My World with Jeff Jarrett- T-N-A-Beatin [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Now that we’ve left Nashville with Ric Flair’s Last Match let’s take a look back at what was going on 20 years ago at the Municipal Auditorium…

Jeff we talked about the launch of TNA last year - and where we left off was the Tennessee Titans saving TNA when they decided to jump the rail and brawl with you.

You’re also coming off the Jay Hassman news and the lack of buys of the shows that you were not expecting.

The 5th pay-per-view is the last one from the Municipal Auditorium.

The show opens with highlights of you brawling with Scott Hall and the Tennessee Titans to Goldilocks trying to interview Ken Shamrock. Talk to me about Goldilocks Jeff.

Mike Tenay announces that you’ll be taking on Malice in a Ladder Match in the main event for the #1 contendership. Malice was the Wall in WCW…what do you remember of Jerry Tuite?

Before we get anywhere though you’re brawling with Scott Hall and Bill Behrens removes you from the match. Is this a good example of how hard it is to book a pay-per-view as a TV show?

From the Observer: “It became clear why Russo was there, because Russo is booking Jarrett to be Stone Cold and while he doesn't understand how to book for money, he does understand how to book Jarrett.”

Sabu replaces you and the match takes place next and Sabu gets the win.

From the Observer: “Better than a usual Sabu match. Lots of messed up spots and lots of good spots. Malice took a bump over the top rope through a table, and at his size, that was a dangerous stunt. Sabu climbed up and got the contract in 13:23. Sabu busted his nose during the match. All of Jim Mitchell's crew (Tempest, Slash and Malice) destroyed Sabu after the match with Malice choke slamming him off the apron through a table. A pattern will emerge. **½” The Torch gave it ***.

Why Sabu against Ken Shamrock for the NWA Title? Two babyfaces and just a styles clash?

Any hesitation in using Sabu considering this report from the Torch: “Several TNA wrestlers report that Sabu was “in no condition to perform” prior to the pay–per–view. Observers say Sabu actually passed out prior to the show while backstage and that there was concern as to whether he would actually be able to appear on the show. Sabu was said to be so out of it that he forgot most of the spots that had been planned for his match with Malice, which is why Tempest (a/k/a Devon Storm) was obviously whispering to him throughout the match. Despite the backstage problems, Sabu was still scheduled to appear in the NWA Title match against Ken Shamrock this week”

AJ Styles & Jerry Lynn are tag team champions that don’t get along and they brawl in the ring and it ends with a Styles Clash from Styles to Lynn after Lynn talks about being in wrestling for 14 years and Styles 3. We’re only 5 weeks in and the tag team champions hate each other…

From the Torch: “Jerry Jarrett spoke out against Jerry Lynn for using the words “God Damn” while cutting a promo on A.J. Styles during the July 17 pay–per–view. “I will not tolerate or appreciate using God’s name in vain, and in one of those circumstances I didn’t portray that to the talent and someone dropped a G.D.,” Jarrett told Chairshots.com. Lynn was confronted by Jarrett once he returned backstage. Jarrett was polite in explaining his preference that such words not be used and to have all swear words approved before using them during promos. Lynn apologized and told Jarrett that he simply got caught up in the moment and didn’t mean to swear”

This is something you also believe in, is that right Jeff?

Goldlicks is interviewing Jasmin St. Claire right outside the showers until she’s attacked by Francine. Because…of course?

Ron Killings as K-Krush is out there sounding like a star while cutting a promo and defeats Norman Smiley in 3 minutes but Smiley gets offense for most of the match. Surprised that Killings - who’s been around forever - never really got to the higher echelon in WWE. Why do you think that is?

I do enjoy the Observer recap of it though: “K-Krush did an interview. He also complained about being held back. Similar interview to Lynn. Fans were largely cheering him. He complained about getting fired by WWE. Brilliant. Fans already know half the crew are WWE rejects, but nobody even remembers that he was in WWE, so you just let them know. K-Krush beat Smiley in 3:20 with a gourdbuster. DUD match. After the match, K-Krush took off his studded belt and whipped Smiley and then choked him over the ropes. This very large woman came out as Smiley's wife for the save, as I guess Judy Bagwell had a hair appointment and couldn't make the booking.” The Torch gave it *½.

Next up…PUPPET IS JERKING OFF IN A TRASH CAN. From the Torch: “Goldy found Puppet standing in a trash can pretending to masturbate before his match. He asked if she wanted “a little porridge?” and offered to show her his cobra later. Goldy said as soon as her signing career takes off, she’s quitting this job. She then found the Dupps sitting backstage. One of them complimented her lips, but “not those lips.”

I mean…what are we doing here Jeff?

From there it’s Jorge Estrada & Sonny Siaki against Christopher Daniels & Elix Skipper. Daniels & Skipper would be the future XXX and man oh man what a tag team. Christopher Daniels has been in some amazing tag teams in his career has he not?

Estrada & Siaki get the win though as you gotta make the Flying Elvises right! Sonny Siaki is the focus here. Did you think he could be the next Rock?

