Backstage Update On WWE Creative For Jelly Roll's SummerSlam 2025 Match

Rap/country artist Jelly Roll made his in-ring debut at WWE SummerSlam earlier this month, teaming with Randy Orton in a losing effort against Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul. In the days after the bout, it was widely reported that Jelly Roll and Orton were initially supposed to win, but Jelly Roll convinced Paul "Triple H" Levesque that he, as a celebrity guest star, should lose instead.

Speaking on "Wrestling Observer Radio," Dave Meltzer cast doubt on this version of events. While Jelly Roll might be under the impression he was booked to win, Meltzer believes there's virtually no chance that Levesque would've had Paul lose ahead of his planned match against John Cena at WWE Clash in Paris. Meltzer even suggested that Levesque pulled a move inspired by Vince McMahon by getting Jelly Roll to volunteer to lose.

"If you knew what the next card was, the only possible finish is Logan Paul has to pin Jelly Roll," Meltzer said. "That's all. That's the only finish. So [Jelly Roll] thinks that he was gonna win, but he suggested losing and they did it because he suggested it. And I really had to admire Triple H, because that's Vince stuff, where the key is that you ... explain to the guy how losing is better than winning, even though it's not. But you explain to him that it is, so he suggests, 'Well, then, I just think I should lose,' and you get exactly what you want."

Paul's match against Cena was set up on Friday's "WWE SmackDown," with the two battling on the mic following Cena's recent return to being a babyface. Clash in Paris is scheduled for August 31, and the only other match announced for that event right now is a Women's World Championship defense.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Wrestling Observer Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.