Jeff Jarrett and Vince Russo have shared a long and complicated relationship, with plenty of highs and lows in the professional wrestling business.
On a recent episode of his My World podcast, Jarrett reflected on the 2008 TNA Against All Odds pay-per-view event. Jarrett discussed possibly waiting too long to crown Samoa Joe the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, while also sharing his thoughts on Vince Russo possibly limiting Joe’s overall success in the company.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On if there was concern about putting the World Title on Joe too soon: “Sure, and when Joe came in — I’m going to get my months messed up, but Kurt hadn’t been there that long and Kurt was, for a lack of a better word, the lead horse. That was the mentality — Joe’s storyline as I recall that we felt was his storyline was the undefeated streak. The undefeated streak in our eyes trumped a world title. Why put two storylines into one? You can have a world title storyline and an undefeated storyline and build up different opponents. Joe was just on a steamroll, steamroll and a steamroll. I also from the day Joe came in his personality is a unique skill set. He doesn’t have to say a lot he’s articulate, but I wanted to kind of develop his character along with the undefeated streak. Which I know it’s part and parcel it’s one in the same but to me it’s really not. Getting the people to know who Joe is I’ll just say character development. I’m also a big believer that yes you can wait too long, but I also know that once a babyface comes in on the scene and achieves the gold goal they arrive at the mountain top and there’s nowhere to go but down.”
On if Joe was held back in TNA due to Vince Russo: “You know, I’m gonna say going out on a limb here, but maybe not. I don’t think we’ll have to ask him, but I would be willing to bet Vince didn’t, look I know I’ve been in rooms and we’ve had discussions Vince, Dutch, others. Joe’s look was there and his work was there. I think there was a discussion on his verbal skills I was always a big proponent less is more. I know Dutch was that way too. Vince being a writer his nature is he likes more verbiage. So, I’d be willing to bet Vince wasn’t as high on his verbal skills as opposed to his look. I may be wrong, but that would be my gut.”
On who supported Joe as champion: “I would definitely say I don’t think anybody in the room after, I don’t know, six months of Joe’s undefeated streak — I don’t think anybody in the room would have said, I think everybody would have said he’ll be world champ one day. I think it would be unanimous across the board. We’ll put the belt on him he’s earned it he’s got the momentum. He checks all the boxes. I think timing more than anything would be the battle there.”
