1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:06,040 Speaker 1: Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to the battle Ground Podcast. This 2 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:10,120 Speaker 1: is a podcast all about professional wrestling. Joined Battle and 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:12,639 Speaker 1: Eli as a breakdown what's going on in the world 4 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: of professional wrestling with special guests including some of your 5 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: favorite wrestling superstars. You never know who's gonna stop by 6 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,080 Speaker 1: now making their way to the microphone. Give it all 7 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: for the greatest podcast team in the world, Battle and Eli. 8 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:32,959 Speaker 2: I'm not gonna lie. 9 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 3: I'm trying not the fangirl out right now because of 10 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:36,960 Speaker 3: who's in the studio, A guy that I would spend 11 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:39,879 Speaker 3: my Wednesday nights every night at the fairgrounds watching I'd 12 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 3: see him on TV Double J Jeff Jareded literally sitting 13 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 3: right here in front of me. 14 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 2: Man, how are you doing? 15 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 4: You didn't just say hello? You didn't say fangirl, did you? 16 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 3: I did say fan fan boy, No, a fangirl that 17 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 3: I'm trying to keep. 18 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 5: My composers taking it to a whole nother that's taking 19 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 5: it to a whole other label past fanboy, way past fanboy, 20 00:00:58,040 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 5: because at the end of the at the end of this, 21 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 5: I've got something behind the belt that I've got to 22 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:05,320 Speaker 5: show you that is going to kind of make you laugh. 23 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 4: And kind of you know, tug at my mart strings 24 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 4: a little bit bit. 25 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:09,639 Speaker 2: It's something. 26 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 4: Yes, I'm curious. 27 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:13,959 Speaker 3: No, we'll show it to you at the end. We'll 28 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 3: have to do it on the We'll I have to 29 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:17,120 Speaker 3: let everybody hear this. So you obviously come from a 30 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 3: wrestling family. Did you always know that you want to 31 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:21,679 Speaker 3: become a wrestler, And if so, when was that moment 32 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 3: one percent that you knew that that was the path 33 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:24,120 Speaker 3: for you. 34 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 6: You know, I've got four siblings, and to this day, 35 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 6: you know, none of them really had any interest of 36 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 6: actually getting into the industry. I knew from a real 37 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 6: early age, going to the matches as a kid, little 38 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 6: kid with my grandmother because she promoted, and obviously my 39 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 6: father and grandfather, and and watching it. I mean, as 40 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:45,320 Speaker 6: a young boy on Nashville used to come on late 41 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 6: night Saturday nights. He used to get to go out 42 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 6: to it's called w NG w m G I think 43 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 6: it anyways, a Channel two. Got to go watch that 44 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 6: up on the Hill studio wrestling. So at a very 45 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 6: young age, I was always into anything with a bat 46 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 6: and the ball and sports and running and all that 47 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 6: kind of stuff. So I love athletics, Uh, but but 48 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 6: the showmanship and the connection that I had, you know, 49 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 6: growing up Jackie Fargo in this area is one of 50 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 6: my favorites. The King Jerry Lawler loved him. 51 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:18,640 Speaker 2: Who's still wrestling? 52 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 4: Who's still Monday Night kicking? It's unbelievable. 53 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 6: We're incredible talent. But yeah, I always loved it. Short 54 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,799 Speaker 6: answer is I always loved it. I can't say that 55 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 6: I said yes, I want to do this when the 56 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 6: first time I saw it, But I was always mesmerized 57 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:34,679 Speaker 6: by it. And then you know, being coming from a 58 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 6: I'm just noticing your shirt, Wow, it is about that. 59 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 6: But coming from a wrestling family, folks, it's Ricky and 60 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 6: Robert the rock and Roll Express shirt. But anyway, coming 61 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,519 Speaker 6: from a wrestling family, I always got to see it 62 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 6: from a different perspective, from the not just i'll say 63 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 6: the financial side, but from the marketing side, the production side, 64 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 6: even though back in high school gyms you still had production. 65 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 6: You had to get to a ring in and you 66 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 6: had to do though. So I always really enjoyed the 67 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 6: overall business, right. 68 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 3: And you know something that we on the show as 69 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 3: were big wrestling fans, and some classic episodes of CWA 70 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 3: have popped up on Amazon Prime. We found an episode 71 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 3: you as a nineteen year old when you were a 72 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 3: ref and a match. How could you describe the popularity 73 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,919 Speaker 3: in Memphis of the CWA and later the USWA for 74 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 3: those who did not watch it on Channel five or 75 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 3: was that the Mid South Coliseum? 76 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 6: You know when you when you take it down to Memphis, 77 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 6: which to this day, there's really no other market like 78 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 6: it in the world as far as rustling goes, because 79 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 6: for it was a staple every Saturday morning for ninety minutes. 