New Jack#The Danbury Fall

Jerome Young was born on January 3, 1963, in Greensboro, North Carolina. In 1968, when he was five years old, he and his siblings witnessed his father stab his mother multiple times after he found out she had been cheating on him with other men. Five months later, he shot her in the leg when she tried to leave and take Young with her. His father died of a heart attack later in the year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFfjPFYrd3c |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/SFfjPFYrd3c |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|title=New Jack on Seeing His Dad Stab His Mom for Cheating & Shoot His Mom for Trying to Leave (Part 1)|date=June 28, 2020 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}} He and his mother moved frequently across Georgia, usually trying to stay a step or two ahead of landlords seeking to evict them.

He attended various schools, before finally graduating from Atlanta's D.M. Therrell High School in 1981. There, Young had a measure of success in football, which led to him attending Clark Atlanta University.{{Cite web|title=Famous Clark Atlanta University Alumni|url=https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-clark-atlanta-university-alumni-and-students/reference|access-date=June 7, 2021|website=Ranker|language=en}} Around the age of fifteen, Young and his friends began robbing local stores, such as gas stations, sporting goods stores, and jewelry stores. They were eventually caught, and Young spent two years in prison for aggravated robbery. After his release, he worked briefly as a truck driver before spending the next decade as a bounty hunter.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj9q83Hnhs8 |title=New Jack Addresses Rumor that He Killed 4 People as a Bounty Hunter (Part 3) |date=2020-06-30 |last=djvlad |access-date=2024-11-25 |via=YouTube}}

Young trained under Ray Candy and debuted in 1992 in the Memphis, Tennessee-based United States Wrestling Association (USWA), where he adopted the ring name "New Jack", inspired by the 1991 film New Jack City. In June 1993, he won his first championship, the USWA World Tag Team Championship with his partner Homeboy, defeating Simply Devine and holding the title for two weeks before losing it to C. W. Bergstrom and Melvin Penrod Jr. He remained with the company until the end of the summer.{{cite book |last1=Jack |first1=New |last2=Norman |first2=Jason |title=New Jack: Memoir of a Pro Wrestling Extremist |date=2020 |publisher=McFarland and Company Inc.|isbn=978-1-4766-7977-8 |pages=29–34}}

After leaving Memphis, New Jack moved to Atlanta and wrestled for North Georgia Wrestling Alliance, and won their Heavyweight Championship. In early 1994 he paired up with former WCW enhancement talent Mustafa Saed and formed The Gangstas, winning the NGWA Tag Team Championship in July 1994, but quickly vacated them, as they left the territory.

New Jack earned his name working for Jim Cornette in Smoky Mountain Wrestling. He formed a wrestling crew called the Gangstas. He toured the south and was normally squared off against Southern babyface tag team the Rock 'n' Roll Express. New Jack's partner was Mustafa Saed.{{cite news |last1=Breihan |first1=Tom |title=The Most Violent Man in Wrestling Lays Down His Staple Gun |url=https://grantland.com/features/new-jack-violent-wrestler-retired-ecw/ |access-date=October 12, 2020 |publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures |date=August 18, 2015}}

{{Main|The Gangstas}}

In June 1995, The Gangstas joined the Philadelphia-based Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) promotion, debuting for the promotion as a villainous team by attacking The Public Enemy (Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge) at Barbed Wire, Hoodies and Chokeslams on June 17, 1995.{{cite web|url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-barbed-wire-hoodies-chokeslams/|title=ECW Barbed Wire, Hoodies, & Chokeslams|first=Natt|last=Peddycord|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=October 13, 2012|access-date=June 10, 2018}} Gangstas made their ECW in-ring debut at Hardcore Heaven by competing against Public Enemy in a losing effort.{{cite web|url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-hardcore-heaven-1995-711995/|title=ECW Hardcore Heaven 1995 7/1/1995|first=Matt|last=Peddycord|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=October 14, 2014|access-date=June 10, 2018}} The two teams engaged in a lengthy rivalry and traded wins against each other throughout the year, with the feud ending in a street fight at House Party, which Public Enemy won. Public Enemy departed ECW after the event, thus ending the rivalry.{{cite web |title=ECW House Party 1996 1/5/1996 |url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-house-party-1996-151996/ |access-date=June 9, 2018|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=September 5, 2015 }} At CyberSlam Gangstas were scheduled to compete in a match against The Headhunters but Jack was imprisoned in Atlanta and Mustafa was attacked by The Headhunters.{{cite web |author1=Kyle |title=ECW Cyberslam 1996 2/16/1996 |url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-cyberslam-1996-2161996/ |access-date=June 10, 2018|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=September 5, 2015 }} Jack returned to ECW on March 8 at Big Ass Extreme Bash to rescue Mustafa from an assault by The Headhunters, resulting in The Gangstas turning into fan favorites.{{cite web |first1=Bob|last1=Colling|title=ECW Hardcore TV 3/12/1996 |url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-hardcore-tv-3121996/ |access-date=June 10, 2018|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=June 27, 2017}}

