Jeff Jarrett is standing by his decision to wrestle Blue Panther at CMLL’s 93rd Aniversario, even as the appearance sparked criticism from some fans online.
The WWE Hall of Famer made his first-ever appearance in a CMLL ring on September 18, stepping into Arena Mexico for a singles match against the lucha libre legend. Blue Panther won the contest in less than nine minutes, but Jarrett’s presence was one of the event’s more unusual talking points. The live crowd in Mexico City responded enthusiastically to the longtime American wrestling star, while reaction online was considerably more divided.
Speaking on My World, Jarrett addressed that disconnect while discussing the limited, intentional nature of his in-ring work at this stage of his career. The 59-year-old said he understands that not every appearance will appeal to every segment of the wrestling audience, but he puts significant value on the response from the people in the building.
“I pick my spots here and there,” Jarrett said. “I don’t just say pickfest, but the CMLL show, there was a lot of hate online. Well, same thing that they didn’t like Tommaso dropping the elbow [on Andrade’s pants at AEW WrestleDream]. It’s not for everybody, but if you were in the arena at the CMLL anniversary show this year, me against Blue Panther. Some people, there’s nothing I could ever do for them to say, ‘Oh, you should never wrestle again or you should never be on a show like that again.’ Well, I listen and the crowd liked that. Let’s agree to disagree. I guess what I’m saying is I pick my spots.”
For more background on this topic, read Anthony Bowens Reflects On Choosing AEW And Building The Acclaimed With Max Caster.
A Historic Arena Mexico Moment for Jarrett
Regardless of the debate surrounding the match, Jarrett’s appearance at 93 Aniversario was a notable milestone in a career that has now stretched across four decades. It was his first televised bout inside Arena Mexico, one of professional wrestling’s most revered buildings and the historic home of CMLL.
The match also placed Jarrett in an unusually exclusive group of wrestlers who have performed at Arena Mexico, Madison Square Garden, Wembley Stadium and the Tokyo Dome. Each venue represents a different pillar of the global wrestling landscape: Mexico’s traditional lucha libre cathedral, the iconic New York arena, Britain’s massive stadium spectacle and Japan’s premier major-event destination.
Jarrett’s opponent carried comparable historical significance in Mexican wrestling. Blue Panther is a veteran of CMLL and a former CMLL World Middleweight Champion, with a career defined by technical wrestling, mask-versus-mask rivalries and longstanding connections to multiple generations of lucha libre fans. The pairing was not built around a lengthy weekly storyline, but it gave CMLL’s anniversary card an intergenerational and international attraction.
For Jarrett, the key point was simple: the audience inside Arena Mexico embraced the moment. His comments suggest that he sees the live reaction as a more relevant measure of whether the attraction worked than the criticism that followed on social media.
That does not mean Jarrett argued that all criticism is invalid. Instead, he framed the response as a difference in taste. In an era when wrestlers and promotions receive immediate feedback across social platforms, Jarrett’s position was that some viewers will never be interested in seeing a veteran performer occupy a spot on a major card. He is comfortable accepting that response while maintaining that the in-arena reception justified the booking.
Blue Panther Defeated Jarrett at 93 Aniversario
Blue Panther emerged victorious over Jarrett in their September 18 match, ending the bout in under nine minutes. The result kept the focus on Blue Panther as the home-promotion legend while still allowing Jarrett’s debut in the building to function as a special attraction.
CMLL’s 93rd Aniversario event was built around major inter-promotional representation as well as its own core roster. In another significant contest, CMLL World Heavyweight Champion Hechicero retained his championship against AEW’s Claudio Castagnoli and NJPW’s Zack Sabre Jr. That title defense underlined the increasingly international nature of major CMLL cards, particularly with AEW and NJPW talent appearing in prominent situations.
Jarrett’s match fit within that broader environment, though it came with a different purpose. He was not presented as a full-time CMLL regular or as a central part of the promotion’s championship picture. Rather, it was a rare appearance by a veteran name whose career recognition extends well beyond any one promotion or territory.
That is also how Jarrett appears to view his current value in the business. He is not attempting to work a weekly schedule or portray himself as a wrestler who should consistently occupy the spotlight. Instead, he believes experience, promo ability and audience familiarity can still serve a productive role when used strategically.
Jarrett Says He Knows His Role in AEW
Since arriving in AEW in 2022, Jarrett has worked in multiple capacities. He has wrestled, appeared in storyline segments and served as a broadcaster, especially on pay-per-view pre-shows. He has regularly co-hosted AEW Buy In programming alongside Renee Paquette and RJ City, including the WrestleDream Buy In.
Jarrett said he does not see himself as a wrestler who needs to appear on every episode of Dynamite or Collision. Instead, he believes a veteran can be most useful by entering a story at the right time and helping to elevate another talent or add weight to a particular angle.
“I’m not a every week Dynamite, Collision guy or whatever, but in different spots here and there, I know without beyond a shadow of a doubt I can contribute and I can do a right short term storyline to help elevate a guy if that’s what is called to,” Jarrett said. “I can do certain things, whether I’m in a promo against someone or a line with someone. With my verbal skills and kind of wisdom and my connection with the audience, I can help contribute to a storyline. So you got to pick your spots. But as far as contributing to the overall growth of a product, I absolutely think that I know my role ... I’m not some main event guy that needs to be going every week at 59 years of age.”
That assessment reflects the balance Jarrett has maintained throughout his AEW tenure. He has wrestled nearly four dozen matches for the company, a substantial total for someone who is also used in broadcast roles and has deliberately scaled back his in-ring frequency. At the same time, the spacing between many of those matches shows that he is not being positioned as a weekly active competitor.
His most recent AEW in-ring appearance came at Grand Slam Mexico on August 5. In a dark tag team match, Jarrett teamed with Brillante Jr., Mascara Dorada, Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong to defeat Nick Wayne, The Dogs’ Clark Connors and David Finlay, and The Swirl’s Blake Christian and Lee Johnson.
Before Grand Slam Mexico, Jarrett had not wrestled in an AEW ring since January 2025. The gap reinforces his comments about choosing specific opportunities rather than maintaining the workload of a full-time weekly wrestler.
Selective Appearances Remain Jarrett’s Approach
Jarrett’s defense of the Blue Panther match was ultimately less about insisting that everyone enjoyed it and more about explaining why he accepted the opportunity. A first appearance at Arena Mexico, during CMLL’s landmark anniversary celebration, represented a rare addition to an already historic resume. It also gave the company an established international name while allowing Blue Panther to secure a victory on a major show.
For fans who prefer that major CMLL events focus exclusively on regular roster members or active lucha libre stars, Jarrett acknowledged that his involvement may not have been appealing. But his answer is that wrestling is designed for the crowd in the arena as much as it is for the online conversation afterward.
With Jarrett continuing to divide his time between occasional matches, on-screen contributions and broadcasting responsibilities, the CMLL appearance appears consistent with the role he has described for himself. He is not pursuing a return to a weekly main-event schedule. He is pursuing distinctive moments, short-term stories and appearances where his veteran presence can add something to the overall presentation.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.