80 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 4: It was live. 81 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 6: The community knew it was live. It covered all of 82 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 6: Western Sea, northern Mississippi, eastern Arkansas, even the boothill of Missouri. 83 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 6: But huge. But he was on the NBC and obviously 84 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 6: it was before cable and so you either watch cartoons 85 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 6: or this, and it was so hot and back people 86 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 6: won't even remember this TV show called Dallas But who 87 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 6: shot Jr? 88 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 4: And all that? 89 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 6: But it was highly rated and it was the igest 90 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 6: rated show on television on Friday nights. 91 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 4: Well, wrestling beat it. The share and the rating. It 92 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 4: was like anywhere you went in Memphis. It was super super. 93 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:28,600 Speaker 6: Just the amount of notoriety and the Q rating that 94 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:30,480 Speaker 6: you had being on that show, and you know, I 95 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:32,039 Speaker 6: got to get on that show when I was eighteen 96 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 6: years old. 97 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 4: So in Memphis it was completely different. 98 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:38,160 Speaker 6: But then sort of the magic of everything when you 99 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:41,600 Speaker 6: really take a step back and look at it from 100 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 6: the perspective of our industry. So the show was ninety 101 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:48,280 Speaker 6: minutes on Saturday morning, and really what it was was 102 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 6: an infomercial to get you to come down and buy 103 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 6: on Monday nights. And so it's only it's just that 104 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 6: right amount of time that water cooler talk or word 105 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 6: of mouth talk, that it happened on Saturday morning and 106 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 6: we could you call the box office. I was in 107 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,280 Speaker 6: no cell phones back then, but make a landline call 108 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:06,840 Speaker 6: the box office about four or five in the afternoon 109 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:10,479 Speaker 6: on Saturday afternoon, and we would know the TV worked, 110 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 6: It resonated, people are buying tickets. And then you know, 111 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 6: before it was called waller cooler talk. Monday morning, everybody 112 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 6: rolls into work, you start hearing a little bit more 113 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 6: word of mouth. And also in Memphis, you know church 114 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:25,919 Speaker 6: and dinners and so the buzz started long before social media, 115 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 6: but it started on Saturday morning and it got to 116 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:32,360 Speaker 6: a fever pitch by Monday afternoon. And there's a crazy 117 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 6: stat that I think is either eighty two or eighty three. 118 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:41,840 Speaker 6: We averaged almost eleven thousand paid sees every Monday. So 119 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 6: when you think about that, you know, we rolled into 120 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 6: Nashville or any market in the country once or twice 121 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 6: a year. In Memphis there was you know, you fifty 122 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:57,600 Speaker 6: two times ten half a million folks. It was just incredible. 123 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 6: So it's you can't even five them. I can't even 124 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 6: to this day how good business was in Memphis. 125 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 3: Right And it's like wrestling in Memphis is like football 126 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 3: in Texas. 127 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 4: It's it's a whole. It's a way of life. Yeah, 128 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 4: at all the different. 129 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 6: Boss and that's it trickles in and everyone from that 130 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:19,279 Speaker 6: live television ninety minutes on the NBC affiliate every Saturday 131 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:20,599 Speaker 6: morning at ten am. Man. 132 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 2: That is that is crazy. 133 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:25,280 Speaker 3: Jeff Jones our guest right now, something kind of really cool. 134 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 3: What was it like working for the two largest companies 135 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:30,719 Speaker 3: in the nineties. You were with WCW and WWF now 136 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 3: ww what was it like being with both of them 137 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 3: in the boom? You know? 138 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:37,480 Speaker 6: And I've been asked this and and and actually during 139 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 6: that time I recognized it. But as the years have 140 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 6: gone on, Man, I can really have a different perspective 141 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 6: on it. 142 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:45,919 Speaker 3: Uh. 143 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 6: And the biggest difference is is really one person, and 144 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 6: that's Vince Because at the time we were called the WWF, 145 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:56,720 Speaker 6: and working for that that you knew exactly the chain 146 00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 6: of command, you knew exactly where the buck stopped. And 147 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:04,799 Speaker 6: and and he's a second generation, you know, the promotion 148 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 6: business had been in his blood. He knew every facet 149 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 6: of it. And so that was the leader, and that 150 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 6: was the direction. And look at the results to this day. 151 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 4: And w CW was. 152 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 6: Almost the opposite of that, corporately owned, not any one 153 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 6: particular boss uh. And And and that's not pointing fingers 154 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 6: certainly at Eric, certainly at anybody. You you had a 155 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 6: committee booking, you had executives that run it. You had 156 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 6: to answer to the North Tower, and the North Tower 157 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 6: had to answer to Wall Street. So so it was 158 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 6: just a completely different climate and and and so it 159 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 6: was almost night and day. And and then also the style, 160 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 6: the vibe. 161 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 4: There was the w w F style the w CW style, 162 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 4: and they were different. 