Jeff Jarrett has pushed back on the criticism aimed at CM Punk’s top-rope moonsault from SummerSlam, arguing the wrestling audience misread a deliberate Terry Funk homage as a blown move.
Speaking with co-host Conrad Thompson on the latest episode of My World, the WWE Hall of Famer took direct aim at the word that has followed the spot around all week.
The term ‘botch’… I saw the moonsault and that is where, God bless wrestling fans, you know how, Conrad, we say ‘ah, we just want to believe’ and as a fan, okay,” Jarrett said. “I think there are certain wrestling fans and I’m here for it, keep watching, keep criticizing, keep commenting, keep doing what you want to do, it’s the business.
From there he drew a line between fans who enjoy the argument and fans who treat their own read as gospel.
But I think there’s a section of fans that want to believe that they know what they’re talking about and that they would never ever ever believe… Punk’s moonsault, that’s exactly how he wanted to do it and how you laid out. It was a Funk or it was his version.
Jarrett’s point was that a clean version would have defeated the purpose entirely.
Like if Punk hit this textbook gymnastic moonsault… nobody expects that. Nobody wants [that].
He went on to compare pro wrestling to a live performance rather than a controlled ballet, arguing that demanding flawless execution on every move misses what the form is actually built on.
Punk Already Said The Same Thing
The defense lines up with what the champion told ESPN’s SportsCenter after the show. Asked about the moonsault, Punk credited the spot to Terry Funk and shrugged off the reaction, saying he could take it either way and that there were a lot of homages on the night.
Not everyone bought it. Bryan Alvarez was heavily critical of the bout on Wrestling Observer Live, calling the match “very bad” and relaying the nickname making the rounds online, that CM now stands for “Cannot Moonsault.”
Punk retained the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes on August 1 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, though not cleanly. Randy Orton returned to hit Rhodes with an RKO, leaving Punk to land the GTS and walk out of Night One still champion.
Nick Aldis Was Jarrett’s Story Of The Weekend
Jarrett singled out Gunther against Nick Aldis as his favorite piece of storytelling across the two nights, praising how the emotional beats were executed.
He agreed Gunther was the right man to go over, but said Aldis “more than answered the call” by stepping back through the ropes after three years away from competition. Aldis stepped aside from his SmackDown general manager duties for the match, his first in a WWE ring, and tapped to a sleeper hold with his wife Mickie James and their son at ringside.
Where Jarrett Landed On The Rest Of The Card
On Oba Femi’s Hell in a Cell win over Brock Lesnar, Jarrett described WWE’s handling of the rising star as measured and smart. He acknowledged the size of the victory but stopped short of declaring Femi a finished main event act on the strength of one night.
Chad Gable’s Intercontinental Championship win over Penta drew a warmer response. Jarrett called it a feel-good homecoming story and thought the storytelling landed, though he felt the Mug Root Beer sponsor integration, the post-match celebration with the product, wasn’t given enough room to breathe before the show moved on. Gable won the title in his native Minnesota and celebrated in the ring with his family.
Jarrett also had praise for the man closing the weekend, conceding he has been critical of Roman Reigns in the past before calling the Night Two main event a “really great” match. His argument was that Reigns delivers in the biggest spots no matter how his booking is received. Reigns retained the World Heavyweight Championship against Seth Rollins to end the weekend.
Kevin Owens is next in line for Punk’s title after winning a fatal four-way on Night Two.
