Former AEW employee & creative team member Jimmy Jacobs spoke publicly for the first time since leaving the company last year, airing an litany of frustrations about the online narratives around his role there and his future.
Speaking to WrestleMobs/BodySlam.net (video below), Jacobs said there have been “a lot of misconceptions about my time in AEW and my role there,” something he said he experienced even after he left WWE when there was a narrative that he was a leak which he said he “100% was not.”
After joining the company in June 2023 as a producer, Jacobs left AEW in October 2024 as he wanted to take a break from wrestling altogether. He confirmed that he was a member of the creative team, but in an admin role that fans and even wrestlers didn’t understand, even dating back to his time at WWE.
“I would challenge anyone to name one segment I wrote or produced at AEW to then criticize. I didn’t. I was not my job there, like at all,” he said.
Jacobs said his role was being a “channel for information.” He was around Tony Khan all the time and they would talk on the phone during the week. As ideas evolved, his role was to organize those ideas and give details to the appropriate people at the appropriate time, be it talent, producers, technical people, travel, props, etc.
He said he also was in charge of formatting TV scripts and after Khan would provide ideas, he would do a first draft and would help craft TV shows, but that ultimately, everything was up to Khan. He did similar work for TNA, saying he would help creatively with less of coming up with ideas and more managing ideas.
“My creative fingerprints weren’t on (AEW), almost at all,” he said, earlier saying that it was untrue that he was involved in bringing supernatural stories to AEW like he worked on in TNA.
“The record needs to be set straight. I am going to tell the truth. I wasn’t writing AEW TV at all,” he said, later adding he did collaborate with Chris Jericho in his last few months with the company and there was “some creative fingerprints” but not to the capacity people might think when he says that.
Jacobs later said he is likely to go to work with WWE, AEW or TNA in the “fairly near future.” He confirmed he had worked with Scott D’Amore on Maple Leaf Wrestling and if he was available going forward, he would work with him again. He said like with WWE, AEW or TNA, he has never had a contract per se and just a working agreement.
It’s possible that AEW could be that return spot as Jacobs said that Khan was “very kind and accommodating” when he decided to step away and “welcomed me back whenever I want and I deeply appreciate that.”
Jacobs was complimentary of Khan throughout the interview, saying he “has had a positive effect on the wrestling business that can’t be understated” and that it’s the best time to be a wrestler since 1999 due to the amount of jobs and money that is being made.
He said Khan takes his role in the ecosystem very seriously and that “so many jobs revolve around what he does and the decisions he makes. He takes that seriously.”
A quote that originally came out from the interview about how Khan and Jacobs would listen to Jim Cornette podcasts while on the road cannot be found in the interview itself. We are attempting to gain clarity on that.
Bryan Alvarez has confirmed that Jacobs has left AEW. Fightful Select first reported Friday evening that Jacobs, who worked as a producer as well as being part of the writing team, resigned over the past week. According to the report, Jacobs had been burnt out as of late, and AEW is looking at the change as a way to freshen up the writer’s room.
Jacobs joined AEW as a producer in June of 2023. He was previously part of TNA’s writing staff and was also part of WWE’s writing staff until he was fired after posting a photo with himself and The Elite, who were shooting footage for their YouTube show near where WWE was holding an event.
During his time in AEW, Jacobs wrestled a few matches in Ring of Honor, where he had been a mainstay in the 2000s. After losing to Shane Taylor in a match back in September of 2023, he followed that up this past May with a loss to Satnam Singh, ultimately being pinned in under a minute.
Jimmy Jacobs has clarified his role backstage in AEW.
The 39-year-old was hired as a producer for the company in June 2023 after having been on the Impact Wrestling creative team for over five years. Before signing with Impact, Jacobs worked on the WWE creative team from 2015 until 2017 as well.
Jacobs appeared on the Developmentally Speaking podcast recently and said that his job in AEW doesn’t involve him writing television. Rather, Jacobs says he performs more of an administrative role for the company.
Jacobs said:
Mostly what I do is I format the shows and I organize information and communicate. It was never supposed to be like a creative role. Like I said, I was burnt out at Impact, I was burnt out writing wrestling television every week.
