Jelly Roll's WWE SummerSlam Debut Features Planned Loss Supporting Wrestling Tradition

Country music star Jelly Roll made his WWE in-ring debut at SummerSlam 2025, teaming with Randy Orton against Logan Paul and Drew McIntyre, where he personally insisted on losing the match. Originally, WWE planned for Jelly Roll and Orton to win, but Jelly Roll argued that no celebrity should pin a full-time wrestler in their first outing without extraordinary circumstances, a viewpoint he successfully communicated to WWE CCO Paul "Triple H" Levesque on the day of the event. Jelly Roll believed losing would be more believable and set up potential future storylines, adding respect for the wrestling business as a core value in his pitch. He also shared experiences preparing for the match, including rehearsing moves with Austin Theory and receiving encouragement from The Rock, who offered his support. Triple H reportedly related a similar instance where Floyd Mayweather wanted to lose a match, illustrating the respect Jelly Roll's approach garnered. Overall, Jelly Roll's thoughtful approach to his WWE debut emphasized respect for the sport and strategic storytelling possibilities.