Jeff Jarrett Calls Out WWE for Prioritizing Wall Street Over Fans

Jeff Jarrett is sounding off — and he’s not pulling any punches when it comes to WWE’s new corporate direction under TKO and CEO Ari Emanuel.

Speaking with Adventure Gamers, the wrestling legend made it clear he thinks WWE has changed — and not for the better. Jarrett believes that since the TKO merger, the company has shifted its focus from fans to shareholders, and it’s showing in every aspect of how the product is run.

“There has been a paradigm shift in the way they do things. Ari Emanuel is at the very top of TKO and he answers to Wall Street,” Jarrett said. “Vince McMahon… he was the final decision maker in that organisation. Believe it or not, contrary to some people’s beliefs, he answered to the wrestling audience. Ari answers to Wall Street.”

Jarrett, who’s never been shy with his opinions, pointed out the difference in leadership styles, calling it a total change from how WWE operated under Vince McMahon’s rule. Under TKO, what matters is making Wall Street happy more than anything else.

“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.”

This comes after we reported that fans are literally paying the price. According to Wrestlenomics, WWE ticket prices for RAW and SmackDown have surged by 60% from 2024 to 2025 — the biggest jump in years. And it’s not because of inflation. The report, based on Pollstar data, points to WWE cutting back on domestic house shows and TV tapings, creating fewer chances for fans to attend live events, and driving prices way up.

With WWE now deep into corporate territory under the TKO banner, Jarrett thinks this is just the beginning of a shift that puts Wall Street over wrestling fans — a move that could change the soul of WWE if it continues. Whether you agree or not, Jeff Jarrett is voicing something a lot of fans have been whispering: WWE just doesn’t feel the same.