My job at AEW really doesn’t involve me writing wrestling television. It’s far more admin.
Earlier in the conversation, Jacobs opened up about feeling creatively burnt out in Impact Wrestling just before he left the company.
Jacobs said:
I had done what I was going to do there. It kind of hurt, it hurt me to go. I knew my time there was over before I was going to AEW. I knew intuitively, this is done. I’ve done what I can do, it’s been five and a half years. I felt creatively burnt out and they need new creative blood in the company to get it propelled.
Jimmy Jacobs says Bryan Danielson brought him into AEW because they needed “someone in the chaos.”
Jacobs left the Impact Wrestling creative team earlier this year and joined AEW as a producer/creative team member in June as the company prepared for the debut of Collision. He was a guest on the AEW Unrestricted podcast this week and told the story of what led to him being hired by the company.
“This is what I’ve been doing the majority of my adult life,” Jacobs said. “As for how I got here, Bryan Danielson called me, he said, ‘Hey, we’re starting a second show and we need someone in the chaos.’ Well, I’m great in the chaos.”
“They needed someone that was going to be there at all the shows,” he continued.
“Also, I have no life. So it was like, ‘Hey, can you just be on the road whenever?'”
Today on #AEWUnrestricted we welcome Jimmy Jacobs! He gave up rural farm life to rejoin the chaos of wrestling! This episode gives great insight into his role and the creative process at AEW + he shares stories from his many years in wrestling!
Jacobs previously worked on the WWE creative team from 2015 until he was fired in October 2017. His release occurred as a result of him posting a selfie he posted with The Young Bucks, Hangman Page, and Marty Scurll on Instagram as the Bullet Club members were staging an “invasion” of WWE Raw.
During his time with WWE, Jacobs is said to have worked closely with Chris Jericho during his “List of Jericho” stage.
“Me and Chris Jericho – after I left WWE and he left – we’re not talking all the time but now we’re back in the trenches together,” Jacobs said. “So, your bonds in life seem to be dependent on playing the same game, or having the same goal, or doing the same thing as the people around you. It’s sort of an interdependence that leads to closeness of relationships. I’ve been in the trenches with a lot of people over the years.”
Jacobs also returned to in-ring action for ROH last month. He was defeated by Shane Taylor on last week’s show on HonorClub.
Ring of Honor presents its weekly show on HonorClub tonight.
Jimmy Jacobs will make his return to the promotion for the first time since 2015 on the show. He’ll face Shane Taylor, who has added Lee Moriarty to Shane Taylor Promotions of late and has played a bigger role in the promotion since his match against Miro at AEW All Out.
Scorpio Sky will return to Ring of Honor for the first time since 2018 tonight as well. He’ll face Tony Nese in singles action.
Also on the card tonight is a match between heavyweight tag teams The Gates of Agony and The Iron Savages. Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona will be looking to rebound after their team with Brian Cage dropped the ROH Six Man Tag titles to The Hung Bucks at Rampage Grand Slam.
Leyla Hirsch vs. Laynie Luck, Brian Cage vs. Metalik, Mercedes Martinez vs. Allysin Kay, and Billie Starkz vs. Lady Frost are also advertised for tonight’s show.
This week’s show was taped at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan before and after AEW Collision on Saturday.
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Josh Woods (w/ Mark Sterling) defeated Brayden Erving
Woods got a lightning-quick victory in this opener with the Tilt-A-Woods.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Prince Nana and the Mogul Embassy. Nana hyped the Gates of Agony and Brian Cage for their respective matches tonight. Nana said that the Mogul Embassy would get back on track tonight.
Scorpio Sky defeated Tony Nese (w/ Mark Sterling)
I’ll give you three guesses as to what Tony Nese had to say before the match. Nese got a jump start on Sky as he was making his entrance, but Sky sent Nese to the floor after a back body drop. Sky chased Nese around ringside before getting the upper hand back in the ring, but Sky quickly came back with chops.
Nese feigned a walkout, but after a Sterling distraction, Nese sent Sky into the ring steps. Sterling put the boots to Sky as Nese took the referee. Nese cut off a Sky comeback before wringing Sky’s neck on the ropes for a nearfall. After a few minutes of control from Nese, Sky dropped Nese with a back suplex. Sky fired up with a lariat before hitting a Sky High for a nearfall.
