In the early 90s, Vince McMahon was facing up to 8 years in prison as a result of the now-infamous steroid trial. With the FBI closing in on Vince McMahon, he needed to find somebody who could take over the reins of his beloved WWE just in case he got sent down.
Was Jerry Jarrett The Man To Take Over WWE?
It is generally considered that the man Vince McMahon chose to replace him to control WWE was Jerry Jarrett. Jeff Jarrett’s father and long-time friend of Vince McMahon’s father, Vince Sr., had always told his son if he had any problems and needed anything in wrestling, Jerry Jarrett was the man he could reach out to. So Jerry Jarrett was brought into WWE as a consultant in the lead-up to the steroid trial with the idea that Jerry would take control of WWE if Vince McMahon gets sent to prison. That is considered to be the general order of events.
Bruce Prichard, however, greatly disputes this.
Bruce Prichard was a WWE Producer at the time and denied that Jerry was being brought in to WWE as an eventual replacement for Vince McMahon, Bruce says Jerry Jarrett was being brought in as just a consultant. On his podcast, Something to Wrestle, Bruce also buries Jerry Jarrett’s creative input in WWE during that time. Prichard says that Jerry Jarrett’s involvement in the creative team was laughed at, saying all his ideas were old-fashioned and outdated. Jerry Jarrett and Vince McMahon’s right-hand man at the time, JJ Dillon, disagree completely with Bruce Prichard's accusations with both men insisting that Jerry was being brought in to become the Head of WWE had Vince McMahon been arrested.
On his podcast, Jim Cornette explains why Bruce Prichard hated Jerry Jarrett. “Bruce hated Jerry because Jerry treated him like a stooge. Jerry related to Pat on the same level, and to Vince on the same level, but Jerry had no respect for Bruce because, in his eyes, Bruce had never done anything in the wrestling business, which in comparison sake was the truth. So Jerry treated Bruce like a stooge. Bruce would try to play on Vince's sense of humor, discrimination against southern people, by making fun of Jerry’s accent, trying to devalue Jerry's opinion in Vince’s eyes so he could go home and Bruce and Pat could take over.”
Jerry Jarrett Buries Bruce Prichard
Jerry Jarrett responded to Bruce Prichard's allegation on The Matt Riviera Show in 2018. Jarrett said, “Anybody that does any research will know why I went, why I came home, and match it with the dates of Vince’s lawsuit – his exoneration – and know that Bruce Prichard is totally full of [expletive].
When I went up there, Bruce resented the fact, because he’s a legend in his own mind. Here he is, and they would bring this southern, country boy up as the heir apparent. Not only that but that Vince McMahon would have the audacity to bring him in his house. I showed up at a booking meeting with a ‘Yes Man’ bobblehead, cause that’s what Bruce would do. ‘Yeah, Boss, you’re right! Yes sir, Vince, that’s a great idea! Yes, Vince, I agree with that! I’ve got you on that, Vince, that’s great!’ I mean, he just, ad nauseam. And so, I brought this bobblehead, and Pat [Patterson] and Vince got a big laugh out of it, Bruce didn’t. And then, the heat got even more intense? Vince McMahon’s a workaholic. And, while I work hard, I just couldn’t work around the clock like he does. So, I told him, ‘Vince, I appreciate the hospitality, but I got to get me an apartment.’ And Pat said, ‘Why don’t you move in with Louie and I. I’ve got this great, big house out there and just the two of us? So I moved in with Pat and Louie, and Bruce just about had a heart attack.
I think he was jealous of me and Pat. I really do. Is Bruce married? He seems to have gone totally insane when I moved in with Pat and Louie. So, maybe that’s it. Here’s the other thing it could be. This mortgage guy, Conrad, seems to be a really nice guy. And somebody told me that he felt sorry for Bruce. You know, being broke and fat and ugly and all that he is, and decided to take him under his wing, and nurture him along. So, maybe he just thought, ‘Well, that’ll be a good comic relief, and Jerry’s completely out of the business.’ I don’t know what his reason could be.”
Bruce admitted that he has it against Jerry Jarrett, probably for the reason Jim Cornette talks about, but no matter what, still insists that Jerry Jarrett was not being brought in to take over WWE, in spite of many historians insisting that is exactly what happened.