My World with Jeff Jarrett - Monty Brown [Show Notes] (Patreon)

This week…we go from who was the biggest star coming from TNA… to what I would say is the biggest miss coming from TNA… and that’s Monty Brown!

Before getting into wrestling Monty Brown played in the NFL. First for the Buffalo Bills, including at SuperBowl 28 in 1994, then for the New England Patriots.

He retired due to an ankle injury and was trained to be a pro wrestler by an interesting combo of Dan ‘The Beast’ Severn and Sabu.

It’s reported that he had talked with Paul Heyman at a ECW show and even with WCW about going to the power plant. Did you ever hear this?

There’s also a story about Ric Flair! Supposedly while Monty was with the Patriots he heard Ric was on a radio show and drove to the station and did imitations of Randy Savage & Hulk Hogan. How do you think this type of stuff let Monty fall through the cracks?

Monty is 30 years old in the year 2000 where he debuts in Michigan’s All World Wrestling League including against his trainer Sabu. He continues mainly on the independents in Michigan as “Alpha Male” before first appearing for NWA TNA in 2002.

How does Monty Brown first come to your attention?

Who told you about him, had you seen any of his indy work?

Were there any original plans to put Brown as one of the faces of the company, this creating an instant new star?

He defeated Anthony Ingram on July 3, 2002 at PPV #3 and while it’s not the pounce Monty we would see in the future…you can tell this guy has the charisma…was it just too early for him to have a spot?

He challenges Ken Shamrock and Shamrock even cuts a promo on him later on that night…what that could’ve been Jeff!

His next appearance…well here it is from the Observer: “Monty Brown came out as the black man who told Truth he had a bad attitude. He challenged him, but Truth backed down, but Truth called him an Uncle Tom. Brown attacked him. Brown should be in WWE developmental if this doesn't fly. He's shockingly good on the mic, physically looks great, and while he's green in the ring, he's very athletic and shows obvious major league potential.”

You’re looking to pair Monty up with someone who can work but this story is ehhh is it not?

He only makes five appearances including a losing effort against NWA Champion Ron Killings on August 21, 2002 and then losing to Sonny Siaki in his final match of this first run. Why was it a sort of hit and run spot for Monty?

Would Monty had been better off being in a developmental program like NXT at this time?

Monty is back on the indies but then back in TNA in 2004 beginning on the March 10th weekly PPV, where he attacked the Insane Clown Posse.

ICP? Jeff you have to have some stories with them.

What made you bring back Monty? How did it all go down…you to him - him to you?

Was there a goal that you had when you brought Monty back that he was a future World Champion?

His first match back is a week later defeating Chris Vaughn.

Monty now has a gimmick being billed from the Serengeti, and wears leopard/tiger-print style trunks.

What did you think of the character? Tell us about the POUNCEEEEEE!

Over the coming months he gets a nice push as a monster with a bunch of squash match victories, plus winning over the likes of Sabu, D’Lo Brown, Ron Killings. But he loses twice to Jeff Hardy in #1 contender matches so early on he’s getting put in a prominent position.

We saw the winning streak gimmick work with Samoa Joe. I’m not comparing Joe and Monty but could Monty have been more successful not losing? Or did you think he needed to lose to get more over?

Was he still green? Is that also part of the learning process? Did you see him as a smaller version of Goldberg?

He defeated Abyss and Raven in a Monster’s Ball match at Victory Road on November 7th.

“6. Monty Brown won a three-way Monster's Ball match over Raven and Abyss in 9:05. The premise of this was stupid. They claimed all three were kept in a secluded room with no food or water for 24 hours, under the guise it would make you mean. This was better than I expected. Abyss crotched Raven on the guard rail. This was like the hardcore match on the show with a bunch of chair shots. Brown gave ref Mike Posey the pounce period. Brown then gave Abyss an Oklahoma Stampede. People popped for that. Abyss got a bag of thumb tacks. They teased forever that Abyss was going to superplex Brown into them. It wound up with Raven power bombing Abyss on the tacks. Place went nuts for the spot. Raven knocked Abyss off the apron and through a table. As he turned around, Brown pounce perioded Raven into a vertical table in the corner and got the pin. The timing of the two finishing moves was really good. **¾”

I mean the thought process of being in a room with no food or water for 24 hours…that sounds like a Dutch Mantel idea to me.

This is a big match in a big time period for needing Monty to get over big. Why Abyss & Raven to do this…why a hardcore match…

And then Jeff…well…you wrestle Monty for the first time on the December 3, 2004 edition of Impact and defeat him in a NWA World Title match

Is this cutting his knees off here do you think? Did he need to be in the ring with you and lose on TV? Or was this a test of where he was at in your mind?

He beat Abyss the following month at Turning Point in a Serengeti Survival match. So you’re giving him wins over big names, a loss to you, and then his own gimmick match and he wins. After being in the ring with him was it confirmation you got something with him?

Pro Wrestling Illustrated named him rookie of the year for 2004. That’s quite the accomplishment regardless of what you think of the magazine is it not?