Nese cut off Sky on the top rope with a rolling uppercut, then countered a sunset flip with a back heel kick for a nearfall. Nese countered a German suplex with a double stomp, but Sky came back with a TKO to score the win.
Gravity defeated Lee Johnson
They traded holds for a while to a stalemate before Gravity scored with a lucha armdrag and a wheelbarrow rollup for a nearfall. Johnson came back with a big dropkick to cut Gravity off. Johnson sent Gravity into the buckles hard with an Irish Whip before celebrating with pushups.
Gravity sent Johnson to the floor before hitting a double jump dive to the floor. After a nearfall, both men traded waistlocks before Gravity hit a powerslam and a standing moonsault for a nearfall. Johnson hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a close nearfall. Johnson hit a pair of superkicks before Gravity snatched an inside cradle for a nearfall. Gravity hit a suplex before landing a top rope splash for the win.
Lexy Nair was backstage with The Outrunners. They called themselves the best tag team in the galaxy before hyping their match against Andretti & Martin later tonight. They say if you haven’t seen the Outrunners, you haven’t seen anything yet.
Billie Starkz (w/ Athena) defeated Lady Frost
Frost hit a kitchen sink knee out of the Code of Honor. Starkz came back and sent Frost to the floor. Athena blew a whistle in Frost’s face before Starkz hit a dive onto Frost. Athena and Starkz had a disagreement on where to throw Frost – the ring or the steps – which allowed Frost to evade Starkz and take control.
Starkz came back with a rebound kick, but Frost vaulted off of her back and hit a dropkick to the back for a nearfall. They traded forearms before Starkz hit a spinning back kick and a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. Frost came back by cartwheeling Starkz into a Beach Break. Frost hit a tornado moonsault, but Athena pulled Starkz out of the cover behind the referee’s back. Starkz then hit an armtrap Styles Clash for the win.
After the match, Athena attacked Frost and flung her into the barricade as Starkz tried to stop her. Athena went to throw Frost into the title belt, but Starkz pulled the belt away. Athena got in her face, yelling at her for not listening.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Allysin Kay. Kay hated the fact that she was on a losing streak but was ready for Mercedes Martinez tonight.
Action Andretti & Darius Martin defeated The Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd)
After the opening salvo, Andretti caught both Outrunners with a headscissors/hurricanrana combo. Martin and Andretti went for dual dives, but the Outrunners cut them off and sent Martin into the stairs. They focused their attack on Andretti, isolating him for a few minutes.
They went for Total Recall, but Andretti fought his way free and made a tag out to Martin. Martin ran wild, hitting a high crossbody on Magnum for a nearfall. Andretti hit a split-legged moonsault to the floor on Floyd. Martin and Andretti double-teamed Magnum before hitting their double-team slam for the win.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Griff Garrison, who was quickly joined by Maria Kanellis-Bennett & Cole Karter. Garrison wanted to make the team work, saying that his last team worked until they didn’t. His old partner – Brian Pillman Jr. – wasn’t around anymore, and he didn’t want that fate for either himself or Karter. Garrison wanted to do things the right way, to which Bennett & Karter agreed.
Leyla Hirsch defeated Laynie Luck
Before the Code of Honor, Maria Kanellis-Bennett made her way to the stage as per usual with Hirsch matches. Luck got some offense in, but Hirsch popped up from a German suplex and quickly took Luck down. Hirsch locked on an armbar and quickly got the submission win.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Mercedes Martinez & Diamante. She said that she’d beaten Allysin Kay over and over in the past and would continue the trend tonight.
Shane Taylor defeated Jimmy Jacobs
This was Jacobs’ first ROH match since 2015, and it also was in his hometown of Grand Rapids. Taylor didn’t care and shoved Jacobs into the corner. Jacobs blinded Taylor with his coat before getting some shots in. Taylor quickly overpowered Jacobs, but Jacobs sidestepped Taylor to the floor. Jacobs hit a suicide dive before locking on a guillotine choke, but Taylor rammed Jacobs into the post and flung him overhead with a suplex.