Gangstas began pursuing the ECW World Tag Team Championship and entered into a rivalry with the tag team champions The Eliminators (John Kronus and Perry Saturn) and received several title shots against Eliminators but came up short. At Fight the Power, Samoan Gangstas Party (L.A. Smooth and Sammy the Silk) made their ECW debut by attacking Gangstas. Samoan Gangsta Party cost Gangstas, another title shot against Eliminators at Hardcore Heaven.{{cite web|first=Arnold|last=Furious|title=ECW Hardcore Heaven 1996 6/22/1996|url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-hardcore-heaven-1996-6221996/|access-date=June 6, 2018|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=October 20, 2015}} Gangstas then faced Samoan Gangstas Party in a match at Heat Wave which ended in a brawl between both teams.{{cite web|first=Arnold|last=Furious|title=ECW Heatwave 1996 7/13/1996|url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-heatwave-1996-7131996/|access-date=June 5, 2018|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=June 23, 2011}} Gangstas' feud with Eliminators, Samoan Gangsta Party and The Bruise Brothers led to a four-way dance between the four teams at The Doctor Is In, which Gangstas won to capture their first World Tag Team Championship.{{cite web|title=ECW The Doctor is in 1996 8/3/1996|url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-the-doctor-is-in-1996-831996/|access-date=June 6, 2018|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=October 20, 2015}} Gangstas successfully defended the title against teams such as Samoan Gangsta Party, The Eliminators and Rob Van Dam and Sabu throughout the year.{{cite web|title=ECW Natural Born Killaz 1996 8/24/1996|url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-natural-born-killaz-1996-8241996/|access-date=June 10, 2018|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=October 20, 2015}}{{cite web|first=Arnold|last=Furious|title=The Furious Flashbacks – ECW November To Remember 1996|url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-furious-flashbacks-ecw-november-to-remember-1996/|access-date=June 10, 2018|date=June 28, 2005|work=411Mania}}

New Jack was involved in the Mass Transit Incident on November 23, 1996, in Revere, Massachusetts.{{cite book|title=Hardcore History|last=Williams|first=Scott|pages=106–111|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|date=2006|isbn=978-1-59670-021-5}}{{cite book|title=The Rise and Fall of ECW|last=Loverro|first=Thom|pages=[https://archive.org/details/risefallofecw00thom/page/175 175–180]|publisher=Pocket Books|year=2006|isbn=978-1-4165-1058-1|url=https://archive.org/details/risefallofecw00thom/page/175}}{{cite book|title=Sex, Lies, and Headlocks|last1=Assael|first1=Shaun|last2=Mooneyham|first2=Mike|pages=[https://archive.org/details/sexliesheadlocks00shau/page/199 199–200]|publisher=Crown Publishers|year=2002|isbn=978-0-609-60690-2|url=https://archive.org/details/sexliesheadlocks00shau/page/199}} The Gangstas were scheduled to face D-Von Dudley and Axl Rotten. Rotten missed the show and was replaced with "Mass Transit" Erich Kulas, an untrained seventeen-year-old who convinced booker Paul Heyman that he was twenty-one and had been trained by the veteran Killer Kowalski. Kulas requested that New Jack "blade" him during the match, but the incision was made incorrectly, causing excessive bleeding.{{Cite web |last=Bateman |first=Oliver Lee |date=May 17, 2021 |title=New Jack, 1963–2021 |url=https://www.theringer.com/2021/5/17/22440536/new-jack-jerome-young-ecw-wrestler-obituary |access-date=May 18, 2021 |website=The Ringer |language=en}} Kulas was hospitalized as a result, eventually receiving fifty stitches. New Jack was charged with aggravated assault stemming from the incident, but was acquitted, because Kulas had asked New Jack to cut him. Kulas subsequently sued New Jack and ECW for damages in July 1998, but lost the case. Kulas died on May 12, 2002, at the age of 22 due to complications from gastric bypass surgery.

Gangstas lost the World Tag Team Championship back to Eliminators on the January 4, 1997, episode of Hardcore TV, ending their reign at 139 days.{{cite web|url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-hardcore-tv-111997/|title=ECW Hardcore TV 1/4/1997|first=Bob|last=Colling|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=September 19, 2010|access-date=June 10, 2018}} Gangstas feuded with Eliminators and The Dudley Boyz over the title for the next several months. At Heat Wave, Gangstas defeated Dudley Boyz in a steel cage match to capture their second World Tag Team Championship.{{cite web |title=Heat Wave 1997|url=http://prowrestlinghistory.com/ecw/results/1997b.html#071997 |publisher=Pro Wrestling History |access-date=June 10, 2018}} Mustafa Saed left ECW after the title win, leading to the dissolution of Gangstas. The following month, at Hardcore Heaven, Dudley Boyz were returned the championship, forfeited by Saed's departure.{{cite web|url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-hardcore-heaven-1997-8171997/|title=ECW Hardcore Heaven 1997 8/17/1997|author=David|access-date=June 10, 2018|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=May 14, 2011}}

