Jimmy Korderas On Owen Hart's Fall, His Problem With Some Current Referees, Friendship With Edge

Jimmy Korderas (@jimmykorderas) is a professional wrestling referee, commentator and broadcaster known for his 22-year tenure with WWE from 1987 to 2009. He joins Chris Van Vliet to talk about how he got started in the pro wrestling industry by accident, getting a job with WWE, going from setting up the ring to being a referee, some of his favorite people to work with, the biggest mistakes he sees referees make now, being in the ring the day Owen Hart died at Over The Edge 1999 and much more!
00:00 Intro/Being Canadian
01:24 Pat Patterson
05:39 Not being noticed as a referee
07:12 Referees having names
09:10 Goals before being a referee
12:44 First Big WWF Break
14:49 Ref Bumps
18:29 Injuries
19:38 False Finishes
21:34 What refs need to work on
22:30 Wrestlemania 4
23:40 Bam Bam Bigelow
24:22 Planning a match
25:22 Ring Crew
28:28 Different eras of WWE
30:20 Referees in the WWE HOF
31:39 Best Workers
35:18 Triple H regime
36:48 AEW
38:50 MJF
40:34 Wrestlemania 24
42:31 Owen Hart
51:07 Edge
51:44 ReffinRANTS
53:58 Gratitude
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#wwe #wrestling #prowrestling

[@soljah37]

I like that you're also interviewing referees of WWE's past. I was wondering if you could also interview Nick Patrick from the good ol' WCW days, as well. He was one of those referees that I vividly remembered as a kid watching WCW.

[@MrClawmaster]

yes, i love his interview on the JBL/Brisco show. Nick Patrick has always bee my favorite referee.

[@OhSoNasty]

When I think of throwback blue collar smackdown refs this guy jimmy pops up to my head. Nice interview CVV happy new year

[@FFadeaway]

Fact

[@jordan.7]

One of my memories of him when I was a kid was when Edge cashed in his MITB on Undertaker in 2007 on Smackdown. Great times.

[@lisaosborne578]

Jimmy Korderas was one of the best refs in the WWF and i always enjoyed his refing

[@meanmattworld]

i met Jimmy at the Oshawa Music Hall in 2016. He was walking by me so i just said "hi, Mr. Kordeas", so nice, he says "Jimmy." He sat with me and we talked for a few, i tried not to get too star struck

[@thegameslave2]

Damn, hitting the ground running, right into the new year, CVV. In my early days of watching wrestling I remember a lot of matches with him as the ref. I appreciate the work all the refs put in. Good chat.

[@realsteel7260]

Great interview Chris! Glad he mentioned Eddie Guerrero, he reffed a lot of his matches!

[@gfear24]

It's not difficult to figure out who Jimmy was referring to when he was talking about certain refs going out of their way to be in the center of everything when they shouldn't be. Aubrey Edwards.

[@MyChannel-ol1zz]

I’d say Bryce too. But once you see it it’s hard to not notice.

[@joshbryan90]

He seems like the most chilled friendliest guy ever

[@MTSpade]

6:55 hopefully aubrey edwards listens to this

[@SnakeEyedBeast]

And at 21:42 she did exactly that a few times

[@gfear24]

@@SnakeEyedBeast the most famous one was the "slide in mean mug" with Jade Cargill and someone else. There's a reason why Mike Chioda quit AEW after just 3 matches. And it was a unprofessionalism of, not just the referees in AEW, but Tony not allowing the refs be refs.

[@TL2354]

@@gfear24 Mike told you this? What details can you tell us about his contract?

[@SnakeEyedBeast]

@@gfear24 that's the main one I immediately had in mind

[@wellsaid9589]

As always perfect content 🙏🏼 thank you. Happy new year 🎉

[@fameasser123]

For some reason, I thought that your name was Jim Acosta. So I had to look up "WWE referee Jim" just to learn your last name is, in fact Korderas, which led me to this video since it was the first result that popped up as my result. So that's why I am watching this and leaving a comment. Good job on this interview buddy.

[@joeking4014]

Refs deserve their recognition in the HOF Lil Naitch NEEDS to be in there

[@ChrisVanVliet]

100%!

