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Hey, Hey, it's Conrad Thompson.And you're listening to grill and Jr.The voice of professional wrestling, Mr. Jim Ross.Jim, how are you, man?
Oh, good.You know, being the voice of wrestling is kind of like being the skinniest kid at fat camp.I don't know what that means. And as you notice, I, I straightened my, my, uh, sign up.It's not leaning anymore.
Oh, how about that?The lean is over, but business is still about to pick up.You can pick up that book autographed at Jr's bbq.com.And that sauce is so good.It'll have you leaning, man.It's good stuff.
I don't know if you've had the all purpose seasoning, but it's a go-to at my house.You can get action figures, books, trading cards, and all the sauces you can shake a stick at and Jr's bbq.com.
And looking costs nothing.
It's cool.Look your little heart out and it didn't cost you a damn dime.
Well, we're going to be taking a look at a pretty important pay-per-view.Yes.We're finally going to talk about the entire card of no mercy, 1999 and all the news notes that surround it.
And you might be asking yourself self, is that one of the most important tag matches of all time?Well, yes, it is self.Is that when Jeff Jarrett walked out on WWE?Well, yes, it is.We're going to be covering all that and more.
But before we get started, Jim, we're just like three weeks away from AEW's next pay-per-view, full gear.I'm pumped about this.It feels like AEW always delivers on pay-per-view.
Of course, tickets are on sale now, and you can go snag yours at AEWTIX.com. But man, these pay-per-view cards, it feels like they always deliver.We've got a handful of matches already announced one.
I know I can't wait for Jay white and hang man, Adam page chemistry's important.And it feels like those guys have it for days, right?
Yeah, they're both excellent at what they do.They conform the situation to their game and, uh, it generally works out pretty well.Two great hands.Uh, it's just seems like they, sometimes we don't, we forget some of these cats.
And for me, I don't remember how good they are.And, uh, certainly those two guys you mentioned are excellent.They're big time.So yeah, it's going to be good.We've been trying to get this damn show done for a month.Seems like.
We are also going to find out, is it going to be MJF versus Adam Cole or Roderick strong?Stay tuned for that.Of course, uh, we're recording on Wednesday, just hours before AEW dynamite.So you may have some more updated information than we do.
But man, the match that everybody's talking about when it comes to full gear, the social media sensation, big boom, AJ, along with his son, big justice are going to be stepping into an AEW ring to take on QT Marshall.
It's going down at full gear, Jim.How about that?
Oh, you're kidding.That's what I was wanting to hear.Hell yeah.And what about this original guy? Well, the reserve, what's what's his purpose in life.
If we got to find out is the Rizzler booked David Jr.Wants to know is the Rizzler come into full gear.I know Jr.Is going to be there.You should be two tickets on sale now.A E W T I X.com.Will you be starstruck Jim getting a photo with the Rizzler?
If he's there, you're going to have to get a picture, right?
I need a selfie.I need a selfie.I'm not even making it my, uh, homepage or whatever the fuck, but yeah, that's, uh, those guys are making quite the name for themselves.Conrad next trading cards, action figures.
Should work out pretty well.Well, I'm going to tell you if, if the Rizzler was here, I think I can speak on his behalf.The all purpose seasoning would get a big boom.Just saying, just saying, Jr's bbq.com Jim.
It's a, it's been fun talking about, you know, the, the surrounding time.I mean, you and I even. Caught up a little bit before we clicked record today.I mean, October of 99, there's so much crazy stuff happening here.
As a reminder, gorilla monsoon has passed away.Draws has suffered a terrible tragedy.He's now going to be paralyzed for the rest of his life.Vince Russo has left the WWE and gone to WCW.We're going to be going full time with a new SmackDown show.
We're thinking about selling the Debbie Reynolds hotel. We're about to go public and that's a huge deal for the company to have an IPO, $160,000,000, all of this is happening at the same time.
No, I'm just saying it's a crazy time for all of this to be happening.Oh, in addition to we're going to run it, we're going to run some doggone shows.Yeah.I know you need a head writer.Yeah.I know some of your guys are out.Yeah.I know.
Oh, by the way, you're a continental champion.His contract is going to expire. Wow.This is just, uh, got me one of the more stressful times.
Yeah, it was heartbreaking.Well, it was awkward to me.It was awkward.Oh, just chair thing was awkward.
And it's funny, you know, some people might assume that good old Jr.Just chair.It don't get along, which is not true.Right.We get along fine.
You know, it's just, that was just a course of doing business and what, and the decisions he felt he needed to make.
So, uh, you know, he got a lot of money out of it and, uh, but it was, it was very uncomfortable, uh, you know, and that's where my staffing should.
And now they wouldn't have, that wouldn't happen because they've got a big staff that can manage all these things. And not one guy that's broadcasting and doing pay-per-views, weekly TV, payroll, all that stuff.
So anyhow, that, those are some challenging times.They're so oaky.
It's crazy to think just days ahead of the pay-per-view, Wade Keller would write this, Jeff Jarrett's contract with the WWF expires this weekend.If he's not on the pay-per-view to wrestle China, expect him to show up on Nitro the next night.
If he does wrestle at the pay-per-view, that doesn't necessarily mean he's staying in the WWE, because the pay-per-view might be his final night in the company before jumping to WCW. There's no word as of the deadline, which direction he's leaning.
Jarrett left WCW two years ago and debuted on the October 20th roll with a controversial interview.
It does feel like he never really like that opening interview two years prior in 1997, where he said something along the lines of you're ripping off the Bible to put money in your pocket.
And when you and I hook up, it's going to be your judgment day.Something along those lines leads Austin to confronting Jarrett backstage immediately saying something like you're messing with my merch money. Was, was Jr.
I mean, is Jr's opinion that Jeff Jarrett's ruin from 97 to 99, he sort of accidentally put a glass ceiling on his upward mobility with that promo.
And I think, I think he did.He alienated a lot of people and he wasn't hot.That's the thing about it.His timing was, was not great. As it worked out now, I'm sure you got a nice financial deal from a WCW, but he was never going to be the answer.
Jeff is a Jeff is we're in the world series time.Jeff was a, uh, metal infielder hitting about seventh or eighth.So he's not going to make a huge difference, uh, and, and, and the perception and worry the pecking order. A hell of a hand.
He's still a hell of a hand.He's one of the best in ring performers that AEW has.So, uh, it's just was bad timing, bad decisions.I should not have let it get to that point, but I did, unfortunately, but he wanted to leave.
What do you do, Conrad, when you got somebody that works where they wants to leave? It's hard to make that decision.It's, it's really daunting.They want to go.So how do we help them go?And we helped him go with a expensive mistake.
Did you, were you having trouble getting him to renew before?Did you know the writing was on the wall?When Russo gives you notice, when did you realize, Oh, we might have a problem.Is it that day?
I don't know if it was that day or not.Some people have a higher opinion of chess in ring work than I do.I think he's a hell of a hand, really a solid, fundamentally sound hand that can have the proverbial good match with about anybody.Right.
But, uh, bad decisions were made there.I think, uh, but just didn't have any leverage except that money.That one transaction was all he had. And, uh, you know, he, he left and made the most of it.So good for him.
Yeah.Let's talk about that.It's written in the observer.Jared's WWF contract expired on October 16th, the day before no mercy, but he came back from one last show to put China over in the IC title match at no mercy the previous night in Cleveland.
