For the first time in a legendary career, Jeff Jarrett stepped into the CMLL ring at the 93rd Aniversario event with Blue Panther on September 18, when the live audience at Arena Mexico was fired up for his appearance. Many fans online, however, didn’t feel the same way.
about the last episode of My World PodcastJarrett addressed this backlash as part of a larger discussion about his current place in the wrestling business.
“I pick my spots here and there,” said the WWE Hall of Famer. “I’m not just saying pickfest, but the CMLL show, there was a lot of hate on the internet. Well, the same thing they didn’t like that Tommaso dropped the elbow (in. Andrade pants at AEW WrestleDream). It’s not for everyone, but if you were at the CMLL anniversary show this year, it was me vs. the Blue Panther. Some people, I can never do anything for them to say. “Oh, you shouldn’t wrestle anymore, or be on a show like this again!” Well, I listen, and the crowd loved it. Let’s agree to disagree. I guess what I’m saying is, I pick my spots.”
At CMLL 93 Aniversario, the Blue Panther, the former CMLL World Middleweight Champion, defeated Jarrett in less than nine minutes. Elsewhere, CMLL World Heavyweight Champion Hechikero successfully defended his title against AEW’s Claudio Castagnolo and NJPW’s Zack Saber Jr.
For Jarrett, the event also marked his first televised match inside Arena Mexico, making him one of a select few to have performed at Arena Mexico, Madison Square Garden, Wembley Stadium and the Tokyo Dome. It also served as the stage for one of his few in-ring appearances in 2026, which he noted was intentional.
Jarrett “knows his role” in today’s wrestling landscape
“I’m not a weekly dynamite, bump or whatever type of guy, but in different spots, here and there, I know without a shadow of a doubt I can contribute and I can make the right short-term storyline to help elevate a guy if that’s what it takes,” Jarrett said. “I can do certain things whether I’m advertising against someone or with someone. With my verbal skills, my wisdom and my connection with the audience I can contribute to the development of the plot. So you have to pick your seats. But as far as contributing to overall product growth, I absolutely think I know my role…
Since joining AEW in 2022, Jarrett has balanced two distinct on-screen roles as in-ring talent and broadcaster. The latter role typically requires him to co-host AEW pay-per-view pre-shows such as; the WrestleDream Buy In:Alongside RJ City and Renee Paquette. The former has led to nearly four dozen matches between the 40-year veterans wrestling under the AEW banner thus far.
His last AEW in-ring appearance was on August 5 at the Grand Slam in Mexico, where he, Brillante Jr., Mascara Dorada, Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong defeated Nick Wayne, The Dogs (Clark Connors and David Finlay) and The Swirl (Blake Christian and Lee Jongson). towards. Prior to that, Jarrett had not wrestled in an AEW ring since January 2025.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “My World” with ah/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
