My World with Jeff Jarrett - Leaving the WWF in 1996 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Jeff today on My World we’re going to continue the story we discussed last month when you returned to the WWF in 1995…but this time you leave well before October.

We left off at the end of your 1995 and beginning of 1996 and whoo boy do we have some stuff to cover Jeff.

We move into 1996 and you’re on the road to facing Ahmed at the Rumble. On house shows you return and you’re teaming with Sid losing to Razor & Diesel at the Nassau Coliseum in front of 5,100 and then teaming with Hunter in New Haven and losing to Razor & Diesel. Did it feel good to get back on the road again with the Clique?

You work the Montreal Forum in front of 8,000 paid and 10,016 total teaming with Hunter and losing to Razor & Savio. How is the locker room treating you after your return? How about the office?

You work Ahmed in Fitchburg, MA in front of 3,500 with Ahmed getting the win. Is this your run through for the Rumble match?

Well Jeff to close this all up let’s talk about your pay-per-view return to the company. It’s the Royal Rumble in Fresno and you’re opening the show for the second consecutive Rumble! You vs. Ahmed…and let’s hear what Meltzer thought of the show:

“1. Ahmed Johnson beat Jeff Jarrett via DQ in 6:40. Johnson is really green. The transitions from spot-to-spot were weak. Jarrett tried to carry it but it's hard when nobody buys Johnson being in trouble because he's so physically impressive and doesn't know how to sell to overcome the impressive size. After a sidewalk slam (called a spinebuster by McMahon although it's not the same move as the one Arn Anderson uses), Johnson did a dive over the top and crashed into the guard rail in the process. Johnson then did a full somersault splash off the top and missed, selling his knee. Jarrett used the figure four but Johnson reversed it. He tried it a second time but Johnson kicked him out of the ring. Jarrett came in with a guitar and came off the top rope, smashing it on Johnson's head for the DQ. The guitar shot sounded great. Johnson keeled over from the shot, but recovered before Jarrett was back in the dressing room and got up and ran after him but never caught him. *¼”

Is Ahmed green? Tough to work with? He doesn’t have the best working reputation over the years from really anyone.

Do you think a guy of Ahmed’s size and stature makes it tough to get over you’re a believable heel for him to sell?

Ahmed crashing into the guard rail is a real holy shit moment. Was he ok?

This…doesn’t seem like a match you really put together Jeff. It’s hard to see here who the showcase is for. Then the finish with you smashing the guitar over his head I think is the first time we’ve seen it happen where you connected. Did you think even all these years later you’d still be using a guitar?

From the Torch: “(1) Ahmed Johnson defeated Jeff Jarrett via DQ at 6:38 when Jarrett nailed Ahmed with his guitar. Ahmed attacked hard and fast. Jarrett retreated to ringside. Ahmed chased Jarrett back into the ring. Ahmed outpowered Jarrett early in the match with shoulder blocks and screaming powerslams. Ahmed missed a flying clothesline when Jarrett ducked and Ahmed’s hand got caught in the ropes. Jarrett clotheslined Ahmed off the ring apron and then swung him into the ringside stairs. Ahmed began a superman comeback, running in place and no-selling Jarrett. He then caught Jarrett in a bearhug at 3:54. At 4:33 Ahmed hit a bodyblock over the top rope onto Jarrett. Ahmed then attempted a flip senton, but Jarrett moved. Jarrett then applied the figure four which would have been a sensible place to end the match considering Ahmed in reality and according to the storyline is new to WWF rings. But Ahmed reached the ropes and onto the non-clean finish we went. Jarrett went for the figure-four again, but Ahmed kicked him away and through the ropes. Jarrett saw his guitar and decided to come off the top rope and nail Ahmed with it for the DQ. Jarrett did a good job carrying Ahmed. The match told a story, but the finish was lame. The guitar shot should have come after a clean finish. (*1/4)”

Ahmed has said some things over the course of the years about how he didn’t like working with you and said you were racist. Care to comment?

Jeff you’re not on Raw the next night…but you’re on the Superstars taping the next day. Any idea why?

At the Superstars tapings in San Jose you take on Razor Ramon and you lose when 1-2-3 Kid attacks Razor for the DQ. Kid’s choice of weapon for this attack you may ask? A baby stroller. Jim Cornette loved that shit didn’t he?

Ahmed makes the save from you two double teaming him. Did you think at this time you were about to do a loop with these 3 in tag matches?

