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My World with Jeff Jarrett - Returning to the USWA [Show Notes] (Patreon)
Content
Welcome back to My World!
Jeff - we got a tremendous amount of feedback on our Lance Russell episode and I want to read an email you got from a listener regarding the episode if I can:
Jeff,
I listened to the podcast today. It was great, as usual.
People not from here don’t understand Saturday mornings in Memphis from 11:00-12:30. If you went to Raleigh Springs Mall, and visited Radio Shack- every TV for sale had wrestling on. Traffic was light in Memphis from 11-12:30.
Lance was the star, and the host. He opened the show with the patented “Yellow, everybody…Lance Russell and Dave Brown right along ringside….”. He was obviously in every segment, making you believe that a win over Rough and Ready or Freezer Thompson meant something, as he worked to get over eery single person in the ring.
The subtlety of the man is seen in the interview when Lawler and Flair were in studio, and Jerry asked if the young guy in the ring had ever won a match (he was supposed to face Flair). Lance puts his head down, shakes it and says “not that I can recall, Jerry”. Not – “hell no, he’s a jobber”. It was that subtle, almost resignation to the fact that he had to recognize that the enhancement talent (pardon the words you probably hate to hear) hadn’t ever won.
He was an extra uncle to many of us. Saturday mornings were special. You organized your Saturday around it. You didn’t have a noon wedding. You didn’t start watching football with Keith Jackson until wrestling went off, etc.
But, the one thing many people don’t understand is the LEGITIMACY that Lance and Dave gave the show. Take, for instance the 3 times I know Lance got involved in an angle physically – Dundee slapped him during the “Bill and Buddy” year, Dream Machine tackled him and got in his face over the “alley oop” video shown about Dream Machine, which obviously didn’t sit well. (As an aside, Dream was one of the greatest talkers ever). The third time was when I think you and someone else dumped yellow paint on Tojo – Tojo came out to presumably beat up Lance. Lance grabbed a hammer and said “you may beat me up, but I’m getting one shot in, and I’m hitting you right in the face”. WE TALKED ABOUT THESE MOMENTS FOR HOURS. Imagine a Chris Hardwick or a Ryan Seacrest being tackled on stage.
I’ve often told Kevin that Lance, Dave, Jerry Calhoun (the third Jerry), Eddie Marlin, Mr. Coffey, your dad, etc. were the mortar and caulk in the building. Lance was maybe more part of the foundation, but you get the point.
In Memphis, to this day, if I meet someone from that era, be they black, blue collar, white collar, whatever – if you can somehow work Saturday morning wrestling into the conversation, all walls and fences are instantly dropped – you have something in common. Next thing you know, you’re in a rabbit hole, talking about numerous stories that everyone has in common. Lance was the narrator of that. Lance, John Ward, Keith Jackson and Vin Scully were the soundtracks of my childhood.
-David N.
Jeff back to the episode! A couple of months ago we touched on a feud Jeff that you were having in the USWA during your hiatus with the WWF in 1995. We’re going to get granular on this one so let’s get right into it!
From the Observer on August 14th: “Jeff Jarrett is still sitting it out and the two sides are farther apart at this point than they were one week ago. At press time no progress had been made between the two sides and Jarrett is attempting to get out of his contract and entertain offers at that point because right now nobody can dare talk to him or risk a tampering lawsuit. Usually when a guy leaves WWF while under contract, the promotion lets him work anywhere but WCW (such as Brian Armstrong already working with SMW), but some feel because of the nature of what happened, they may keep Jarrett from working USWA. According to Jerry Jarrett, his son was unhappy about being portrayed as a phony singer in a phony business and thought that would make his career go the same place Milli Vanilli's did and that at this point, WCW (who Jerry Jarrett works for) has made no inquires about getting Jeff.”
A lot to unpack here - what did you think of Brian already working with Smokey Mountain and Jim Cornette while you’re working on your contractors’ license?
Was your dad hesitating on putting you back on the USWA roster or was that more you considering you were worried about burn out, etc?
In the Torch it’s brought up regarding your status and the status of the WWF-USWA relationship with Jerry Lawler. Did Jerry reach out to you during this time? Was there a worry there was going to be a backlash with Jerry and the USWA?