{{Main|The Gangstanators}}

The departure of Mustafa Saed and Perry Saturn from ECW led New Jack to form a new tag team with former Eliminator John Kronus called The Gangstanators on August 21, 1997, by defeating The Dudley Boyz. The team debuted on television on the September 20 episode of Hardcore TV when Kronus earned a title shot at the ECW World Tag Team Championship by defeating the Dudleys and then Jack showed up as his tag team partner. They received their title shot at As Good as It Gets, where Gangstanators defeated Dudley Boyz to win the World Tag Team Championship, marking Jack's third tag title reign.{{cite web |title=ECW As Good As It Gets 1997 9/20/1997 |url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-as-good-as-it-gets-1997-9201997/ |access-date=June 10, 2018|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=July 27, 2016 }} They lost the belts to The Full Blooded Italians (Little Guido and Tracy Smothers) on the November 1 episode of Hardcore TV. They defeated Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks (Axl Rotten and Balls Mahoney) and Dudley Boyz in a three-way dance at Fright Fight and received a rematch for the title against FBI, the Freaks and Dudleys in a four-way dance at November to Remember, but lost.{{cite web |title=Fright Fight|url=http://prowrestlinghistory.com/ecw/results/1997d.html#103197 |publisher=Pro Wrestling History |access-date=June 11, 2018}}{{cite web |first1=TJ |last1=Hawke |title=Views from the Hawke's Nest: ECW November to Remember 1997 |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/views-from-the-hawkes-nest-ecw-november-to-remember-1997/ |access-date=June 11, 2018 |date=July 29, 2014|work=411Mania}}

Gangstanators resumed their feud with Dudley Boyz as the two teams competed in a match at the 1998 House Party, which Dudleys won.{{cite web|url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-house-party-1998-1101998/|title=ECW House Party 1998 1/10/1998|first=Scott|last=Keith|access-date=June 11, 2018|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=July 27, 2016}} Gangstanators formed an alliance with Spike Dudley, the estranged brother of the Dudleys. At the Living Dangerously pay-per-view, New Jack and Spike Dudley defeated Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks and Dudley Boyz in a three-way dance.{{cite web |first1=Arnold |last1=Furious |title=ECW Living Dangerously 1998 3/1/1998 |url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-living-dangerously-1998-311998/ |work=Wrestling Recaps |date=June 23, 2011 |access-date=June 10, 2018}} Jack then lost to Bam Bam Bigelow at Wrestlepalooza.{{cite web |author1=David |title=ECW Wrestlepalooza 1998 5/3/1998 |url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-wrestlepalooza-1998-531998/ |work=Wrestling Recaps |date=May 14, 2011 |access-date=June 11, 2018}} Jack began emerging as a singles competitor while feuding with Dudley Boyz. This led to Jack and Kronus quietly dissolving Gangstanators and going their separate ways as Jack more frequently teamed with Spike Dudley to feud with Dudley Boyz. New Jack began dragging in a garbage can full of weapons and throwing it into the ring as a sort of ultra-violent trash bag.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}

New Jack's feud with The Dudley Boyz continued in 1999 as he teamed with Spike Dudley to lose to them at Guilty as Charged.{{cite web|url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-guilty-as-charged-1999-1101999/|title=ECW Guilty As Charged 1999 1/10/1999|author=David|access-date=June 11, 2018|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=May 14, 2011}} At Crossing the Line '99, Jack brought out his former Gangstas tag team partner Mustafa Saed to compete against Dudley Boyz but Mustafa turned on Jack by smashing a guitar on his head and revealed himself to be the mysterious benefactor of Dudleys, who wanted to run The Public Enemy and New Jack out of ECW.{{cite web |first1=Arnold |last1=Furious |title=ECW Crossing The Line 1999 2/12/1999 |url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-crossing-the-line-1999-2121999/ |access-date=June 11, 2018|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=June 23, 2011 }} As a result, Jack began a rivalry with Mustafa, which culminated in a match between the two at Living Dangerously, which Jack won.{{Cite news |first1=Chris |last1=Gramlich |title=ECW rises to the occasion |publisher=Canadian Online Explorer |work=SLAM! Sports }} At CyberSlam, Jack teamed with Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks (Axl Rotten and Balls Mahoney), losing an Ultimate Jeopardy match to Mustafa and the Dudleys. Afterward, Jack drove Mustafa through a table with a diving splash from the top of the cage.{{cite web |first1=Bob |last1=Colling |title=ECW Cyberslam 1999 4/3/1999 |url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-cyberslam-1999-431999/ |access-date=June 10, 2018|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=December 23, 2011 }} Jack was out of action for the next few months until he returned to ECW at Heat Wave, where he attacked Dudley Boyz with weapons from a shopping cart.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}

