Two huge news stories broke late last week that had the internet buzzing and phones ringing all throughout the pro wrestling world. Folks from all over the place were checking in by long-distance just to find what exactly was going on.
WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett was surprisingly relieved of his position as the promotion’s Senior Vice President of Live Events. He was ironically replaced by his close friend, ‘Road Dogg’ Jesse James. Jarrett was just hired in May, but with all the upheaval going on at Titan Towers right now, it appears that anything is possible. Very few people are completely safe in their positions.
Jarrett, 55, is living a whole new life these days. Having rid himself of a lot of personal demons, he looks terrific and has been involved in some great moments in recent years. Aside from his relationship with WWE, he appeared in Ric Flair’s last match.
Video of the multi-time world champion backstage after the match showed Double J nearly in tears. He was overwhelmed that he got to be a part of that moment. Even after a lifetime in the squared circle, he still has the same passion.
As Jeff Jarrett Departs the Muddy Waters of WWE, Tony Khan Looks Like He’s Having Some Serious Issues in AEW
Reports are stating that Khan called a mandatory meeting of the promotion’s talent before the Dynamite show in Cleveland, Ohio. This comes after rumors that many people in the company were unhappy. There have been some pretty brutal shoots that have gone on between AEW stars onscreen and on social media. By all accounts, the chickens have finally come home to roost.
For a while now, several followers of All Elite Wrestling have said that Khan needs to hire a ‘wrestling guy’. Someone who has been in the position himself. And while the young billionaire has a wonderful vision and seems to have good intentions, he’s still very new to the endeavor he’s pursuing.
Khan gets picked on a lot by some hardliners and veterans, who have dismissed him as merely a ‘money mark’. However, he’s taken on this challenge full force and has given it all he’s got to make AEW a global powerhouse and must-watch TV.
The problem is? Sometimes he’s doing too much, and too fast. The pacing of the company’s formats are like watching the lines light up at a telethon. Everything just seems to be happening faster than a fiber network, and it’s been hard for the fans to make a connection. Whether it’s true or not, the perception is that Khan is panicking now and just throwing everything he has against the wall to see what sticks.
Despite His Best Efforts, It’s Time for Tony Khan to Reach out to Someone for Help, and There’s No Shame in That
Besides the fact that it would help pare down some of Khan’s numerous roles with his company, it would add stability. Like it or not, many performers respond better to a former great, because there’s already a level of respect there. It’s not just about name value, anyone who has made the sacrifices to be a star knows how hard it is.
So, perhaps Mr. Khan should give a ring to someone who has actually been in the ring.
There are several choices out there that could help Khan and AEW out, but likely aren’t available. Dutch Mantell is a terrific storyteller who had tremendous success as a booker in Puerto Rico. He also worked right alongside Jeff Jarrett in TNA. However, he has stated that he has no interest in returning to that role anywhere else.
OVW’s Al Snow has his hands pretty full over in Louisville. So it might be troublesome to leave all of those responsibilities behind. Jim Cornette has a brilliant mind for pro wrestling. But he would likely take a baseball bat to everything in the office the first time he saw Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks. So, he’s out, too.
But Jeff Jarrett Is Available
Sometimes maligned by critics and observers, Jarrett is a third-generation wrestling lifer. Both his grandmother and father were promoters in the Tennessee area. Dad Jerry also doubled as an in-ring performer. So Jeff basically went right from the cradle to the ring.
He launched Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling in 2002 to lots of jokes and giggles. But that company, now re-christened IMPACT Wrestling, is still around, twenty years later. It’s part of his legacy, even though he hasn’t been a part of the promotion for quite a while.
Regardless if people ever liked TNA or not isn’t the point. The most valuable thing that came out of it is that many people had jobs in the wrestling industry for years. Some performers, who may have otherwise never been noticed, launched successful careers there. All because Jeff Jarrett decided that he could do what everyone told him he couldn’t.
Khan and Jarrett Might Make for a Potent Pro Wrestling Pairing
With Khan’s money and business acumen, and Double J taking most of the reigns creatively, it could be a whole new world in AEW. And Khan can hang up the receiver on all the mistakes of the past. A new voice from an established face is something that would breathe fire back into All Elite Wrestling. The same fire they displayed throughout most of its first two years.
Jarrett has plenty of experience, and is used to dealing with headaches. TNA surely kept him up a lot at night; the company always seemed to befall bad luck. Someone had to be its steadying force. And despite what many people may believe, it wouldn’t have survived without the time, effort, and money that Double J invested in it.
He could be that spiritual leader right now, in a promotion that’s desperately searching for its soul. Both Khan and Jarrett have walked through the fire and taken all the shots. The two of them teaming up would likely make all the hater’s heads explode.
If it would work for all parties involved, it could be a perfect connection. All Tony has to do is call the crib, or hit Jeff up on his celly. Because as we’ve seen a few times already? When in doubt, dial 1-800-DOUBLE-J.
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world. As well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can catch AEW Dynamite Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TBS and AEW Dark: Elevation (Monday nights) and AEW: Dark (Tuesday nights) at 7 PM ET on YouTube. AEW Rampage airs on TNT at 10 PM EST every Friday night.
