New Jack

[5.0] "Very (understandably) difficult man to rate... he is a horrible wrestler in the ring, but can swing weapons around pretty well. He also has a great presentation with his look, and especially with his theme song playing through all of his matches."

[6.0] "2.40 average rating on here....understandable I guess but he's a pioneer of death match wrestling...but then again you can't go around trying to fucking kill people. If Bret hart thinks Goldberg is lousy he's gonna love new jack. My rating as a 6 is because of how iconic and fun he is to me. Other than that yeah don't try to kill anyone and rest in piece"

[0.0] "New Jack couldn't wrestle. He was also a vindictive and whiny little baby who tried to seriously injure or outright murder people during a fake fighting contest. I don't have to appreciate shit about him. The only good thing New Jack ever did was in SMW and he cut good promos. That was a wild gimmick for that territory and it worked. Otherwise, he couldn't wrestle his way out of a wet paper bag. He was immature and vindictive over his perceived minor slights. Trying to murder someone during a match because they hurt your feelings is about as soft as it gets. As for Mass Transit, no he should not have been there and he and his father should not have lied to get him in a match but New Jack intentionally cutting this kid that deep is inexcusable. He's a skid mark on wrestling."

[8.0] "New Jack needs to be appreciated for what he did in the ring. He was a great hardcore wrestler and he was a nice guy (to me at least) out of the ring. People need to appreciate him for how he shaped hardcore wrestling for the wrestlers of today and eventually tomorrow. I hope more people appreciate his work for the business as he was extremely important to it. His interviews and promos are always a delight and was pretty good in non hardcore matches too."

[8.0] "So on this website Chris Benoit has a 8.79 but New Jack has a 2.37? New Jack was a bad guy but he was also an incredible hardcore wrestler. He was a heat magnet and would take some insane risks while also having some of the most charisma of any hardcore wrestler ever. He was apart of two of the most incredible matches I have ever seen. He was just absolutely incredible and one of my favorite ECW guys."

[10.0] "One of the absolute best hardcore wrestlers of all-time. There's no justifying attempted murder and I can completely respect why people refrain from giving higher ratings. If you were lucky enough to see him live, you could genuinely feel that murderous intent in his presence. His crowd work may not seem impressive on camera, but in the atmosphere of those venues he orchestrated things perfectly. New Jack dove face first from balconies and did not put his hands out to protect himself - that takes a lot of dedication to override your basic instincts, like that. The best make it look real, New Jack made it look more real than you were comfortable with. Also: His shoot interviews are the very best."

[5.0] "New Jack is a tough one to rate for me. First and foremost yes, he was limited in the ring and at time he was very dangerous. I don't need to catalog his in ring escapades as they are well known. These are all the big things that drag him down for me but it is a bit complicated because his character and presentation was such that being a technically sound guy would be at odds with what he was. At any rate he could have stood to be more polished. What helps me give him a more favorable rating that most (and even then the overall package is mild) is his authenticity, character work and promo work. Make no mistake about it, New Jack was as real as anyone I've seen in wrestling, for better or worse. He knew who he was and didn't change that for anyone, you knew exactly what you got with New Jack like it or not. Excellent promo work, excellent character work and a sense of realism and danger that most lacked. He drew eyeballs and got your attention. To this day I've yet to see anyone match that sort of aura and presentation. Had he been more sound in the ring while being true to his character and not been a ticking time bomb he would have had an amazing legacy."

[7.0] "Kids today talk about aura, this guy had it in waterfalls. As soon as that natural born killers opening hit, the whole mood in whatever arena he was in changed, and everyone in the building while cheering at the top of their lungs instantly paid attention to what was about to happen. Once he hit the ring with that trash can filled with weapons, it became a violent attraction. He had his sequence of stuff he done with each weapon every single night, while the music was playing mind you, and that's really all anyone cared about seeing. You could argue sometimes he took liberties with guys and took things a little too far, but when you ask for new jack that comes with the package. His promo work was ahead of its time, off the charts, and was a shoot promo on wrestling t.v. before those were really a big deal to do...live rounds every single night. And if there is a mountain rushmore for extreme wrestlers, he's on it for sure. You can't even put his stuff on t.v. anymore it was so violent for it's time and even present day. New Kack was 1 of 1, there will never be another like him."