[@musiccityracing]

Dude’s a genius for how he handled the Puder/Angle situation

[@alastair288]

This was fantastic, really interesting stuff

[@TyMarshall007]

Jimmy Korderas one of the best Refs in WWE. Happy new Year CVV great interveiw

[@ChrisVanVliet]

Happy new year!

[@TyMarshall007]

@@ChrisVanVliet happy new year CVV

[@hypnotics7886]

Point of correction, the match Jimmy describes when his tooth got chipped sounds like Savio Vega vs VADER on the Raw after Royal Rumble 1996. Bam Bam Bigelow had left by then and I don’t recall he and Savio Vega crossing many paths in 1995. Also, Savio appeared (as Savio) in April/May 1995 and Bam Bam left after Survivor Series 1995.

[@chasingspiritsuk]

When I was working the indy circuit as a referee for almost over 15 years, was and is one my hero's one reason I got into the industry

[@undertakerfanz628]

Great interview great questions

[@NOV123]

Dave Hebner, Jack Krueger, Jim Korderas, Tim White, and Joey Marella should all be in the HOF!

[@danielguerrerogonzalez4173]

He's very underrated he deserves a lot of more credit man seeing him now always gives me memories great interview by the way and I like to see he is healthy

[@flyntplatz3724]

What a GREAT interview!! I always loved watching Jimmy ref a match, and I miss seeing him on Aftermath. Thanks for another great interview, Chris. You should get Dylan Postl AKA Hornswoggle on here, I think that would be a great interview. Happy New Year to you and your wife.

[@ChrisVanVliet]

I had Dylan on a few year ago but we definitely need a new interview! Love that guy!

[@OhSoNasty]

@@ChrisVanVliet a new Dylan interview would be much appreciated 🙏

[@michaeltafoya9934]

There needs to be a dual interview that would be amazing, like triple h and this referee

[@UziBlancoOfficial]

Hell yeah!!! Imagine the story's they could get into from like both the refs and the bookers stand point of things ya know.. dope idea!!

[@CB394]

I was out of the loop wrestling wise when Owen died. My best friend told me what happened the next morning, she'd been watching the PPV the night before and she and I were both huge Owen Hart fans...

[@spaceman5843]

Love Jimmy on WINC ..IYKYK

[@tobiasfrost86]

Great job as usual chris

[@ChrisVanVliet]

Thanks again!

[@nenedurcal1991]

an interview with Tony Chimmel would be nice

[@NickzAndMikz]

He already did

[@ez3619]

Now we need Charles Robinson, so he can explain that epic ramp run at wrestlemania.

[@scubasteve5857]

He meant Vader not Bam Bam in the story about Savio and the head butt, not to be a know it all but I recall and went back to watch again. Jan 1996

[@spookerredmenace3950]

JIMMY!!! awesome! love his book! i miss him on aftermath on sportsnet

[@UziBlancoOfficial]

Not sure what its called medicly but I have the same thing Jimmy said he has, where as im listening to a song the words just come to me.. like even the 2nd time ive ever heard something, odds are i can sing it back to you.. may be why I do my own music.. 🤙🏼

[@Rude787]

1st of all RIP Owen 🙏 2nd happy new year to you both & 3rd Jimmy and many more should be in HOF … great interview god bless

[@HARAMBEAKAGEORGEFLOYD]

Owen Hart was supposed to have a documentary come out this year called Free Falling: The Owen Hart story, but it fell flat in front of test audience's and it was squashed 😂 😂

[@garyhen2028]

I remember jimmy k refereeing some of my early favorite matches, Hart foundation! Macho man matches, Andre the giant matches. Been into wrestling since 1988! Again I was 4yrs old lol

[@NOV123]

That’s when he was resembling Joey Marella back then

[@garyhen2028]

@@NOV123 who?

[@NOV123]

@@garyhen2028Referee, Joey Marella, Gorilla Monsoon’s son.

[@TonyStarks1986]

Nick Patrick is someone i would like to hear from also. I used to love the way he counted to three, a little flare to it. Great interview though. I watch Jimmy on Wrestling Inc, offers great perspective on matches nowadays.