163 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 6: It was both professional wrestling, or you could say one 164 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,239 Speaker 6: with sports entertainment, one with professional wrestling. In the nineties 165 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 6: because it was completely on some levels, two different. 166 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 3: Products, right, And that's kind of you mentioned that we 167 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 3: had Kevin Nashaw not too long ago, and he kind 168 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 3: of said the exact same thing when he jumped from 169 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 3: WWF now WWE to WCWS, like it was a completely 170 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 3: different landscape from when he left WCW went back, and 171 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 3: you know that it's just sitting there thinking and hearing 172 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 3: your perspective on it just brings a whole new, you know, 173 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 3: ballgame to what happened in the nineties. And another thing 174 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 3: that we kind of want to talk about, if if 175 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 3: you don't mind answering this, when did you kind of 176 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 3: know the riding on the wall about WCW was kind 177 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 3: of going away, you know. 178 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:39,600 Speaker 6: It obviously hindsight's twenty twenty, right, But October ninety nine 179 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 6: when I jumped back, and it was strictly a financial deal, 180 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 6: a great offer, and when I got there and saw 181 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 6: probably within certainly you know, welcome back in. You see, 182 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 6: at that time it was three hours of nitro, two 183 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 6: hours of thunder and running and everything the ratings game 184 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:06,719 Speaker 6: WWF was won, was winning. But probably ninety days in 185 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 6: I realized that the I'll say this in the most 186 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:19,439 Speaker 6: respectful way that everybody, not just talent. Office production was 187 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 6: more or less either you were there picking up a 188 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:23,559 Speaker 6: check or you were. 189 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 4: Out for yourself. 190 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 6: And there was zero leadership with about five guys thinking 191 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:33,599 Speaker 6: they were in charge. So it was really, really, and 192 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 6: it is disheartening. I knew that in the year two 193 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 6: thousand from a positioning creative perspective, I had incentives built 194 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 6: into my deal with a lot of guys didn't, so 195 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 6: I got paid more when I worked. And also I 196 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 6: was all, you know, coming from born into this business 197 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 6: so to speak, and my father and just my family, 198 00:09:57,559 --> 00:09:59,439 Speaker 6: I knew the only thing that I really could control 199 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:01,599 Speaker 6: was what happened and from bell to bell. So I 200 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:04,319 Speaker 6: went out and busted my butt. And I look back 201 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:06,679 Speaker 6: on that stage of my career during that time and 202 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 6: know that I absolutely gave the fans everything. 203 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 3: I had right and you know, I was glued every 204 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 3: week and it was one of those things I would 205 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 3: have to switch back and forth, back and forth. 206 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, and you know, and I was glued. 207 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 3: And another thing that I got glued to was Wednesday night. 208 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 3: It's the fair Grounds. So we kind of want to 209 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:22,959 Speaker 3: talk about that. 210 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:23,840 Speaker 4: You don't mind. 211 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:27,079 Speaker 3: So back in about two thousand and two, you and 212 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 3: your father found a TNA in watn A. 213 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 2: I was at the very first one at Minnesplatatorium. 214 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:35,800 Speaker 3: What it was you and Ken Shamrock, and then I 215 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:39,079 Speaker 3: was hooked on in Watna from ever since then, and 216 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 3: I followed it everywhere at the Fairgrounds. 217 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 2: Up until you guys moved to Orlando, because I mean, 218 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 2: that's a little bit. 219 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:45,959 Speaker 4: Of a drive for me I've had. 220 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 3: I had the little free Wednesday night tickets that were 221 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 3: passed out every week. 222 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:49,600 Speaker 4: Oh wow. 223 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 3: I was there every single week. And you know now 224 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 3: it's known as impact wrestling. What was it like in 225 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 3: the early days at TNA at the Fairgrounds when it 226 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 3: was there, like when you when I was there, it 227 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 3: was like the Who's who started showing up? 228 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 4: Yep, there it was the guest of the week. 229 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 6: Those days were, I mean some of the most most 230 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 6: enjoyable time and then stressful time. You know, it's well 231 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 6: documented that we lost our backing and we were scrambling 232 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 6: and doing some things behind the scenes. But once we 233 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:22,439 Speaker 6: got on firm footing about ninety days in and we 234 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 6: were at the effectually known as the Asylum, not the 235 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 6: sports Arena, over the antenna. But once we got in 236 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 6: that group and the two hour show that we were producing, 237 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 6: and like you just said, it was Hacksaw one week, 238 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 6: Rick Steiner another week, the Road Warriors, Kurt Inning, I mean, 239 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 6: just a whole list. But we also had that core 240 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 6: group of guys, AJ Styles. We brought Jeff Hardy in 241 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:46,160 Speaker 6: for a little bit. But you know, we had that 242 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 6: real nucleus of talent, road Dog, Truce Conan, I mean, 243 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 6: I could go on and on about the name, Bobby 244 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 6: Rude and Eric Young. 