Global Force Wrestling - How It Started & Why It Failed

In the 18 years between the demise of World Championship Wrestling and the inception of All Elite Wrestling, if you wanted an alternative to the WWE way, one of the few options stateside was Total Nonstop Action.

One of the founders of that promotion in Jeff Jarrett would try to strike lightning twice in the mid-2010s with Global Force Wrestling, but what ensued was a low-impact start-up, bullish plans that went unrealised, a confusing merger, and messy legal action.

Jeff Jarrett was ingrained within pro wrestling from birth beginning with his grandmother, who started out as a ticket vendor in Nashville in the late-1940s and later assumed greater responsibilities, becoming a respected and formidable promoter for Roy Welch and Nick Gulas in Indiana and Kentucky. Jeff's father Jerry Jarrett then founded the popular Memphis-based Continental Wrestling Association in 1977, which later became the United States Wrestling Association.

Jerry got out of promoting in the mid-1990s, but by 2001 following the death of WCW, he was coaxed back into the game. Alongside son Jeff and executive Bob Ryder, Jerry helped concoct what would become Total Nonstop Action, a Nashville-based alternative to WWE that ran weekly Wednesday night pay-per-views.

The Jarretts were TNA's primary owners, but not for long. Deep financial distress plagued the company during its opening months for several reasons and TNA was in danger of going under, but were saved by Robert and Janice Carter, owners of the Dallas-based Panda Energy. The Carters bought a 71 per cent interest in TNA to keep the company afloat. Daughter Dixie (an old friend of Jeff's) took over the day-to-day operations. 

Jerry Jarrett himself would be gone within months, due to falling out with head writer Vince Russo. Jeff, meanwhile, was one of TNA's most pushed stars for the next four years, before settling into a featured role for the remainder of the 2000s. By the end of 2013, amid shake-ups and rampant disorganisation, Jeff himself - now largely an executive - resigned from the company he'd helped co-found.

One of Jeff Jarrett's last acts was to attempt to buy TNA back from the Carters with country music star Toby Keith, whose connection to TNA dated back to the inaugural event, where he and Jarrett had a physical altercation. Ultimately, Jarrett and Keith backed out of the deal, reportedly after Bob Carter was adamant that daughter Dixie (by now widely despised by fans and a number of disgruntled performers) be guaranteed some sort of role in TNA's continuation.

With taking TNA back not an option, Jarrett went on to found a new company. On April 7, 2014, Jeff Jarrett and wife Karen announced the formation of Global Force Wrestling. Few details came with that initial release, although it was noted that Jarrett was scouting numerous domestic and international promotions for untapped talent. The usual buzzword bingo was also present, as Jarrett was quoted as saying GFW would deliver, "... a multi-platform, innovative brand that will engage fans in ways they’ve never experienced," as well as, "... a fresh perspective inside the business that fans have been clamouring for."

The following week, it was revealed that Jarrett had a significant business partner in David Broome, a veteran producer of reality television, with his most noteworthy hit being NBC's weight-loss reality series The Biggest Loser. Broome hinted at a more reality-based product than what was being presented by WWE and TNA and he and Jarrett were reportedly promoting both traditional wrestling programming and "unscripted fare" to prospective networks. The stated plan was to produce "52 weeks of content" a year, not unlike what GFW's theoretical competitors were doing. Also hired was former TNA personality and staffer Scott D'Amore, who was named Vice President of International Relations.

Later that summer, Global Force announced working agreements with a number of international promotions, including Mexico's AAA, RevPro in the UK, numerous groups in Australia, and, most impressively, New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

The Global Force/New Japan connection did pay one particular dividend, as GFW helped present Wrestle Kingdom 9 on American pay-per-view. The US broadcast of the heralded Tokyo Dome card, in which Kenny Omega won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight belt and Hiroshi Tanahashi retained the IWGP Heavyweight Title against Kazuchika Okada, featured Jim Ross and Matt Striker on commentary and drew upwards of 15,000 domestic buys. Jarrett also wrestled on the card as a member of Bullet Club.

Aside from that beneficial piece of synergy, not much was happening with GFW. Nothing resembling an American TV deal had been announced, nor were there any formal signings to the roster. As 2014 drew to a close, Global Force made zero headlines outside of their New Japan connections and there was very little change in early 2015 as it wasn’t until the first week of May, a full 13 months after that inaugural press release, that GFW started making significant announcements. 

At a press conference in Las Vegas on May 6, 2015, Jarrett revealed a number of names that would be part of the inaugural Global Force locker room, which included former WWE midcarders Chris Masters and Justin Gabriel, ROH powerhouse Moose, women's wrestlers Lei'D Tapa and Thea Trinidad (the future Zelina Vega), Lance Archer and Davey Boy Smith Jr. of The Killer Elite Squad, recent TNA talent Seiya Sanada, and Bullet Club cornerstones Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows. Also revealed was the group's colour commentator in Veteran UFC trash-talker Chael Sonnen, who not only understood the verbal side of professional wrestling (drawing from it in his fighting career), but he was almost inarguably the most well-known person associated with GFW to this point.