Both Jarrett and even the WWF pretty well made Jim Ross who handles contract negotiations for the WWF into the scapegoat for Jared leaving.
Jared had signed a two year contract with the company at $350,000 per year, selling them on the idea that he was 30 years old with 12 years experience and primed and ready to jump from WCW and be a superstar.
They initially pushed him as one, but it didn't work. They tried character after character with him, which never paid off, and in competitive segments, when Raw was close, Jarrett was a ratings liability.
Somewhere during this period, Jarrett was pressured, convinced, whatever, to take a pay cut to a $250,000 base, which he obviously resented.
Although with the WWF booming, he was actually online to earn probably even more than his previous three 50 base this year.No doubt.So let's talk about that.What, what, what spurs the renegotiation?Do you recall?
I know he wanted more money.It was like partially ego and he wanted to make more cash and, and, uh, the opportunity to make more cash was there. Uh, and like you said, he was on target to exceed his three 50 on a $250,000 guarantee.
So, you know, it's just one of those things, man.He, I think we all made mistakes in that deal.I'm glad at the end of the day, Conrad, the chef not comes, come out as, uh, friends and respectful friends.That's important.And so, uh,
He's doing a good job for a EW in every little role that he's been selected to participate in has been, uh, a nice performance, no doubt.
So, uh, anyway, I, uh, it was regretful, a lot of stress during that time, this coming off more stress, it was, uh, it was horrible.
We, uh, we know that it's all water under the bridge now, but do you recall why you were asked to go ask Jeff to take a pay cut from three 50 to two 50?Seemingly the business has never been hotter.
You're setting records everywhere you go, but he's asked to take a pay cut.Uh, was anybody else asked to take a, take a pay cut?Can you tell us anything about it?
I think, I think so.I think there are others.I can't remember who they were, but, uh, to pare back a little bit and downsize. just to prepare for the eventuality that things will not always be great.And, uh, so that's kind of what we had there.
Uh, as that was census call, of course, I get to be the messenger, but I didn't create this scenario.I, I created, uh, the process on, on McMahon's orders and, uh, Jeff was just caught there.He, you know, he, that's a good 11.
Especially when you don't have any ceiling, you can make as much as you want.How often can you work?Are you healthy?Are you productive?He could do all those things.
So it was inevitable to me that Jeff was going to far exceed his downside guarantee as long as we kept him booked.And I had every intention to keep Jeff booked.The issue is always.
You know, he wanted to work with Austin because that was the way to get over.And Austin was not interested in working with Jeff for whatever reason.
And I don't really know the reason, but, uh, Steve didn't want to work with Jeff and that made it awkward.As I said earlier,
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It probably doesn't get any less awkward when Steve starts a real life relationship with Deborah, who's going to of course be the second for Jeff Jarrett.It just continues to twist and get more tangled.
Uh, I'm going to go back to it again because I want to remind everybody, the company is about to go public.So I'm wondering when you go to Jeff earlier in the year and ask him to take that pay cut.
Doesn't it also stand to reason that perhaps they were bankers or an initiative internally that, Hey, we got to get these budgets in line.And so we can trim 50 grand here and a hundred grand there and that sort of thing.
We can hit a number for our IPO.
Yeah, absolutely.All about the math and the rules of engagement.So, uh, because nobody knew how much the IPO was going to deliver.Pardon me.I mentioned earlier, it created $160 million in new cash.
That's a lot of money, a lot of money for a wrestling company.Are you kidding?So, uh, I think it had a lot to do with it being counters.Cause I know that he was Jeff was not the only person that was asked to take a decrease in guarantee.
And of course, if you're working and you're doing your work as you should, uh, then you're going to be fine. So, uh, but you know, it was an ego issue, uh, the uncertainty, you know, I'm not, how am I going to make more?
Am I going to make a less, all those types of things.So it was, it was an interesting time.And, uh, I wish I had worked out differently because there were years there that I didn't even talk to the chef and that's silly.Yeah.No, no reason for that.
And, uh, but we did it and we got through it. And when I work, I see him at a WTV and it's always a nice conversation and shoot the shit type thing.So we got whole again.So I'm happy about that.
It's written in the torch that the company had offered Jarrett basically the same, the same deal he signed two years prior, no raise, even though the business isn't another stratosphere from where it was two years prior.
And Wade would say that alone could have been assigned.The company didn't believe in his worth to the company.Jim Ross, who is Steve Austin's close ally, didn't work especially hard to retain Jarrett.
Vince McMahon, understandably distracted by front office departures and his tour of the West Coast to pitch the IPO, left the contract negotiations in Ross's hands.
Ross's negotiations came down to chasing Jarrett out of the arena door on Tuesday last week after SmackDown, yelling to Jarrett, so are you staying or going? Jarrett let Ross know he wasn't impressed with his negotiating style.
Ross said he was distracted by other things and had forgotten to talk to Jeff earlier in the week.Within 48 hours, Jeff came to a verbal agreement with WCW.
When word began to spread from WCW that Jarrett was a signature away from jumping, Vince McMahon made a strong effort to change Jeff's mind.
McMahon let Ross know he wasn't happy that the situation had gotten to the point of no return without consulting him.Ross apparently never went to McMahon to say Jarrett wasn't happy with the first contract offer.
McMahon, extremely upset with Ross, told Ross to fix the situation. Ross then tried to reach Jarrett on Thursday, but Jarrett didn't return his calls.
Jarrett told the front office he would only talk to McMahon and Jarrett and McMahon finally spoke on Thursday at which point McMahon told Jarrett that Ross had dropped the ball and he really wanted him to stay in the WWF.The offer was upped.
Stock options were thrown in, but Jarrett told McMahon he already had a verbal agreement with WCW that he felt comfortable with.So Jarrett and McMahon have a cordial conversation.
And it even reads on the website on Friday, due to a contract dispute between Jr.And Jeff Jarrett will be leaving the WWF for WCW.
Although his contract with WWF expires this Saturday, he will be at no mercy on Sunday, which is a Testament to the kind of human being Jeff Jerry.
It's crazy.Isn't it that that's on the website?
My God, it's ridiculous.It's ridiculous, Conrad.And I was, I was the, I was this scapegoat now situation.And some of it, some of it honestly was my fault.
And, uh, I didn't pursue Jeff as, as, uh, fervently as some would expect that may just have been on me. Uh, you know, the money he wanted and the terms and all that stuff was commensurate with a top guy.
I didn't perceive Jeff at that time, a top guy for WWE.Uh, and, and there's, I may have made another mistake.You know, this job is not foolproof.Uh, you know, there's a lot of decisions made on the run and you got, excuse me.
And you've got a boss that is, uh, uh, you know, unique cat, he changed his mind.You know, I've had that happen a lot of times, you know, that talk we had the other day about so-and-so.Yeah.Forget what we talked about.I don't want him.Okay.
So that kind of shit happens a lot.So you just had to regroup.I thought you said I was going to get this.Well, at that time, if you'd accepted the offer, that's what you would get, but you didn't.Well, so, uh,
But, you know, I take, I take fully take my share of the blame for the whole, uh, ordeal.It was a train wreck and it is unnecessary a train wreck.So, but we got through it.I got through it.You know, it was not good as the locker room.
So, uh, anyway, let me ask you about this.