[@pimpharold1]

the ebst heel refere

[@Colbythebest10]

You should interview Marc mero

[@davidworkman208]

Hey Chris realise this is a very random question but does Jim do acting work? I saw someone that looked like him on a couple of episodes Murder on CCTV and couldn't find it on his IMDB, thank you 😊

[@hypnotics7886]

Says a lot that at about @6:50 we ALL know who he’s referring to 🤣

[@MTSpade]

*cough aubrey cough*

[@clachapelle]

You should interview Charles Robinson next...

[@MrFlashpoint95]

Earl Hebner had a MASSIVE tell. Picked up on it a few years back. Don’t know if he’s retired or not 🤔

[@NickzAndMikz]

What was his? Didn't watch him much

[@garyhen2028]

Immediately clicked this Chris lol

[@ChrisVanVliet]

Hope you enjoyed it Gary!

[@robertmamea9916]

Honestly I liked Jimmy Konderas as a referee and was great with his spots and never complained about it. His refin' rant are so good on Instagram and the views on it are so true and on point.

[@nrood3821]

i agree about owen. he had such a personality. and he was just as good in wrestling as bret. but he also was good at high flying. so if he hadnt have died that day. he would have been a world champion. i so wish that day never happened how it did.

[@misterpinkandyellow74]

He would going top retire soon, so it wouldnt of happened. He wanted out of the wrestling business.

[@nrood3821]

@@misterpinkandyellow74 at least he would be still alive. and that would make me and everyone else happy.

[@HARAMBEAKAGEORGEFLOYD]

Owen Hart was supposed to have a documentary come out this year called Free Falling: The Owen Hart story, but it fell flat in front of test audience's and it was squashed 😂

[@nrood3821]

@@HARAMBEAKAGEORGEFLOYD thats not funny dumbass.

[@Eloh_Dragons]

Listen to Wrestling Inc if you want to hear Jim Corderas speak

[@FabianPyka]

gimme chimmel announcing and jimmy reffing edges last match when it does happen any damn day

[@fanaccount4scumoflspmmmfd976]

Can you interview action Bronson

[@CB394]

I haven't watched AEW or WWE since before Christmas. One of the reasons why is that the Network refused to work and I got rid of it. AEW isn't on at a time in my location that is suitable for someone like me to watch.

[@twistedtim21]

CVV with the Jean Jacket... VERY CANADIAN

[@ChrisVanVliet]

🇨🇦

[@ryman7884]

Great interview, disgusting amount of ads.

[@isaacisaacon9501]

WOW ... Nothing on the Daniel Puder and Angle spot ... smh

[@uc95nu51]

Real rasslin right here ahtelyah what

[@austin_316]

21:58 he literally described that female AEW referee LMAO 🤣🤣 the one that makes all the silly faces

[@senordd]

Bryce Remsburg is the one that grabs his chin like he’s the one who got hit.

[@CeemPlay]

Respect the stripes

[@fulljuggaloalbumz2691]

Toronto Ontario Canada WrestleMania x8

[@CB394]

There is NOTHING wrong with Nickelback. They're my second favourite band (Bon Jovi are my favourite)

[@jeffreymoralesmusica6714]

How are you

[@ChrisVanVliet]

Good, you?

[@senordd]

Bryce Remsburg is definitely the over selling ref he’s talking about

[@DonCena619]

Only ref that gets in the way consistently is Aubrey Edwards

[@pattaccone5347]

The Bella Twins are in the Hall of Fame 😂😂😂😂 These guys Definitely deserve it

[@Markleadguitar]

7:11 Aubrey Edwards lmao

[@BossFinale]

bieber and nikelback arent bad.

[@fulljuggaloalbumz2691]

Interview petty pump

[@billyrouse4813]

MJF, to me, is a second rate combination of Roddy Piper and Dusty Rhodes.

[@BeeBumper]

Named 2 of the worst acts to come out of Canada lol

[@blackraven85_1]

It's Aubrey Edwards. One of the worst referees in all of professional wrestling that always tries to become the center of attention

[@trustnoone3007]

Uh oh, it's the old man with a ☁️, who yaps too much.

[@Ralphunreal]

incel