What’s the story?
Pro Wrestling Sheet has reported that founder Jeff Jarrett will be returning to TNA Wrestling, with the role being confirmed as an ‘executive consultant.’ That’s not all, however, in addition to this exciting news comes the added bonus of another return for TNA, with Dutch Mantel (former WWE Manger Zeb Colter) also making a return to the company as a creative consultant.
In case you didn’t know...
Jeff Jarrett was one of the original founders of the promotion back in 2002, alongside his father Jerry Jarrett. Along with this, he is a former 3 time King of the Mountain winner, a 6 time TNA World Heavyweight Champion and a former King of the Mountain.
He left TNA in 2013 due to a failed attempt to buy the company with Country Star Toby Kieth after a meeting with PEI Chairman Bob Carter led to Dixie Carter retaining her onscreen presidency. Jarrett went on to then found Nashville-based promotion, Global Force Wrestling.
The heart of the matter
Jarrett’s return to the promotion was originally reported by PWInsider, with The Pro Wrestling Sheet confirming on their official Twitter feed that Jarrett and Mantel were backstage at the Impact Zone coupled with a photograph of the pair in the parking lot.
Though it is unclear what an executive consultant role would entail, Robby The Brain on Twitter has shed some light on the impact we can expect from the pairing of Mantel and Jarrett:
What next?
When Pro Wrestling Sheet contacted the former WWE Intercontinental Champion for a quote, Jarrett had this to say:
‘It is a great opportunity for myself and GFW. And, I feel it’s great for the wrestling business.’
It appears the GFW aren’t a part of the deal, but it does mean that we could see more and more partnerships develop between GFW and TNA which could potentially lead to a fruitful partnership between the two. As for the storylines in TNA, we can surely expect a more streamlined product, similar to the one that so many fans were drawn to in the noughties.
Sportskeeda’s take
It is no secret that TNA has endured an emotional roller coaster of a year in 2016, with constant legal battles between Billy Corgan and Dixie Carter overshadowing the promotion for a large portion of the year. The company almost went bankrupt on more than one occasion in an excellent impression of dying WCW during the early 2000’s, and it must be said that without the Broken Matt Hardy storyline carrying huge portions of Impact and the PPV content, it is likely there wouldn’t be a TNA for Mantel and Jarret to return to in the first place.
However, many fans of the company state that TNA under Jarrett was a far superior product than the product it is now. It is only a good thing therefore, that Jarrett and Mantel return now, in what can be viewed as a pivotal year for TNA.
With the loss of talent seemingly a foregone conclusion, it is imperative to get quality writers and therefore quality storylines in to replace them, and in this move, TNA has taken significant steps in that direction.
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