245 00:11:56,880 --> 00:11:57,079 Speaker 4: It was. 246 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:59,080 Speaker 6: It was really a fun time. But the two hour 247 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 6: show we were putting out, I knew that, and you 248 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 6: were one of the faithful. 249 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 4: But the people were there, and you. 250 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:09,959 Speaker 6: Know, and I certainly promoting as long as I have 251 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 6: and being around live shows, you know quickly whether what 252 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:17,319 Speaker 6: you're doing is working or not working. And you know, 253 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 6: the raven storyline that people still talk about when you 254 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 6: talk about those days, you know, when you when you 255 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:25,679 Speaker 6: had them wrapped around the building. 256 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:27,240 Speaker 4: And way out where in the day. 257 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:31,760 Speaker 6: You knew that from a creative perspective, an execution perspective, 258 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 6: and a talent perspective, people were engaged and so a 259 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,719 Speaker 6: lot of fun loads of fun during those days, and 260 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 6: I like. 261 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 3: Literally every Wednesday night, and I would get in trouble 262 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:43,439 Speaker 3: with my mom because I would skip church because my 263 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 3: dad would take me to Wednesday Night and I'd get 264 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 3: home and I'd be tired the next day at school, 265 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:49,199 Speaker 3: but it would be completely worth it. And I really 266 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 3: thought it was cool that you guys started implementing the 267 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 3: fan of the night where you picked like six or 268 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:55,040 Speaker 3: seven fans. 269 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 2: You got to go back, and we'll kind of. 270 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 3: Talk about that later, But you know, one thing I 271 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 3: always thought and watching and I still followed it when 272 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 3: you moved to Orlando and it kept getting bigger and bigger, 273 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 3: and you kept getting more bigger names. What do you think, 274 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 3: in your opinion at the time, was kind of the 275 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:14,400 Speaker 3: thing that didn't get it up there with the WWE. 276 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:19,959 Speaker 6: Like w CW was when you the I don't want 277 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 6: to call it just the media business, because when you 278 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:26,559 Speaker 6: look at it from we'll call it from two thousand 279 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 6: and two to two thousand and nine, the trajectory we 280 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 6: are on was nothing short of, to me, incredible because 281 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 6: we built it again. The media rights business was completely different. 282 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:39,959 Speaker 6: WCW had gone away, so we're in the you know, 283 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 6: as WW calls it now, the Ruthless Aggression era. But 284 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:49,480 Speaker 6: during the early two thousands, the media rights business was 285 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:52,439 Speaker 6: almost non existent. So for us to go from no 286 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:58,079 Speaker 6: TV deal to Fox Sports in the afternoon to Spike 287 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 6: TV on Saturday night from hour, they just said let's 288 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 6: try it. And inside of a year we got to primetime. 289 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 6: Inside of two years we got to two hours of primetime, 290 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:09,319 Speaker 6: and I think that was two thousand and seven. So 291 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 6: and then by two thousand and nine we were averaging 292 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 6: almost two million people an episode. So where we were 293 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 6: going was absolutely on part. We were different. We were 294 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 6: the alternative. But it's well documented in twenty ten happens 295 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 6: and we'll call it leadership change. And I was out 296 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 6: and Dixie was in, and you can look on paper 297 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:40,880 Speaker 6: it took a hard change of direction in so many ways, 298 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 6: and quite frankly, the proof is in the statistics, unfortunately. 299 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 6: But no, I was incredibly blessed, had a blast. But 300 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:57,360 Speaker 6: I think your question was why did it not get there? 301 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:00,160 Speaker 6: I from, we believe we were on our way. 302 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 3: Right, and that's you know, And that was the thing 303 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:04,320 Speaker 3: is like, and I was telling my co hosts, not 304 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 3: here Eli, I was like, you know, watching Impact. I 305 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 3: would pick that over the current product that WWE was 306 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 3: putting out, just because you never knew who was going 307 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 3: to show up at the Impact Zone. And then when 308 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:17,840 Speaker 3: you implemented the six sided ring, I was like, that's 309 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:20,480 Speaker 3: that's really cool. And I know some wrestlers, you know, 310 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 3: weren't a fan of it after watching the Table for 311 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 3: three with you and staying an AJ, but I love it. 312 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:30,440 Speaker 3: But yeah, I mean it's it's I I wish that 313 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 3: it would have, you know, got up there because it 314 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:33,239 Speaker 3: was great stuff. 315 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 4: And it was it was unique and and and and uh. 316 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 6: In two thousand and nine, when you sort of take 317 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:41,480 Speaker 6: a step back and look at the the yes, this 318 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 6: was quote unquote the storyline going on, but but but 319 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 6: in reality. 320 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 4: People knew there was not just validity. 