WWE Hall of Famer and current AEW star Jeff Jarrett has spoken out against the use of ‘tweener’ wrestling characters, arguing that the style is unmarketable and detrimental to wrestling programs.
The term ‘tweener’ refers to a character who blurs the lines between being a babyface and a heel, often showing traits of both. Iconic wrestlers like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Eddie Guerrero, and The Rock have all been regarded as popular examples of this archetype. Despite their success, Jarrett is unconvinced about the viability of the ‘tweener’ character in modern wrestling. Speaking on the topic on an episode of his podcast, My World, Jarrett expressed his disapproval, saying:
“The tweener stuff is not marketable at all, and the end result of that is a disaster.”
He elaborated that such characters fail to resonate with audiences and harm their on-screen rivals, particularly babyfaces.
“Not only do you not get over as a talent, your segment doesn’t get over. You neuter the babyface, making it almost impossible for them to get that emotional connection where the viewer wants to get behind that protagonist.”
Jarrett went on to strongly criticise the effectiveness of the character style, concluding:
“99.9 percent of the time tweeners suck, it is a death nail.”
What Was The Worst Injury Jeff Jarrett Said He’s Ever Received?
Jeff Jarrett spoke about the worst injury he received in his career and said that particular accolade goes to the time he got a nasty concussion after receiving a splash from Jimmy Snuka from the top of a steel cage on the January 10, 2000 episode of WCW Monday Nitro. Jarrett said that the sheer size of Snuka, coupled with the fact he was leaping from the top of the cage structure, caused Jarrett’s head to whip back upon impact and he hit his head so hard onto the mat as a result that he received a concussion.
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