"He would not do that" - Vince Russo dismisses idea of Jeff Jarrett repeating WCW controversy in AEW (Exclusive)
AEW hired Jeff Jarrett as a talent and Director of Business Development in November 2022, just months after his latest WWE run ended. Jarrett's lengthy career has featured notable moments of controversy and triumph, and he's not done just yet. Vince Russo is no stranger to Jarrett, and just dismissed a potential issue he says AEW does not have to worry about.
The Last Outlaw and the former Vic Venom worked together in WCW's problematic final years, and in TNA's early days. Jarrett's four WCW World Heavyweight Championship reigns, for a total of just 59 days, came during the chaotic year of 2000, when Russo was involved on-screen and backstage in various controversies, including his one-week title reign. This was five days shorter than the reign of actor David Arquette, which came two months before the worked-shoot debacle between Jarrett, Russo, and Hulk Hogan at Bash at the Beach.
Russo pushed Jarrett in WCW, but their heat intensified after the New York native gained more creative power over Double J. They later had a falling out in TNA, but the two are on good terms today. With Jarrett's new goal of winning the AEW World Championship, we could see the WWE Hall of Famer as World Champion in 2025. On the latest episode of SK Wrestling's Writing With Russo, Dr. Chris Featherstone asked his co-host if he sees Jarrett booking himself as a strong champion in AEW as he did in WCW and TNA, if Tony Khan gave him booking power. Russo revealed their current relationship and shared various observations about his longtime colleague:
"No, he wouldn't do it right now because he knows he's too old. He would not do that right now, but there's a whole other way of looking at it, and I tend to look at it this other way because he did that, bro, he was the guy in charge, and the belt was always on him. But bro, another way of looking at that is, bro... if I've got a stake in this company and my paycheck is going to depend on what that company makes, and brings in, bro... I am going to believe nobody is going to work harder than me," Vince Russo said. [From 6:59 to 7:34]
Russo continued:
"Bro, I've got to tip my hat to Jeff. Nobody did work harder than him, so his work ethic was through the roof. Jeff basically was betting on himself, and he had to see somebody step up that was more committed, more willing, more dedicated than him. So, I mean, bro... I think that's anybody that owns a business. You're going to believe that nobody can do it better than you, and bro... I'll be honest, I don't have an issue with that, and it's never like Jeff was lazy, and I mean... he worked as hard as anybody, bro," Vince Russo said. [From 7:35 to 8:20]
Russo and Jarrett shared the ring on four occasions. They teamed with Kevin Nash and Scott Steiner to defeat Booker T, Sting, Bill Goldberg, and KroniK in September 2000 in the Nitro Triple Cage WarGames. Two weeks later, Russo and Sting defeated Jarrett and Steiner in a World Heavyweight Championship #1 contender's match. In NWA-TNA, Russo and the Triple X faction defeated Jarrett, Dusty Rhodes, and The Road Warriors in January 2003. Nine months later, Jarrett and Rhodes defeated Russo and AJ Styles.
Jon Moxley and Renee Paquette do AEW media
AEW is preparing for its inaugural Maximum Carnage editions of Dynamite and Collision. The events will occur on Wednesday and Thursday at the Brady Music Center in Cincinnati, with Collision airing on Saturday.
Jon Moxley's homecoming will see him defend the AEW World Championship against Powerhouse Hobbs on Dynamite. AEW sent Mox and his wife, Renee Paquette, out to various places in The 'Nati today for Dynamite promotion, seen below.
Dynamite will mark Hobbs vs. Moxley II. Their first match last April, for Moxley's IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, ended via referee stoppage after Hobbs suffered a knee injury. He was on the shelf until just recently and became #1 contender by winning last week's Casino Gauntlet.