SG> Ultimately, why did the WWF let you go?
JL> The reason I was given was that they didn't have a spot for me. Which is a bunch of bull anyway, because if they want to do something with someone, they'll make a spot for them. It's just apart of the political BS of this business. Apparently, someone there didn't like me. Who knows what their deal is?
SG> How did they let you go?
JL> A few months after my injury (patella) they gave me my 90-day notice and told me to inform them when I got the doctors OK to start up again and that they may resign me. I called them when I got the doctor's release, and even told them, tell JR that I would be willing to go to Louisville and train the guys, anything. I just wanted to have a job. But no go, they said they didn't have a spot for me, even with the training.
SG> That was one of the things reported about your release, that you were unwilling to go to either Louisville or Cincinnati?
JL> When they gave me my 90-day notice, I told Johnny Ace to tell JR that I would be willing to go to Louisville and train the guys under developmental deals. When I called them back with the doctor's release, I told them if they asked JR and tell him I was willing to go help train, and they said yeah, but they said they are not interested.
SG> What was the length of your contract?
JL> My contract was up February 21st (2002).
SG> You only signed a one year contract?
JL> I signed three one year deals. So after each year, they have their way out.
SG> You received your 90-day notice in November 2001, which allowed you to appear on the February 2002 WWA PPV?
JL> It was one or two days after my contract was up. The next day after they told me that they didn't have a spot for me, I called the WWA to see if they were interested in using me, and I had completely forgot that they had that pay-per-view in Las Vegas the next day, and they said, you want to work the PPV tomorrow? I was shocked, I had completely forgotten about it. I told them that I hadn't had a match in about six months, I don't want to stink up the joint. So they asked me if I wanted to do a run-in, and I said sure, I'll do that. That's when they set up the angle with me and Eddy (Guerrero).
SG> It was quite a surprise to see you on that show. You kept your release from the WWF a well kept secret.
JL> They gave me the impression that, well, they may resign me when I got the release from the doctor. So I kept it really quiet just in case they did resign me.
SG> Even so, guys like Dave Meltzer and Wade Keller usually have the scoop on these kind of things.
JL> I just told my closest friends at home.
SG> How did you tear your patella last year?
JL> Well, it was just something stupid and simple like a baseball slide to this guy's legs and my foot hooked on his and jerked real hard and that was all she wrote.
SG> Did this happen in one particular match?
JL> After a while, I was delegated to just working Jakked and Heat tapings. Then I just was delegated to just working dark matches with guys getting try-outs, and it was in one of those matches.
SG> When you first arrived on WWF television, they gave you the Light Heavyweight title. Was that a surprise to you?
JL> Yes it was. I had no idea until I got to the building. So, it was just out of the clear blue.
SG> Did you think when they gave you the title, that you would receive a decent push?
JL> I wasn't going to assume anything. It took me twelve years to get to the WWF to finally get a deal, and I always knew nothing was written in stone. I wasn't going to assume anything and just take everything in stride and see where it went.
SG> What was the locker room like in the final days of ECW?
JL> There were mixed emotions. Everyone in ECW loved working there, they believed in the product, they wanted it to work. It was just frustrating at times when you are out there killing yourself, and the money wouldn't be there. And you would get promised, Ok, the checks aren't here this week, next week I'll have two of them for you. Of course the next week he would only have one check for you, and you'd get screwed out of a week's pay; and he hoped that you would forget about it. In the end, I guess morale was pretty low also because we heard time and time again that was Paul E. (Heyman) was out in LA, every weekend, trying to get a TV deal, talking with FX, the USA Network, or whoever. In reality, he would be out there making an extra paycheck, while we are at back home starving. So that was very frustrating also. We still believed in our product, and wanted it to work, but apparently, Paul E and his partner didn't care if it worked or not.
SG> How much time was still remaining on your ECW contract?
JL> About three and a half years.
SG> Do you consider your matches with Rob Van Dam your best work?
JL> I would say, yeah, some of them. Not just the matches with Rob either; I have had great matches with Justin Credible, Lance Storm, Chris Candido, and a lot of the guys. I would consider them some of my best work.
SG> Why ultimately were you let go by WCW?
JL> More political crap. I was in New Japan, and I broke my foot on the second day of the tour. I didn't find out all this until about six months after the fact, but I worked two weeks with a broken foot. Because of my foot, I fell funky on a drop kick, messed up my shoulder pretty bad. They sent me home a week early. So when I got back to Atlanta, I got X-rays on my foot just for legalities, and sure enough, my foot was broke, and I told the office. I guess a few of the guys told the office that I faked an injury to be sent home a week early from Japan, and the office didn't have the courtesy to talk to me about it. That's when they started jobbing me out big time and let me go after my contract was up.
SG> Where did the idea for Mr. JL come from?
JL> I came up with the idea, because at the time, the Power Rangers were so over, and I thought it was something they could market to the kids. Kevin Sullivan gave me the name, and I knew it was the beginning of the end.
SG> You had try out matches with the WWF in 1995 and 1997? Why didn't they sign you then?
JL> I don't know. Every time they would talk about doing something with the light heavyweight division, it would get pushed back. I had a try out match with Taka Michinoku, and that night, they loved the match. The road agents liked it, Vince (McMahon) liked it, everyone liked it. That night, they told me they couldn't promise me anything. The match aired, and a couple weeks later ECW realized I was still available and got a hold of me. I committed to ECW. Then a few months later, they had me in the brackets on "Raw" for the Light Heavyweight tournament. I was already committed to ECW, so I didn't get into the tournament.