321 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 6: It felt so real because the main event Mafia were 322 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 6: all guys that made them made their names outside of TNA, 323 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:03,240 Speaker 6: right the the the the other guys, AJ Styles, Samoa, Joe. 324 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:05,520 Speaker 6: I mean, you could go through that whole list of 325 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 6: talent of the young guys. They were homegrown and it 326 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 6: was that battle of you know, the nWo back in 327 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 6: the day was, for lack of a better word, Scott 328 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 6: Kevin and Hulk all made their names Razor, Diesel and Hulk, 329 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 6: you know, up north, and they came. 330 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 4: Down and invaded. This wasn't the same thing. 331 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 6: I'm not comparing it to that at all, but the realness, 332 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:28,720 Speaker 6: the vibe, and that's how our business is so good. 333 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 6: You look at you know, Stone Cold and mister McMahon. 334 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 6: It's boss versus employee. Everybody can relate to that. nWo 335 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:38,200 Speaker 6: versus WCW. 336 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 4: Everybody could relate to that. 337 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 6: You had our young guys that had literally started we 338 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 6: all started from scratch in two thousand and two, and 339 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 6: here we are two thousand and eight, two thousand and nine, 340 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 6: and you had Booker and Kevin Nash and Sting and 341 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 6: Scott Steiner, and you had that group that was all 342 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 6: main eventns that was legitimate and people really really bit 343 00:16:59,680 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 6: into it. 344 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, so good times, man, it was good times for sure. 345 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 3: And you know, we kind of talked about this with 346 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:07,680 Speaker 3: Charlotte and just kind of getting your opinion from being 347 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:11,120 Speaker 3: by the backstage thing. You know, they recently impact made 348 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 3: headlines by TEP, you know, tagging Testa Blanche's the heavyweight champion. 349 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:17,359 Speaker 3: Being a third generation wrestler like yourself, what is your 350 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:21,639 Speaker 3: thoughts on you know, a woman holding the men I 351 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 3: guess quote unquote men's title. I know Charlotte had her 352 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 3: opinion on it, but what do you kind of think 353 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:27,880 Speaker 3: about this? And would you have made that decision if 354 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 3: you were still with them? 355 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:31,560 Speaker 6: You can I don't armschair quarterback, and I wasn't in 356 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:32,880 Speaker 6: the room when those type. 357 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:37,399 Speaker 4: Of decisions were made, but I do believe that. 358 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:43,199 Speaker 6: I just David Arquett's doing a documentary and I've got 359 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 6: interviewed by major publication for that and they ask about 360 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:49,840 Speaker 6: would you think about David becoming champion? And you're sort 361 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 6: of asking what did you think about a female becoming 362 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 6: a champion? And I've heard the term thrown around over 363 00:17:54,520 --> 00:18:00,440 Speaker 6: the years that you know, the heavyweight title, it's just 364 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:04,400 Speaker 6: a prop And in my opinion, yes, you can call 365 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 6: it that, and I'm not gonna disrespect you by saying 366 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:11,199 Speaker 6: it's not. But it is the main men's prop. Uh, 367 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:14,880 Speaker 6: And you have a women's you know, So if we're 368 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 6: gonna put the men and women all together all the time, 369 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 6: I don't have so much. But if you're doing it 370 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:22,480 Speaker 6: as a you can call the old term hot shot 371 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:26,680 Speaker 6: or a one off. I think the ROI that return 372 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:30,240 Speaker 6: on investment for the shock and value shock value of 373 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:32,960 Speaker 6: it may maybe get to a level, but the long 374 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:36,159 Speaker 6: term investment that you make, I've personally never seen it 375 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:39,159 Speaker 6: pay off. So and I've got good experience that the 376 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 6: China situation obviously paid huge dividends. For the IC title, 377 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:47,680 Speaker 6: my character was, uh, you know, put the women in 378 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 6: the kitchen and a different air and all that, and 379 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,920 Speaker 6: it all fit. But you know, making a women a 380 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:58,080 Speaker 6: woman the man's champ certainly getting headlines you're asking me 381 00:18:58,119 --> 00:18:58,440 Speaker 6: about it. 382 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:00,320 Speaker 4: So mission accomplished to that level. 383 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 6: But same like David Arquette, do you want to be 384 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:06,560 Speaker 6: talking about that three years from now, five years now, 385 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:08,879 Speaker 6: ten years from now, right, I'm not so sure you 386 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 6: return on investment works. 387 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:13,399 Speaker 3: Right man, Our guest Jeff Jared is in the studio 388 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 3: with us right now, and you're one of a handful 389 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 3: of people to be inducted not only the WWE Hall 390 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 3: of Fame but also as well as the TNA TOT 391 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:22,639 Speaker 3: Hall of Fame. There's kind of been, you know, controversies 392 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:26,399 Speaker 3: and rumors about your departure from w nineteen nine nine. No, No, 393 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 3: I know you've talked about this in past interviews. Did 394 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,160 Speaker 3: you ever think being in the WWE Hall of Fame 395 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 3: would happen? And what does it mean to you now 396 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:34,640 Speaker 3: two years after being in heah? 397 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:37,639 Speaker 6: No, I mean you if you're a fan with you 398 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 6: obviously are Let me ask you, did you ever think 399 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 6: you'd say that happen? 