As we roll into 2005, Monty is given his biggest push yet. He defeated DDP and Kevin Nash in a 3-way #1 contender match at Final Resolution on January 16 to face you later in the night, but you come out on top and successfully defend the title following three Strokes.

Could this have been an opportunity to put Monty over for the belt? Was he not ready?

At Destination X on March 13, he faces Trytan, and it’s not good. But we can’t blame Monty for that.

“5. Monty Brown beat Trytan in 5:26. It's hard to believe Trytan applied for Tough Enough 3 and was turned down. Well, until the match started. He played power man. He screwed up a press-slam right away and dropped Brown on his shoulder. Brown did a very good job of carrying Trytan, at least considering Brown's level of experience. The match wasn't that terrible, but the finish was. Brown gave the 300 pound guy a fallaway slam and set up the pounce. The lights went out. When they came back on, another masked man was in the ring, and Trytan was gone. He has the power to transport himself. It was Dennis "Mideon" Knight, who never unmasked, and Brown gave him the pounce for the pin. Brown then saw Trytan still on the ramp. Dusty had planned to make Trytan a new version of Nikita Koloff, but it's a different era and he was totally unimpressive. DUD”

My goodness Jeff - what is all this? I know Dusty is booking at the time but golly. What a mess…

Thankfully for Brown he gets out of this mess and later in the night turns heel!

He costs DDP a world title match against you, and then he joins your “Planet Jarrett” faction, with the condition that you would give Brown a title shot at a later date.

If you need a reminder, “Planet Jarrett” to begin with consisted of you, The Outlaw (Kip James), Larry Zbyszko, Tim Welch, Chris Candido, the Naturals and your lawyer Mr. Daggett.

Why was Brown turned heel now? He was arguably one of the top faces in TNA at the time - did you think you needed to?

How was Monty to deal with it? Any pushback or was he a model employee?

In the Lethal Lockdown on April 20 and you, Monty and Kip James lost to DDP, Sean Waltman and BG James and over the Summer, Monty & Kip were in a feud with the 3 Live Kru (Konnan & Ron Killings), losing to them in the blowoff at Sacrifice in August.

Monty would leave the group after this, with the idea that the agreement between you two had been broken and Monty never trusted you.

Was this a step back in Monty’s growth looking back?

Monty defeated Jeff Hardy in a #1 contender’s match at Genesis in November, but lost that honor to Christian Cage the following month at Turning Point.

Christian would go on to win the title from you later at Against All Odds in February, but before that you and Monty briefly aligned back together again with the storyline you were both bitter towards TNA management.

Monty is…floating in the wind at this time? Did he lose all his momentum in the heel turn and now it’s trying to reclimb the monster?

The month before at Final Resolution, you and Monty lost to Christian and the returning Sting in the latter‘s first match in over 2 years.

Monty finally got a title again at Destination X in March 2006, losing to Christian.

“8. Christian Cage pinned Monty Brown in 17: 11 to retain the NWA heavyweight title. The basic storyline going in was Brown had injured Cage with the pounce on television, and Cage claimed he had broken ribs that were taped up. What they did made sense, since the match was built around Brown working on Cage's ribs. It had no world title aura at all. It really was an example of doing everything by the old-school book but the crowd had seen so much fast paced stuff that the slow paced stuff was kind of boring them.

Part of it also is that the personalities inside the ring weren't strong, even though both men are strong talkers outside the ring. Brown's big spot was dropping Christian's ribs on the top turnbuckle. He continued to work the body. Brown went up for an apparent superplex, but Christian gave him a series of headbutts, and then used a senton of the top rope for a near fall. Brown got a near fall after a power bomb. Brown also used an F-5 for a near fall. Cage got out of the way of a pounce and hit the unprettier for the pin. In the end, the match was better than average, but not PPV main event quality. **½”

We know Monty has a knee injury and he’s going to be taking time off after this match so it’s another World Title shot - and loss. Did losing all these shots cost Monty with the audience do you think?

Monty took a bit of time off for knee surgery after this, and had a bit of a feud with Rhino and Samoa Joe over the summer of 2006, and that’s essentially it for Monty in TNA.

Was he ultimately frustrated with his role? Never getting that world title?

What the hell happened here?

He had a short run in WWE in 2007 as Marcus Cor Von on the ECW brand, including a WrestleMania match teaming with Elijah Burke, Kevin Thorn and Matt Striker as the New Breed lost to ECW originals RVD, Tommy Dreamer, Sabu and the Sandman.

His final match was losing to CM Punk on June 19, 2007 and he hasn’t wrestled since. One of the few to stay retired after leaving wrestling.

What do you think could’ve been with Monty?

Is he one of the regrets with talent from TNA?

What could’ve been done differently? Changed? Different voice? Booking philosophy? I don’t get how here you have someone who had been on WWE TV, fresh face, oozing charisma, and he ends up being like…well Ahmed Johnson in retrospect. Primed for a big run that never happened.

Does it make you feel better that even the WWE couldn’t get him over?