WWE Hall of Famer calls company out for selling out to shareholders: "Vince McMahon answered to the wrestling audience"

WWE has not exactly wowed critics in 2025. While the promotion continues to tout incredible attendance numbers and recently got an excellent multi-year deal with ESPN, the online reaction to storylines has been mixed at best. Well, according to one Hall of Famer, there's a reason for that.

Stephanie McMahon and Triple H have both appeared during the "Big 4" events in recent years to brag about the record attendance. Stephanie McMahon recently thanked the fans for their packed two-night SummerSlam. The promotion has also celebrated some incredible numbers, revenue-wise, quarter over quarter. But are they focused on the right people?

Speaking with Adventure Gamers, Jeff Jarrett spoke on his time with TNA, the most underrated wrestler going today (Kevin Knight), and more. When asked about the current landscape of WWE, Double J didn't hold back, claiming that Ari Emmanuel answers to stockholders, whereas Vince McMahon, for better or worse, listened to the fans.

"Ari Emmual is at the very top of TKO and he answers to Wall Street, Vince McMahon, obviously the founder, but also he was the final decision maker in that organisation. Believe it or not, people contrary to some people’s beliefs he answered to the wrestling audience, Ari answers to Wall Street. There’s a black and white difference, Ari’s gotta make Wall Street happy and the only thing that makes them happy is dollars and cents."

While it's debatable that Vince listened to the fans when looking over his final decade in charge, what can't be denied is the feelings of fans and critics regarding WWE right now.

Fans booed the ending to WWE Survivor Series

The ending to Survivor Series was...divisive, to say the least. In the final moments of the Men's Survivor Series Match, a masked man jumped into the cage and laid out CM Punk with a superkick and a Curb Stomp.

Whether it was CM Punk getting screwed again or the fact that a team loaded with Brock Lesnar, Drew McIntyre, and The Vision actually needed help, the finish left the San Diego fans furious. Several fans from inside the building posted clips of the crowd booing heavily as the show came to a close, especially when a match between Roman Reigns and Punk or Cody Rhodes (again) was teased.

ESPN's Andreas Hale recently criticized one of their shows, Wrestlepalooza, giving it a C grade, while it was also heavily bemoaned by fans. But if the shareholders are indeed happy, then, like Jeff Jarrett claims, that's all WWE is worried about. After all, WWE and ESPN both believe the relationship is strong.