WWE legend confirms real-life heat with Steve Austin; why on-screen relationship ended
Jeff Jarrett says Steve Austin was responsible for his on-screen WWE relationship with Debra coming to an end.
Debra, Austin’s wife from September 2000 to February 2003, performed as Jarrett’s storyline manager and girlfriend from October 1998 to September 1999. She left WWE in June 2002 after Austin walked out on the company.
Speaking on his new My World podcast, Jarrett said his storyline with Debra ended due to her real-life relationship with Steve Austin:
“Yes,” Jarrett confirmed. “I mean, me and Paul Bearer/Percy Pringle were on a plane going overseas when their relationship first started, and Percy kicked me and said, ‘Buddy, your act’s over.’ Just as a joke. But he’d been around, Paul, Percy, whatever you wanna call him, he’d been around a long time. He knew, he knew.”
Jeff Jarrett said “the writing was on the wall” for the partnership leading up to WWE Unforgiven 1999, where Debra attacked him with a guitar. The 2018 WWE Hall of Famer left the company two months later and joined WCW.
Animosity with Steve Austin affected Jeff Jarrett’s relationship with Jim Ross
Rumors have circulated for several years about Steve Austin refusing to work with Jeff Jarrett. The Texas Rattlesnake allegedly had an issue with Jarrett after he said Austin’s ‘Austin 3:16’ catchphrase was “blasphemous.”
Austin is close friends with Jim Ross, WWE’s former commentator and Head of Talent Relations. Jarrett believes their friendship affected his own working relationship with Ross:
“We’ve all been in this industry a long time, but one of Jim’s big roles was keep his dressing room happy and, most notably, keep his top stars happy,” Jarrett said. “It’s just that simple, and so I don’t want to get long-winded and go off on a tangent, but your question was, ‘Do you think mine and Austin’s relationship was a factor in Jim’s viewpoint of me?’ A thousand percent.”
Jeff Jarrett also said he felt “deep anger and resentment” towards Jim Ross for many years after his guaranteed annual salary was reduced.
Please credit My World with Jeff Jarrett and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.