[0.0] "I am a fan of hardcore style. It's great when two guys can step into a very dangerous situation, put on a good show, and both walk out without many lasting effects. New Jack does not fit that description. His matches have been clusterf*ck after clusterf*ck and anytime shit hits the fan and someone gets injured his thoughts are that it was his partner's fault fir getting into the ring rather than doing self reflection and realizing that he is an unsafe worker that doesn't know how to take care of his partner in a hardcore match."

[0.0] "Maybe people see something special in New Jack, in his style of matches, in all the destruction that would follow when "Natural Born Killaz" was played, but in my eyes, he was never anything good or redeemable. He represented everything bad associated with the Hardcore style: attempted murders, excessive violence, and a horrible history of accidents due to his recklessness. His most notable acts include throwing Vic Grimes off a giant scaffolding with the intention of killing him, beating up Gypsy Joe, who was already considered an old man, and The Mass Transit Incident. His matches are defined by total chaos, senseless violence, and a stifling pace."

[2.0] "One of the most charismatic wrestlers to ever grace the business, but lacked in technical ability. While having charisma is great, and something I would have him rated MUCH higher for - one of the cardinal rules of the business is to protect your fellow wrestlers. When you have someone who has gone on record NUMEROUS TIMES to ensure that he doesn't do that? And then you add to how disgusting his conduct was at times? You'll understand why I have him ranked so low."

[6.0] "New Jack wasn't everyone's cup of tea, but he was one of a kind. He wasn't about headlocks and chain wrestling--he was chaos, violence, and raw energy. In ECW, he brought something real that you couldn't fake. Did he cross the line sometimes? Absolutely. But he also lived his gimmick harder than almost anyone. As a hardcore act, he stood out and made an impact that fans still talk about. Not a technical marvel, but unforgettable in his own brutal way."

[0.0] "I'm really sorry to give this vote to him. He wasn't that bad as a performer, and I actually enjoy some of his matches. But, for my standards, he can't be considered a pro wrestler. A wrestler is a performer, that works to fake a fight with his opponent, keeping him as safe as possible. How can New Jack be rated higher than 0, when he literally tried to hurt and kill some of his opponents? I got it, he had an awful childhood, but honestly I couldn't care less about it."

[0.0] "Legit the one of only people I would loudly say the world is better without him. Absolute piece of trash, known for shooting in matches when he didnt get his way, almost beat a 70 year old man to death, then continued to brag about it and say he was the victim and the fans were trash etc. Thats just 1 New Jack scandal if I had to name em all we would be here the whole day. tl:dr bottom of the earth, piece of trash, scumbag with a God complex and the world is better off now that this POS is not part of it anymore."

[0.0] "Fuck this POS. pro wrestling is an inherently dangerous sport that already takes years off people's lives and this jackass makes things work. Hearing stories about new jack makes me wonder why he was let in the ring in the first place. It's one thing to be a stiff worker, but being malicious is just messed up. I also hate the people that enable it and thought it was cool, but that is just a problem with wrestling fans. Anyone who praises this guy for being 'cool' or 'badass' should be sent to therapy. Fuck new jack, if hell exists, i sure hope he is burning in it."

[8.0] "The rating for New Jack on this website disappoints me a lot. I rate wrestlers based on what they did in the realm of professional-wrestling rather than what they represent outside of it. That said, New Jack fucking rules and if you don't like him, you're a little bitch. Dude was so unbelievably over in ECW and had the coolest gimmick ever--just come out, beat the shit out of people with weapons, and have his theme loop the entire match. I see a lot of new fans shit on the name of New Jack and it angers me a lot because this dude is the real deal. Just watch Heatwave '98 and wait 'til the very end to see what I mean. There ain't ever gonna be another New Jack. RIP."