It's written here.There's some thought that this is internal.
That you did intentionally as little as possible to resign Jarrett quote, the perception of Ross and the WWF is that he'll do anything to please Austin, knowing that as long as he has Austin support, he's on solid ground in the WWF.
Ross may have wanted to do a favor for Austin by intentionally dropping the ball on the Jarrett negotiations.Like that just feels like that's a little silly.That's not, I mean, that's not Jr at all.Who wrote this?
Well, it's speculation that was in the torch at the time.
Oh yeah.He was always, Wade's always been a little frisky.
Uh, you know, so I, I don't know, Connie, I, it was just one of those scenarios where I did drop the ball, but it wasn't a, uh, preconceived plan to, uh, supplement Jeff and eliminate Jeff from the roster.
It can you, or did you think Jeff Jared at that time was a top hand?
Uh, no, I didn't think you guys had positioned him there.I did think he had a lot of momentum with the intercontinental title and he was doing an angle where he's, you know, hitting ladies with guitars and putting them in figure fours.
I did feel like he was a good character, but did I feel like he was at the undertaker stone cold level?No, not yet.He had not been positioned that way.
That was the same scenario I had with Joni.She wanted to offset pay specifically said, I think I should be making as much as Steve.Well, You're not going to make that much, but she made, she made six figures or seven figures.
She was making over a million dollars a year because of the structure of the pay was very talent friendly.She got a great guarantee and then she got more money for being booked and the, and how productive the houses were, et cetera, et cetera.So, uh,
I don't know.A lot of people want in this deal.A lot of people were making a lot of money at this time.
Uh, but they were making it basically on the overrun, the, the, uh, the, the additional monies that you made above and beyond your guarantee that you received at the time you earned it.
You know, there was this one time where we had a policy where the talent would, could capture that money at the end of their term. And then Vince changed that to, if they want it, give it to them, which I thought was a good idea.
You know, you make the money, get, get it to the talents.Let them make the decision that they want to add a new carport on their house or want to buy another Rolex or, uh, pay for their girlfriends, boobs, things like that, that I dealt with.
I want to talk to you a little bit about the, cause I'd never heard this before.
We started doing research for this particular episode, but it's written in the torch that allegedly Jeff Jarrett tells Vince I'm not coming back to the company as long as Jr works here.
And allegedly in person, he cut a promo on you in front of a number of other people where he's accusing you of intentionally sabotaging his contract just to kiss up to Austin.He's clearly frustrated and he's letting it all out.
Do you remember an ugly in-person incident between the two of you at the show?
Yeah.Disrespectful, unprofessional don't need an audience. But that's the old wrestling way.So he cut his promo on me and, and I just listened.It's not a place to start the debate in that, in that environment.So, uh, but it was unnecessary.
It was unnecessary.And I don't know how much it affected my relationship with the roster that I built.Most of those guys were, uh, you know, they were friendly.Uh, I'd helped them.They were making good money.
And that's what it's all about in wrestling the cash, the point simple in the story, the cash.Well, don't you want to have a happy locker room?Don't you want the boys to get along?It's wrestling you idiot.
They're always going to be looking to move up the ladder and I don't blame them.That's how they get paid moving up the ladder and contributing more and being a better earner.
So allegedly after this ugly public incident backstage between you and Jeff Jarrett. Well, we get one with road dog, cutting a promo on Bruce Pritchard.
And he's basically saying, Hey, you and Jr are Vince's only confidants at the expense of the company.And I'm going to make your life miserable.As long as you guys are in power until you've released me.
I mean, he's trying to stand up for his friend here.There are some hurt feelings, at least that have trickled down from Jeff Jarrett to the real life.Brian James, who's making a mint here as the road dog.He was making a million a year.Yeah.
And you're bitching. Cause your friend didn't get what he wanted.You know, I say, get over it, move on, save your money.You're making a lot of it.And you'd never made this kind of money before in your life.
Nobody in your family has made this kind of money in their life.So count your blessings and save your fucking money.And Brian and I got past that too.Brian and I are friends today.Absolutely.I like Brian.He's entertaining and he's smart.
He's good for a wrestling company's office.Smart.He's smart guy.I always, I like Brian.I didn't like him that day when he undressed Bruce, but that's the way it goes sometimes in rashland.
We should also mention, you know, just context is King.There's a lot going on in Jeff chair.It's life. His wife, Jill is at home dying of cancer and he's got young kids and now he's tried to make as much money as he can.
And he's taken a pay cut despite the company being hotter than ever. I'm sure he feels a certain type of way about that and he feels backed in and it's not like this is the first time he's had issues with Vince or creative.
I mean, he walked out in 95 and of course the Jeff Jarrett we talk to these days on my world.Well, that's a different human being.I mean, this was, I can't believe it's real 25 years ago.
So you're talking about a guy who's in a totally different place in his life.He calls it BS Jeff before sobriety, Jeff. Uh, the pressure that, that must be on you.
And of course you now, given everything that's happened in your life to think, you know, with the benefit of hindsight, man, if, if Jill was at home with cancer and now you can imagine, man, if Jan was at home with cancer, it changes everything in the way you approach everything anyway.
Yeah, of course.Yeah, absolutely.Absolutely.And, uh, that's, that was interesting at 25 years ago. I, if people don't want her to Jr over the Jeff Jarrett thing, absolutely.Yeah.I'm not, I'm not going to carry a grudge for 25 fucking years.
That's stupid.That's just not the way to live your life.So that's, that's kind of what I've done.I forgive and forget and you move on and it's just part of the damn job.And some parts of the job of being head of town relations was not pleasant.
Well, something that is pleasant is magic spoon.You know, as a kid, we all used to wake up and get a big bowl of cereal and plop down for some cartoons or Saturday morning wrestling.But then as adults, we realized, man, we don't need all that sugar.
First thing in the morning, we need protein. And that's where Magic Spoon can hook you up.It tastes just like your childhood favorites, but with a ton of protein.
Every serving of Magic Spoon cereal has 13 grams of protein, zero grams of sugar, and just four grams of net carbs, so you can feel good about what you're eating.The most popular flavors are fruity and cocoa, but there's so many more.
But I've got big news if you're already a Magic Spoon fan.They've turned their super popular cereal into high-protein treats. That's right.Magic spoons, brand new treats are crispy, crunchy, and airy.
And I had one, I had one last night, Conrad, not to interrupt you intentionally, but I had, that was my snack last night. No sugar.I'm diabetic too.So I got to watch my sugar intake and, uh, magic spoon is the, is a recipe for me.
It just, it works there.They're nice little treats as Jan used to call him.You had your treat tonight?No.Why don't you go make me something?It would have plenty of sugar, fortunately.So the magic spoons, it is magic. And it tastes good.
You know, sometimes you get these products and you think, God damn, they taste like cardboard.This is not good, but I had a chocolate one last night.The best, the best.It's awesome.And, uh, I got a whole shipment from those folks.
They're very kind, very nice.And they make a real good product.So if you want to watch your sugar intake and eat healthier, this is a good option.Really, really good option.
Check it out, you're gonna love it because here's the deal.It's an easy way to get 12 grams of protein on the go.And for the first time ever, Magic Spoon treats are now available in grocery stores.
They've got delicious flavors like marshmallow and chocolatey peanut butter.They've also got blueberry muffin, but my hands down favorite is double chocolate.You heard JR mentioning it before.I double dog dare you to try it.