On the October 22 episode of ECW on TNN, Jack received his first opportunity for the World Heavyweight Championship against Mike Awesome but failed to win the title.{{cite web|url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-on-tnn-10221999/|work=Wrestling Recaps|title=ECW on TNN 10/22/1999|first=Bob|last=Colling|date=November 6, 2010|access-date=June 10, 2018}} On the November 5 episode of ECW on TNN, Jack rescued Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks from an attack by Da Baldies (The Spanish Angel, Vito LoGrasso, Tony DeVito and Vic Grimes) but Angel stapled Jack in the eyes.{{cite web|url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-on-tnn-1151999/|work=Wrestling Recaps|title=ECW on TNN 11/5/1999|first=Bob|last=Colling|date=December 13, 2010|access-date=June 10, 2018}} This led to a lengthy rivalry between Jack and Angel over the unofficial title of "King of the Streets". The two battled back and forth over the matter in bloody street fights. One of ECW television's most gruesome moments was when in the course of a match, Angel used New Jack's staple gun (which he often wore around his neck with a chain) against him, stapling him in the eye. Referees called off the match, and New Jack disappeared from the air for many months. New Jack returned by the end of 1999 with his eye seemingly recovered, now sporting a scythe around his neck, claiming that he had "upgraded" the staple gun.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}

Their first encounter was at November to Remember, where Jack and the Freaks lost to Da Baldies in a handicap match.{{Cite news |first1=John |last1=Powell |title=Glitches mar ECW's N2R |publisher=Canadian Online Explorer |work=SLAM! Sports}} At the 2000 Guilty as Charged pay-per-view, Jack lost a singles match to Angel due to interference by Da Baldies.{{cite web |first1=John |last1=Powell |title=Overbooking convicts Guilty As Charged |url=http://www.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingPPV/jan10_guiltyascharged.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000519073708/http://www.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingPPV/jan10_guiltyascharged.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 19, 2000 |publisher=Canadian Online Explorer |access-date=June 10, 2018|work=SLAM! Sports}} At the Living Dangerously live pay-per-view in Danbury, Connecticut on March 12, New Jack suffered serious injuries during a match against Vic Grimes involving a bump that required them to jump and fall 15 feet off a scaffold. Mere seconds before the jump, Grimes became reluctant to take this very risky bump, and New Jack, annoyed with Grimes's reluctance (because of the live broadcast they had no time to improvise) dragged Grimes down with him after a count of three, and Grimes awkwardly fell half a second after Jack instead of falling together in the safest fashion. They fell off the scaffold, missed the tables that were supposed to absorb the force of their fall and landed on the concrete floor, with Grimes landing on New Jack's head. New Jack suffered brain damage, a broken leg, a skull fracture (resulting in permanent insomnia) and was permanently blinded in his right eye, and spent six months recovering,{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestlinggonewrong.com/video/newjack_vicgrimes_fall.html |title=The Danbury Fall |publisher=Wrestlinggonewrong.com |access-date=May 13, 2013}} but even while injured Jack defeated Da Baldies leader Angel in a match two months later at Hardcore Heaven.{{cite web |first1=John |last1=Powell |title=Credible retains title at Hardcore Heaven |url=http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingPPV/may15_ecwppv.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130808035317/http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingPPV/may15_ecwppv.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=August 8, 2013 |publisher=Canadian Online Explorer |access-date=June 10, 2018|work=SLAM! Sports}}

He appeared at Heat Wave where he appeared on crutches and Angel stapled him with his staple gun in the forehead until Nova and Chris Chetti made the save and defeated Da Baldies in a tag team match.{{cite web |first1=John |last1=Powell |title=ECW's Heat Wave fizzles |url=http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingPPV/jul17_heatwave.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120721155828/http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingPPV/jul17_heatwave.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 21, 2012 |work=SLAM! Wrestling |publisher=Canadian Online Explorer |access-date=June 10, 2018 }} Jack was out of action for the next few months. He returned to ECW on the September 22 episode of ECW on TNN, where he rescued Spike Dudley from an assault by Justin Credible and Rhino but was double teamed by the two.{{cite web|url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-on-tnn-9222000/|work=Wrestling Recaps|title=ECW on TNN 9/22/2000|first=Bob|last=Colling|date=February 15, 2015|access-date=June 10, 2018}} Jack was named the number one contender for Rhino's World Television Championship at November to Remember, where he failed to win the title.{{cite web|url=http://www.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingPPV/nov6_ecw-can.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010425200718/http://www.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingPPV/nov6_ecw-can.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 25, 2001|first=John|last=Powell|title=ECW has an Old School champ|work=SLAM! Wrestling|publisher=Canadian Online Explorer|date=November 6, 2000|access-date=February 20, 2008}}{{cite web|url=https://wrestlingrecaps.com/ecw/ecw-november-to-remember-2000-1152000/|title=ECW November To Remember 2000 11/5/2000|first=Arnold|last=Furious|work=Wrestling Recaps|date=June 12, 2011|access-date=June 10, 2018}} In his last ECW match, Jack defeated longtime rival Angel on the December 17 episode of Hardcore TV. Jack remained with the promotion which was closed due to bankruptcy a month later in January 2001.