400 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 4: You're lying if you say yes. 401 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 2: I didn't think it was going to happen. 402 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 3: Just with of course seeing stuff on the Internet and everything, 403 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 3: I didn't think that was going to happen. But I've 404 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 3: popped when I saw it come across social media that 405 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,040 Speaker 3: Jeff Jarrett was getting inducted in the Hall of Fame. 406 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:58,920 Speaker 6: Yeah, it was one of the most incredible, humbling moments 407 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:01,400 Speaker 6: in my life because I got the call the first 408 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 6: Sunday of twenty eighteen. First got a text, then a 409 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 6: call can you talk. We got on the phone and 410 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:10,720 Speaker 6: just to hear sort of hey, this is what we'd 411 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:12,440 Speaker 6: like to do and want to know if you want 412 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:15,320 Speaker 6: to accept it was unbelievable. And then and then when 413 00:20:15,359 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 6: they came to my house the Tuesday before heading out 414 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 6: that week, I was getting up and they were documented 415 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 6: and filming it and it's on camera, I you know, 416 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:27,720 Speaker 6: and I really I had those feelings. But you know, 417 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,919 Speaker 6: one guy still he made the decision to say yes 418 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:32,200 Speaker 6: or no. 419 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:33,480 Speaker 4: He didn't have to. 420 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 6: I've run businesses before, my family's run business before. I realized, 421 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:40,679 Speaker 6: no matter how you slice and dice it, businesses business. 422 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 6: So they made the decision. Incredibly humbled. And the doors 423 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:50,120 Speaker 6: that it's opened, both within the industry and without Heck, 424 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 6: I wouldn't have got invited to the Bobby Bone Show. 425 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:57,920 Speaker 6: But no, but no, it's it's really been incredible. You know, 426 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:01,240 Speaker 6: all those years, and it was thirty two years to 427 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:03,440 Speaker 6: the day that I got inducted April six of eighty 428 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,240 Speaker 6: six and April six, twenty eighteen, so thirty two years 429 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 6: of the day. But now when I'm introduced wherever it 430 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:15,680 Speaker 6: may be, it is, it's it's it's it's humbling because it's, Hey, 431 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:17,640 Speaker 6: here comes w B Hall of Famer Jeff Chair. 432 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 4: So it's really cool. 433 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:20,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, and you're gonna select class of people that have 434 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:22,800 Speaker 3: that ring and have that honor to have that right 435 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 3: there before your name. 436 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 4: Yeah. 437 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:27,680 Speaker 6: And you know what's really cool because I used to 438 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 6: have absolutely the only thing I had hanging up in 439 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:32,760 Speaker 6: my house for years and years and years was it 440 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:35,879 Speaker 6: was a shadow box with some things with me and 441 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 6: Owen Owen Hart. But when the Hall of Fame came around, 442 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 6: Karen prided me and hey, we're going to do some things, 443 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:44,800 Speaker 6: and so they I don't call it. 444 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 4: A man k but you know it's dressed up like 445 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 4: a scatter your room kind of thing. That deal that 446 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 4: was diverydus. 447 00:21:50,119 --> 00:21:52,560 Speaker 6: And when I see that Hall of Fame picture and 448 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:56,920 Speaker 6: look at the class, I may be one of the biggest. 449 00:21:56,960 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 6: You know, Toby Keith is one of my favorites, and 450 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 6: so is Kid Rock. But in the class of that 451 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 6: year's Hall of Fame, he'll Billy Jim, who started from 452 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:05,240 Speaker 6: my dad years ago. 453 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:07,560 Speaker 4: So me and Jim have always had a connection. I've 454 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 4: done his show all this, So that's it. 455 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 6: Three D who came to work for me. They had 456 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:15,280 Speaker 6: as long a run in TNA as they did at 457 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:20,720 Speaker 6: w W. They got inducted. Kid Rock one of my favorite. 458 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 6: Me and Bob go way back to Woodstock, way way 459 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:25,000 Speaker 6: way back. 460 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:26,960 Speaker 4: Not the original but. 461 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:33,159 Speaker 6: The ninety nine Woodstock Joe c Anyway, Kid Rock Goldberg. 462 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:36,920 Speaker 6: You know I faced him and in w C W 463 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 6: and and and we we always had a unique relationship, 464 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 6: a ton of respect for the guy. 465 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:43,800 Speaker 4: Especially where he's at today. Uh so so he was 466 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 4: in that class. Uh and then the Warrior Award. Uh 467 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 4: his name is j J. Jerris, So he's a double jack. 468 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:56,879 Speaker 4: So every ball full circle for you all in that 469 00:22:57,119 --> 00:22:59,879 Speaker 4: picture and it just you just go, wow, that is 470 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:01,920 Speaker 4: it was really special. 471 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:04,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, And it was a special moment. Like I watched 472 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 2: it and I was I was super pumped. 