Back in the ring, Taylor sent Jacobs flying across the ring with a beel. Jacobs fought back, but Taylor shut him down with a headbutt. A uranage and a splash from Taylor followed for a nearfall. Taylor kept knocking Jacobs down with elbows, but Jacobs fought back and knocked Taylor down with a lariat. Jacobs hit his tornado suplex for a nearfall.
Taylor hit his misdirection lariat for a nearfall. Taylor went for a penalty kick, but Jacobs hit a round-the-world hurricanrana. Jacobs went to hit Sliced Bread, but Taylor caught him on his shoulder and hit Welcome To The Land to win.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Maria Kanellis-Bennett. Nair asked about Bennett’s tag team, but Leyla Hirsch interrupted. Hirsch said that things get messy when other people get into her business. While Bennett thought Hirsch wasn’t ready for a title shot, the ROH Board of Directors believed otherwise. Next week, Hirsch will challenge Athena for the ROH Women’s World Title.
Dalton Castle & The Boys (Brandon & Brent) defeated Ren Jones, Trenton Tormenta & Xavier Walker
Brent got triple-teamed by the local talent momentarily before Castle got a tag. Castle ran wild before the Boys got a double team on Tormenta. Castle hit the Bangarang on Jones for the win.
Cole Karter & Griff Garrison (w/ Maria Kanellis-Bennett) defeated The Infantry (Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean) (w/ Trish Adora)
Garrison started the match against Bravo. Garrison caught Bravo with a big boot before tagging Karter, who Bravo dropped with a back elbow. The Infantry quickly took control of Karter, but Karter caught Bravo with a punch to the gut and a lariat. A double suplex from Karter & Garrison got a nearfall. Karter and Garrison began working as a team, using double team moves to keep control of Bravo.
Bennett wanted Garrison to take a cheap shot, but Garrison wanted to wrestle the match clean. Bravo fought his way to the corner and made a tag to Dean, who ran wild on both his opponents. Dean hit a high crossbody for a nearfall that Garrison broke up. The Infantry sent Garrison to the floor before hitting a double-team Russian Leg Sweep. Bennett had the referee distracted, and after Adora chased her off, Karter got a rope-assisted rollup to score the upset win. Garrison wasn’t happy but left with them anyway.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Ethan Page. Page talked about his win streak in ROH before Rohit Raju interrupted, noting how he hadn’t been in ROH for a while. Page told Raju to enjoy the screen time because their match won’t be going too long.
Mercedes Martinez (w/ Diamante) defeated Allysin Kay
Diamante tried to distract Kay on the floor, but Kay caught Martinez and dumped her on the apron. Kay hit a back suplex on Martinez in the ring for a nearfall. Kay had Martinez loaded up for a kick in the corner, but Diamante pulled Martinez out of the ring. Kay followed, where Diamante held Kay in place for a boot from Martinez.
Martinez hit a pair of boots in the corner, but Kay came back with a German suplex. Kay fired up and booted Diamante off of the apron. Martinez ducked a corner charge before hitting a Cheeky Nandos kick to Kay in the corner. Diamante hit Kay with a wheelbarrow cutter on the floor, allowing Martinez to score the win with a fisherman’s buster.
Lexy Nair was with Billie Starkz. Starkz was happy with the win, unaware that Athena helped her out of a cover. Athena entered the frame, upset with Starkz and her lack of killer instinct. Athena wanted Starkz to take note next week as she handled her business against Leyla Hirsch.
Iron Savages (Boulder & Bronson) (w/ Jacked Jameson) defeated Gates Of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) (w/ Prince Nana)
Kaun started off hot, hitting Bronson with a dropkick and a belly-to-belly suplex. Bronson came back with a suplex of his own before both of their partners entered for a standoff. Liona and Boulder tagged in. They slammed shoulders and traded lariats before Boulder sent Liona to the floor. Boulder teased a dive, but the Gates cut him off. Bronson followed, but the Gates caught him and slammed him on the ramp.
They isolated Bronson for a few minutes before Bronson got the tag to Boulder. Kaun got a blind tag into Liona, who ran right into a World’s Strongest Slam from Boulder. Bronson hit a splash off the top for a nearfall. Boulder went for a Vader Bomb, but Kaun pushed him to the floor. Bronson wanted a sip of Savage Sauce, but Nana took it from Jameson. Liona hit a Pounce on Jameson on the floor. The Gates hit Bronson with Open The Gates to score the win.