After ECW declared bankruptcy in April 2001, New Jack began wrestling on the independent circuit. In 2001 and 2002, he wrestled for Xtreme Pro Wrestling, and in 2003, he made multiple appearances with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and also Combat Zone Wrestling, competing in Cage of Death V.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}} In 2004, Jack appeared in IWA and WWE in dark matches. He worked the ECW reunion show, Hardcore Homecoming, on June 10, 2005, as well as competing on the "Extreme Reunion" tour from September 15 to 16.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}

In February 2002, Jack met Vic Grimes in a scaffold match at XPW's Freefall event. As the final maneuver of the match, Jack shocked Grimes with a taser before throwing him from the scaffold and sending him crashing to the ring 40 feet below; there were over twelve tables stacked on top of each other in the ring to break the fall, of which Grimes missed all but two and came within a foot of missing the ring completely, which could have killed him. Grimes broke his fall on the top rope, dislocating his ankle among other injuries. In the 2005 documentary Forever Hardcore and the 2020 episode of Dark Side of the Ring centered around him, Jack claimed that this was a break from the script, and he intended to throw Grimes so hard that he would fall head-first onto the steel turnbuckle and be killed.{{Cite episode |title=The Life and Crimes of New Jack |series=Dark Side of the Ring |station=Vice TV |date=30 March 2020 |season=2 |number=3}}{{cite AV media |people=Jeremy Borash |date=2005 |title=Forever Hardcore |trans-title= |type= |language= |url= |access-date= |format= |time= |location= |publisher= |id= |isbn= |oclc= |quote= }} This was done, according to Jack, over a grudge based on Grimes not contacting him when he was recovering from his injuries after their fall in Danbury. However, Art O'Donnell, a writer for WrestleCrap, disputes this, citing Jack's apparent concern for Grimes' safety in a previous match for XPW and how intentional the spot seemed.{{cite web|url=https://wrestlecrap.com/inductions/an-xpw-two-pack/|title=An XPW Two-Pack: Baptized in WrestleCrap|date=June 25, 2021|publisher=WrestleCrap|access-date=September 11, 2021}}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In April 2003, New Jack participated in a hardcore match with veteran wrestler Gypsy Joe. Before the match, Jack met Joe and asked the booker of the show what he was supposed to do with him. Jack was told "Gypsy Joe is as tough as leather", and Jack replied that he was not going to lose dollar value from this match and would not have a comedy or gimmick match, but that he would "kill" Joe in the match. For unknown reasons, Joe continuously no-sold New Jack during that match, and Joe headbutted Jack in the nose. Jack then got angry with Joe and decided to get genuine sells by legitimately attacking the 69-year-old man with a chain, a framed picture of his aunt, a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire, and several other weapons. The crowd, horrified by Jack's savage beating of this man either left the show in disgust or started calling Jack the N-word. In an interview for Dark Side of the Ring in 2019, Jack stated "the more they called me a nigger, the angrier I got and the more I beat the guy up."{{Citation |title=New Jack attacks Gypsy Joe |url=http://www.wrestlinggonewrong.com/video/newjack_gypsyjoe.html |publisher=Wrestling Gone Wrong |access-date=June 15, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060504220538/http://wrestlinggonewrong.com/video/newjack_gypsyjoe.html |archive-date=May 4, 2006 }}

File:New Jack, PWS, 2014.jpg

File:Necro Butcher & New Jack.jpg

In October 2004, New Jack, wrestling for Thunder Wrestling Federation, was scheduled to fight fellow wrestler William Jason Lane at an event near Jacksonville, Florida. During the match, Lane, to New Jack's surprise began punching him in the face legitimately and landed a few blows. New Jack then pulled out a metal blade from his camouflage wrestling attire, and stabbed Lane multiple times in the head. New Jack stated in the Vice documentary series Dark Side of the Ring that the news stated he stabbed Lane 16 times but New Jack stated it was 9 because he counted. This action caused New Jack to receive various felony charges, including for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and aggravated assault to commit murder.{{cite web |url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2004/10/13/new-jack-accused-of-stabbing-opponent-14-times/ |title=New Jack accused of stabbing opponent 9 times |date=October 13, 2004 |publisher=Slam.canoe.ca |access-date=May 13, 2013}} New Jack claimed that the two met prior to the match and agreed to use a "piece of metal" to inflict injury. Despite this, a police officer who was recording the incident stated that it looked like it went "past a routine wrestling match." The promoter of the event, Mr. Maurice Williams, claims the event was never intended to be hardcore.

