson and Cornette in the corner. Windham hit Animal with the tennis racquet while Morton & Gibson were fighting with Hawk and pinned him, the bell rang and they were announced as the winners, although apparently it was a screw up as everyone acted weird and just kept wrestling looking mad.”

What do you remember of this match and why did it come off so badly? What was it like working with LOD at this time?

On the final version that aired the match cut off at the pinfall finish and didn’t go to the DQ. Do you remember it all being so bad it had to be edited that much?

Was being back on the road a welcome distraction from what was going on at home?

You work Chainz - Brian Lee of the Disciples of Apocalypse - for Shotgun and he wins by DQ after it’s a big interference schmoz. Working with Brian - we don’t ever hear much about his work ability - just that he was Fake Taker. What was he like in the ring?

In Philly at the Corestates Center in front of 12,088 paid you defeat Skull which was Don Harris. That had to be a pretty cool feeling in front of 12,088 against one of your buddies. How close were you to the Harris Boys at this time?

You defeat Skull again in Hartford on January 27th in front of 6,044 and I’m listing these attendances to put over the magnitude of the run the WWF is on at this point. We haven’t gotten to Michaels - Austin yet and the houses are pretty big. What’s the pay like at this point?

You defeat Cactus Jack second from the top in Huntington in front of 6,120 - then in Columbus, Ohio in front of another 6,480. Long ways away from you & Mick in the Sportatorium is it not?

You get matched up with Ken Shamrock on a loop around Cincinnati, Cleveland and Louisville. What was it like working with Ken at this time?

Raw from Indianapolis features you & Windham losing to Bradshaw & Flash Funk. From the Observer: “Funk was attacked by the Rock & Roll Express and carried out, leaving Bradshaw, who is getting the megapush right now trying to create a 90s version of Stan Hansen (and using that name regularly in conjunction with him), by himself. Bradshaw still ended up hitting the lariat on Jarrett for the pin in 7:03 to set up the NA title match on PPV. The entire NWA destroyed Bradshaw after the match with Jarrett holding a figure four on him while a newly-blond Barry Windham kept jumping on his bad knees that ended his football career.”

Were you excited to work with Bradshaw at the upcoming No Way Out pay-per-view?

Was Barry a shell of his former self?

In Evansville the next night for the Raw taping in front of 8,457 you & Windham team up again and beat LOD by DQ when Bradshaw attacks you. Did the LOD need to be repackaged at this point in your mind?

At No Way Out in Houston you and Bradshaw meet up for the NWA North American Title. From the Observer: “Bradshaw beat Jeff Jarrett via DQ in 8:59 so Jarrett retained his NWA North American title. Jim Ross said this match was historic because it was the first time an NWA title had ever been defended on a WWF PPV event. Lawler even talked about Paul Boesch (the legendary promoter in Houston from the mid-60s to late-80s) promoting NWA matches in this city for so many years. While that bit of trivia is correct, it's hard to call a match "historic" that was forgotten about even while it was going on. Rock & Roll Express and Barry Windham came out with Cornette and Jarrett but everyone but Cornette was ordered to the back. They are trying to make Bradshaw into Stan Hansen, right down to the ring entrance with the bullrope and the ultra-stiff offense. But the crowd was dead. Most of the match consisted of Cornette & Jarrett working on Bradshaw's bad knee. Finally Bradshaw made the comeback by catching Jarrett's crossbody and turning it into a fallaway slam. After a power bomb, Bradshaw then slingshotted Cornette into the ring and Cornette dropped his racquet. He whipped the two into each other allowing Cornette to take his 1980s manager pratfall. Jarrett then clocked Bradshaw with the racquet for the DQ. After the match, Bradshaw made his own comeback cleaning up on both until Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson showed up to also take bumps for him. Finally Barry Windham came out and they were cleaning house on him until the Legion of Doom made the save. 1/2*”

Lots of ga ga here. But it is a historic moment as JR talks about with a NWA title being defended on a WWF pay-per-view. Is that a big deal to you?

What did you think of the match?

Bradshaw carries the reputation of working real stiff. Does he live up to that?

This show draws 150,000 buys so the WWF loses half the buys from the Rumble. SuperBrawl from WCW gets 415,000 with Sting vs. Hogan in a Starrcade 1997 rematch. Is this discouraging when you hear the numbers?

The next night on Raw from Dallas you work with Owen in a European title match that Owen wins via DQ from Cornette interference. Are you disappointed it was your one and only time to get to work him on TV?

You’re 45 days into the gimmick Jeff … what did you think at this point? Or did you think it was already done?

The next day in Waco is a Raw taping and Shamrock gets the submission win in a non-title match. After the match you say it’s time to go your separate ways from Jim Cornette. Why the sudden shift here? Is it Jim’s idea? Russo’s? Was it just not working?

Just like that…the North American title disappears. It’s all gone. What the hell happened and why so fast?

Literally the next week…the next week Jeff…here’s Tennessee Lee - the former Colonel Robert Parker - coming out introducing you as “Double J” - the world’s greatest country singer & wrestler. What’s going on in creative that there’s all these sudden shifts?

Were you happy the NWA gimmick ended?

Were you happy to be transitioning back to the being Double J?

Was there more to do with the NWA angle and gimmick in your mind?

Robert Gibson & Ricky Morton continue on as the NWA Tag Team Champions even dropping the belts to the Headbangers before the new Midnight Express angle of Bob Holly & Bart Gunn begins and that all wraps up in April at Unforgiven. Were you disappointed to see Ricky & Robert move on?

Barry Windham would continue on with Cornette until May and then he’s gone. You’re really the only one who survived the NWA gimmick. Eventually Dan Severn comes into the fold but really the NWA disappears in mid June. What went wrong here?