Ethan Page defeated Rohit Raju
Raju booted Page on the Code of Honor, but Page quickly dropped him with a shoulder block. Page hit a pumphandle slam and tried to follow with the Ego’s Edge, but Raju slipped out and hit a neckbreaker. Raju fired up on Page in the corner, but Page hit a big boot on Raju. Page hit his outside-in cutter, now called the Headshot, for the win.
Brian Cage defeated Metalik
Cage caught Metalik on a crossbody attempt, but Metalik hit a headscissors that sent Cage to the floor. Metalik followed Cage to the floor, but Cage powerbombed him into the ring post. Back in the ring, Cage hit the Garvin Stomps on Metalik and clubbered him in the corner. Cage hit a release German suplex for a nearfall.
Metalik fired up with strikes before dropping Cage onto the ropes, but Cage cut him off with a clothesline. Cage hit a 619 but spent too much time celebrating. Metalik booted Cage on a corner charge and ripped off a hurricanrana. Metalik fired up on Cage, hitting a reverse Slingblade and the ropewalk dropkick to send Cage to the floor.
Metalik hit a double jump crossbody to Cage on the floor before hitting a springboard splash in the ring for a nearfall. Metalik hit a superkick, then stood on Cage’s back before dropping into a Code Red for a nearfall. Cage got his knees up on a ropewalk senton, then hit a sitout powerbomb for a nearfall. Cage went for another powerbomb, but Metalik fought out of it. Metalik went for a hurricanrana, but Cage dropped him with the Drillclaw to score the win.
Ring of Honor has announced several matches set to air on HonorClub this week.
Thursday’s episode was taped at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan before and after AEW Collision on Saturday.
Jimmy Jacobs will return to the promotion for the first time since 2015 when he faces Shane Taylor on Thursday’s show. Jacobs was hired to work on the AEW creative team in June.
Ian Riccaboni commented on Jacobs’ return to the promotion, although he is not confident Jacobs stands much of a chance against Taylor.
“I’ve been with @ringofhonor for nearly 10 years now. I have never called a Jimmy Jacobs match. We were like two ships in the night. Excited to see what Jimmy can do against… *Checks notes*… oh no. Jimmy Watch @shane216taylor’s right. And his left. And his lariat. And..” Riccaboni wrote.
The Iron Savages vs. Gates of Agony is also booked for the show. Billie Starkz vs. Lady Frost and Scorpio Sky vs. Tony Nese are advertised as well.
ROH on HonorClub September 28, 2023, lineup:
The Iron Savages (Boulder & Bronson) vs. The Gates of Agony (Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun)
Dave Meltzer has confirmed that Jacobs has left Impact Wrestling, where he had been part of the creative team, to join AEW. Fightful Select reported Wednesday afternoon that Jacobs was seen backstage at Wednesday’s Dynamite in Washington D.C..
Jacobs has been a member of Impact Wrestling’s creative team since 2017. He had previously been part of WWE’s creative team as a writer between 2015 and 2017. He was fired from WWE after taking pictures with members of The Bullet Club, who did an angle ‘invading’ a WWE Raw event for their Being the Elite show on YouTube.
In recent months, AEW has been expanding their creative team ahead of the new two hour AEW Collision program that is set to launch this Saturday on TNT. Bryan Danielson has confirmed he has recently done creative for AEW. Last month, AEW announced that Will Washington had joined the company as the Director of Wrestling Administration, as well as being a part of AEW’s creative.
Jimmy Jacobs is being honored with an induction into GCW’s Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame.
GCW has announced that Jacobs will be inducted into the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame during The Collective weekend next month. The induction ceremony is being held at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles on Sunday, April 2.
Jacobs is being inducted into the Hall of Fame by Alex Shelley.
Jacobs is a former ROH Tag Team Champion, holding the titles five times. He currently works behind the scenes in Impact Wrestling.
Jacobs was also formerly part of the creative team for WWE.