New Jack announced his retirement on XPW's A Cold Day to Hell in 2008 though he continued working independent shows.{{Cite news|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2008/05/20/xpw-return-violent-and-emotional/|title=XPW return violent and emotional|work=canoe.com|access-date=November 20, 2017}} In 2012, New Jack competed for Extreme Rising and CZW.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}

During 2003, New Jack wrestled occasional events for TNA wrestling. On the April 2, 2003, NWA-TNA, New Jack, Perry Saturn and The Sandman defeated Christopher Daniels and The Harris Brothers. On the April 9 NWA-TNA, New Jack and Sandman lost a three-way match to The Harris Brothers. On the April 16 NWA-TNA, New Jack and The Sandman lost to Brian Lee and Slash.

on the April 23 NWA-TNA, New Jack, Perry Saturn and The Sandman defeated Brian Lee, Slash and Mike Awesome in an Ultimate Sin match. on the May 7 NWA-TNA, New Jack competed in a 3-way hardcore rules match which was won by Sabu. on the May 21 NWA-TNA, New Jack and Shark Boy lost to Ron Killings and Don Harris in an Anarchy Alliance tag match. Then he competed in the Hard 10 tournament defeating Slash in the Quarter-finals then defeated Mike Sanders in the Semi-finals before losing in the finals to The Sandman. On the July 16 NWA-TNA, New Jack (also wearing a shark mask) and Shark Boy lost to The Harris Brothers in what was New Jack's final TNA match.

On August 8, 2010, New Jack appeared at TNA's ECW reunion show, Hardcore Justice, where he and Mustafa assaulted Team 3D and Joel Gertner after a match.{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/tnappvs/article_42979.shtml|title=Caldwell's TNA Hardcore Justice PPV results 8/8: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of ECW-themed PPV headlined by RVD vs. Sabu|first=James|last=Caldwell|date=August 8, 2010|access-date=August 8, 2010|work=Pro Wrestling Torch}}

File:New Jack 2016.jpg

On April 16, 2016, New Jack appeared in and wrestled for Money Mark Productions, facing Brad Cash in Lewisburg, Tennessee. On June 11, 2016, New Jack was set to face former UFC star Phil Baroni in an unsanctioned match at a Pro Wrestling Syndicate event at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey. In October, New Jack made an appearance at the Crushed 2 wrestling event in Minneapolis, where he interfered in a match between Eugene and Tommy Lee Curtis. Running out with a garbage can full of weaponry, New Jack helped save Eugene from a beat down and did a diving splash through a table to pin Tommy Lee Curtis, although he was only interfering throughout the match and not being an actual competitor; this was billed as his last appearance in the Midwest.{{Cite web|title=Crushed 2|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=167191}}

Around that same year, when Young was walking home from a wrestling event, he collapsed, and doctors found blood clots throughout his legs, back, and lungs, saying "With the heart trouble I already had, I could feel myself getting close to the final bell".{{Cite book|last1=Jack|first1=New|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xF_SDwAAQBAJ&q=With+the+heart+trouble+I+already+had,+I+could+feel+myself+getting+close+to+the+final+bell&pg=PA192|title=New Jack: Memoir of a Pro Wrestling Extremist|last2=Norman|first2=Jason|date=February 5, 2020|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-1-4766-7977-8|language=en}} In January, Jack was eliminated in a battle royal by White Mike, with Jack subsequently going on to defeat Mike in a singles match. In March, he teamed with fellow ECW alumni The Sandman and Justin Credible in a winning effort at an ECW show, and made an appearance in VIP Wrestling where he defeated Masada.{{Citation|title=New Jack vs. Masada|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QudN0kt4brI |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602221748/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QudN0kt4brI |archive-date=2021-06-02 |url-status=dead|language=en|access-date=May 31, 2021}}{{Cite web|title=New Jack vs Masada|url=https://do214.com/events/2016/3/4/vipx-wrestling-death-by-design-w-new-jack-vs-masada}} In his final matches leading up to his death, Jack faced fellow ECW alumni C. W. Anderson and Shane Douglas before taking time off due to surgery.