[2.0] "New Jack was a cunt. That being said he did have some wrestling ability and could gain incredible heat, that being said his work was effectively pointless violence that amounted to little in the way of tangible entertainment."

"Say what you will, but New Jack truly WAS his character, in an age where kayfabe had been killed off once and for all. In my eyes, he stands as one of the greatest performers in the history of professional wrestling. A child from the absolute gutter who grew up to carve out his spot in the annals of a historically racist, elitist, and thus highly protective industry. Jack never apologized for who he was, and in spite of his more controversial, even criminal acts, I think that deserves a hell of a lot of respect. Rest in peace."

[3.0] "He could cut a promo, and couldn't wrestle. His outside antics got him notoriety. I give him 3 points for the promos, but his wrestling skills don't warrant additional in my opinion."

[0.0] "Stabbing a guy almost to death, the weird comments about OJ Simpson, awful human being, scum, TRASH. There are other actual hardcore wrestlers out there who aren't crazy or actually trying to kill people. If you like him, are you good? The score should be even lower."

[0.0] "This is a business about respect. That is undeniable. New Jack is one of the most violent hardcore shoot wrestlers of all time. He has no patience for inexperienced or different style wrestling. For crying out loud, the man has several justifiable homicides and countless assaults. As a wrestler, he's an ECW legend; but the man is CRAZY and DANGEROUS He is a textbook psychopath and N*gga"

"[10.0] "The Brotha did what he was supposed to do he entertained the fan, he was fixing to play with you if you're his opponent or on some bullcrap, true hardcore icon who could talk anyone into the building as soon as Ice Cube and Dr. Dre hit shit was fixing to get real New Jack is immortalized on the Mount Rushmore of Hardcore Icons like Raven, Sabu, and Terry Funk so don't get it twisted. 10 out of 10"

[0.0] "While he was a good promo, I never really cared for him as a wrestler and legitimately despise him as a person. Wrestling is built upon trust between the performers to work together and take care of each other's bodies and New Jack flagrantly and repeatedly violated that trust often for the stupidest of reasons."

[0.0] "Man, what is there to say about this guy that hasn't already been said? He wasn't a wrestler, plain and simple. Whilst I do believe hardcore wrestling has a place within the business, whatever New Jack did was just an excuse to legitimately hurt people. Everybody knows about the Mass Transit incident, Vic Grimes incident and Gypsy Joe incident. That's about one time too many, let alone three times. I understand that not everybody within the business likes one another, but it's not an excuse to go into the ring and actually hurt somebody over personal feelings or mistakes in matches. The guy was basically a thug that was crazy enough to do a lot of the insane hardcore stuff and get some notoriety for it. Horrible person, horrible wrestler, big fat 0 from me."

[8.0] "The last real carny wrestler. If you need an example of how good New Jack was at keeping kayfabe alive, just look at his ratings on this site. With a career legacy that can be traced along a series of "incidents", Jack took every botch, receipt, and mistake and built it into the mythology of his character. Suddenly, a great crowd-pleasing daredevil becomes a terrifying homicidal maniac. Despite making a career off of being known as a terrifying homicidal maniac, no one ever seems to ask any questions on if New Jack ever exaggerated any details of his violence. The further the character grew, the less excusable it all became - though, let's be honest: Mass Transit was no worse than anything guys like Vader, Yokozuna, or the Steiners did to uncooperative enhancement talent. You're telling me you'd rather get paralyzed than lose a bunch of blood (but not too much to keep kayfabe 'til you break the curtains)? Outside of his chaotic whirlwind of a character, New Jack was a great hardcore wrestler who is maybe one of the most underrated promo cutters of all time. Everyone knows the OJ line, but there's this one ECW promo where he cuts this grim, serious, soft-spoken promo about losing family to stray bullets, and how he has to win the tag titles to get his family to a safer place, and losing means his family dies, so he won't do it. As fun as he ends up being as the comedy character in TNA with Shark Boy, and as good as he is as the super heel egging on racists in SMW, and as much as he's known for being the terror of independent wrestling in the 2000s, he manages to do all of this while being able to cut promos that can humanize and lionize even the Original Gangsta within five minutes. I would sell my soul to see this guy feud with Eddie Kingston. Jack is a lot of things, but untalented isn't one of them. He was a hardcore guy and a southern tag wrestler. Not liking the style is a lot different from thinking he can't do it. New Jack should be remembered the way he was: as one of the best true *workers* of his era, a guy who could make anyone believe anything and who could play any role he was given, and a man who could tap into racism and white paranoia so well that countless people still believe he was a cold-hearted psychopath, instead of your average wrestler of the 1990s. Plus, the powder guitar always looked so awesome."

