Real Reason Behind Randy Orton and Jelly Roll Losing at SummerSlam — "He Wanted to Get Beat!"
At WWE SummerSlam 2025, it wasn’t just about titles, returns, or jaw-dropping moments. For major crossover star Jelly Roll, it was about respect — to the fans, the wrestlers, and the art of the business. How many times have we seen crossover celebrities come into professional wrestling and get a win they had no right to have? Countless. That is exactly why Jelly Roll pushed for "what's best for business" and took the loss, and we aren't the only ones who think this way—wrestling legend Dutch Mantell stated "he wanted to lose". That’s rare. And it says everything about his heart for wrestling. Jelly Roll didn’t just step into the ring for the spotlight — he stepped in with humility.
When Jelly Roll walked down the aisle at SummerSlam Night One, flanked by Randy Orton and surrounded by over 50,000 roaring fans at MetLife Stadium, you could feel it — he wasn’t just there to perform. He was there to honor the industry.
The Grammy-nominated country-rap superstar teamed up with “The Viper” to take on Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul in one of the most buzzworthy celebrity tag matches in recent WWE memory. While the crowd loved every second of it — from Jelly’s surprising in-ring confidence to his intense standoff with McIntyre — it was the final moment that said the most.
He lost. Clean. And he was happy about it.
That’s according to Dutch Mantell, who revealed on Sportskeeda’s WrestleBinge UnSKripted that Jelly Roll personally wanted to take the pinfall — out of respect.
“I think, when they gave him the finish, he was relieved because he wanted to get beat,” Mantell explained. “Because even his own friends would look at him and say, ‘No, you didn’t beat Logan Paul and Drew McIntyre.’ They’d believe they (Logan and Drew) would beat him. So I think he said this is the best thing to do. And he is not selfish, I will say that for him.”
— Dutch Mantell (UnSKripted, 37:05 onward)
That selfless move sent a powerful message to the entire backstage. Jelly Roll, a lifelong fan of pro wrestling, wasn’t trying to get a viral moment or stroke his ego, which he could have easily done. He was trying to put the business first. And in doing so, he earned the kind of respect that no amount of Grammy awards or sold-out concerts could buy — the respect of the boys and girls in the back.
🗣️ Wrestling.news | Backstage Take
In a time when celebrity involvement in wrestling can feel like a gimmick grab, Jelly Roll stood out for all the right reasons. He didn’t politic for a win. He didn’t treat it like a comedy skit. He got physical, took bumps, and put over two of WWE’s most athletic stars clean in the middle of the ring. That’s not just admirable — that’s old-school. The locker room sees that. And fans feel it too. Expect to see Jelly Roll back — not because he demanded it, but because he earned it.
