The wrestling world was shocked last week at AEW Dynamite when WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett appeared, hitting Darby Allin in the head with a guitar. It was a surprising situation that no one had speculated about, and it has received many different opinions from fans online.
There are some distinct positives to having Jarrett as part of the company, with the experience he brings. However, as a major talent, there are certain things Tony Khan should avoid doing with him, while there are others he could end up focusing on to get the most out of Jarrett’s knowledge.
10/10 Should do: Put people above
AEW has brought in many legendary names over the years, and most of them have come under heavy pressure since making the roster. This hasn’t always been a good thing either, and it’s something the company should avoid doing when it comes to Jeff Jarrett.
He is not the future of the industry, therefore he is at the point where he needs to put people on top whenever a dispute starts. Right now that seems to be with Darby Allin, and the focus must always be on the future.
9/10 Shouldn’t Do: Appear on YouTube Shows
AEW Dark and AEW Dark: Elevation certainly have their place, and have helped many young talents gain in-ring opportunities to develop and expand their in-ring skills. However, that’s one show where top-tier names don’t show up, and that should be the case with Jeff Jarrett.
He’s still a big name to this day, and hiring him was a huge surprise for the company. It’s important to at least capitalize on the buzz by having him be in Dynamite and Rampage during his on-screen role.
8/10 Should do: work more as a manager
From the way he debuted, it sounds like Jeff Jarrett will be working alongside Jay Lethal and the group he’s put together. This brings up a potentially positive situation, as he could be used in a managerial role, helping to get past some of the younger fighters.
Jarrett is a fantastic conversationalist, and that’s something AEW can take advantage of if the company is smart. Tony Khan loves having managers on shows, and few could do better than Jarrett, especially since he can still crash.
7/10 Shouldn’t Do: Sting vs. Jarrett
One of the reasons Sting has done so well in AEW so far is that he’s been able to work against younger wrestlers they’ve bumped into to help him look good. These opponents have worked well for him, but with the way Jeff Jarrett debuted, it looks like a matchup between the two veterans could be coming.
There’s a chance it could end up happening, with Sting being a big part of what happened on Dynamite without actually being there. However, an individual match between them is something the company should avoid doing, mainly because it’s not going to get the best quality out of them.
6/10 Should Do: Tag Team Matches
While Jeff Jarrett is still in great shape and technically capable of working in a singles match, at this point in his career that’s not something fans are too excited to see. There is no real desire to be placed in that spot, therefore it is important to keep him busy in couples encounters.
This would mean that Jarrett wouldn’t end up overexposed, while also ensuring that he looks good inside the ring in a similar way to how Sting has been reserved throughout his tenure with the company.
5/10 Shouldn’t Do: Attempt to bring down AEW
Jeff Jarrett seemed to hint that he would bring AEW down, as he took shots at people in the comments, the production team, and the fans themselves. However, that’s something the company has done far too often in just three short years, causing people to complain about the company from within the list.
Not a good look for AEW as it makes the promotion look bad when roster members claim to hate him, if only in character. Jarrett may have started out that way, but it’s not something that should continue long term.
4/10 Should Do: Backstage Coach
Inside the ring, Jeff Jarrett has done everything that needs to be done. While he has never been considered one of the top stars in the ring, he is a Hall of Famer for a reason, and that is because of the incredible career he has had in the business.
With all the experience that Jarrett has, he is someone AEW should take advantage of behind the scenes to work as a trainer or producer. Having him criticize some of the younger wrestlers would certainly benefit his work and thus help the overall promotion.
3/10 Shouldn’t Do: Make it an Impact Faction
When Jeff Jarrett cut his first promo in AEW, he referenced Impact Wrestling with a couple of witty and unique lines. That led to the idea that he might bring in some people from the promotion to create a faction, with Sonjay Dutt and Jay Lethal already being a part of it.
That’s not something that would be a good idea, as people just aren’t interested in it happening. While having Forbidden Door moments is often fun, it shouldn’t be done regularly all the time with Jarrett at the helm.
2/10 Should do: Non-wrestling role
Tony Khan has already revealed that Jeff Jarrett will be taking on a backstage role with the company to help him with live events, and that’s a very wise move. He had a similar job during his most recent run with WWE, and that’s one place Jarrett has a lot of experience.
It’s a good idea for AEW to go with someone who has a lot of connections within the industry and is well respected. Jarrett is passionate about his work, so putting him in a role to help grow the live events side of the promotion is a great idea.
1/10 I shouldn’t do: give it a title
One of the big decisions AEW should avoid making when it comes to Jeff Jarrett is putting a championship on him. This is something that Tony Khan has generally been great with when it comes to older talent or those who don’t work inside the ring on a regular basis.
However, Jarrett has managed to pick up gold everywhere he’s gone, so the idea of him winning a title is something that people might end up thinking is possible. However, it would be for the best if that didn’t happen, simply because AEW has so many exciting young wrestlers.