473 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:07,959 Speaker 3: Like I said, I popped when I was scrolling through 474 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:10,680 Speaker 3: and I got the notification from ESPN and everybody else 475 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:12,639 Speaker 3: like Jeff Jared being inducted, and. 476 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:13,680 Speaker 2: I was like, oh my god. 477 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 4: So I was texting story on that. The very first 478 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:18,120 Speaker 4: text I got, I was leaving Golds gym. 479 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:19,480 Speaker 6: They told me about what time it was and I 480 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:21,680 Speaker 6: was gonna have to argue they were making the announcement 481 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:23,119 Speaker 6: and then I was going to be prepped for interviews 482 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 6: and all right, but I was leaving the. 483 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 4: Gym and he gets through the first text, boys, Vince, Nope, no, 484 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 4: this is yeah. I mean obviously, but. 485 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:32,639 Speaker 2: I don't know. 486 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:35,359 Speaker 4: I mean it's it's it's so bizarre that I go, 487 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:40,080 Speaker 4: you gotta be Rick the nature boy. Wow. Yeah, he 488 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:43,240 Speaker 4: was the first text. And I'm going, that's crazy, man, 489 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:43,679 Speaker 4: That is. 490 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:45,960 Speaker 2: Cool, and that's that solidifies you up there with the 491 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:46,320 Speaker 2: best of. 492 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 4: The best, right there, the one and only nature. 493 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 3: So one thing I want to talk about is the 494 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 3: current roster, Like, who's your favorite wrestler on the WWE 495 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 3: or n x T roster? 496 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:56,320 Speaker 2: I know you work with both, so. 497 00:23:57,520 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 4: Man, it's hard to say one. 498 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:03,159 Speaker 6: Know, and I'm out doing a lot of live events 499 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:05,600 Speaker 6: in the non televised and looking at and it's a 500 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 6: different vibe of course because TV's and pay per views 501 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:11,440 Speaker 6: and it's just a sort of different set of circumstances. 502 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 6: So I've got a new found respect just how good 503 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:19,119 Speaker 6: Roman Reigns is. Uh. You know, I've worked with his 504 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:21,920 Speaker 6: family for years. Often seeker work for my family for 505 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:25,840 Speaker 6: I mean, there's a long relationship with that, but used 506 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 6: to travel with Yoko. But anyway, Roman is is he's 507 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:33,399 Speaker 6: really not just a special athlete or special professional wrestling 508 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:34,160 Speaker 6: special person. 509 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:41,680 Speaker 4: He's super super super good. So so and you're trying 510 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 4: to man, it's hard hard to say one. 511 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:45,160 Speaker 2: It's like asking who's your favorite child. 512 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:47,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's it's impossible. 513 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:49,880 Speaker 6: The n x T brand that that's that that has 514 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:54,120 Speaker 6: such that grit feeling to me, it's it's it's Tomorrow's Stars, 515 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:56,680 Speaker 6: no matter how you slice and ice it in there 516 00:24:56,720 --> 00:25:00,880 Speaker 6: on weekly every week. But they're young, they're youthful, They've 517 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:03,480 Speaker 6: got that edge to them that I love it. It's 518 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:07,600 Speaker 6: like going to going to hear live music and it's 519 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 6: not everything on key, Not everything. 520 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:14,960 Speaker 4: Is on pitch. The bass guy maybe a little bit out. 521 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:18,200 Speaker 6: To lunch, the guy who's drumming misses a few beats 522 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:21,800 Speaker 6: here and there. But the music that's made is so authentic, 523 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:26,680 Speaker 6: it's all. It's totally forgivable. So I love that about 524 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:29,640 Speaker 6: the n XT brand. But man, and then you look 525 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:34,120 Speaker 6: at SmackDown and you just the Fiend that the aura 526 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 6: around his character, the merchandise that's been. 527 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 2: So we are big fans of the Fiend on here 528 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:40,639 Speaker 2: on the shelf. 529 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:47,879 Speaker 6: In twenty twenty. It's hard to think sports entertainment without 530 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 6: seeing how that character has evolved from Bray and the 531 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:59,360 Speaker 6: funhouse and the lineage of husky hair, that whole deal. 532 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:01,840 Speaker 4: Man, it is. 533 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:04,880 Speaker 6: You know, I was around back in the early days 534 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 6: when he was mean marked before he's Undertaker, But you 535 00:26:07,119 --> 00:26:10,600 Speaker 6: know Undertaker's career and how he's evolved and went through 536 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:12,159 Speaker 6: the American badass and all that kind of stuff. But 537 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 6: when you look at Bray and the Fiend and in 538 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:19,000 Speaker 6: twenty twenty, how can you not be a fan? 539 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, and it's it's it's kind of like we've talked 540 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:24,480 Speaker 3: about it before, but it's kind of like the theme 541 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:28,560 Speaker 3: is this younger generation's undertaker in a way, without question, 542 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 3: and you just see the head games and it's it's, 543 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:34,000 Speaker 3: you know, I'm just waiting to see a Fiend Burrier 544 00:26:34,040 --> 00:26:35,439 Speaker 3: live match. That's all I want to see. I mean, 545 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:37,400 Speaker 3: that's what we want to talk about. But something else 546 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 3: is kind of cool. You were named Ambassador of the 547 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:42,720 Speaker 3: Year by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. How'd you get 548 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:45,080 Speaker 3: involved with this group? And what does this honor mean 549 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:45,320 Speaker 3: to you? 550 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 6: It's it's again, it's it's you know, if I just 551 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:53,040 Speaker 6: get out of God's way and let him guide me everything, 552 00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:55,879 Speaker 6: Because this was a set of circumstances that here in 553 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:59,080 Speaker 6: Middle Tennessee, they have a yearly campaign for a Man 554 00:26:59,119 --> 00:26:59,919 Speaker 6: and Woman of the Year. 555 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:03,080 Speaker 4: You know, people in the community. 