In the video game ECW Anarchy Rulz, New Jack's theme song was rerecorded by Bootsy Collins with unique lyrics; this was unlike every other character's theme, which consisted of cover versions of their real themes. The real theme ("Natural Born Killaz") could not be featured; copyright issues from their record labels wouldn't allow it.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/01/26/new-jack-on-between-the-ropes|title=New Jack on Between The Ropes – IGN|date=January 26, 2001 |via=www.ign.com}} New Jack was featured in the 1999 wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat. In addition, he appeared in the television series Early Edition on May 6, 2000, as a biker in the episode "Mel Schwartz, Bounty Hunter".{{Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/05/06/tommy-dreamer-and-new-jack-on-early-edition|title=Tommy Dreamer and New Jack on "Early Edition"|date=May 6, 2000|website=IGN}} He was also featured in the video games Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood{{Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/11/19/backyard-wrestling-2-there-goes-the-neighborhood|title=Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood|first1=Jeremy |last1=Dunham|website=IGN|date=November 19, 2004 }} and WWE 2K25 (the latter as downloadable content).https://wwe.2k.com/2k25/season-pass/ New Jack is also the subject of an episode of the documentary series Dark Side of the Ring.{{Cite web|url=https://bleedingcool.com/tv/dark-side-confidential-preview-life-and-crimes-of-new-jack-revisited/|title=Dark Side Confidential Preview: Life and Crimes of New Jack Revisited|first=Ray|last=Flook|date=April 6, 2021|website=Bleeding Cool News And Rumors}} The hour-long episode debuted on Vice on March 31, 2020.

New Jack is referenced in the 1996 Weezer single "El Scorcho", with the line "watchin' Grunge legdrop New Jack through a press table".{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/jerome-young-pro-wrestler-known-164738107.html|title=Jerome Young, Pro Wrestler Known as New Jack, Dies at 58|website=news.yahoo.com|date=May 15, 2021 }}{{cite tweet|number=601479185299812352|user=Weezer|title=The exact moment Grunge leg dropped New Jack through a press table, as mentioned in her diary in El Scorcho|date=May 21, 2015}} He is also referenced by Harlem rapper Smoke DZA on his album Rugby Thompson.

Along with indie wrestler Jay Lover, New Jack made a guest appearance on the May 9, 2014, episode of The Daily Show, in a segment entitled "Stay Out of School."{{cite web|url=http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-may-9-2013/stay-out-of-school|title=The Daily Show with Trevor Noah|website=Comedy Central}}

In 2008, Young took part in a shoot interview with The Iron Sheik and The Honky Tonk Man where the Chris Benoit double-murder and suicide was discussed. Young commented that nothing could excuse what Benoit had done, and anybody in WWE or elsewhere defending Benoit or the wrestling business from public scrutiny were hypocrites. He also thought it was ironic how ECW was seen as a violent and dangerous promotion where drug use was encouraged, yet there was only one person who died during Young's five-year tenure with the company, whereas WWE was "averaging three (deaths) a year." In the same interview, Young accused WWE chairman Vince McMahon of murder and helping falsify wrestlers' drug tests.{{cite AV media |people= New Jack (channel)|date= 2020|title= New Jack's EPIC rant on Chris Benoit |medium= YouTube video|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p4JTp3nlTo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/2p4JTp3nlTo |archive-date=2020-03-30 |url-status=live|access-date= May 19, 2021}}{{cbignore}}{{cite AV media |people= Vlad TV|date= July 9, 2020|title= New Jack: Vince McMahon's a Piece of Sh**, Every Time a Wrestler Dies He Gets Away with It (Part 12) |medium= YouTube video|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKmA4_ruTa8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/rKmA4_ruTa8 |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|access-date= May 19, 2021}}{{cbignore}}

Young was critical of Paul Heyman as a promoter, primarily due to Heyman's penchant for lying to his roster, as well as for cheating them out of paychecks.{{cite AV media |people= Wrestling Burial Channel|date=July 19, 2017|title=New Jack shoots on his hatred of Paul Heyman|medium=YouTube video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7G-c_2Ywqw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/m7G-c_2Ywqw |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|access-date=May 19, 2021}}{{cbignore}} In 2012, Young criticized Abdullah the Butcher for using dirty blades on wrestlers and stating that Young was HIV positive.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmKNV4vpGrE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/FmKNV4vpGrE |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|title=New Jack 2012 Shoot Interview Preview|date=February 20, 2012 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}

From 2009 to 2011, Young was in a relationship with Terri Runnels; after the relationship ended, Runnels filed a lawsuit against Young for libel and to block distribution of sexually explicit photos he had of Runnels.{{Cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/803093-wwe-news-former-diva-suing-ecws-new-jack-on-libel-and-sex-photos|title = WWE News: Former Diva Suing ECW's New Jack on Libel and Sex Photos| website=Bleacher Report }}