It doesn't taste like something that should be good for you to eat.It doesn't taste like something that has all this protein and no sugar. It tastes like a just a most delicious dessert you ever had go out of your way to try it.
I'm telling you, you're going to love it.Get $5 off your next order at magic spoon.com slash Jr.Or just look for magic spoon on Amazon or in your nearest grocery store.That's magic spoon.com slash Jr.For $5 off magic spoon.Hold on to the dream.
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Check it out.You'll be glad you did.We got the link in our description today for today's episode as well.
Hey, Jim, I wanted to ask you, you know, there's been lots of rumor and innuendo that's out there about how this whole Jeff Jarrett held up Vince McMahon story goes.Yeah.And you know, we've heard everybody else talk about it.
I don't know how much detail we've heard from your side.So I wanted to give you an opportunity to, as best you can recall, I think the story goes.
Jeff essentially just wanted to make sure that he was taken care of on all of the trailing pay-per-views and house shows and royalties.Maybe there was some concern that when he jumped ship, he won't be dealt with fairly.
He'd like to just settle up right now for the work he had been done.That was the narrative that has been positioned.And it's also been said that He wasn't so excited to accept a WWF check.
He would like for the cash to come from the day from the gate proceeds from the building.So there's a little bit of third party.Maybe it's necessary.Was that necessary?I don't think so in hindsight.No.
So, you know, I don't either.I know I'm the bad guy in this.I take full responsibility. I'm a big man and I got big shoulders and, uh, I, I just, I don't know what else I could have done.I could have done a lot of things better.
I've admitted that, uh, and my relationship with Austin and his relationship with Jarrett obviously had to play a role in the old nine yards.I learned a long time ago, you keep your top guys happy.And, uh, that was very important in my role.
And who was the bigger top guy than stone cold.Uh, and so I did go out of my way to, and Steve was not an easy manage.He was, he was challenging because even to me, you know, he would be, he had questioned the booking at times and so forth.
I remember once, uh, he had the same issue with Mark Merrill.He didn't want to work with Mark Merrill.
He didn't think Mark Merrow was up to the, up to speed and Steve wasn't ready at that time of his career to, um, make, you know, to, to, to make guys and that respect he wanted to made before he got them.
So they can go out and have a good match and have tell a good story.So it was a awkward time.No doubt.Guys are paranoid.They're making more money than they ever made in their life. I thought that was pretty important as far as my job is concerned.
And, uh, so I always thought it was about the money and it really is.I ain't going to bullshit myself, but, uh, I think, I think there's the strategy issues that Jeff had that I know he didn't want to have and that he, it wasn't on his radar.
But he made some mistakes in that regard.I've admitted my mistakes.I've made several of them in that particular matter, but I guess what I'm saying is that there was nobody in the front office that was campaigning.
Should I do their campaigning for, uh, Jeff's success?Uh, it just, people saw what I saw.He's a very, very good talent, but he's not a top guy at that time. And so that's kind of where we took it from there and moved on there.
So we had a big difference of opinion and what do you do?You got a difference of opinion.So we adapt and, but Jeff's financial issues with Conrad, we're not going to be an issue.He was going to, he's far gone.
He's going to far exceed his downside guarantee.And, uh, but that wasn't good enough.
may ask you a little bit about, cause you've said it a few times, you know, you didn't perceive Jeff Shearer to be a top guy at that time.Right.And this, this conversation exists sort of inside the wrestling business.
I know a few years ago, several at this point, Ryback was pretty vocal on social media about, you know, his, his, his perception of that. That it takes the entire group of guys.
It's not like some are necessarily stars and others aren't like they work together to create these stories.When you're saying you didn't perceive Jeff to be a top guy, do you mean as a heel or a baby face?Because I think he was awfully hateable.
I could see how you would say he wasn't a top baby face.I don't think anybody would argue that, but he was, he had credibility as a heel to me as a top guy.
All right.Well, if he had credibility, it would have been as a heel without question.Uh, it's just the perception was that he's not, he's not at that level.And that doesn't mean it's right.
It just means that's what the general consensus was in McMahon's office.So
How much of that right or wrong do you think is because he was second generation?I asked, because I do think there's a contingent who says, Oh, well, here comes Greg Gagnon.Yeah.
Oh, here comes Eric wants, do you think there was a little, oh, here comes Jerry son for Jeff in that era?
Might've been, might've been.And if they, if it happened, it was unnecessary.
You should judge Jeff on chess merits, not on Jerry Jared's success.Right.Uh, that never, uh, Came into my, my purview.I understand what you're saying.I understand your point, but that was not an issue.
You know, uh, as a matter of fact, if anything, it was a, uh, uh, an ally as asset.So, uh, it's just, it was unfortunate.It's gone red.You know, it's just, I don't know more.I can say I've admitted my guilt, your honor.
So hit the gavel sentence me and let's move on.
Let's move on.Let's talk about bill banks.He's in his early twenties here, and he's been working with Russo on the WWF magazine.He's helped Russo with some scripting and he's going to leave the WWF for WCW too.
In addition to that, Matt Miller, who was handling third party bookings for the WWF and, uh, and so forth, he's going to be taking a job for arena management at the gun arena in Cleveland.
And Bob Mitchell, who's helped grow the company's website quite a bit.He's leaving for another media position.I find all these departures, very curious, Jim, like we're about to go public.
It seems to reason to me that everybody who sticks around is going to make more money.Why not see what that looks like before you jump ship?
Absolutely.Conrad, you're absolutely right.Uh, I, I don't understand the logic of that thinking.You wait, you wait a week, wait two weeks.
And, and, and, and go from there.So it was a strange time that people were making moves that I believe to this day, and I think it's proved it out or ill-advised.Uh, so I don't know.I, I, I didn't understand the logic of some of those situations.
Pardon me.Or maybe it was just the fact that, uh, you know, guys just thought that there Now they may have been influenced some of those guys by their, their better halves.
Well, you know, cause sometimes the guys understand who are living it daily, understand that, uh, be patient and let's see how this thing works.Vince took care of his key people.A lot of people got stuck.
A lot of people did Kevin Dunn and I got the most that met us both comfortably financially comfortable. But that was Spencer's decision.Hell, I had no idea what it was and I didn't know what it meant.
You got these options and they're going to invest in the hell.I didn't own any stock.That wasn't my area of expertise.So, uh, but I knew that, uh, the potential, uh, for a windfall of cash existed.It did.
And I got that windfall of cash on more than one occasion.And, uh, That was always a fun time of the year.It's like Christmas, you know, is the stock reallocation and all that stuff.
So I, uh, it was a good time to be in WWF at that point in time, a really good time for guys like me.
It's interesting to see all these shake-ups.You know, you're going to have a guy who was working as a publicist named Jay.He's going to be let go for insubordination.
But it becomes real nut-cutting time for guys like Bill Banks because they're asked to sign what Vince is calling a loyalty pledge.The idea is, if you leave here for any reason, you won't go work for Tom Warner or WCW for at least a year.
Bill Banks does not want to sign that and so he leaves he goes to WCW and Terry Taylor He doesn't want to sign it either and when he's pressed about it.He's explaining.Hey, man I don't want to work in anywhere else but professional wrestling.
So if I sign this Then it means if I ever leave here, I have no leverage.I can't go earn a living anywhere else I've got to go get a quote-unquote real job.I don't want to do that and
So I don't want to leave the WWF, but I also don't want to sign a document saying, um, I won't go to WCW for a year.What'd you think of this loyalty pledge?Is this Vince reaching a little bit?He's winning.Why do this?
I wasn't high on it.Yeah, I wasn't high.I thought it created a bad karma.Uh, it, it slowed down the process that some talents and some individuals had, uh, and, uh, but I wasn't for it, but that doesn't matter. It doesn't matter at all.
So somebody was thinking, Oh, chair didn't have any power.I have plenty of power, but I knew what he'll to die on.
And he was Vince when he starts doing all these little proclamations and all these things, uh, uh, that was, uh, that was a tough, tough one to get past.Luckily I didn't have to deal with much of that.It wasn't a talent thing.
It was more of a corporate scenario. Uh, and I thought Vince kind of overreacted in that, in that moment.
We got to talk a little bit about Chris Jericho.He's making a lot of news here.He would actually go on his blog and write that he doesn't think he's done well in WWE.He's disappointed with his performance.
And the observer would even say it's at least been pretty well decreed at least temporarily that Jericho is slated for a mid-card role.They're disappointed in his work.
There've been a lot of excuses thrown around as to why Jericho wasn't working out like they'd expected. 90% of them are what I would call old school-ism, but the answer is simple.Look at how he's been programmed to the ring from day one.
If you're programmed as one of the guys, you become just another one of the guys, which is the slot he's being taken in.
He didn't beat Road Dogg or X-Pac clean in major matches, and developing a mid-card guy results don't matter, but in developing a top-of-the-card superstar, they have to beat everyone but other top-of-the-card superstars.
Hughes hurt a lot, presumably with the exception of Road Dogg's match in England.He hasn't had a match in the caliber of the matches he used to have in WCW, but by and large, there's also a minor part of the perception to the audience.
You know, we talked a little bit about the way you felt like Jr.Or from Jr's perspective, the office didn't perceive Jarrett to be a top guy at this point.It sounds like they didn't really feel that way about Jericho just yet either.Fair to say.
Yeah, fair to say, uh, he was too short.
That's what you get.Oh, he's awful small.Uh, he's got a, Vince told me one time Jericho had a feminine walk to the ring. Oh, I, I never envisioned that assessment.I didn't feel it.I didn't see it.Pardon me.
Uh, however, uh, you just have to ride with those talents.The, one of the reasons that Jer the Jericho wasn't as successful as we wanted in the beginning, it's hard to come down from being introduced and interrupting the rock.
So there's where your angle was and it didn't play out. And that's not good.You shoot a big angle.You introduce a guy.Yeah.The clock, the, uh, the new, not new generation, but yeah, the clock and dwells in this thing.
And it was a huge entrance and you got a massive pop.It was very popular at the time, but it was between Jericho and the rock and the rock aspect of this conversation is extremely important.
Uh, how do you follow that Conrad, how do you follow the rock?There's nothing, anything else you do, except maybe with Austin is going to be perceived as a let down.
So, but that's, you know, we should have followed up with Jericho and the rock with a nice several week program, but we did not do that.I can't tell you why it's Vince's decision.Is it? And it may have been something that rock said, maybe rocks.
I don't want to work with him.He's too small.I don't know that to be true, but we did follow up on it.And that's, that was a missed opportunity.
I wanted to ask you a little bit about some developmental territories here.Uh, Bert Prentice's music city wrestling.It's being written about in the observer.
Like it might become a developmental territory, much like less Thatcher's Heartland wrestling shows were.It never really happens for Bert.
What was the, the company's official relationship with Bert and why didn't it become more of a developmental system?
It was basically through Lawler.Jerry Lawler and Bert were in the same geographical vicinity.They had a relationship, but I don't know that we were ever totally committed or serious about his company becoming a developmental area.
We soon found out that Most of these companies that we'd worked with had really poor infrastructure and that's why they were border lining on failure.
And so we found that with everybody, it was just, you know, I think they thought WWF was going to come in and solve all their problems with their money, but you still got to execute it and on, on the worksite.
So it just wasn't a time or place for Bert's company for us.
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All right.So Jim, let's get back to the pay-per-view.We're finally here.No mercy, 1999.If you're going to watch one retro pay-per-view, go make it this one.What an incredible show.This is there's a sellout crowd.18,752 fans are here.
It's one of the strongest pay-per-views of the year, according to Dave Meltzer.And he says it probably includes the best American match of the year. All told there's $478,000 at the gate, 17,430 paying fans, another $130,000 in March.
You guys are hot, hot, hot.And I'm sure after all the backstage shenanigans, you were excited to just be at the desk and done with your day job, right?
Yeah, absolutely.It was, it was invigorating to see the crowd and, and, and mass as we did.
Yeah, it was time to get out of the meetings and the memos and the phone calls and the point in the finger of blame at everything that was not totally positive in the eyes of some.So yeah, it was a relief, man.That's my safe place.
That was where I, that's where I had the most fun and enjoyed my contributions the most.So it didn't come any too soon.I can tell you that I was glad to get to Cleveland.
And ironically, Matt Miller, I think, uh, who we talked about earlier, longtime WWE employee, good guy too.Uh, he got a job and as you said, in the gun arena.So we saw math there early on.It was kind of cool.
Let's talk about the card.We got the Godfather opening up with Midian.They're going to go a quarter star.Um, Not a lot of heat in the match, but you got these crazy characters and that's what the WWF is all about here.
Godfather gets the win seven and a half minutes.This is a pickup or a follow-up from what happened on SmackDown, uh, the prior week.So not a long-term storytelling sort of deal, but you didn't really need that with the Godfather ever.
Next up something interesting.Fabulous Mula becomes the oldest recorded champion in the WWF history. She's 72 years old here when she beats ivory in three minutes and one second to capture the women's title, a title she first won back in 1956.
That's a year before anybody on this card is even born.It's pretty crazy.Uh, of course it wasn't a great match, but it was a spectacle.
Thankfully we've evolved women's wrestling a little bit, but how much fun was fabulous Moolah having with a one last one last run, if you will.
She was having a blast.I don't think she was having more fun than the may may young, uh, may had a great time.May took a lot of dangerous bumps cause she was crazy and tough and wanted to prove it.Every single TV, uh,
And the movie queen of the ring, which I was executive producer of, uh, the one that we went to the premier a couple of weeks ago, uh, she was very, her character was very prevalent.
She was, she followed Mildred Burke, the bread winner, the Hulk Hogan of the time around, uh, like a puppy because may was the Lieutenant in that locker room.
Even then in the fifties and all that may was a bad-ass and, and you never heard too many rows with shoot fights because everybody knew that may was there to, uh, intervene as necessary, but they were quite the pair draw to no doubt about it.
Two historic characters.I'm glad I got to go through that era with them. And, uh, they never turned down an assignment, Conrad.They never turned down a booking.
There was nothing, you know, when somebody said that they're going to have the Dudley's, uh, uh, power bomb made to a table.Uh, I thought, well, that'll never, that ain't gonna happen because it's just silly.She's she's in her seventies.
I think at that time. So, uh, amazing, great character and in queen of the ring, which will be out in theater soon.Uh, she had a real good role and it worked out real well.She didn't talk a lot, but she had a real good role on the screen.
So I encourage anybody that when it comes in your area, uh, to check out queen of the ring, it's a fun, it's a family movie and more, and more ways than one.
For a woman to survive in a man's world, when all the men were congregating and trying to come up with a plan to submerge the ship of Mildred Burke, it's a great story.Anyway, I got off the track, but May reminded me of that.
Her role in the movie was crucial, and she did a great job. So if you see a little blonde headed woman in the movie, you're going to know that's may young's character.
Let's talk a little bit about the next match, because this is a match you don't expect.Bob and crash Holly are going to get a win over the new age outlaws by DQ in just over 10 minutes. and Meltzer loved it.
He says a lot better than most WWF undercard matches.Everyone had their working shoes on and Bob Holly was very impressive, including throwing a perfectly timed high dropkick. I mean, the fans are really into the New Age Outlaws.
I mean, even when Road Dogg is doing his whole doggy style pump handle slam thing, the crazy fans are just going bananas here.This is a really fun match, and it's rare that you really saw that from the New Age Outlaws because it wasn't required.
Like people wanted to hear road dogs rap and say Billy gun, crotch chop, and they could lean on their character work, but here they actually have a pretty kick-ass tag match.When you asked them to go, they could go.This was fun, man.
I don't think a lot of people would have assumed new age outlaws in the Hollies was awesome, but it was, well, I liked each other pretty well.
You know, Bob had a lot of respect, tough guy, Oh, pro veteran.Uh, so it was, it was, uh, the timing was good. So yeah, they had it, they had a real good match.
And, uh, I think, uh, DX was really, uh, you know, the road dog and Billy gun were really over.They could, they could, you know, taking dumps in the ring and people would have cheered.
Well, then we're taking a dump in the ring on the next one.This is the more controversial match we've been waiting on.China is going to become the intercontinental champion.That's a real thing.
She beats Jeff Jarrett here in a good housekeeping match.They go eight minutes and 37 seconds.And, uh, Meltzer would say Jarrett did a hell of a job in his final appearance.
This is a, uh, a fun story and a fun match because they had already put it out on the website that he's finishing up. So they do like a false finish here where it looks like Jeff Jarrett has retained and he's leaving.
Of course, Teddy Long restarts the match.And now we've got the guitar making an appearance.I don't know if it's technically a household appliance, but maybe it is. I mean, what a performance by Jeff cheer.
And if you're looking for him to go out here and show ass and be covered in flour and eggs and lose the intercontinental title and put over a woman for the belt and all those things were controversial back then he did it all.
He earned his money that night, right?
Oh yeah.Yeah.He had a good night. And he did business.He did business and I respect him for that to this very, to this very day, 25 years later, Conrad, I respect Jeff Jarrett for his performance that night, sucking it up and doing the right thing.
How we got there was a Rocky road, but once we arrived at our destination, uh, Jeff and China delivered.And I always appreciate that.That was a big moment for Joni.
That gave her some impetus to ask for a million dollar a year guarantee, which she didn't get.But nonetheless, that's what she asked for.That was a happy moment for her with a terrible career and some inner demons and so forth.
She, she had that big smile on her face.I think everybody felt pretty good for Johnny.
You know, with the benefit of hindsight, I sure do wish that Johnny was with us now.
I mean, in an alternate universe on the 25th anniversary, how cool would it have been to have, you know, Jeff and China and yourself all just discuss this was a crazy moment in wrestling.
I mean, yes, it was a bad day for you and your reign as head of talent relations and. It was probably a regrettable decision for Jeff with the benefit of knowing what's going to happen in 2001.I mean, just two years after this, there ain't no WCW.
I mean, this thing, WCW is not long for this world.Right.And this is probably the high watermark for China.I mean, at this time, uh, for a lady holding the intercontinental champion just seemed like a crazy idea.She made real wrestling history.
You guys were sort of all forever tied to that moment and to know that she's not here on the 25th anniversary.That's a downer, man.
Yeah.Yeah.She, she, I was a happy moment for Joni.I look back at it and ear to ear smile.Yes.Well, complete and, uh, and talents to serve that she went through hell to get to where she was in that spot.
So, uh, yeah, it would have been great if Joni was here. She was a nice person.
I babysit her for a long time when she was trying to decide to leave and she had financial demands, uh, that were unreasonable in the eyes of everybody involved in the decision.So, uh, but she was hung up on that Austin number.
It's funny how Austin is a catalyst and a lot of these controversial things, but she looked back at it and figure out why. It's pretty easy.That's everybody.He was a target.
He was the guy, everybody wanted to see and wanted to be like, and his earnings were even more, uh, desirable.So, but that's cowboy taught me a long time ago.
You think, you think bill Watts had an easy time managing the junkyard dog and his cocaine habit and his drinking. Absolutely not.Absolutely not.But we did all we could to keep dog happy and content.
Thank God for Peewee Anderson, who was dog's driver and traveling partner.He carried around a huge bag of quarters so they could feed the concession machines at the hotels.Because dog goes off his diet, shall we say.
And, but Bill had to go, he bought him a car and eventually monies.He forgave debts and. So Bill took good care of the dog, which wasn't easy.I try to take good care of Stone Cold, but it wasn't easy.
So I guess I think that just goes for the territory.
We got to remind everybody, this is a loaded card.One of the better shows of the year.Godfather and Median only got a quarter star.Fabulous Moonland Ivory got a negative one star.Wade and Dave really liked the Hollies and the New Age Outlaws.
Dave gave it two and three quarters.China and Jeff Jarrett, three and a quarter stars.And now it falls off a bit of a cliff, not for lack of trying.It's Rock and Bulldog, and they just had no chemistry,
This is unfortunately near the end of bulldogs, big time wrestling career.They go seven minutes and 20 seconds.Obviously the rock has a ton of momentum.He's a huge star.He's on the way up in a major way.Bulldog.
We can't say the same for, I mean, at this point has his body just sort of given up on him.Do you think?
I think it has.And I think he knew it.Yeah.I think, I think that's what concerned him.Uh, I I'm speculating that, you know, uh, Davey.
who had made really good money in WWF just didn't have the, he hadn't, he didn't have the financial portfolio that he wished he would have had.
Sometimes the guys look back and they panic because they had these good years, but they haven't saved any cash.So, uh, that may have been an issue in this matter, but, uh, yeah, Davey hit a plateau.
And he just, it just didn't click the fire kind of gone out.It seemed like, so, uh, you know, he never was able to reclaim the fame and the notoriety that he had with bulldog with a Billington.They were perfect together there and they were great.
Absolutely great.So it's good.I try to keep up with a bulldog son online and keep track of how he's doing. Good kid.I've known him since he was a little boy.
I wish that, uh, at times that I've seen different roles in AEW that probably would have fit in pretty well.Uh, big athletic son of a gun.Good kid.Good looking has a lot of product knowledge, but it's just never, the ties didn't bind.
We just never got a chance to, to make that happen.But a good kid, good mom.
a good family, but I think it was challenging for Davey toward the end that he looked back and didn't have what he thought he should have had as far as savings and things of that nature.That's an educated guess from me.
I don't know that to be all factual, but it would make sense that there's some logic or justice in what I'm saying.Davey had issues. He seemed to be tied more to drugs than he was to the passion for the business during that time.
Let's talk about the next match.This is the one you got to go out of your way to see Matt and Jeff Hardy are going to win a ladder match over edgy Christian.It goes 16 minutes and 30 seconds.Dave gives it four and a half stars.
He called it a must see match because any of these guys make it to the top.It'll be remembered as their first great match.
Gangrel was booted out early, they set up two ladders instead of one, and the ladders appeared lighter than the previous ladders used, so some of the ladder spots didn't hurt as much as maybe they did in previous matches.
It was more of a collection of spots as opposed to a match, but the fans loved it once they realized the risk the guys were going to take to entertain them.
The crowd reaction was more to an exhibition of stunts as opposed to the drama of a wrestling match. All four men climb the two ladders for the climax spot as they're fighting on both ladders.
One ladder tips over with Christian falling off and crotching himself and Jeff catching his throat on the top rope.
The other laddie, the other ladder tipped over similarly with edge catching his throat on the top and Matt landing on his stomach on the top rope and going to the floor.They slowly started climbing again.
One ladder went down and three of the four guys went down. Jeff had to jump from the falling ladder to the one left standing.There's only one guy left and he grabs the bag of money to win.
They celebrate backstage with their new manager, Terry Runnels.The fans give this match a standing ovation. I mean, this is one of the craziest matches in history.I think a lot of people forget.
I believe this was the T I T invitational or something like that.Everybody's after Terry Reynolds management services.I'm going to have some fun names for it and our, and our boobs.Well, there you go.
We're going to hit people over the head with it, but this is a star making performance to the point where the next day on raw, they get another standing ovation.Not just one that night, but the next day.
Yeah, that's, that's, that's important to point out because that just doesn't happen.
Just doesn't happen.So, uh, hats off to those dudes.Uh, they, they had a spotlight and they took advantage of it.They delivered in a big way, uh, that night in Cleveland.And I thought it was kind of heartwarming.
I don't think I'd ever seen a two night standing ovation.
And that was, I can't recall anyway. So on Monday, when they, they came out and got that ovation that they did, it was very heartwarming to me because you're not hired all those guys and they didn't start out as stars.
They earned their way up the ladder and, uh, but nobody's bitching at me for that.
So when they figure out something else to bitch about, I guess, when you look back with the benefit of hindsight, do you think this is Uh, maybe even a more important moment in wrestling history than we realized.I mean, here's what I mean.
It's written in the observer here.It was more a collection of spots as opposed to a match and the fans loved it because they realized the risks were got the guys were taking to entertain them.
The crowd reaction was more to an exhibition of stunts as opposed to the drama of a wrestling match.I think you could point to this match.
This tag match with the hardies and edging Christian and no mercy 99 and say that might be the moment where it all changed.
I mean that wrestling that we saw in that match, you know, that could be appearing on dynamite on rampage on collision on raw and smack down at crown jewel.It was so, I mean, that is what wrestling became, right?
Yeah.Attraction driven.Yes.It was an attraction. And it wasn't about a chain wrestling and things of that nature.It was an attraction.Those guys did what they needed to do to get the match over.Did they get the match over to standing ovations later?
It's interesting to look back at this match and think that might be where it all changed.I'm going to encourage you.If you're going to watch one show, certainly watch no mercy 99 this week, but one match, go watch that tag match.It's unbelievable.
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Great idea.Great idea to keep track of your situation.Uh, if Lumen had been around before I got, I got sick, uh, I would have said, uh, I would have jumped on it.Yeah.Is this a common sense idea? Don't overthink it, folks.Check it out.
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Mass number seven on the pay-per-view is Val Venus speeding mankind.They go nine minutes and 26 seconds.Uh, he's making sure he gets his book plugged, which is kind of fun.
Um, it goes two and a half stars and you know, this is probably one of the high watermarks for Val Venus.He's not going to work a lot of cards near the main event, but, uh, mankind, a bonafide star by this point, what did you think the.
I mean, on some level, just having the gimmick, the character, a porn star, I mean, you have a glass ceiling for that character, right?
Yeah.Yeah.Yeah.It can only, it can only advance so far up the ladder.I was surprised that, uh, Nick, uh, put Val over, uh, I wouldn't, I didn't call that one.I'll call the match, but I didn't call the finish.And, uh, but it was, it's strange to me.
I just didn't feel it. Cause you know, all Mick was trying to do is elevate Val, but as you pointed out, the ceiling exists where a male porn star on pro wrestling, there's a ceiling.
And, and we, I think we touched the ceiling on this match because Val never returned to that sort of prominence again.And he was a good hand.
We should also mention that if you go back and you watch this match, you're going to see people distracted and not really watching the in-ring action as much.And that's because a lady in the crowd decided she would share some things.
So she took her top off right in the middle of the show.And if you're filled with an arena slam full of dudes, that's going to get some eyeballs.
Yeah.And some reaction.Yeah.Very distracting, be honest with you.So, but Hey, That was the era that was the attitude.And, uh, that's a good example of what was the attitude era.
Well, one example I can point out is this, the lady exposing her, uh, impressive breasts.Uh, and, uh, it just caused a huge distraction.I can, Hey, that would, that would affect the world series or something to, in my view.So.
Anyway, Hey, I want to congratulate Raphael for getting to gain five Raphael Morfey, my buddy, our friend Conrad.
And we work with for ever starting out in WWE.Uh, I can't remember what, what gambling game Raphael taught me to play roulette or something.I'm not sure, but he's been a great ally for me.He's just like a little brother.
And, uh, so he bought two premium suite or suites or boxes or something, something elaborate, uh, or game five.And it looked for a while there that game five was not going to happen.
So, uh, tonight, Raphael and his little boy, uh, will be at the Yankee stadium watching, uh, watching the playoffs, watching the world series.And for his sake, I hope the Yankees win.
The Yankee fan.Well, by the time everybody listens to this, they know.So we hope you enjoyed game five of a series.
I do want to mention, uh, before the mankind match, we saw the rock come out for an interview and triple H actually attacks him with a sledgehammer and rock has to, uh, take a stretcher out of the arena, but he's refusing to go to the hospital.
And that sets up match eight it's X-Pac winning a four corners elimination match over Cain Farouk and Bradshaw.
This is kind of the death spot because it's right before the main event, but they get a little bit of time, 10 minutes and eight seconds X-Pac gets the win.Uh, and I guess it's kind of a big deal that he finally beats a quote unquote big guy.
And then in our main event, it's a no holds barred match with triple H retaining the WWF title pinning stone cold, Steve Austin, triple H comes out with a sledgehammer.McMahon is trying to take it from him.Helmsley is going to deck him.
The idea is we're doing all we can here to establish Triple H as a top guy.And if him punching Vince McMahon doesn't work, I mean, goodness gracious, it's worked for everybody else.
Of course, it's a hot start, an intense brawl all over the arena, even starting at the entryway. That's kind of what you expected in this era from Stone Cold.And it is an excellent main event.It got four stars in the Observer.
We even see suplexes on the Spanish announcing table.We're wrapping legs around the ring posts.We got big superplexes on a dozen chairs.I mean, there's a lot of craziness that's happening here.
And ultimately, Triple H delivers a pedigree to Rock and then pins Austin. And after the match, Austin goes after triple H punches him all the way to the back hits a low blow.And then China grabs triple H throws them into a limo and they drive away.
So somehow some way triple H wins.I think a lot of people, when they see this on paper in this era, they think, well, this is going to be a stone cold Steve Austin show.All right.How about that?We're making a new guy here.
Triple H getting a win over stone cold and 99.That's a tall order.
Yeah.And it, uh, proved to be, uh, all true.Tribulation came.If not the top heel in the company, I don't know who else it would have been.
Uh, he did, he earned his spot contrary to all the gossip and the bullshit about, you know, his, his dating relationship.And then subsequently his marriage, uh, the guy earned it and he was really good at his craft.
As we're seeing now, he's really good at his craft.It's a different craft, but, uh, he's still win or lose and he's winning a lot more than he's losing with his current job.
You know, I do want to ask you in this era, and I know that some people may think when you look at it in a vacuum, well, that was questionable.Why would they do that?
Austin has hurt bad here to the point where, you know, one month later, that's when we're going to do the whole, somebody hit Austin with a car so he can go have neck surgery done.He's going to miss the entire year 2000 here.
I mean, he, he's going to be worse for wear and we know that we've got to get somebody heated up.Why do you think triple H was the right guy?
Or did you know at this point, we're going to lose Steve, or did you think we're hanging on, but maybe we can keep them together with some duct tape.
Uh, well, we always never counted out Steve as far as the medical stuff was concerned, because we knew he was going to do all he could to endure.Uh, and, but triple H just earned the spot.
I mean, he was the, he was the, uh, I don't know who else you would pick out of our roster that was more ready for the spot that triple H earned than him and triple H. So, uh, he, he earned a spot. And, and he was really, really good at it.
And, uh, you know, I, I went on a vendetta about him and tried to make him a bigger heel than he was.And there's still people this very day think that I hate triple H and he hates me and all that stuff.It's pro wrestling.
Our job is to get talent over and to establish their persona.And I thought we did a nice job of establishing interpolation persona. that followed his lead on how all that stuff worked out.So perfect choice, perfect choice.
Nobody else really in strong consideration, at least in my view.So, uh, well-earned well-deserved.
It's a fascinating to think that this is going to be stone colds last pay-per-view match for quite a while.He won't make survivor series.It was supposed to be a three way with the rock and triple H and stone cold.It doesn't happen.
A neck surgery is going to become priority.Let's do some questions and we'll put a button on this one.Simply human wants to know, did you sense the tide turning in terms of rock taking over Austin's popularity by the end of 99?
Absolutely.Absolutely.Cause we knew Steve was going to be physically limited.He needed to be fixed physically.And so, uh, and, and he's standing in the wings.We're very lucky.
We had the rock and having the rock, uh, in your deck of cards is, was extremely important.
Drew Landry has a question that I'm sure a lot of people who've listened to this show, start to finish wanted me to ask, because you said a few times the office didn't perceive Jeff Jarrett at the time to be a top guy.Drew Landry says Jr.
What made triple H a main eventer?I never saw it.And I still don't all the things accomplished by triple H could have been accomplished by a heel cactus Jack.Thanks in advance.What do you take?
What do you, what do you make of the criticism all these years later, the triple H wasn't ever really a top guy.
Oh, it's all because of his, his marital status and his dating situation.It wasn't based on his work.
In my opinion, as I said earlier, triple H was the only guy that I believe to this very day, all these years later, 25 plus years later, that was ready for this move.And, uh, I thought when he got the ball, he carried it very well.He delivered.
Well, somebody else who always delivers is ad free shows.com.Jim, we recorded today in front of a live studio audience.Want to shout out everybody who came and hung out with us today.
Appreciate coach Rosie and Doug Ritter and Lindsay and DeNovius and everybody who's hanging out with us early this morning. But I wanted to mention, we've got a brand new initiative at adfreeshows.com.
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I think you're going to really, really dig it.Check it out.It's ad-free shows.com.Listen, uh, Jim, as folks are listening to this last night was fright night dynamite with Shelton Benjamin and swerve Strickland.
The novious max says, we all know you're very high on Shelton Benjamin, but can you tell us how excited you are to see him with you guys at AEW?Could you see him finally becoming a world champ here?
Well, possibly, yeah, possibly he's, he's physically qualified.It just a matter of how the stories are written and so forth.Uh, I'm a big search source, Brooklyn fan as well.Those two guys work really hard and are reliable talents.
Uh, and they bring something special.They bring a uniqueness, uh, to the presentation.Uh, but children is just, maybe his time is coming. That's all I got to say about that.Maybe I don't have any inside information.I don't have any dirt.
Uh, but I think that, uh, Sheldon could fulfill any role inside the squared circle that we wanted.He's just, uh, and he's a quality human being, you know, he's going to be there and you know, you're going to get great athletic effort.
And, uh, there's very few people that I've ever been around. There were as athletic as Shelton Benjamin and the rest of it.Right.
Well, one of the biggest stars to come out of this show, no mercy 99 this week is edge the real life.Adam Copeland.We're going to pick up our conversation with him, morphing into the top guy he's become next week here on the show.
If you've got questions, we would love to hear from you.Find us on social media, anywhere you enjoy your social. That's easy.It's at Jr grilling on Twitter and Instagram.It's grilling Jr over on Facebook.
And of course your home for all things Jr is grilling Jr.com.If you haven't already go hit the subscribe button, turn on the notifications bell.
And don't forget with the holidays right around the corner, the wrestling fan in your life, or they'd like some autographed Jr swag, or they'd love to have some of his flavor town experiences at Jr's BBQ.com and cost nothing to look.
Jim, I'm excited, man.The holidays are almost here.And that means we're going to have some, uh, some good barbecue.We're going to be doing some good grilling.We've got some good football and AEW next pay-per-view just three weeks away.
I feel like you're, uh, you're thinking QT Marshall is going to turn an ass whooping thanks to big justice.And I mean the Rizzler, he's really the, the secret sauce and the whole thing is, you know, I think so.
I think so.Uh, I just can't wait for the t-shirts to come out. The Rizzler, give me a break.The Rizzler.All right.
Whatever, whatever, indeed.No mercy 99 in the books.Stay tuned to a EW coming to your town soon with full gear tickets on sale now, a E W T I X.com, or just do what I'm doing.Order the pay-per-view and get those orders in early.
I'm ordering on trailer and I hope you will too.And, uh, Jim, I'm looking forward to talking about Adam Copeland next week here on the show.
Yeah, what a star, what a star, what a good human being.Uh, I just, uh, love the guy.It's a family man.He's highly skilled, uh, never fails to deliver, never disappoints. And he's worked through some serious ass injuries to accomplish his success.
Lifelong fan.We'll talk about that.You know, he grew up in Ontario as a huge wrestling fan, and he's a great student of the game.I just sit down and strategize with him and talk to him about stuff.It's very refreshing.
He's just, he's just a hell of a guy.And he, he's the kind of guy that makes the company stronger, no matter if he wrestles every week or not.So, uh, I'm looking forward to that show.I, he's one of my favorite talents of all time.
And we'll stress that next week.
Stay tuned and tell your friends about grilling Jr.With the voice of professional wrestling, Mr. Jim Ross.
And don't forget about the goddamn razor.Will you keep the razor and your thoughts and prayers for God's sakes. He needs it.He wants it.Does he deserve it?
Time will tell so long everybody.Hey, Hey, it's Conrad Thompson here to tell you a little more about what ad-free shows.com is all about.
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