Three inductees have now been confirmed for this year’s Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame class. In addition to Jacobs, Christopher Daniels (inducted by Frankie Kazarian) and Cheerleader Melissa (inducted by Dave Prazak) are being inducted.
The Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame was established by GCW and Orange Crush magazine in 2022. Jerry Lynn, Homicide, Prazak, LuFisto, Ruckus, and Tracy Smothers were part of the inaugural inductee class.
Jimmy Jacobs has answered Jon Moxley’s open challenge for The Wrestling Revolver’s October 30 Tales from the Ring 4 event.
In a video promo posted to Twitter, Jacobs answered Moxley’s challenge and promised to drive an eight-inch nail into his skull when the two meet in the ring for the first time in over ten years.
Moxley and Jacobs had a three-match series in Dragon Gate USA in 2021, with their last match taking place nearly ten years to the day from Tales from the Ring 4. Their last in-ring meeting came on October 29, 2010 in an I Quit match.
Moxley was originally scheduled to team with Sami Callahan against The American Wolves (Davey Richard and Eddie Edwards) at Tales from the Ring, but Callihan has been sidelined with an injury.
Tales from the Ring 4 will be held at the Horizon Events Center in Clive, Iowa. Select tickets for the show are still available. The show will also air live on FITE TV pay-per-view.
Here is the announced card:
Jon Moxley vs. Jimmy Jacos
Revolver Championship ladder match: Rich Swann vs. Trey Miguel vs. Jake Manning vs. JT Dunn
Ace Austin vs. Alex Zayne
Matt Rehwoldt vs. Anthony Greene
Four corners of pain match: Alex Colon vs. Jake Crist
Jessicka Havok vs. Billie Starkz
Danhausen vs. Matthew Palmer
Sudden death scramble match: Madman Fulton vs. Warhorse vs. Tyler Matrix vs. Ninja Mack vs. Logan James vs. Everett Connors
All In’s Over Budget Battle Royal now has eight announced entrants.
Jimmy Jacobs is the latest name to be confirmed for the 15-participant match, joining Moose, Rocky Romero, Colt Cabana, Jordynne Grace, Ethan Page, Brian Cage, and Billy Gunn. The battle royal is taking place on the All In: Zero Hour broadcast, with the winner getting an ROH World Championship shot against Jay Lethal on the All In main card later in the night.
Jacobs currently works both on-screen and behind-the-scenes in Impact Wrestling. He was let go from his position as a writer for WWE last year shortly after taking a picture with the Bullet Club during their mock invasion of Raw.
All In: Zero Hour will air exclusively on WGN America at 6 p.m. Eastern time on September 1. The main card will air on pay-per-view, Fite TV, and HonorClub at 7 p.m.
Here’s the updated card:
The Young Bucks & Kota Ibushi vs. Rey Mysterio, Fenix & Bandido
Kenny Omega vs. Pentagon Jr.
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis defending against Cody Rhodes
Kazuchika Okada vs. Marty Scurll
ROH World Champion Jay Lethal defending against the winner of the Over Budget Battle Royal
Madison Rayne vs. Tessa Blanchard vs. Britt Baker vs. Chelsea Green
Hangman Page vs. Joey Janela
“Arrow” star Stephen Amell vs. Christopher Daniels
15-participant Over Budget Battle Royal (Moose, Rocky Romero, Colt Cabana, Jordynne Grace, Ethan Page, Brian Cage, Billy Gunn, Jimmy Jacobs) (All In: Zero Hour)
The Briscoes vs. Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky (All In: Zero Hour)
If you missed any of the interviews from this past week’s Wrestling Observer Live shows, we got you covered.
This week was a very Daniel Bryan-heavy week with daily discussion on his clearance from WWE to return. There were (and still are) plenty of questions about his return to in-ring competition to when he was cleared to his future with the company.
Our Dave Meltzer joined WOL for three straight days to discuss the news, answer fan questions, and more. Those interviews are presented in the order they were recorded, so you can follow along with anything you might have missed.
We then finish up with Jimmy Jacobs of Impact Wrestling, a guy that is touring everywhere in his return to the indie scene. In this extended talk with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive, Jacobs talks about his past in WWE creative including the zoom in/zoom out effect during brawls, the stares into the distance, what he’s doing with Impact, their “open door policy” and more. This is well-worth your time to check out.