If Jarrett and Global Force had their way, that wouldn't have been the case. Reports emerged that month that GFW had attempted to sign Bill Goldberg. Da’ Man hadn't set foot inside a wrestling ring since the WrestleMania 20 calamity with Brock Lesnar in 2004, and he would've certainly been a feather in the cap of the upstart group. Alas, for apparent financial reasons, the sides didn't do a deal.

In addition, GFW announced dates for their TV tapings. Despite not having any sort of deal in place, GFW planned to tape matches in July, August, and October at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas for a program that would be called Amped. Before those tapings, GFW also announced a summer live event tour to run at minor league baseball stadiums. For those tapings, there would be a six-sided ring and brand-orientated green ropes as Jarrett called back to the popularity of early TNA. 

The first Global Force Wrestling event was held in Jackson, Tennessee at a ballpark capable of holding 6000 in the stands, and much more at field level surrounding the ring. GFW came nowhere close to filling the venue and the most optimistic attendance report printed in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter claimed approximately 375 fans attended. Poor advances, along with no TV with which to promote, made it clear that this house show tour was going to be a hard sell.

In addition to the prior talent announcements, other relevant names on the card included Best Friends, Sonjay Dutt, and even Jim Cornette in his classic role of manager. In the main event, Gallows and Anderson defeated a team called The New Heavenly Bodies, whom Cornette derided for being inferior to the originals he'd once guided.

A similar card was held in Knoxville (Cornette's old Smoky Mountain stomping grounds) the next day, drawing 500 fans. Over the weekends ahead, GFW brought in quality talents to enhance its cards. Names like Colt Cabana, Shelton Benjamin, Nick Aldis, Tommaso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, Santana Garrett, Allysin Kay, Eric Young, and even The Young Bucks (among the most sought-after non-WWE acts of the time) populated those early GFW forays.

In the build to the first set of TV tapings, GFW revealed the promotion's four championship belts with the GFW Global Title, GFW Tag Team Championships, GFW Women’s Title, and a secondary belt that paid homage to the X-Division Championship with the NEX*GEN Title. Each of those championships would be immediately vied for at the first ever Amped tapings on Friday, July 24, 2015.

Before 3000 fans at Las Vegas' Orleans Arena, many of them reportedly comps given out by the venue's adjacent hotel, GFW unrolled a card of eight matches, most of which were tournament bouts for the organisation's four belts. With Sonnen and MMA announcer Cyrus Fees on commentary, the likes of Aldis, Bobby Roode, Kevin Kross, SANADA, Sonjay Dutt, Mickie James, Christina Von Eerie, The Bollywood Boyz, made a push toward GFW's championships.

The show was a hot one, per many attendee accounts. A number of angles were run to set up the following month's tapings and a variety of talents had moments of shine.

There was a lingering sense of doubt in the air, however. GFW's business plan was to film many hours of TV, and then attempt to sell its product to a cable outlet, a strategy that hadn't worked to this point in wrestling history. A flirtation with TNA didn't move the needle all that much either. Jarrett briefly returned to the organisation in 2015 as part of a GFW invasion angle. With control of Total Nonstop Action at stake, Jarrett's squad lost a Lethal Lockdown match to a TNA quintet.

GFW continued to run shows with a massive double taping at the Orleans Arena on August 21. Bobby Roode, Eric Young, Shelton Benjamin, The Good Brothers, Trevor Lee, and others imbued the various tournaments before 2100 fans, while PJ Black (the former Justin Gabriel) became the first GFW NEW*GEN Champion. It already felt like GFW was running in circles, however. There was reportedly talk that GFW was taping for international outlets, but no deals had been announced.

The other three inaugural champions were crowned on October 23. Christina Von Eerie became the first GFW Women's Champion, The Bollywood Boyz netted the tag belts, and Nick Aldis became the group's first Global titleholder.

After this, though, not a whole lot happened. There was a two-show UK tour headlined by Aldis that included Doug Williams, 20-year-old Toni Storm, and 18-year-old Tyler Bate in GFW’s final events of 2015. In 2016, GFW only held 16 shows, most of which were co-branding endeavours with various American indies in smaller cities.

Beyond pro wrestling, GFW took a turn into the truly bizarre too as in April 2016, Jeff Jarrett promoted Global Force Gold, a scheme where fans were encouraged to send money to a German company named Karabars in exchange for very small denominations of gold. To make money, you would encourage your friends to join the scheme, building something that looked an awful lot like a pyramid scheme. The announcement video has since been eradicated from the internet. 