[0.0] "This guy is a terrible person and a terrible wrestler. Stabbing and trying to kill people because they won't sell for you in a match is absolutely unacceptable. If you are a wrestler your top priority should be protecting your opponent and anyone else in the ring rather then throwing someone to their death so you can get praised by some of the sickos (not in a good way) that hide in the wrestling community."

"I fucking love new jack idc, rip. He gets a 10 from me for his entrance music continuing to play during his matches I'll be back to add it in 7 days lol"

"Legit a murderer. Literally stabbed a guy a dozen times while in the middle of a match. Tried to kill people because they wouldn't sell for him or because of an accidental injury. Legit a horrible human being. And if ICP even hates you then you know you messed up big time."

[0.0] "One of the worst pro-wrestlers imaginable. Legit dickhead, couldn't work, was at times just gross. A blemish on every promotion he ever worked for. He was lucky that the ECW crowd went with him because I don't think any other crowd in North America would have seen anything redeemable in him."

[0.0] "As much as I want to give him at least a point, I can't, in good conscience, do that. He was an unprofessional individual who seemed to suffer from serious mental health issues, using professional wrestling as an outlet for his dangerous and violent behavior."

[0.0] "I don't care about rating the character fairly. This guy admittedly tried to kill someone in a match by throwing him onto the floor, there is nothing he can do to redeem that, and he still stands by it. He stabbed someone for a couple of stiff shots, he has done one thousand times worse yet doesn't seem to care about that. I would give this man less than 0 if I could, does not belong anywhere near wrestling ring."

[0.0] "An embarrassment to pro wrestling that this guy was ever allowed into a ring. Couldn't wrestle. Fake tough guy that was never in a real fight in his entire life, only shot on people that trusted him to work a wrestling match. The world is a better place without New Jack."

"Nothing more than another by the numbers psychotic Hoodrat who justified being a piece of shit of an individual with the good old tried and true "Bad Upbringing" sob story. The only reason he got signed by ECW and had a career to begin with is another prime example of "right place, right time". With the rise of Gangsta Rap in the counter-culture peaking in 1992 and being reviled by mainstream society, ECW simply needed a face to tap into the then hot and new "Gangsta" street image that was gaining popularity. Thus, New Jack got picked simply because he represented what was then an edgy hot new trend in pop culture at the time to appeal to the MTV Gen-Xers at the time."

[8.0] "Terrible technical wrestler but an amazing hardcore wrestler with an amazing presentation & gimmick. Genuinely terrifying to watch. He knew what he did good and did those things. New Jack is an insanely underrated promo because it felt like it was coming straight from the heart (most of the time it is). His TNA run features some insane spots. His ECW run is obviously his best. Rewatching his stuff back and this man was insane in a good way. Natural Born Killaz playing while New Jack dives off a balcony is peak Professional Wrestling"

[6.0] "Outside of wild brawls not really worth much to have inside the ring, not going to put out a classic match but what New Jack did have was the gift of gab. If you actually listened to his words his promos were actually top draw. It suited his gimmick perfectly."

