Backstage Details On Jeff Jarrett SummerSlam Appearance
A new report has offered some insight on the decision to make Jeff Jarrett the special guest referee for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Title match at SummerSlam.
On the July 15th edition of Friday Night SmackDown to the surprise of just about everyone, Adam Pearce announced that Jeff Jarrett will be appearing at SummerSlam. Not only that, Jarrett will be the special guest referee for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship match between The Usos and The Street Profits.
The move came as a surprise because the WWE Hall of Famer hasn’t been a regular feature on WWE television in a number of years, and has only recently re-joined the company in a backstage capacity. Jarrett returned to WWE in May to assume the role of Senior Vice President of Live Events.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer has now attempted to explain the thinking behind the decision. Meltzer commented that the booking is largely to do with the Jarrett family’s extensive history in the Nashville area.
“The deal is, it’s Nashville. From a national audience standpoint, whatever. But, it’s Jeff Jarrett, you know, again, the Jarrett family in Nashville goes back 55 years.” Meltzer added: “So it’s, you know, I mean, I can see for the Nashville market and he can go do promotion. They still got a lot of seats to fill. I get it, I definitely get it. I don’t know if this is just a one-timer or if they’re going to introduce him as a regular character, but I was very surprised when they announced Jeff Jarrett that he didn’t come out.”
At Money In The Bank, The Usos retained their Tag Team Titles against The Street Profits, but there was more than whiff of controversy about the end of the contest. During the decisive pin-fall Montez Ford’s shoulder wasn’t on the mat, meaning the match should have continued.
On the most recent episode of SmackDown, Jimmy Uso took on Angelo Dawkins in the main event, and this time it was Uso who was denied the win by a mistake from the official. After the match it was announced that Jarrett would be the fifth man in the ring at SummerSlam.
H/t to Ringside News