I ask because later at the tapings Ahmed beats 1-2-3 Kid by DQ with your interference. You come to ringside and attempt to come off the top rope with a guitar shot…Ahmed catches you…Razor comes in for the save and Kid ends up breaking your guitar over Razor’s back.

Any talk of putting you with Ted DiBiase who was managing Kid at the time?

You’re off to White Plains, Baltimore and then MSG all putting Ahmed over. That time in MSG will be your last visit to MSG until June of 1998. Were there issues with working Ahmed at this time?

You’re announced as taking on Ahmed at the Louisville Gardens for the next In Your House but the match is dropped quietly from the card and replaced by Hunter vs. Duke Droese. This…isn’t a good sign is that right Jeff?

You’re still working with Ahmed when you visit Happy Valley and Penn State. Jeff - as a college football fanatic - does visiting Happy Valley have any meaning to you?

Ahmed in his corner that night has Kevin Conlan, an All Big Ten lineman at the time when he’s working against you. These are the little things that at the time the WWF didn’t really get a lot of credit for. Is this something you learned from to utilize later on as a promoter? Or is this just the usual typical Memphis get a local involved gimmick?

From there it’s Ahmed again in the Spectrum in Philly but at the same time…you’re still working for the USWA. You’re a babyface and you’re wrestling Brian Christopher for the Unified title. Why was Vince OK with you still working down there?

On February 14th and 17th there are some big shows being promoted in Memphis. On the 14th it’s for the USWA and to be headlined by you & Jerry Lawler teaming up to take on Undertaker & Bret Hart. On the 17th the WWF is running the Pyramid. When you have the long rooted, deep tradition of Memphis wrestling intertwined with the WWF…does it get messy?

You’re a heel on TV but a babyface in Memphis. Lawler’s a heel on TV but a legendary babyface in Memphis. At the time, Taker & Bret are two of the top babyfaces for the WWF. Does this lead to an odd dynamic of suspension of belief?

Are guys like Taker & Bret excited to be coming to work for the USWA?

I gotta ask…how much does this cost your dad?

Lawler vs. Bret is headlining the 2/17 show for the WWF in a cage. And as is common talk now in professional wrestling, these are one of the early moments of the Forbidden Door wouldn’t you say?

In front of 1,100 fans you & Jerry Lawler defeat the Undertaker & Bret Hart with a house of $7,800. Taker hits the ref for the DQ and it’s only a 6 minute match but there’s a lot of brawling afterwards. Is this a disappointment to your dad, the guys, the company, etc?

From there on the 16th you wrestle Ahmed in Nashville and you’re announced as the USWA champion and he gets the win this time via countout. Why the change to having you announced as champion and losing by countout now?

Then on February 17th in front of 7,500 at the Pyramid…Jeff you get hurt. From the Observer: “Jeff Jarrett suffered a serious back injury on 2/17 in Memphis against Ahmed Johnson. He was carried out of the ring and hospitalized. He's out of the hospital but no word on when he'll be back.”

From the Torch: “Jeff Jarrett suffered a fluke back injury on the Feb. 17 WWF card in Memphis. He leaped off the ring apron to hit Ahmed with a forearm and his back went out. He has had back problems since suffering an injury in a 1992 car wreck. He had no feeling in his leg immediately after landing on the floor and was taken in an ambulance to the hospital. He is now home but is bed ridden. The timeline for his return to the ring is day-to-day…”

Jeff walk us through it. How bad is it? How scary is it? It’s from catching Ahmed on a dive, correct?

Supposedly you leave the hospital the next day but you’re off the road at this point right?

In Your House is the next day in Louisville. Before the injury were there any plans for you?

Were there any long time plans at all for you?

Anything for Mania in Anaheim?

What are your doctors telling you?

What’s the office saying to you?

Jeff…what the hell happened?

There’s rumor and innuendo and speculation of a vertebrae problem. How accurate is that?

It’s said in the Observer you could return in 6 weeks or the end of April. Is that the prognosis you got from your doctor?

From the Torch: “Jeff Jarrett will remain out of action for six weeks due to back problems. He is currently in rehab. There are three discs that are abnormal and separated in the lower part of his back. Space actually exists between disks due to past injuries. The muscle spasms that result can throw his hips out of joint. His contract with the WWF runs through October of this year, so if Jarrett decides to leave the WWF, he would have to give notice in July. Rumors of him going to WCW sooner than that aren’t true…”

So that’s what your Dad is telling the Torch. What’s going through your mind?

You’re obviously stripped of the Unified title from the USWA. Any thoughts to keeping the title on you?

