It's been more than a year and a half since Jeff Jarrett announced that his post-TNA wrestling venture would be Global Force Wrestling (GFW).
Since April of 2014, the company has brought an English language version of New Japan's biggest pay-per-view (PPV) to the world, attempted an "invasion" of TNA that got Jarrett some exposure on a national cable channel and held multiple tapings for their own television show, Amped.
Initial rounds of TV tapings crowned the promotions first champions. Over the holiday weekend, one of those belts - the NEX*GEN title - changed hands for the first time, when Sonjay Dutt defeated PJ Black (formerly Justin Gabriel in WWE).
Sonjay Dutt captures the GFW NEX*GEN Championship at Showcase Of Champions! https://t.co/wDtd0GJYgT pic.twitter.com/490gyg118d
— GFW Wrestling (@GFWWrestling) November 28, 2015
When will anyone other than the fans who were in attendance at those Las Vegas shows where the first set of Ampeds were filmed, or at WrestleCade IV in North Carolina where the NEX*GEN title bout took place, be able to see these bouts?
Excellent question. Jarrett has announced a partnership with an agency to help him secure a deal, but nothing has come of those since they were announced in September. Despite rumors about international interest in GFW and BCI, the outfit they're signed with, specializing in "global distribution", there's been no news regarding deals anywhere in the world.
With WWE's ratings hitting historic lows, TNA in a new deal with POP TV where (allegedly) no money is changing hands and Ring of Honor back on channels in which their corporate parent has an ownership stake, it's beginning to look like Double-J may have misread the market for a new player in the pro wrestling space.
And that says nothing of the fact that hot talent isn't flocking to GFW. Dutt's win over Black represents a 33 year old TNA original defeating a 34 year old who was on WWE television for five years in a division that is supposed to feature "up and comers" - and likely only happened because Black is rumored to be involved in Lucha Underground's upcoming second season.
Pro wrestling fans and performers need as many successful companies as possible for the form to thrive and grow, so I still really hope Jarrett can turn GFW into something. But as we approach the two year anniversary of his announcing its founding, we have to start LOLing his new company every bit as much as we do his old one.