JBL has shared his thoughts on Tommy Dreamer’s recent departure from TNA Wrestling, praising the ECW legend while highlighting the enormous challenge of booking a wrestling promotion on a weekly basis.
Speaking on the latest episode of Something To Wrestle, the WWE Hall of Famer reflected on Dreamer’s exit from TNA’s creative team after Dreamer announced that he and the company had mutually agreed to part ways.
JBL made it clear that he has tremendous respect for Dreamer both professionally and personally.
“Tommy’s a good dude. Everybody who has ever worked with Tommy, I don’t know anybody who has anything bad to say about him. He’s a good human being. He sticks up for people. He’s a ballsy guy. He’s got a backbone. He’s willing to stand up for what he believes is right, which I admire greatly.”
JBL also came to Dreamer’s defense regarding criticism often directed at wrestling bookers, noting that fans frequently underestimate just how difficult the role can be.
“You have a show tonight, and the show is really good. Okay, what are we doing next week? It doesn’t stop. That’s why people get burned out so much.”
He went on to argue that there are only a handful of people in the wrestling business truly capable of leading creative for a major promotion year-round.
“You can count on one hand how many people are qualified to book a major wrestling company 52 weeks a year. That is an incredible task. When you look at the list of people that can be possible for the TNA head of creative, there’s four or five people in the world, that’s about it.”
JBL also endorsed both Dreamer and the man frequently rumored to potentially join TNA’s creative structure, WWE Hall of Famer Road Dogg.
“Tommy Dreamer is, in my opinion, a very good booker. And if it’s Road Dog who ends up taking his place there, he’s also a very good booker and will do an incredible job.”
However, JBL stressed that changes in creative leadership are not always about finding someone better. Sometimes, a promotion simply benefits from a fresh perspective.
“Sometimes it’s not just that one booker is better than another, it’s just different. Sometimes that’s why you need to change heads of creative.”
Dreamer’s departure marks the latest significant change within TNA as the company continues to reshape both its roster and management structure. With reports suggesting that Delirious will remain a key figure in creative discussions and Road Dogg potentially entering the picture, the promotion appears to be entering a new chapter behind the scenes.
Regardless of who ultimately leads the creative direction moving forward, JBL’s comments make it clear that he believes Dreamer deserves considerable credit for his work and respect for taking on one of wrestling’s most demanding jobs.
