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Jeff: We Need Another Tyson

Posted: Dec 28th 2010 By: CMBurnham

TNA founder Jeff Jarrett has said that wrestling desperately needs another 'pop culture' moment to get the industry buzzing again.

Speaking on SunSport's award-winning WrestleCast show, Jarrett remembered the time Mike Tyson appeared on TV with Stone Cold Steve Austin.

It transformed the WWE's business and effectively started their charge to win the Monday Night War against WCW.

Jarrett told us: "When you look back on the history of professional wrestling there are certain things that make you go 'wow'.

"The Mike Tyson thing comes to mind. When that story hit, the timing couldn't have been more perfect.

"Stone Cold had blossomed into a superstar, going against Vince McMahon, the guy who was an announcer for 20 years and was now stepping out from behind the desk and taking his real role as the boss.

"You had employee v employer and then Mike Tyson, 'The Baddest Man On The Planet...there was magic that happened.

"It was big. It was really big. You can't put a price on getting into pop culture. I think the business as a whole needs a pop culture moment."

Jarrett spoke to us passionately about many subjects, including his relationship with his dad Jerry, TNA's upcoming Maximum Impact Tour and the Gut Check training masterclass at Wembley, that he hopes will find the next British TNA superstar.

You can listen to the FULL 45 MINUTE INTERVIEW at one of the links below:

Subscribe via iTunes at http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/wrestlecast-wwe-tna-wrestling/id163792140

Listen on your PC now at http://del.interoute.com/?id=8e1cba01-6a85-4f66-b256-f9cb0e2c3c8c&delivery=download

Below are some of the highlights of the chat, but as always please listen to the entire interview for the full taste of Jarrett:

Jarrett on whether Impact should feature more wrestling: "When the creative process is successful, the talent gets all the credit. When it is unsuccessful, creative gets all the blame. There's always got to be a healthy mix. When you're doing 52 shows a year that process is hard to balance. Sometimes you go too far one way, sometimes you go too far the other way. It's a healthy criticism at times but at other times it's not."

On TNA Gut Check: "We're going to find a star. We're going to pick 20-25 guys, and we want them to submit an audition tape. Britain has produced a lot of stars for us already, and we're going to find the next one. Johnny Moss is facing me at Wembley. He's been around 10 years, and all he needs is his break. The Gut Check challenge is taking place January 29, the day of the Wembley show."

On the best wrestler in the world: "When I look at a talent you have to be able to talk, you've got to be able to wrestle, you've got to have the 'it' factor. I don't believe Kurt Angle has a peer. He doesn't have a weakness across the board. His body of work over the last 10 years is incredible ? you know you are going to see something special when he's in a big match.

Jarrett on whether Angle has ever wanted to kill him: "Hmm. And vice versa too. Professionally, we're good. Personally, I don't think we'll ever see eye to eye."