556 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:08,320 Speaker 6: There's doctors, there's real estate agents, there's entrepreneurs, there's all 557 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:12,160 Speaker 6: kinds of folks that are raising money and creating awareness. 558 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 6: And they asked me if I could be a part 559 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 6: of it. I said, yeah, tell me how. They said, well, 560 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:18,119 Speaker 6: we sort of want, we want you to be the ambassador. 561 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:22,320 Speaker 6: I'm like me, So it was again humbling. But Roman, 562 00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:26,280 Speaker 6: you know his diagnosis and it's in remission, so I've 563 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:28,440 Speaker 6: got first hand experience knowing him. 564 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:31,919 Speaker 4: But then also which you know, what's really cool, My. 565 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:35,600 Speaker 6: Father in law, Karen's father, Jack, was diagnosed in the 566 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:38,800 Speaker 6: early eighties, back when it was essentially a death sentence 567 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:40,240 Speaker 6: in so many ways. 568 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:42,320 Speaker 4: He fought it and then. 569 00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:46,199 Speaker 6: Seven years seven, eight years later, in the early nineties, 570 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:49,480 Speaker 6: he had a bone mary transplant. So we're talking twenty seven, 571 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:52,040 Speaker 6: twenty eight years ago, maybe the oldest living bone Marria 572 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:55,720 Speaker 6: transplant in the country. And what a story of faith 573 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 6: and perseverance. So it's very near and dear to my heart. 574 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:01,159 Speaker 6: So we're out having fun. I'm going to be at 575 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:04,840 Speaker 6: the NXT event at the end of the month doing 576 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:07,640 Speaker 6: a Sounds baseball game that we're waiting to finalize a date. 577 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:10,920 Speaker 6: Got a lot of cool things going on, But at 578 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:15,919 Speaker 6: LS Tennessee on social on Twitter, Instagram, please. 579 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:18,240 Speaker 3: Give and we'll actually we'll throw up a link of 580 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:20,000 Speaker 3: where you can get all the information for in the 581 00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:21,439 Speaker 3: description now one last thing. 582 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:23,040 Speaker 2: We talked about this earlier, because I know we're on 583 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:23,720 Speaker 2: a short time frame. 584 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 3: We talked about impact and TNA at the Fairgrounds and 585 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:30,200 Speaker 3: we did this fan night. Think so, I was a 586 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:33,680 Speaker 3: religious person Wednesday night at the Fairgrounds and it just 587 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 3: so happened to miss church and I did miss church, yes, 588 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 3: and being in the South, if you miss church, that 589 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 3: is a very bad thing. But one night I won 590 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:43,920 Speaker 3: the Fan of the Night and it just so happens 591 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:46,120 Speaker 3: that it was the same night that you had won 592 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:48,680 Speaker 3: the NWA Heavyweight Championship. 593 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 2: And right now I have the photo. 594 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:57,240 Speaker 4: Of that night you have. I know exactly where that's taken. 595 00:28:57,840 --> 00:28:58,680 Speaker 2: And here's the photo. 596 00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 3: And of course nobody can see this on the podcast, 597 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 3: but here's the Troe seider Man. I've got my spider 598 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:08,080 Speaker 3: Man shirt, my wrestling autograph book, Jeff Jarrett with the 599 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 3: NWA Heavyweight Championship with the band aid on his head 600 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:15,120 Speaker 3: because you got busted open that night, AJ. I believe so, 601 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 3: because I do have a photo with AJ styles as well. 602 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:21,400 Speaker 4: That is here. Folks. 603 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:23,760 Speaker 6: I know this is audio, but when I'm looking at 604 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 6: this picture and I can remember those days, the reason 605 00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:29,400 Speaker 6: with the white towel over my head. It was I 606 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:32,320 Speaker 6: would be trying to cool off. That is crazy, dude. 607 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:34,600 Speaker 4: That that is unbelievable. 608 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:38,320 Speaker 3: And that's that's where that's where it all started Wednesday 609 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 3: night to the fairgrounds falling. 610 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 4: And that's right on the other side of go position. 611 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:43,520 Speaker 4: I mean that that I mean. 612 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:47,560 Speaker 6: What I'm saying is I remember just the whole vibe 613 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:49,760 Speaker 6: and location that you can't see in this picture. But 614 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:52,800 Speaker 6: it brings me right back to I can remember the 615 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:55,600 Speaker 6: bracelet I had on. That's weird, dude. 616 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 2: That is really had a swing by the parents house 617 00:29:58,040 --> 00:29:58,480 Speaker 2: to grab that. 618 00:29:58,680 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 4: Did you have to bring that in? 619 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:02,760 Speaker 3: So we'll get you to sign it and we'll hang 620 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:04,680 Speaker 3: it up in the man cave. So, Jeff, Jared, thanks 621 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:05,440 Speaker 3: for hanging out with us. 622 00:30:05,440 --> 00:30:06,040 Speaker 4: I appreciate it. 623 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 2: Anytime you want to come back. 624 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:10,240 Speaker 4: In a month. Can you believe it? Man, it is crazy. 625 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:12,240 Speaker 2: We're super excited. Thank you, Jeff, Thank you. 626 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:16,800 Speaker 4: We hope you enjoyed today's episode of the Battleground Podcast. 627 00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:19,440 Speaker 2: Make sure you give it five stars and a nice review. 628 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:22,000 Speaker 4: To stay up to date with the show, follow them 629 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:24,200 Speaker 4: at Battleground Podcast on Instagram.