In a recent episode of his podcast, Jeff Jarrett, a WWE Hall of Famer and currently with All Elite Wrestling, reflected on the effects of Hulk Hogan’s influence during his time in TNA. Jeff Jarrett on Hulk Hogan creative control was a central topic, as Jarrett reviewed how Hogan’s decisions shaped the company’s path and contributed to its downturn.
Jeff Jarrett Discusses Hogan’s Authority in TNA
Speaking on My World with Jeff Jarrett, Jarrett shed light on Hulk Hogan’s level of input while in TNA. According to him, Hogan possessed significant decision-making power which impacted the product’s direction. Jarrett pointed out that this was not just a rumor but a fact seen by those involved behind the scenes.
“Hulk Hogan had creative control, folks. I’m paraphrasing [a report], ‘creative has been told to put Hulk on every show.’ Well, Hulk Hogan had creative control, folks. The manipulation that guy did to Dixie Carter and Dixie, she has to take full responsibility. She didn’t know what she was signing up for, but the results speak for it all. Yes, he put himself on every show. It’s a bunch of crap if you say anything different. He had creative control, and he would be on the shows when he wanted to be on the shows. End of story.”
—Jeff Jarrett, WWE Hall of Famer
Financial Motives and Professional Wrestling
Jarrett emphasized that Hogan’s approach to business mirrored that of other legendary figures in wrestling, such as Vince McMahon, Jerry Jarrett, and Vern Gagne. The priority, as described by Jarrett, was largely financial, with Hogan aiming to maximize his earnings at every opportunity, just as stars had done in past decades. This business-driven mentality was seen as standard practice in wrestling’s earlier eras.
“I don’t want this to be about Dave [Meltzer] and his reporting, but I’ll just say wrestling judder is in reporting. The fact that he said creative has been told to write him on every show. That whole line is a bunch of crap. I mean, Hulk had creative control. Hulk was there to make as much money as possible, just like when he worked for Jerry Jarrett or Vern Gagne or Vince McMahon or New Japan Pro Wrestling or whatever it may be. That is the. End goal of a professional wrestler, maybe not this generation, but in that modern, I mean, in that 80s, 90s, I don’t know when it kind of got clouded, but that was the goal. He had gotten himself, rightly so, the biggest box office attraction this business had ever seen. And when they made the call and made the decision to come on board, and he wrote creative control in there, at the end of the day, and I told Bob [Carter] this about a year and a half into it, I said when the contract was signed, it was checkmate. You guys just didn’t know. That’s the reality. That is the absolute reality.”
—Jeff Jarrett, WWE Hall of Famer
Unpacking TNA’s Decline
Jarrett attributed much of TNA’s downward spiral to the decisions made under Hogan’s creative control. He explained that significant shifts, like moving shows from Orlando studios, restructuring the roster, and hiring new personnel, contributed to instability. Jarrett asserted that Hogan was eager to have control of the wrestling business at TNA, despite never having run a wrestling company before. These choices, according to Jarrett, led the company into financial and operational turmoil.
“And you look at the history and how the hell did TNA go into that death spiral? Well, for starters, Hogan had creative control. For starters, Hogan wanted to run the wrestling business and had never run a promotion in his life. Let’s take the show on the road. Let’s move out of Orlando studios. Let’s hire this guy. Let’s hire that guy. It was a calamity of decisions that ran it in the ground.”
—Jeff Jarrett, WWE Hall of Famer
Impact and Reflections on Wrestling Leadership
The insights from Jeff Jarrett offer a detailed account of internal conflicts and business priorities that affected TNA during Hogan’s era. With legendary names like Dixic Carter, Vince McMahon, and Jerry Jarrett involved in wrestling’s executive landscape, Jarrett’s claims highlight how creative control clauses and unchecked authority can shape a company’s legacy. This episode serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between star power, leadership, and sustainable business practices in professional wrestling.