At this same time you have Razor & Diesel leaving, Marc Mero coming into the company, Mick Foley coming into the company, there’s a ton of talent coming and going with the WWF. Are you just laid up at home thinking…what the hell is next?

Are you talking with Bruce? JJ? Vince?

Are you watching TV during this time? What did you think was the better product?

The USWA celebrates the 1,000 show on WMC-TV in Memphis on April 13th. On the show airs old clips of you being destroyed by Bill Dundee & Buddy Landel when you were a referee and your debut against Tony Falk. How big an accomplishment is that not just for your father but your family?

You cut a promo on the show saying it was the 10th anniversary of your pro debut and that you’re coming back for the title Ahmed Johnson holds who beat Jerry Lawler in a tournament final after you were to vacate it. Does the WWF know you’re going to be cutting this promo and appearing?

What is the real relationship between the USWA & the WWF at this point?

You’re announced as going to be taking on Jerry Lawler in Memphis on April 15th. From the Observer: “The 4/15 show in Memphis, which was billed as Channel 5 night with all seats $5, saw the crowd boosted to nearly 1,200 and the house at about $5,800 with Jerry Lawler and Jeff Jarrett doing a 60:00 draw for the unified title in Jarrett's first match back since being out a few months after a serious back injury. The match was slow paced but the crowd was into it and it had great heat for the final 12:00. Lawler and Jarrett did at least two other 60:00 draws in title matches, one of which was 4/20 in Nashville, by which time Jarrett had won the title and begun a heel turn for the first time in his home territory.”

Jeff walk me through this. Your first match back after a serious back injury is a 60 minute broadway with the King of Memphis. How were you feeling? Were you back in ring shape? Let’s be honest 60 minutes with Lawler isn’t 60 minutes with someone like Shawn Michaels but still that had to be a lot.

Where does the decision come from for you to turn heel in Memphis? Did you agree with it?

Also from the Observer at the time: “Another story floating around is that Jeff Jarrett will work out the remainder of his WWF contract, which is believed to expire around November, by working for this group and would then jump to WCW. As best we can tell, the WWF is still expecting Jarrett to return over the next month or two, but there is at least smoke to the fire in regard to eventually going to WCW.”

Jeff - I mean the fiction writer turned out to be correct on this one. What is going on between you and the WWF at this point that Meltzer is reporting exactly what ended up happening?

When you win back the unified title you align yourself with ref Frank Morrell in his assist along with Tony Falk for the win over Lawler. Who puts this story altogether? Were you ready to be a heel in memphis?

The gimmick is that Morrell is your yes-man … the future Slick Johnson if you will … and Tony Falk is your chauffeur. Good shit Jeff.

On April 22nd you beat Brian Christopher and then on April 26th in Troy, Vader appears and teams with Brian Christopher to defeat you & Mo and it draws 2,100 and $10800. Where does the Vader appearance come from?

Jeff - why aren’t you back in the WWF? You’re back to wrestling almost nightly in Memphis and you’re nowhere on WWF TV?

From the Observer on May 13th: “It appears they are now attempting to position Jeff Jarrett to start a major run as the territory's top star. The idea is to make him a strong heel for a while, which will build toward the inevitable babyface turn. Reports are that Jarrett doesn't want to return to the WWF right now, although everyone is denying the rumors that Jarrett is now the booker although there is little doubt he is at least a strong influence when it comes to booking his own programs. Jarrett is being given his own entourage, which will consist of the Boss Man (Ronnie P. Gossett III), The Personal Adviser (Frank Morrell) and the Errand boy (Tony Falk).”

So Jeff were you made booker? Did you tell the WWF you weren’t interested in returning?

From the Torch: “Jeff Jarrett has his hand in booking the USWA these days and there are no set plans for him to return to the WWF. He was unhappy with how he was being used upon his WWF return, so after his injury he told the WWF rather than return be disgruntled, he’d be happier working just the for USWA unless a better position in the WWF opened for him. The WWF was agreeable. His WWF contract expires in the fall at which point he could conceivably jump to WCW.”

What leads you to just sitting out the rest of your contract? Were you getting paid?

Jesse James Armstrong cuts a promo on saying how there was only one guy managing you in the WWF - himself - and now it takes 3. Are you looking to build to you & Roadie again?

Did you think you could get Memphis hot again?

Tony Falk is given a TV title by you and promptly loses it to Jesse James Armstrong. That tickled me for some reason.

Dwayne Johnson is mentioned in the Observer as on his way in to the USWA to help get experience. Whatever happened to him?

