Host Ariel Helwani delivered an extraordinary episode featuring WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett in an emotional, revelatory in-studio interview about the new Dark Side of the Ring documentary on TNA Wrestling. Jarrett disclosed for the first time that he didn't grieve Owen Hart's 1999 death until 2017, admitting he walked through the crater where Hart's body fell and suppressed the trauma for 18 years. He also shared that neither parent attended his first wife's funeral during her cancer battle, with his mother citing a beach vacation and his father eating at Zaxby's during the service. Jarrett clarified the infamous 1999 contract dispute with Vince McMahon, revealing he successfully negotiated double payment by reminding McMahon that WWE had cut his salary during his wife's cancer treatment, and McMahon personally delivered the check. The wrestling legend discussed his nine years of sobriety, reconciliation with his father before his 2018 death, and TNA's internal conflicts with owner Dixie Carter. The show also featured jiu-jitsu promoter Craig Jones, who revealed he got Tom Hardy's name tattooed to convince the actor to fight at his CJI event, attempted to book Hardy vs. Mark Zuckerberg, and claimed Gordon Ryan can't pursue MMA due to an inability to wear a mouthguard. Unified super welterweight champion Jaron 'Boots' Ennis discussed his fight-of-the-year candidate against Xander Zayas, defended Zayas against quitting accusations, and expressed frustration at being ranked ninth pound-for-pound. The episode extensively covered the World Cup, the controversial reinstatement of US player Flo Balogun after a red card, and previewed UFC 329 with multiple guest announcements.
Jarrett suggested in the Dark Side of the Ring documentary that TNA owner Dixie Carter made deliberate decisions that undermined his leadership and hurt his family, though he maintains he's forgiven her. He attributes much of TNA's dysfunction to poor communication and power struggles between himself and the Carter family who financed the promotion.
Read this moment →Jones stated that elite grappler Gordon Ryan's inability to wear a mouthguard due to a severe gag reflex is the real reason he never pursued MMA, despite being one of the sport's most dominant competitors. Jones suggested this physical limitation has been a closely held secret that prevented Ryan from ever competing in mixed martial arts.
Read this moment →Jiu-jitsu promoter Craig Jones revealed he got Tom Hardy's name tattooed on his hand to convince the actor to step in as a last-minute replacement at his CJI 2 event when Gable Steveson withdrew. Jones confirmed they came close to making the fight happen but the timing didn't work. He also disclosed he attempted to book Tom Hardy vs. Mark Zuckerberg for the first CJI event.
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