[6.0] "Rating him at 6 Mainly for his SMW run which he was one of the best promos in wrestling at the time. His ECW run is tough because his drug use and style completely shifted in a negative direction. Had he stayed around some of the talents of the likes of Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson who would teach him ways of improving from an in-ring perspective who knows what could have been for Jack."

[4.0] "you'd have to watch the special rules matches for any new jack match. he was a very basic wrestler that was a lot better with no rules. its what hes most known for as well. I don't think I can give higher than a 4 for that even though I loved him"

[0.0] "My rating criteria is based upon watchability. If I am sitting there transfixed by every nuance, rewinding almost every spot, you get a 10 and your name is maybe Eddie Guerrero, Cowboy Scott Casey or perhaps Rey Mysterio in '96. If I scramble to fast forward, your name is Abdullah the Butcher, Boogie Woogie Man Jimmy Valiant or NEW JACK. I don't like to speak ill of the dead but I will say life on planet earth seems a bit safer without New Jack."

[1.0] "New Jack was not a wrestler, he was a street fighter. But if he actually qualifies as a wrestler then he was one of the worst wrestlers ever. It takes skill to learn how to properly execute grapples, submission moves and strikes. It takes little talent or skill to attack people with weapons. On top of that he wasn't safe to work with at all and tried to kill people in the ring for no reason. If you like senseless violence or outlaw mudshows then you might like New Jack but if you like wrestling you'd probably be turned off by his matches. But I give him a point for being good on the mic."

[9.0] "Im far too young to have seen ECW when it was around, but I have watched lots of it because my dad was a superfan. New Jack has always been my favorite on the roster. Everyone wants to talk about how he wasnt a real wrestler which I get, to an extent. Think about lots of shit on ECW, he fit right in, and he did a damn good job. Sure he was very violent, but thats what the promotion wanted, thats what the fans wanted, and he did one thing that I dont think any wrestler has ever done which is that he scared me genuinely, and he wasnt even a horror gimmick, hes like everything Eddie Kingston wants to be. Every time Natural Born Killaz hit, I knew some fucked up shit was about to go down, or we were about to get some crazy ass promo about how his momma told him to get his ass back up, something like that. I cant rate yet but Id give him a 9/10, if you want to watch a cornball emo extreme wrestler go watch darby allin and his shithole wrestling (no hate im just in a bad mood)"

[6.0] "Should New Jack be rated for his wrestling ability, absolutely not. People are on here complaining that he couldnt carry a match, yeah, of course not. Besides a handful of wrestlers, how many long term ECW wrestlers could? Youve got Taz, Sabu, 2.5/8 Dudleys, RVD, Funk, Raven, Awesome, Douglas, and Dreamer, with a few more sure. It may seem like a lot there, but in the grand scheme of things thats not even 1/4th of the roster. And even still, people in that promotion arent looked at for their actual in ring ability, theyre looked at for their exteme deathdefying stunts and spectacular visual spots. New Jack is at the top of the extreme scale, doing some Foley level stuff. Man brought a Godzilla toy down and hit somebody with it, youve gotta give him at least a 3 for that. He may have been a jerk, and he may have been anoying in the Gangstas, I get that, but he is still a hardcore god, and giving people like Abdullah and Nick Gage a run for their money. he gets a six for the simple fact hes willing to do anything to entertain the audience."

[9.0] "A guilty pleasure of mine. While New Jack isnt exactly the most technical of wrestlers, and my opinion is definitely against the grain, his ability to electrify an audience is incredible and his time in ECW was a highlight of the night to me most of the time. While his antics outside (and sometimes inside) the ring are sometimes questionable and sometimes definitely criminal, it doesnt detract from the excitement I get when I hear that theme music start to play and I see a trash can full of weapons sail into the ring. As well as New Jack being one of the best shoot promos ever, the guy is charismatic and captures my attention like no other. I do know my opinion isnt popular but its my own and its a shame he left so soon. RIP to the Original Gangsta."

