Jeff Jarrett Talks About How WWE Has Changed Since He Was With The Company
Earlier this week, Jeff Jarrett had his first match on Raw since the show was called "Raw is War" during the Attitude Era. It had been 20 years since he laced up the boots as Double J Jeff Jarrett as he faced off with Elias with the Road Dog in Jarrett's corner.
That came just a week after Jarrett had another surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble. Double J joined our WINCLY podcast where he discussed WWE's plan for using him and how much knowledge he had of it beforehand.
"Some things are better left unsaid...," Jarrett said of it was always the plan for him to square off with Elias at The Rumble and then at Raw. "Heck, I didn't even know the plan of anything. All I knew was: show up because Double J's in the Rumble. So, don't ask me about a plan!"
Appearing in the Royal Rumble was a magical night for Jarrett, but he was also very appreciative of being able to work with The Roadie the following night on Raw.
"Sunday night was special for a lot of reasons, but as things were transpiring the Roadie/Road Dog and Double J had not appeared on camera in a long, long time in that set of circumstances," stated Jarrett. "I knew that was gonna be special, and Nick, I can not tell you what an incredible moment personally and professionally it was for me and [Road Dog] to be on stage.
"I don't know if you heard the chants, but [the crowd] was saying "Holy Smokes. Holy Smokes." [Road Dog] tried to get them to stop but that was like trying to put toothpaste back into the tube. All it got was a little bit messier. But it was an incredible reaction and really, really special."
Jarrett controversially left WWE in late 1999 and during the Monday Night Wars. Obviously, WCW is no longer around, but Jarrett talked about what else is different to him with being a part of WWE as compared to 20 years ago.
"It's amazing. Obviously, they're publicly-traded," said Jarrett. "I left the day before they went public? So everything that goes with that ? not that they were a small organization, by any means, in 1999. But they are an enormous operation with NXT in Orlando and one in the UK. The inernational business ? India...
"My time in TNA, I was working extensively in the international side of things ? India properties, the UK properties, Africa, all of that. So, I know the international business side quite well. It's amazing the footprint WWE has around the globe. When you look at the scope of the amount of live events they run, it's mind-boggling.
Hailing from the Music City, Jarrett then made a comparison between the touring industry and WWE.
"I'm from Nashville so I'm aware of the music touring business? Every Monday and Tuesday [WWE] puts on, not only is it touring, but it's a television show," said Jarrett. "So, the depth of WWE is incredible.
"They don't have one roster, they have four rosters: Raw, SmackDown, 205 Live, NXT, now NXT UK. Just the size of everything that they do is incredible."
You can listen to Jeff's full, exclusive WINCLY interview in the embedded player below. In it he opens up further about his WWE in-ring return at the Royal Rumble, his unfinished business with Elias, teaming with Road Dogg again, his WWE in-ring goals and more. Subscribe to Wrestling Inc Audio on iTunes to get all of our podcasts as soon as they drop: