Jarrett’s Global Force Wrestling debuts on PPV on 1.4.15. Through the company’s relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling, GFW has co-opted New Japan’s annual Tokyo Dome show and will present it under the GFW banner.
Coming out of the gate with a dome show will look big-league. Lots of people. Good production values courtesy of New Japan. Much of the expense will be on somebody else’s ticket.
Jarrett grew up seeing profitable wrestling being produced on a low budget. His new project provides different corners. But Jarrett will know how to cut them.
Through New Japan, GFW might have access to some relatively recognizable names: A.J. Styles. Shelton Benjamin. Doc Gallows. Davey Boy Smith Jr. Alex Shelley. Jushin Liger. The Young Bucks. Forever Hooligans.
Jarrett, 47, will also be in the ring. Hopefully not as GFW’s centerpiece. But he has been featured on U.S. television for a long time.
That first PPV will doubtless feature a great in-ring product. If that’s what GFW wants to feature, that’s an excellent start.
Lots of people are counting out GFW. I don’t know if Global will make major impact. I doubt that any new wrestling company can.
But I’m not underestimating Jarrett. He and his right-hand man, Scott D’Amore, know a lot more about wrestling than Dixie Carter and John Gaburick. Hopefully, Jarrett and D’Amore can set the bar higher.
Jarrett is a bit of a mark for himself. He’s not a top guy, no matter what he thinks. But that’s the only way Jarrett is a mark. If he sees a hole being dug, Jarrett will know how to keep it from getting too deep, too quick.
This is absolutely Jarrett’s last kick at the can. He burned a bridge at WWE when he held up Vince McMahon for a reported $300K to wrestle without a contract and drop the Intercontinental belt to Chyna in 1999. There’s no point going back to TNA. There’s no point ever going to Ring of Honor.
Jarrett will play this one smart. He may be running a con on investors, and on whatever network GFW winds up on. But it will be a long con.
A disclaimer: There is zero faith in GFW among American wrestling’s free agents/available performers. GFW’s primary backer is reportedly a lottery winner. You know how you make a small fortune in wrestling? Start with a large fortune. New Japan has been on iPPV in America, and sold minimally. How does GFW let consumers know about the 1.4.15 PPV with no TV? BTW, is this iPPV or PPV?
Other people’s money. That’s the key. Spend it wisely, and you can spend a lot of it. A paper cut that bleeds forever beats a hemorrhage that kills instantly.
It’s good for Jarrett. It’s good for the boys. If GFW lasts as long as TNA, it will do the American wrestling industry a service, however marginal. Jarrett will know how to milk this situation. Dixie spent her family’s money. Jarrett will spend somebody else’s. Dixie got manipulated. Jarrett will do the manipulating.
It won’t work, not really. But who cares?
Follow Mark on Twitter: @MarkMadden