Playing off of his firing from WWE, Jimmy Jacobs made an appearance at last night’s Ring of Honor Global Wars: Chicago iPPV and took another picture with the Bullet Club.
Bullet Club were in the ring celebrating and cutting a promo after Kenny Omega successfully defended his IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship against YOSHI-HASHI in the main event. The bit was that they wanted to take a selfie together, but no one had a phone on them. Bullet Club asked if anyone in the audience had one, leading to them pointing out Jacobs in the crowd and taking the picture.
Nick Jackson then grabbed the microphone to say, “Sorry we got your ass fired, Jimmy.”
Dave Meltzer confirmed last week that Jacobs, who had been working as a writer, was no longer with WWE and that the picture he posted with Bullet Club from their “invasion” of Raw was the reason that ultimately led to him being let go. When the news got out, Jacobs put out a T-shirt that referenced his firing.
The picture wasn’t the first time that Bullet Club mentioned WWE last night. Cody Rhodes opened the show with a promo where he took a shot at Roman Reigns, saying that he thought Reigns only wore a vest to hide his gut and failed drug test — but he’s really hiding envy. That was in response to Reigns tweeting that Cody was “talking silly” in a promo where he claimed to be the biggest draw in pro wrestling.
The reason behind Jacobs being let go was that he posted a photo on Instagram taken at the Raw show in Ontario, California with The Young Bucks, Adam Page, and Marty Scurll. This came when the Bullet Club was doing a mock invasion of Raw for their “Being the Elite” YouTube show.
Jacobs captioned the photo with, “Pleasant surprise to see old friends in lovely California. #BCInvasion #RAW #youngbucks #bulletclub #villian #hangmanpage #WWE”
Several WWE wrestlers had actually appeared on Being the Elite in recent times, including Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and AJ Styles making cameo appearances on an episode that was released in August, but the situation clearly changed when the reaction to the mock invasion wasn’t taken well by WWE.
Joshua Michael Burgess, known to the wrestling world as Christian Able passed away Wednesday, April 13, 2016.
Christian Able was known for his charismatic presence, emotional promos, and in-ring strength. Josh was born January 11, 1985 in Berrien Center, Michigan. A life-long entertainer after graduating Coloma High School in 2004, Burgess attended Disney University in Orlando, FL, where he went on to perform as Pluto at various Disney parks.
Josh began professional wrestling training in 2006 at Dan Severn’s Price of Glory Wrestling School in Coldwater, MI under Jimmy Jacobs and Josh Raymond. Burgess started his career working for various Midwest independent companies in a tag team with childhood friend Caden Ames under the team name Absolute Answer. Burgess later branched out to become a solo act for Ian Rotten’s IWA Mid-South and Detroit’s XICW. In 2008, Burgess continued training at the House of Truth Wrestling School under Truth Martini and the Can-Am Wrestling School under Scott D’Amore. Burgess’ most notable success was as a tag team with Josh Raymond managed by Truth Martini, under the team name the House of Truth.
The team first stood out in Chicago independent company AAW and Scott D’Amore’s Can-Am Wrestling before debuting at Ring of Honor in 2009. The team was featured on Ring of Honor’s ROH on HDNet television show. The House of Truth had notable matches against the Briscoes, the Young Bucks, and Kevin Steen and El Generico. Roderick Strong was later added to the House of Truth in 2010. Burgess and Raymond would go on to assist Roderick Strong in winning the ROH World Title from Tyler Black on September 11, 2010 in the duo’s last appearance for ROH.
Later that month, Burgess teamed with Josh Raymond to face Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black in Chicago in what would be Tyler Black’s final independent wrestling match before going to WWE to become Seth Rollins. Burgess continued to perform on and off for his remaining years, having his final match on April 2, 2016 in a dog collar match against his former tag team partner Caden Ames.
Josh passed away unexpectedly in Michigan on April 13, 2016. He is survived by his parents Lynda (nne Burgess) and Kevin Smith, his brother Kyle Smith, as well family, friends, and brothers in professional wrestling. A tribute and ten bell salute was dedicated to Burgess on April 17 in Detroit, MI at XICW.