Any talks with Smokey Mountain with Brian working there of going to work for Cornette?
Can you put into terms of what exactly the Monday Night Wars did to Memphis? Between Raw & Nitro both running shows on national TV do you think anyone saw it coming how much it hurt would Memphis?
Brian James is renamed in the USWA as Jesse James Armstrong…is there a plan in place to have this feud in case you’re able to make it happen?
Your family - the Jarretts - and the Armstrongs - somehow start feuding between Smokey Mountain Wrestling & the USWA. When are you told you’re allowed to work for the USWA? Is this is a ask for forgiveness instead of permission type deal?
How is the creative put together for all this? Was it a working relationship between you, your father, Cornette and the Armstrongs?
How difficult is it to run an angle and program and story like this between two promotions?
From the Observer:
“The 11/11 television was the best in a long time. The main angle started with a tape from 11/4 in Nashville where Bob Armstrong was facing Eddie Marlin (Jeff Jarrett's grandfather). As Marlin gained the advantage, the SMW crew attacked him and he was locked in a figure four leglock. Then they aired a clip from 11/10 in Crenshaw, MS starting with J.J. Armstrong making fun of Marlin, because he was walking with a cane based on the Nashville angle. J.J. Armstrong then jumped Marlin and beat him up again and put him in the figure four. Bob Armstrong did a phone interview which they said was from the Bahamas challenging the USWA to put up its promotion against SMW with his son representing SMW against anyone USWA can put up, saying his son had already beaten everyone in the USWA and that he didn't think anyone would accept the challenge.”
3:37 - 13:38
When do you get clearance to do this? Who puts this all together? Was this part of your agreement with Vince that you were coming back?
“Later in the show, a gift box came addressed as being from the Bahamas for J.J. Armstrong. When he opened the box, Jarrett was inside and the two brawled all over the studio, out the door, through the aisles, into the parking lot, and finally in front of the studio until Jarrett chased J.J. Armstrong down Union Avenue. Jarrett got a huge pop and did an interview saying that people thought he deserted the USWA the past two years, but what happened was that every wrestlers' dream was to wrestle in the main event in Madison Square Garden. He said he finally achieved that dream, but felt he had given up too much and said that he had missed seeing his younger brothers' high school football season last year and missed his sisters' college graduation, and when his grandmother was on her deathbed and he flew in, he had to fly back out the next morning and she didn't even remember him being there. He said he wasn't proud of what he had given up to achieve his dream, but when he heard about what happened to Marlin, that was it. He said Jesse James Armstrong was a fake name which he came up with because his always wanted to be Double J, and that his real name is Brian Gerard James. He said he could have picked any wrestler in the world to be his Roadie and he made the Roadie and the Roadie kept screwing up. He claimed USWA isn't like SMW because it doesn't have big money backers behind them but SMW doesn't have any wrestlers who can back up their money.”
Jeff, how did it feel to be back? Did Cornette put you in the box since he’s famously said anything that jumps out of a box is over?
The next week on USWA is a recap of the whole angle and then they air a match between you and Chris Curtis from what looks like the AWA. Are you helping put together the shows since your back?
What is your role in your return to the company?
Right after this on November 13th you finally have your blow off you didn’t want against Jesse James Armstrong in Memphis with you two headlining. I say the blow off you didn’t want because you were so worried about the creative and Brian failing a drug test because that’s why you left the WWF. How different does it feel here doing this angle compared to the WWF? Do you wish you could’ve done something like this with Brian in the WWF?
From the Observer: “The 11/13 Memphis show was headlined by a match billed as USWA vs. SMW with the winner winning the losers' promotion with Jeff Jarrett vs. Jesse James Armstrong with no disqualification. Even with Jarrett's return, doing the best interview possibly of his career, and the stipulations, the house only popped up to an estimated 1,200 fans, which is probably about all they're going to be able to get on their best nights now battling both Raw and Nitro. The match was said to have been the best match in Memphis in a while, with Jarrett winning in 20:11 and as the storyline goes, that means the USWA is supposed to now own SMW.”
Was the house a disappointment? I mean your grandfather - Eddie Marlin - is part of this and is attacked.
Did you agreeing with the WWF mean you could do this program?
Then we get a promo with you & Lance. Let’s take a listen!
