WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett, who is currently the Director of Business Development for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), recently featured on an episode of his podcast, “My World with Jeff Jarrett.” In this episode, he covered a variety of topics, including the advice he offers to young wrestlers aspiring to succeed in the industry.
Jarrett said, “I was talking to a young upstart, independent wrestler and he’s ‘Hey man, you got any advice for me?’ And I always like — I don’t know where they’re at in their career and I try to be short, succinct and then kind of get a response. And I said, ‘Hey, man, it’s this simple: if you get in it for money or fame as your number one — and you can put those either way — if that’s the reason you get into this business, you’re not going to make it. You got to get into the industry because you love it. ‘Okay.’ And I said, ‘The second piece of advice is this: your in-ring work is less than half of your success.’ He [young independent wrestler] looked at me, and I said, ‘That’s — I’m just telling you.’ And the reason I say that, is from the day I got into the business and you have to think through the cadence, there was no high spot I was going to do in front of the Mid-South Coliseum the 37th Monday in a row that I wrestled there that was going to get the people to go, ‘Oh, wow!’ You’re going to run out of that. But man, if you learn how to talk and convey emotion and tell different stories, that’s it. So that’s where I think a lot of guys—and it’s no fault of their own—but when they get into this industry, they truly believe, ‘If I can go out and have a match that literally blows everybody away on this said event, wherever it may be — and the chances are you’re not going to come back to that audience for a long time. Then you’re leaving the ring having —- and there’s nothing wrong with it — the best match of the night by leaps and bounds.’ And I won’t get into star ratings and all that, but I’m just saying, but when you think that, ‘Okay, man, I’m on the road to a successful career.’”
On what is more important:
“But the reality is — in my opinion, like I shared with that young guy last night, your in-ring work is less than half of your equation to be successful. Well, what’s the other half? Promo skills, charisma, marketability. And now, it goes without saying, your social media presence. And guys that tweet about a ham sandwich, and then bitch about an airline, and then talk about politics and talk about whatever, and then all of a sudden they’re going to get in character for a wrestling promo? It’s like, ‘Dude, it ain’t going to click.’”
You can check out the complete podcast in the video below.
(H/T to 411Mania.com for transcribing the above quotes)
