Jeff Jarrett Talks Global Force Wrestling, Wrestle Kingdom, Jim Ross, WWE, More

Wrestling legend Jeff Jarrett has held championship gold in almost every major federation in the United States, and he has once again ventured out on his own, starting Global Force Wrestling, a cutting-edge federation built for the new generation of wrestling fans.

One of Global Force Wrestling’s biggest announcements to date was the news that the company would be presenting New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 9 on pay-per-view in North America on Sunday, January 4 at 7 p.m. ET. For those inclined to watch the show live, it will also air early Sunday morning at 2 a.m. ET (11 p.m. PT on Saturday, January 3).

At 47 years old, Jarrett’s best days as an in-ring competitor are likely behind him, but he was born into the wrestling business and will continue to make his mark on the industry as a promoter for the rest of his life.

Jarrett sat down with the boys of Ring Rust Radio (quotes courtesy of the News of Delaware County’s Joe Arcidiacono) and talked about Global Force Wrestling’s presentation of Wrestle Kingdom 9, the differences between WWE and GFW, his run in WCW, joining the Bullet Club and much more.

Jarrett Breaks Down Jim Ross’ Inclusion in Wrestle Kingdom 9

One of the biggest wrestling events of the year is New Japan’s annual Wrestle Kingdom. The Japanese wrestling tradition will be presented this year on PPV in North America by Jarrett’s Global Force Wrestling.

The intense wrestling action will be enough to draw hardcore fans into the promotion, but it is GFW’s addition of WWE Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross to the announce team that has helped bring in casual fans to the event.

When asked about the impact Ross has had on the mainstream excitement surrounding Wrestle Kingdom, Jarrett spoke candidly about the clout the announcer carries, and the legitimacy he brings to the company’s presentation:

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When New Japan and Global Force Wrestling solidified our relationship and we made it public back in August, our next step was how are we going to bring New Japan to the North America market? It became real obvious that the Dome Show is literally on par with WrestleMania. So when we finalized the pay-per-view contracts, we said to ourselves, ‘Who is going to be the English speaking announcer?’ Jim Ross is the voice of today’s wrestling generation, so when he was available it was definitely a no-brainer. I’ve worked with his management people in the past, they are straight up, stand up, and honest guys. We came to an agreement and got him on board. I knew he would take this event to another level, but it has far exceeded my expectations. Just the media requests alone over the last three weeks have gone through the roof. Jim is doing main stream media already like Fox Sports, Grantland, and other promotions like that. Everybody wants to talk to Jim about this event because he is the voice of today’s wrestling generation.

When you talk about a talent in this business, you think of a Hulk Hogan. He came on the scene in 1983, had a 20 plus year career, and a main event mega roll. Well, Jim Ross is exactly the same. He is the best of the best of the best. Dating back to the WCW Clash of the Champions and roll through all the WrestleManias Jim has been a part of, when he says this may be the very best main event he has ever called, that’s strong words and that resonates with me. When Jim Ross says things like that, it makes people stop and really think about it. Then you start to see how things are adding up it really has become a can’t-miss event.

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Many fans of the sport associate wrestling from the Attitude Era with the voice of Ross. He was the play-by-play announcer through some of the most important moments in wrestling history, and there is a large contingent of fans that misses his commentary every week.

For those unfamiliar with New Japan or the company’s premiere event of the year, Wrestle Kingdom, there is no better way to become accustomed to the promotion than by having a legend like Ross calling the action.

Ross has earned enough respect in the wrestling business to bring in numbers for GFW’s PPV presentation, and many of the casual fans who were on the fence about ordering the event will now take the leap of faith.

Those who watch Wrestle Kingdom 9 will not be disappointed.

Talking Differences Between WWE and Global Force Wrestling

When looking at the wrestling business, the top company in the game is the WWE. Jarrett has found great success with alternative companies like WCW and TNA, though, and he is once again looking to create a viable competitor in the industry.

Global Force Wrestling has not started airing a weekly show on television or even had a PPV yet, but the foundation of an intriguing product has been laid. Jarrett was one of the key founders of TNA Wrestling, and he is looking to change the business once again with GFW.

When asked about the ability for other companies to compete with the WWE, Jarrett referenced the old territory days and explained his perception about the competition between major federations in today’s age:

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The territory model those days are gone just because of technology. The partnership and respect of we will help you guys promote this if you help us promote that. I believe rising tide brings all ships up. I believe that’s a philosophy that proves to be successful. When you talk about competition, that’s such a close minded mentality. It’s not about competing against WWE, we need to worry about our success and our bottom line.

In the music business, Taylor Swift can sell out Madison Square Garden seven nights in a row, but three weeks later Garth Brooks can come in. Are they competing against each other? Maybe the press will say this guy sold more tickets or downloads, but I say no. There are different forms of music and entertainment. New movies come out every week but they aren’t in competition they are still in the entertainment business. That’s how I see the wrestling business. WWE has probably 85 or 88 percent U.S. market share in the wrestling space. I want to do everything in my power with Global Force Wrestling to break and get some market share. That’s the real focus.

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It will be a long time before GFW is a viable alternative to WWE, but Jarrett’s knowledge of the business will help him begin the journey on the right path. While there is no legitimate No. 2 company in the United States besides TNA, there is an audience waiting to be exploited.

Jarrett was one of the driving forces behind the evolution of Impact Wrestling while he was with the company, and many of his visions helped lead TNA to the No. 2 spot in the nation. If he can instill the same game plan and long-term vision to GFW, fans should be ready for an entertaining product.

Add in the working relationships with some of the biggest companies in the world, including New Japan, Ring of Honor and many more, and GFW has the foundation to be something special. When the programming finally hits television, fans will be ready to embrace the action.

For more wrestling talk, listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics or catch the latest episode in the player below (some language NSFW).

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