This is where I get … I don’t know if confused is the word Jeff … but the waters are so murky. The WWF is sending talent, developmental, top guys to work this terrority where you, a WWF contracted wrestler, are refusing to go back to them. Why are they helping? Why are you refusing? DOES ANY OF THIS MAKE SENSE?

The nWo debuts on WCW with Scott Hall & Kevin Nash appearing…what did you think of the nWo angle when it started?

There are rumors and innuendo of you being the 3rd man for the nWo - WCW 6-man tag at Bash at the Beach. Any conversations to that or was it always supposed to be Mabel…

Jesse James Armstrong does a Loser leaves town match against you on June 10th and loses because he’s headed to the CWA in Austria. Is that the last time you work Jesse until you return to the WWF in 98?

How about this for some news Jeff…from the Observer on June 17th: “Rumors are flying it'll be Jeff Jarrett since Vince McMahon on the WWF hotline brought up Jarrett's name with Diesel and Ramon as expecting him to join WCW. Jarrett gave notice to Titan and is working out his notice in USWA and he is WCW bound, however his WWF contract doesn't expire until the fall so it probably won't be him.”

From the Torch: “It wasn’t an entirely bad week for WCW in the roster department as they locked in Jeff Jarrett on June 4. Jarrett gave his notice to the WWF and received a conditional release. He cannot work for WCW until the end of October when his contract expires. McMahon acknowledged Jarrett’s departure last week on the WWF 900 line. Jarrett was not happy with his push upon his return to the WWF late last year. “

Vince McMahon on the WWF hotline brings you up as expected to join WCW. Wow.

So you finally give notice. How does this all go down? Do you call them? Is it your attorneys?

If you could put it into one sentence…and I know that’s tough Jeff…explain it to me why it didn’t work out this time?

Did you give it a chance at all?

Were there promises not kept? There has to be something above all else that led you to leaving…again…

Did you ask out of your contract early or was it just something they weren’t willing to do?

As you wait out your notice the USWA runs “The Last Blast at the Coliseum” - the last weekly show at the Mid-South Coliseum. What was it about the Coliseum that just didn’t work anymore for the USWA?

Is this a blow to you & your family or just more of the sense of reality that it was time to move on?

There’s rumor & innuendo that you will be joining the nWo as soon as you can. Is that ever brought up to you by anyone at WCW?

Are you even allowed to negotiate with WCW at this point in time? Or were you doing it the back channel way?

You team with Goldust on July 1st to defeat Brian Christopher & Doug Gilbert in the USWA debut at the Flea Market. A flea market Jeff. This is what you’re doing instead of working in Pittsburgh the night before at the Civic Center in front of 6,264. Just saying.

Ahmed Johnson is brought in to face you for the Unified title. Again Jeff…HOW DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE?

This goes against all versions of Vince McMahon which we all know. He’s helping a guy who decided to just not return to work for him? I don’t get it.

You work Sid as well for the Unified title…what was that like?

It goes 4 minutes before Tony Falk interferes for the DQ.

Are you happy with your run in the USWA?

Did any of the WWF guys coming in give you any shit?

Then this comes out in the Observer on August 14th… “Jeff Jarrett quit USWA and will sit out until starting with WCW in early October.”

From the Torch: “Jeff Jarrett quit the USWA two weeks ago citing creative differences with Jerry Lawler as the primary reason. Even though Jarrett’s father, Jerry Jarrett, owns half of the USWA along with Lawler, and the promotion could use him as they try to build an audience at the Expo Center in Memphis, Tenn., he quit the promotion four to six weeks earlier than hehad planned. With his October start date with WCW, his stay in the USWA was temporary as it was and was mostly to keep out the local promotion and to stay in “ring shape.” Frank Morell, one of Jarrett’s on-air lackeys, also left the promotion. The USWA announced his departure on the Aug. 3 live TV show.”

Sooo what happened here? Lawler ends up being awarded the title after it’s announced on TV that he beat you.

Was Lawler the reason you left?

On September 30th, 1996. Dok Hendrix hosts a segment in which it’s revealed that the Roadie … Jesse James … was the real “Double J.” Were you surprised they took Brian back at this time?

Did you know this was how they were going to debut him and bring him in?

Does he call you? Give you a heads up?

Are you hot? Mad? Or does it tickle you that you were going to be a focal point of a debuting character while you were waiting to debut for the competition?

Jeff…how do you keep burning bridges and re-building them?

Well then you debut on WCW and it’s off to the races of not being a Horseman.