As laughable as Global Force Gold was, it was also a dire sign that GFW probably wasn't on strong financial ground. After two years of quasi-existence, three TV tapings, and with no broadcast deal in sight, it looked like GFW was limping in solitude toward its grave.

A lifeline soon arrived, though, after Anthem Sports and Entertainment bought a majority interest in TNA in January 2017 after a tumultuous few years for Total Nonstop Action in which there were weekly fears the company was set to go under. 

Soon after, the promotion was rebranded as IMPACT Wrestling and Jeff Jarrett returned to the promotion he founded as a consultant. That April, Karen Jarrett appeared on IMPACT to announce a merger between Impact and GFW. In late June, Anthem issued a press release, confirming that it had acquired Global Force Wrestling. Jeff Jarrett joined the conglomerate's board of managers, and was named Chief Creative Officer and as part of the deal, Jarrett sold his remaining Impact shares to Anthem.

Following this consolidation, IMPACT rebranded as Global Force Wrestling, marking the promotion's second name change in six months. What followed was three of GFW’s four belts quickly changing hands on IMPACT programming as the tag team titles went to Santana & Ortiz, who unified them with the IMPACT World Tag Team Championships, while Sienna won the GFW Women’s Title to unify it with the Knockouts Title. Alberto El Patron, meanwhile, won the GFW Global Title and unified it with the IMPACT World Championship he had won from Bobby Lashley. 

The NEX*GEN Title, meanwhile, changed hands twice before the merger as Sonjay Dutt won the championship from PJ Black at Wrestlecade 2015 and then lost the belt to Cody Rhodes at the 2016 convention. The title was abandoned in June 2017, after Cody's brief TNA run ended.

Barely two months after the merger, things started to go wrong. In early September, it was announced that Jarrett was taking a leave of absence from GFW, effective immediately. It was not clear what the final straw was, but there had reportedly been vehement disagreements behind the scenes for some time. Additionally, Jarrett had apparently fallen out with IMPACT Wrestling President Ed Nordholm. 

Over the weeks that followed, Global Force began reverting back to its IMPACT branding, marking the promotion's third name change in less than nine months. On October 23, IMPACT announced that its business relationship with Jarrett and GFW was over, and the promotion restored its total IMPACT identity. Jarrett retained the rights to all things GFW, as the paperwork to complete the transfer had apparently not been finalised. Even with all of this going on, GFW matches did air as part of IMPACT’s One Night Only taped pay-per-view series.

Jarrett and Global Force went on to file several lawsuits against Anthem. In a February 2019 filing, Jarrett claimed that IMPACT had erased the master tapes of GFW's 2015 TV tapings. Jarrett was also apparently trying to get back the rights to his name and likeness, which Anthem reportedly now held. A mistrial was declared in July 2020, but Jarrett and Anthem reached a settlement in January 2021.

Post-IMPACT, Global Force Entertainment would go on to produce the inaugural Starrcast in 2018, ahead of the first ever All In. The company also produced the NWA's 70th Anniversary show that October and It has since been established as a pro wrestling news website with heavy branding for Jeff Jarrett’s My World podcast. The promotion, though, has been relegated to the dustbin of history. 

There is always a fair amount of scepticism whenever a new wrestling promotion rears its head. In the years since TNA's peak, only All Elite Wrestling have made anything resembling a major dent stateside. It helped that a fertile market and hungry audience were conducive for a WWE alternative to gain traction. Also beneficial was that Tony Khan got executives at WarnerMedia on board long before its maiden event. Global Force Wrestling had none of that going for it.

Coming at a time when WWE was down from its promotional peak (though not as polarising as they would become), fans may have been interested in an alternative, but it would have required a strong approach.

After their first announcement, GFW went mostly quiet. No roster was set. No TV deal was announced. After one year, all GFW had to show for its hype were tentative connections to established promotions, and it had helped broker an American broadcast for New Japan's Wrestle Kingdom.

In year two, the roster reveal was underwhelming. The house shows sparsely attended. They ran TV tapings, but had no outlet to air the shows. For all the talk about reality-based television, GFW looked like just another promotion.

Then came year three, where GFW's output were co-branded indie events, and the regrettable Global Force Gold scheme.

It wasn't until GFW was three years old did something truly significant happen when they merged with an established, albeit wounded, promotion with some semblance of credibility. And even that was a short-lived lifeline.

Global Force Wrestling is a story of a promotion that simultaneously failed to gain momentum, and failed to capitalise on what little momentum it did develop. They were but one more grandiose promotional failure in a long series of them.

Between running TV tapings without a TV deal, participating in what looked an awful lot like a pyramid scheme, and somehow convincing an established promotion to merge with you and adopt your branding for three months, it's safe to say no failed promotion was ever quite like Global Force Wrestling.