Young was married to Jennifer Young.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pwinsider.com/article/146873/statement-from-jennifer-young-new-jacks-wife-gofund-me-campaign-launched.html?p=1|title=Statement From Jennifer Young, New Jack's Wife, GoFundMe Campaign Launched |website=www.pwinsider.com}} One of his sons, a drag queen named Washington Heights, revealed in 2020 that Young had disowned him a few years earlier due to being a drag queen.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/new-jack-drag-queen-son-washington-heights/|title=My Dad Is a Pro Wrestler, I'm a Drag Queen – We're Not So Different|website=Vice.com|date=October 22, 2020 }} Young responded to the claims stating, "My son was mentioned in my book that just came out last year, so the statement about me disowning him three years ago is simply not true."{{Cite web|url=https://www.outsports.com/2020/9/3/21419139/washington-heights-new-jack-ecw-drag-queen-wrestling-gay-lgbt|title=Washington Heights wants his father New Jack to 'embrace' him|first=Brian C.|last=Bell|date=September 3, 2020|website=Outsports}} Heights stated after Young's death that "he was proud of me... He wanted to fix things but didn't know how".[https://twitter.com/washyheights/status/1394733181371310086 Twitter]

After retiring, Young regularly used prescribed painkillers to help with the pain from various injuries he sustained during his career. In 2016, he collapsed while walking home from an event. He was diagnosed with blood clots in his legs and back, in addition to heart problems. Tommy Dreamer revealed that when he tried to book Young for his House of Hardcore promotion, Young said he was in poor health and often bedridden due to his heart problems and failing vision.{{Cite web|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/house-of-hardcore-podcast-with-tommy-dreamer/id1442646019|title=House Of Hardcore Podcast with Tommy Dreamer on Apple Podcasts|date=June 20, 2023|website=Apple Podcasts}}

On the afternoon of May 14, 2021, Young died of a heart attack in his Greensboro, North Carolina home. He was 58 years old.{{Cite web|last=Alonso |first=Melissa |title=Pro wrestler Jerome 'New Jack' Young dies at 58|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/15/entertainment/obituary-new-jack-wrestler-death-trnd/index.html|access-date=June 2, 2021|website=CNN|date=May 15, 2021 }}{{Cite web|date=May 15, 2021|title=Pro wrestler New Jack dies at 58|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2021-05-14/new-jack-jerome-young-dies|access-date=June 2, 2021|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}

• American Championship Pro Wrestling
• ACPW Hardcore Championship (1 time){{cite web|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=2761|title=ACPW Hardcore Championship|first=Philip|last=Kreikenbohm|publisher=Cagematch – The Internet Wrestling Database|date=October 13, 2007|access-date=May 15, 2021}}
• Extreme Championship Wrestling
• ECW World Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Mustafa Saed (2) and John Kronus (1){{cite web|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=3|title=ECW World Tag Team Championship|first=Philip|last=Kreikenbohm|publisher=Cagematch – The Internet Wrestling Database|date=August 3, 1996|access-date=May 15, 2021}}
• North Georgia Wrestling Association
• NGWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time){{cite book | author=Royal Duncan & Gary Will | title=Wrestling Title Histories | publisher=Archeus Communications | year=2000|edition=4th | isbn=0-9698161-5-4 }}
• NGWA Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Festus and Mustafa Saed
• Smoky Mountain Wrestling
• SMW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Mustafa Saed{{cite web|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=170|title=SMW Tag Team Championship|first=Philip|last=Kreikenbohm|publisher=Cagematch – The Internet Wrestling Database|date=October 14, 1994|access-date=May 15, 2021}}
• Universal Championship Wrestling
• UCW Hardcore Championship (1 time){{cite web|url=https://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=titles&titel=2836|title=UCW Hardcore Title|work=Wrestlingdata.com|accessdate=May 16, 2021}}
• United States Wrestling Association
• USWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Home Boy{{cite web|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=197|title=USWA World Tag Team Championship|first=Philip|last=Kreikenbohm|publisher=Cagematch – The Internet Wrestling Database|date=June 21, 1993|access-date=May 15, 2021}}
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
• Ranked No. 101 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1997{{cite web|url=http://profightdb.com/pwi-500/1997.html|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 1997|publisher=The Internet Wrestling Database|access-date=August 25, 2015}}
• Ranked No. 386 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003{{cite web|url=http://www.willywrestlefest.fr/Ressources/PWI/PWI500_PWI_Years_2003.htm|title=PWI 500 of the PWI Years|access-date=January 16, 2019}}

• {{cite book |last1=Jack |first1=New |last2=Norman |first2=Jason |title=New Jack: Memoir of a Pro Wrestling Extremist |date=2020 |publisher=McFarland and Company Inc.|isbn=978-1-4766-7977-8 |pages=29–34}}

• List of premature professional wrestling deaths

{{reflist}}

{{Commons}}

• {{IMDb name|id=0949688|name=New Jack}}
• [https://www.theonlynewjack.com/ New Jack website]
• {{Professional wrestling profiles|cagematch=|wrestlingdata=|iwd=}}

{{ECW World Tag Team Championship}}

{{SMW Tag Team Championship}}

{{USWA World Tag Team Championship}}

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Category:1963 births

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Category:African-American professional wrestlers

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Category:Sportspeople from Greensboro, North Carolina

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Category:Bounty hunters

Category:Therrell High School alumni