From the Observer: “Sonny Siaki & Jorge Estrada beat Christopher Daniels & Elix Skipper in 9:45. Match was a mess. With the exception of Daniels, nobody could get their act together. They did a gimmick where Siaki was being cocky and talking on the air while Estrada was in the ring and running him down. Didn't we just do the tag team that doesn't get along gimmick already? Problem was, Siaki had no clue what to say, and was so out of breath, even if he did, he couldn't have delivered the lines. Siaki pinned Skipper with Reno's old roll the dice. If this match was on WWE, people would be clamoring to send three of these four to OVW. Rarely do you see OVW TV matches fall apart like this one. 1/2*” Torch gave it ***. Big difference there!

Meatball vs. Puppet. From Meltzer: “Puppet beat Meatball, this midget who looked like John Tenta and Porky had a mini child with none of their charisma or ability. The highlight was Puppet breaking a watermelon over Meatball's head. This went 6:04, and was one of the worst matches of the year. -***. It also screwed up the show in another manner. Between this match going several minutes long, the ref's IFB going out in the Elvis's match so they didn't get the signal to go home until late, they were way long on time. This forced them to cut several minutes of Low Ki vs. Styles.” Torch gave it ½*.

When something like that happens how messy does it get? Why Meatball vs. Puppet?

Teo gropes the cage dancer…that’s it. Moving on…

Jasmin St. Claire vs. Francine and Jasmin comes out with a white t-shirt and no bra and it’s wet. Roll tide. Catfight. Blue Meanie interferes and DDTs Francine and it’s a DQ and Francine is stretchered out. From the Torch: “A key source reports that the office asked Jasmin St. Claire to show her breast briefly during her appearance, but the former porn star rejected the idea”

You think that was an idea at some point?

AJ Styles defends the X division title against Low Ki. Styles gets the win in 11 minutes. From the Observer: “Styles beat Low Ki to keep the X title in 10:35. Huge disappointment. Part of the problem was a drunk fan in the crowd stole the attention from the guys, and it hurt them. They never got the crowd back. They were piping in fake crowd noise again in this one. Styles won with the Styles clash. Not bad, but nowhere near the level of what they're capable of. **1/4.” Torch gave it ***.

Lynn attacks Styles after the match and hits a cradle piledriver on a ladder.

Then Mike Tenay announces next week Ken Shamrock defends the NWA Title in a Ladder/Submission Match against Sabu. SO MANY LADDERS JEFF!

Brian Lawler comes out and shits all over his Dad. It’s uncomfortable really. It goes on until Scott Hall comes out and cuts him off for the match. Hall gets the win in 9 minutes in the main event.

From the Observer: “Brian Lawler did a long promo running down his father. That would have been great if his father is going to wrestle him, but since he's not, it came off as building up something you can't deliver. Why not challenge Rock or Angle while you're at it? Hall beat Lawler in 8:20 with the edge. Came across like two former WWE guys who aren't going to take any bumps working an indie show. Hall looked real bad, but he'd been on a Puerto Rican bender for several days. 3/4*.” Torch gave it *½.

After the match K-Krush and Lawler choke Hall with a belt and it’s ANOTHER stretcher job. You’re disguised as a paramedic after being thrown out earlier and attack Hall again with a chair and security to close the show.

Your dad in his book wrote about how upset he was with this show, describing it as having “too many missed spots, too much profanity, and too much sexual content.” Do you remember you & your dad discussing this show afterwards?

Did you think this show was a good, bad or in between show?

Meltzer reported that you made the call to downplay the interaction with the Titans players from the week before as there was no storyline to go with it and the Titans’ GM Floyd Reese gave the players heat regarding it. Is that how you remember it?

Here’s Meltzer on the show: “After week five of NWA TNA, we were treated to a totally different product, because of the heavier influence of Vince Russo.

The match quality was way down, but that was due to other factors and can't totally be blamed on Russo. Fact is, A.J. Styles vs. Low Ki, on paper, looked to be the best singles match the company has put on, but it didn't work that way. The Flying Elvis' looked spectacular on the first show and looked like green indie guys on show five. The women and midgets can be blamed on Russo because that stuff figured to be bad. Sabu vs. Malice in a ladder match ended up being a lot better than it looked on paper, so in a sense, Sabu's performance balanced out the X guys.

But the feel of going from an emphasis on hard work and matches with long-range angles and title quests to crash TV where nothing mattered and with a heavy emphasis on swearing (which got old fast because it was overdone), and attempting to market to that 15-30 age group male demo that hates women because they can't get dates and enjoys seeing them harassed and abused. The overdone booking was notable with so many fake serious injuries, particularly the ones to Francine and Norman Smiley that were produced with comedy overtones. When they did the one they wanted people to remember and get them to pay $10 next week for revenge for, with Scott Hall, even if it wasn't the same angle from a few weeks earlier with the same participants, it was the same angle done after just about every match on the same show. It can't be denied (I wish it wasn't the case but that's a different issue) that attitude worked of appealing to 15-30 age males and overdoing the angles in ECW (not enough to make it profitable, but it was part of a philosophy that put it on the map) and to a degree in WWE. But this version felt more low-rent, skanky and repetitive. Vince McMahon never would have had everyone swear over and over on interviews. Remember when Vader swore on a PPV? It was huge news. But the culprit is not Russo, but Jerry Jarrett, since the buck stops there. In his defense, he had budgetary and legal issues that were more pressing and took him away from creative. Jarrett should have known best with his experience at producing the highest rated wrestling television shows of any of our lifetimes (his ratings in the heyday in Memphis would make the Puerto Rican groups envious), and that is, weekly television drives the ship.”

What say you Jeff?