Interesting to note how Road Dogg refers to himself as the New Age Outlaw here - and it’s building back to you putting the companies on the line against Jesse James’ hair. How was this all being put together? Week by week?
You guys draw 1,150 and Jesse gets the win to keep his hair and gain control of the company back. What do you remember of these matches between you & Jesse?
My goodness Jeff the heat. The booking. The run-ins. This is all Memphis shit isn’t it?
Here’s the follow-up as there’s a promo your father cuts on TV and then you follow-up on which Dave calls one of the best of your career at this point:
My goodness Jeff, your father talking about the difference in families…and then your promo. It’s full of fire and piss and vinegar. Do you consider this one of the best you’ve ever done?
Eventually the blow off is USWA & SMW against Jerry Jarrett’s house and he’s at ringside for it but it only draws 520 in Memphis for you getting the win in the rubber match. First time your dad has been your second in a while has it not?
From the Observer: “They ran shows in Memphis both on 11/22 and 11/27 over this past week. The 11/22 was an experiment to see how moving away from the traditional Monday would draw, since 11/20 going against Nitro and Raw with loaded shows for free looked like suicide, plus on Wednesday, Jerry Lawler would be available. The Wednesday of Thanksgiving weekend is traditionally the No. 1 travel day of the year, so it's not the best night to draw fans to entertainment events as the rest of the weekend is, but the crowd was significantly up, estimated at 1,150, which still isn't good considering they did the USWA vs. SMW promotion stipulation, which is actually now kind of ironic with SMW closing up. Jesse James Armstrong this time beat Jeff Jarrett to set up the 11/27 match where Jerry Jarrett put up his million dollar house in Hendersonville so he could get his company back, and Jerry Jarrett was brought in to be in Jeff's corner with Bob Armstrong in his son's corner. A combination of going against the free shows and that angle just being way too far fetched led to the smallest house in years, approximately 520 fans paying $4,100 with Jarrett winning and gaining possession of SMW, for whatever that means nowadays. Brad Armstrong, who had lost the SMW title two nights earlier, appeared with the belt as champion and was disqualified. Earlier in the show, when SMW had control of the promotion so to speak, Bob Armstrong "fired" Lance Russell, however Jarrett re-hired him at the end of the show when his son regained possession of the promotion.”
This actually leads to the closing of Smokey Mountain Wrestling. Did you know that was the plan all along?
Are these all your first one-on-one matches with Brian?
What was different of doing all this in USWA compared to the WWF? Timing? The booking? The program itself?
What did you think of Brian in the ring at this time?
Do you think Cornette was equipped to run a wrestling company at this time? Did Cornette give you any advice when starting TNA on the pros and cons of running a wrestling promotion?
How much Smokey Mountain Wrestling did you watch? Any? Were you familiar with the product? Was there any discussions about you going to work there or was it all supposed to be taking place in the USWA?
On December 20th you win the Unified title from Ahmed Johnson in Tunica and Meltzer reports you both work as babyfaces. Was this getting a trial run in before the pay-per-view? Were you allowed to work USWA whenever you wanted now as part of your deal?
Christmas night in Nashville in front of 860 fans you defeat Brad Armstrong to get a lumberjack match with Bullet Bob and you win that one too.
In Louisville the next night you defeat Bullet Bob in a Lumberjack strap match and then Brian Christopher in the main event to keep the Unified title.
On the 27th you defeat Bullet Bob in another lumberjack strap match and then Brian Christopher in front of 1,300 in the main event at the Mid-South Coliseum. Was there a long term plan for you to stay in the USWA at this time?
What did Lawler think of all this? Was he involved in any of this?
Are you happy how this all turned out?
Your run in the USWA continues as we covered in our previous episodes when you get hurt in your match with Ahmed. Are you saddened your run in your home promotion and terrority ended in this way?
You did wrestle a couple more times in the USWA teaming with Sir Mo in April to lose to Vader & Brian Christopher, teaming with Goldust to beat Brian Christopher & Doug Gilbert and then losing to Sid via disqualification. We’ll discuss the end of the USWA in another episode but what a crazy time for the Double Js against each other.
Do you think your matches with Jesse here got him ready to head back to the WWF towards the end of 96? Or was he already TV ready in the ring in your mind?