Global Force Wrestling founder Jeff Jarrett joined Chad Dukes of CBS Radio Washington DC 106.7 The Fan and the Chad Dukes Wrestling show on Wednesday afternoon to preview Global Force Wrestling’s presentation of New Japan’s “Wrestle Kingdom 9.” In his discussion with Dukes, Jarrett talked about growing up in the business, the vision for Global Force Wrestling, Jim Ross, the crowded wrestling market, his relationship with TNA, WrestleKingdom 9, and more.
Here are some highlights of what he said about:
His Vision For Global Force Wrestling:
“Global Force will be its… a standalone. I think that’s a nice enough term for it. With its own roster, with its own sponsors, own venue, running shows everything that goes with a promotion. But at Global Force Wrestling we also have a fundamental philosophy that’s a 180 from what’s been done over the last 10-15 years. Most promotions act like they’re the only promotion that exists and no other promotions…they certainly don’t talk about them and if they do they don’t talk about them in a negative light. We’ve got a different philosophy. We’ve recognized and partnered with the best promotions in the world, New Japan’s at the very top of that list. They’re obviously the best promotion in Japan. AAA, in Mexico, a red-hot promotion in Mexico. We have partnered with independent promotions around the world. Our South African partner, we’re going to be making some announcements on that in the days and weeks to come.
Yes, we’re going to be a stand alone promotion, and that’s going to roll out in 2015, but we’re also going to partner and what better way to step onto the grand stage and create even more brand awareness, partnering with New Japan bringing WrestleKingdom 9.”
Who To Watch at Wrestle Kingdom 9:
“I’ll give you two matches on this show that are in my opinion, Wrestling 2015 and beyond. The first match on the show is guys that you’re very familiar with, the Young Bucks, the Forever Hooligans, the Time Splitters- Alex Shelly & Kushida, and then Ring of Honor Tag Team Champions, ReDragon. That four corners tag match, I’ve seen bits and pieces of them on my previous trips over to Japan but those guys in a Dome atmosphere, there’s no doubt in mind it is going to be a match for the ages. It will blow you away.
And then the last match of the night, the main event, Tanahashi, and if you want to talk about just one guy, that’s the guy. He’s a rock star, he’s in his mid 30?s, he’s in the prime of his career and he’s facing Okada, the Rainmaker. Those two guys have an awesome rivalry. It’s just like a Rock-Stone Cold, a Hogan-Andre, Bret Hart-Stone Cold, whatever your feud or rivalry of a lifetime, whatever your favorite feud is, their rivalry is right on par with it. “
The Increasingly Crowded Wrestling Market:
“I said it back in February or March, that I felt the business was so healthy and just on the cusp of a boom. Here we are rolling into 2015 and Ring of Honor has entered the pay-per-view world, you mentioned Lucha Underground, New Japan’s got a deal on AXS TV, New Japan World as a digital streaming service, obviously everybody knows about the WWE Network and the massive amount of content, Global Force Wrestling is doing its rollout, it’s a very healthy market. I used this analogy the other day, I got asked sort of the same question, if you’ve got a busy intersection with a lot of fans and a lot of people, let’s just say for example you put a McDonalds hamburgers on one corner and across the street you put a Wendy’s hamburgers. The people at Burger King try to do everything in their power, ‘how can I get on the other corner because the other two hamburger joints are doing good.’? I believe it’s making all of us healthy.”
