VIDEO: Dave Meltzer on the life and times of Jerry Jarrett

Dave Meltzer discussed the legacy of Jerry Jarrett on Wrestling Observer Radio.

During Tuesday’s show, Meltzer went into detail regarding the life of Jarrett, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 80. You can watch the clip below.

Starting his career as a wrestler, Jarrett would be best known as the promoter for the Continental Wrestling Association in Memphis, which later became known as the USWA after merging with World Class Championship Wrestling. They were one of the final territories still running shows before their eventual closure in 1997.

“He was the last surviving promoter partially because he wasn’t paying much, and also because he was getting paid by the television station,” Meltzer explained.

While talking about the history of Memphis Wrestling, Meltzer emphasized just how big their weekly television was at its peak.

“Their television ratings were ridiculous. The highest rated wrestling show anywhere, week after week after week. There was a year where the NBC affiliate would not air the World Series because wrestling was so popular,” Meltzer said.

Meltzer noted that Jarrett had attempted to buy WCW, which eventually went to Vince McMahon in 2001. The following year, he founded NWA-TNA with Bob Ryder and his son, Jeff Jarrett. NWA-TNA still exists today under the name Impact Wrestling.

“Years later I remember talking to him and going how could you think this was going to work,” Meltzer recalled. “And he said when you’re older and have a son, you’ll understand.”

Jarrett left TNA in 2005 after a falling out with Jeff over the direction of the company.

“They had a lot of tension,” Meltzer recalled. “Jerry had different ideas than Jeff. Jeff was a big proponent of Vince Russo, and Jerry didn’t hate Vince Russo at first. I don’t know if he ever hated Vince Russo. In time, he did not feel that Russo was a good booker. And I think he was hurt that Jeff chose Russo to be the booker above him because he’s this legendary booker. Russo was not. But that was the decision that was made. “

Tributes have poured in across the wrestling community, including Impact Wrestling and Jeff Jarrett, in the days since Jarrett’s death.