SG> There was a Rob Van Dam-Jerry Lynn match that aired on Sunday Night Heat where most of your offense was edited out.
JL> They were just having me doing the Heat and Jakked tapings, and I was just doing dark matches. It was a match to just showcase Rob, and you know, if they don't want you to get over, they don't let you get over, and that's why they edited out all of my offense.
SG> There was a time where it appeared Rob Van Dam was starting to get over, and perhaps on his way to main event status.
JL> If you start getting over on your own, and your not suppose too, they'll pull the rug from underneath you.
SG> When you wrestled in Japan, you also wore a mask.
JL> At the time, Michinoku Pro had a masked man tournament, and they had a mask and they wanted me to wear it in the tournament. It was something like a Japanese cartoon character over there.
SG> How much harder is it to wrestle wearing a mask?
JL> A lot harder. The heat from your body can't escape through your head. Usually when you wear a mask, you wear an outfit thats like wearing a sauna. You get winded a lot faster, you over heat a lot faster, and it makes it a lot harder.
SG> Do you have a favorite promoter or booker?
JL> Not really, my favorite bookers or promoters are the ones that pay me. (laugh)
SG> Does ECW still owe you money?
JL> Oh Yeah!
SG> Do you expect too ever see any of that money?
JL> No, I don't.
SG> Are you interested in working in Japan again?
JL> Oh yea. Zero-One and also New Japan is interested. I really don't want to go over there three weeks at a time. So I have to find out how long the tours are going to be, and of course, what the money is going to be like. I also don't want to be missing too many Wednesdays (NWA TNA) now.
SG> You are basically contractually obligated to work their 52 shows?
JL> Pretty much. If you need to miss a show here or there, they are fine with it. It's not a life or death situation.
SG> NWA TNA has put on three shows so far. How would you evaluate the product thus far?
JL> It's hard to say. I like the product because it has a great variety to the show. You have major superstars like Jeff Jarrett, Scott Hall, and (Ken) Shamrock. You also have the midgets, you got the girls, and then of course you got that X division where you're going to see some good high-flying action. I think it's a great product. You can't please everyone with every single match, but it's got a good variety.
SG> It appears you are lacking a quality opponent for Ken Shamrock?
JL> I think its going to take a little time because right now they want to establish the characters they are going to keep, plus at the same time, they are bringing in people from the independents from all over country and giving them try outs and taking a look at them. Plus, it's going to take time to build up the story lines.
SG> Does the locker room feel you are guys are great underdogs?
JL> The locker room is great. Anyone that is there is happy to be there, and they want to work hard, and want it to work. Its awesome.
SG> I heard that you are an agent for the X division?
JL> They just want me to help out, so its nice that they are basically making me an agent, because eventually down the road when I can't wrestle anymore, I'd love to be involved behind the scenes.
SG> So many people in and out of the business love your work. Your matches are always top notch, yet, do you feel a frustration that your career has not gone further?
JL> There has been points in my career where it has been frustrating. When I was a kid, and I didn't get my way, I would say, "that's not fair." One thing that always sticks in my mind is that my mom would always say, "the worlds not fair." And man, was she ever right. I'm not going to sit there and pout and cry about it, I'm just going to keep plugging away. As long as I'm having a good time, I wake up and look forward to going to work. I think I have one of the secrets to life beat. How many people out there wake up and are going, "God, I do not want to go to work today." I'm just going to keep plugging away as long as I'm having fun.
SG> It seemed like you had reached the pinnacle of your career at the end of ECW when you won the title, yet when the company went under, your momentum was gone.
JL> There is a lot of timing involved in this business.
SG> Do you think you were ever given a fair chance in the WWF?
JL> No.
SG> What does the future hold for Jerry Lynn?
JL> I'm just going to keep plugging away and putting on the best entertaining matches that I can until my body can't take it anymore.
SG> Where do you see yourself in five years?
JL> Still wrestling.
SG> Do you think there is any chance you'll get back into WWE?
JL> I doubt it. They don't need anybody. I don't for see them calling me back.
SG> Would you want to go back?
JL> If they were to call me back, I would only go back if it were for a decent amount of money, because if its not a decent amount of money, they have no motivation to do anything with you and get their money's worth out of you.
Name Association:
SG> Rob Van Dam.
JL> Probably the most gifted athlete in the business.
SG> Eric Bischoff.
JL> BS-er
SG> X-Pac.
JL> One of the hardest-working wrestlers in the business. Always goes out there and gives it 110% every time.
SG> Andrew McManus. (WWA owner)
JL> I don't think he realized what he was getting into when he decided to give the wrestling business a try.
SG> Jerry Jarrett.
JL> A great mind for the business.
SG> Hulk Hogan.
JL> Changed the face of wrestling.
SG> Paul Heyman.
JL> Sorry excuse of a human being.
SG> Vince McMahon.
JL> A very tenacious businessman.
SG> Ric Flair.
JL> One of the biggest icons in the business.
SG> Jerry Lynn.
JL> Best Jabroni in the business, who got over by losing all the time. (laugh)
