On the latest episode of his “My World” podcast, Jarrett addressed the closing segment of the March Premium Live Event where Rhodes delivered his memorable response to The Final Boss.
The segment featured Rhodes being offered a chance to become a corporate champion by joining forces with The Rock. The American Nightmare defiantly refused, declaring his dedication to fans before directly telling The Rock to “go f*ck yourself.”
When asked about Rhodes’ choice of words, Jarrett expressed his disapproval of the explicit language.
Not needed. That’s my gut reaction. What’s the upside? What did you get out of it? It just wasn’t needed at all.
Despite Rhodes thinking he had made the right decision in that moment, The Rock ultimately had the last laugh when he signaled for what became one of the most shocking moments in WWE history – John Cena’s heel turn.
Jarrett also discussed the “Break-A-Wish” nickname that fans have given to Cena’s heel turn, referencing the Hollywood star’s long-time association with the Make-A-Wish charity.
It resonates. It’s certainly not, ‘Confuse them, you lose them’. It’s the opposite of that. Everybody understands that. Will it, in this politically charged environment… At the end of the day, it goes without saying, and I’ve said it a bunch on My World, yes, we’re pop culture, but people understand more now than ever that we’re theater. We really are Shakespeare to the masses.
The AEW star explained why he believes the nickname won’t cause significant backlash, given the evolution of fan understanding about professional wrestling.
I just don’t think there’s going to be the offense that there could have been even 2, 3, 4. 5, years ago. I just don’t think it’s going to happen today because of John Cena and his legitimate record of setting all the Make-A-Wish records and The Rock and the brand and WWE and the industry as a whole. We’re on seven nights a week, so we’re in people’s homes. People understand who and what we are.
The discussion comes as WWE continues to build toward the aftermath of Cena’s shocking betrayal, which has fundamentally altered the WrestleMania landscape heading into the event.