[2.0] "New Jack had some good moments in ecw and other territories but the fact he was so unprofessional really kills whatever good he did in the business. He will forever be know as the guy that pretty much killed a underage kid in the ring or be know for trying to kill a opponent because they didn't respect him or show respect to him"

[8.0] "I love New Jack as a wrestler. Everything about him just shined to me. The entrance music playing through his matches, the team of the Gangstas, the idgaf attitude. He was the most hardcore dude to step foot in ECW and no one even comes close. His ability to get heat with any audience but also being loved wherever he went was amazing. Saw his XPW and CZW stuff and it was kinda trash and very short. I suggest his beginnings in SMW and his 1995-2001 run in ECW. So sad he passed and wish his family well."

[0.0] "No one should remember New jack, he was a lackluster garbage wrestler who used to show up high and try to get cheap heat making racial comments. Then he'd hit people with things from a garbage can or shopping cart for 5 minutes and at some point blade himself. He did a bunch of shoot interviews that honestly are hilarious and was featured in "Behind the Mat" as a sympathetic character due to creative editing. He was a bad wrestler and a worse human being who attempted to kill no less than 4 people in the ring. Yes, his shoot interviews are hilarious, but he's probably the worst worker in the history of wrestling, not just botching moves but having tried to murder multiple people in the ring (that fellow he stabbed, gypsy joe) even if some of them were probably accidents (Mass transit) or probably deserved it (Abdullah the Butcher who was also a piece of filth and a terrible wrestler). So just off the top of my head that's 4 people he almost murdered in the ring. Besides trying to murder several people and never having put on a single good match in his entire career, he also sold revenge pornography pictures of his ex-girlfriend (Teri Runnels), disowned his son for being gay, and was just generally not a very nice person."

"The physical embodiment of not giving a single F***. obviously a spot monkey, but the dude was beyond fearless and wasnt intimidated by anything, kayfabe or IRL. despite the controversy surrounding him I think he was probably a decent guy outside the ring, considering the hand he was dealt in life. RIP New Jack."

[9.0] "Everybody's talking about he tried to kill wrestlers in the ring. I'm not gonna defend this attitude obviously but he did those things for the so much respect he has to this business and that's one of the most (if not the most) important things about a wrestler to me. Now we can talk about his work. He's clearly not a technical magician but he is the best at mixing brawling and hardcore. Master example of entertainment, he lives what he talks. Just look at the OJ Simpson promo. That was barely a two minute interwiev and people are still talking about that after 20 years. About mimics, gestures and realism. He ain't got no one on his level. Dude was real deal and someone like that always have my ultimate respect despite their wrongs."

[3.0] "Hard guy to rate due to his actual insane personality. He was not bad in the ring and had great charisma and mic skills. He did not seem to understand one of the most important rules of wrestling: don't injure your opponents. Got charged multiple times for trying to kill his opponents and had some of the worst moments in pro wrestling. One of the most controversial guys in pro wrestling history."

[8.0] "Never was a good or great wrestler perse, but he was an OG. He created a lot of memories. He was a hell of a promo. What you saw was what you got. He had bloody & violent matches. He also OG'd the idea of his theme music playing while fighting all over the building which inspired AEW's Anarchy in the Arena concept. RIP to the legendary New Jack."

"I don't think I can give Jack a score due to the extreme good and bad he brings. On the one hand, he was needlessly violent, inspired racial hatred, and hurt other people who trusted their bodies with him. On the other, he's one of the most gifted performers on the mic and was very ahead of his time as far as angles went, while capturing the mystique of old fashioned wrestling personas where you weren't sure what was real about him and what wasn't. Whether he was legitimately criminally insane or just playing a part is a mystery, and is besides the point because the result was the same. Ultimately, he is a fascinating figure in wrestling history who embraced abandoned approaches to kayfabe while taking things to a new level of "reality" later embraced by the business as a whole. Oh well. Richard Wagner wrote fantastic music and reinvented his idiom while at the same time being a cowardly deadbeat anti-semite at the same time. We can view New Jack in something of the same way. Oh, and he was a capable worker, but chose a non-working style for the majority of his career."