WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett recently criticized WWE’s handling of Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42, arguing that the celebrity involvement did nothing to help the Undisputed WWE Champion. The match featured Pat McAfee in Orton’s corner and Jelly Roll supporting Rhodes.
Jeff Jarrett Questions Celebrity Involvement
Speaking on his “My World” podcast, Jarrett questioned the value of having McAfee and Jelly Roll at ringside. He noted that both celebrities stayed out of the action for most of the match, serving primarily as cheerleaders.
“Jelly’s in Cody’s corner and McAfee’s in Randy’s corner, and for lack of a better word, they’re both incredibly big time cheerleaders throughout the match.”
“They stay out of the way, don’t get involved, let the guys fight, let the guys fight, let the guys fight, have some false finishes where it looks like Pat is almost going to get involved, but he doesn’t do that.”
Jarrett suggested the match would have worked better if the celebrities had been involved earlier and then cleared out.
“And then at the right time, all hell breaks lose, then you can do the table spot, clear the air, get everybody out of the way, and then let those two guys finish it.”
Match Structure Hurt Cody Rhodes
Despite ‘The American Nightmare’ retaining his championship at the Premium Live Event, Jarrett believes the match structure undermined the champion.
“I thought the way they started, it pulled the rug out from under Cody, no matter what. I just thought when you said ‘Let’s just get it out of the way,’ I think the audience will go ‘Okay, what?’”
The feud drew criticism from fans who felt WWE focused too heavily on McAfee and Jelly Roll rather than the history between Rhodes and Orton. What could have been a story built around their lengthy WWE careers together became centered on celebrity involvement.