Jeff Jarrett Thinks Wrestling Has Found Its Modern-Day Mean Gene
Few voices in wrestling history carry the same universal affection as Mean Gene Okerlund, a standard-bearer for how interviews, hosting, and live presentation should feel. Decades after his prime, that bar remains largely untouched, but Jeff Jarrett believes one modern figure comes closer than anyone else.
Speaking on his My World with Jeff Jarrett, Jarrett pointed to Jeremy Borash as the rare talent who mirrors Okerlund’s versatility. Jarrett’s praise wasn’t rooted in Borash sounding like Gene or copying his style, but in the same intangible skill set: the ability to elevate everyone around him. Whether guiding talent through promos, selling a moment, or seamlessly inserting his own voice when needed, Borash, like Okerlund before him, understands how to serve the story rather than dominate it.
Borash’s résumé explains why that comparison carries weight. Long before his current WWE role, he was already a creative Swiss Army knife. He became a recognizable presence during WCW’s final years through WCW Live!, then followed Jarrett to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in 2002. There, Borash wore nearly every hat imaginable: ring announcer, editor, writer, on-screen personality, and eventually lead play-by-play announcer. By the time he stepped into the ring at Slammiversary 2017, he had already helped shape the company’s identity for more than a decade.
Today, Borash works behind the scenes in WWE, where his influence is felt more than seen. Kevin Nash has likened Borash’s role to being the creative right hand of Triple H, and his fingerprints were all over The Undertaker’s cinematic Boneyard Match at WrestleMania 36. Like Mean Gene, Borash doesn’t chase the spotlight, but the industry often looks better when he’s involved.
What Fans Should Know
Comparisons to Mean Gene Okerlund aren’t about catchphrases or microphone presence, they’re about function. Historically, Gene worked because he could shift tone instantly: selling intensity without overshadowing talent, adding humor without breaking immersion, and keeping segments moving without feeling rushed. That role has quietly disappeared in modern wrestling, where interviewers are often either invisible or overly scripted. Jeff Jarrett’s comparison matters because it highlights a skill set the industry rarely prioritizes anymore.
Jeremy Borash fits that mold not because fans see him constantly, but because they don’t. Wrestling storytelling works best when infrastructure supports the stars without competing with them, and Borash’s career shows a consistent pattern of that philosophy. From WCW’s experimental final years to TNA’s identity-building phase and now WWE’s cinematic and long-form storytelling, Borash has repeatedly been placed in environments that required adaptability rather than ego. That’s the same reason Okerlund endured across eras while others faded.
For fans, the takeaway is understanding how much behind-the-scenes roles shape what appears effortless on screen. The reason moments like The Undertaker’s Boneyard Match worked wasn’t just production value, it was restraint and narrative clarity. Recognizing Borash as a modern equivalent to Mean Gene reframes the conversation from “who replaces him?” to “who understands why he mattered?” That distinction helps fans better appreciate the invisible architecture of wrestling storytelling, and why some shows feel timeless while others feel disposable.
