This is the second part of my series of reviews on the new Jeff Jarrett DVD ‘King of The Mountain’. If you missed the first part, you can read it by clicking here.

As discussed earlier I am trying to write this review in conjunction with looking after my 7 month old son on ‘Daddy Day’. Luckily, he appears to be quite a Jarrett fan, even waving his arms and cooing at the end of the Jarrett/Raven match on the last DVD. That being said, he was asleep for the first part of the DVD, and I would also imagine someone with the attention of a 7 month old baby is the ideal viewer for Russo’s booking… but I digress.

As in the last review, I’m not touching the documentary part of the DVD, suffice to say it is very interesting and well worth the price of the set itself – but I think if I went in depth into what goes on in it, there would be less motivation for the reader to go out and buy the DVD; let’s just say the documentary bit gets an unconditional thumbs up from me and leave it there. I will also be doing the ‘run-in counter’, as the last DVD saw 7 matches and 30 different people running in (not counting seconds at ringside)! Let’s see if the trend continues here as we get on to reviewing the matches for the second disc…

Jeff Jarrett vs. AJ Styles

Another in the great series of matches that these two have had throughout the history of TNA. It’s a shame that they didn’t include the one from Hard Justice 2005 with Tito Ortiz as referee. This match is more refined than their previous effort on Disc 1, with Styles still bringing the innovative offence, and Jarrett hitting a very unusual looking version of Marc Mero’s TKO from the top rope. Jarrett wins with a belt shot, but what’s really important here is that Russo swerves us by signposting multiple potential run-ins at ringside with Raven, Abyss et al, and then not having them run in!

Unfortunately, as we’ve just seen with HHH/Orton at Wrestlemania, promising run ins and not delivering them kills the crowd, and that’s exactly what happens here, as they just have to be content with Siaki interfering and getting his arse kicked as per usual. Still, a good match, but the run-ins are starting to get a little repetitive.

Run-in Counter
Sonny Siaki

(Although there were multiple people at ringside, and Directors of Authority Erik Watts and Don Callis, as well as Dusty Rhodes all got involved).

Jeff Jarrett vs. Hacksaw Jim Duggan

I’m really not sure why this match is on here. TNA had been trying to get Hulk Hogan involved with their promotion for most of 2003, culminating in Jarrett whacking Hogan with the guitar after his match with Masa Chono in Japan. However as far as I know, Hogan never had any real interest in working with TNA and was simply using them as leverage to get back with WWE. What we ended up with was Jimmy Hart bringing in several of Hogan’s washed up cronies in an attempt to build interest for Hogan eventually coming in, but obviously Hogan never came in, and TNA ended up looking minor league.

The match itself is predictably awful; Duggan looks in worse shape than he is today, the crowd couldn’t care less, and Jarrett can’t carry him. The only amusing thing here is Mike Tenay trying to put over how great Duggan is, saying he hasn’t looked better since his UWF days, while Duggan is clearly in no condition to perform at the level required of him. A decrepit looking Rick Steiner attacks Jarrett after he wins, and gets beaten down in an impromptu ‘brawl’. Not good at all! I’d have thought TNA would have wanted to forget about this whole episode rather than highlight in a ‘Best of’ DVD, but there you go…

Run-in Counter
Don Callis
Rick Steiner

Jeff Jarrett vs. Chris Harris

This is from the first time that Harris was pushed as a singles competitor, before America’s Most Wanted split up. The future Branden Walker shows here, why many thought that he was going to be the breakout star of AMW, and I’m still wondering what went wrong with him… This was the first really great match Harris had, and he looks credible hanging with Jarrett here, while Jeff plays the part of the arrogant veteran well.

This is more of a wrestling match than we’ve seen so far, although Harris brings some crazy spots, including a RVD-like vault from the top rope onto Jarrett in the crowd. Of course, there’s some more of the mandatory interference here, and Jarrett wins with the usual method…enough with the guitar please!

Run-in Counter
Vince Russo
James Storm
Raven

King of the Mountain Match for the NWA Title: Ron Killings © vs. Chris Harris vs. AJ Styles vs. Raven vs. Jeff Jarrett

This is the debut for the King of the Mountain match, which along with the Ultimate X match, is one of the few examples of when TNA’s ‘innovative’ matches have actually proved to be good concepts worth sticking with. Jarrett had issues with all of these guys in the run up to this match, and Killings is the defending Champion. This seems to be TNA’s version of the TLC, albeit conducted on a main event level, with loads of crazy spots from all concerned, with match going along at a breakneck pace.

The penalty box rules and general stips associated with hanging the Title Belt up on a ladder instead of taking it down, provides for some innovation, particularly from Styles, although everyone plays their part. Wonderfully, there are no run-ins here, as the TNA management was probably convinced that a five man stunt match with new rules would be chaotic enough by itself. Jarrett wins (of course) after blasting Killings with guitar (of course), and climbing the ladder…

Run-in Counter
NONE!

Gauntlet for the Gold: NWA Title

This is another match that I don’t think belongs on a ‘Best of’ DVD. I don’t really remember much from this point in TNA, but Jarrett was the heel champion and had established a stable called the Elite Guard, comprising a big black guy called Onyx, Chad Collyer, and a pre LAX Hermandez. This match is all about this faction against the 3 Live Kru (Konnan, BG James and Ron Killings), with Ken Shamrock thrown in there as well. Jarrett’s guys look really goofy here, seemingly dressed as throwbacks to WWF’s equally daft Turth Commission from 1997.

This is a nothing match that boils down to Jarrett vs. Killings after everyone else has been eliminated. Shamrock, who hadn’t a regular since 2002, returns to the ring and, just because no one expects it, goes heel by hitting Killings with the guitar, allowing Jarrett to win. The Elite Guard and Shamrock would disappear soon afterwards, so there’s no long term impact for this match, and I’m still sure why this is on here?

Run-in Counter
Ken Shamrock

Jeff Jarrett vs. Jeff Hardy (Ladder Match)

The battle of the Jeffs was the main event of TNA’s first monthly PPV, Victory Road, in 2004. TNA had signed Hardy, despite his well- documented personal problems at the time, and pushed him to the main event for the first time. The other build up to this match focused around Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, who were supposed to be in the corner of Hardy and Jarrett respectively, but actually didn’t accompany them at the beginning of the match (I smell run-ins!).

This is a decent little ladder match, better than Hardy’s 2002-03 stuff, but not anywhere near the body of work that he’s put together since returning to WWE. Both guys take some great bumps and the crowd love it. Scott Hall runs in first, doing the Razor’s Edge to Hardy off the ladder, although their timing is off and it looks ultra-contrived. Hardy later falls off the ladder onto Hall at ringside in a spot that looks very dangerous. Kevin Nash then does a walk-in (with music!), and again, there’s a shocking swerve, with Nash hitting Hardy with a guitar and allowing Jarrett to pick up the win. An exciting match with a predictable finish.

Run-in Counter
Scott Hall
Kevin Nash

Of course, the documentary portion of this release also continues here, with Jarrett going into detail on his late 1990s WWF run, with some interesting bits on Steve Austin and Jim Ross that you’re definitely not going to hear on any WWE release, as well as a touching account of the Owen Hart tragedy. Again, the documentary part of the DVD is very good, and I would recommend a purchase here, even without the solid match content (although the multiple run-ins and guitar finishes are becoming repetitive),

Disc 3 will be reviewed next weekend, when I’ve got some more Barnaby time, although for now he fell asleep during the Gauntlet Match and is yet to wake up.

James Mustoe
james@ifight365.com