Even before becoming a big name in country music, Jelly Roll overcame numerous hurdles like addiction, poverty, and incarceration. Although making bad decisions throughout his childhood, thanks to his wife, Bunnie Xo, and his children, the singer sought to make a change. And now, he is practically a household name. But among everything he overcame throughout his life, Jelly Roll constantly struggled with his weight. Tipping over 500 pounds on the scale, the hitmaker recently revealed how the WWE helped motivate him.
Videos by American Songwriter
While a country music singer, Jelly Roll’s stardom allowed him the opportunity to play a part in the world of WWE. Promoting names like John Cena, Randy Orton, and Dominik Mysterio, the singer found himself part of the action. But sadly, due to his weight, he could only do so much. “All I got to do was push Dominik Mysterio, but I wasn’t physically able to do much more.”
Taking part in WWE’s Unreal Series on Netflix, Jelly Roll recalled how he took part in SummerSlam 2024. “When I’m getting up from doing the five knuckle shuffle (John Cena’s trademark move), I’m hanging onto a rope, R-Truth’s got one arm, and Miz has got another arm, and at that moment, I realised I was so big, that it took two grown men to get me to stand up’”.
[RELATED: Jelly Roll Credits Weight Loss With Being a Better Father to His Kids]
WWE Helped Inspire Jelly Roll’s Weight Loss Journey
That exact moment changed Jelly Roll’s life. “I knew that if I didn’t do something, it was going to kill me, and I just remember leaving there and being like, ‘I will be back next summer a different f***ing human.’”
Staying motivated, Jelly Roll pushed himself to get healthy. As the weeks passed by, the pounds started to drop. And when it came time to weigh before SummerSlam, he rejoiced, “327 pounds, baby – 300 pounds, we’re gonna walk to that ring that night under 300 pounds. 300 pounds for the first time since I was probably… 14 years old’”.
Jelly Roll’s dedication went far beyond the gym. Executive Director of WWE Bruce Pritchard explained how he had to buy two houses. “Jelly Roll approached us, he fought to be a part of Summerslam. He moved, got a house – got two houses actually – in Orlando. One for him, and then one for his crew, so that when he finished working out, he went and wrote songs at night, ’cause that’s his job.’”
What started as a wake-up call during SummerSlam turned into a life-changing commitment, pushing Jelly Roll to prioritize his health in a way he never had before. And if he makes that walk back to a WWE ring, it won’t just be as a performer, but as a symbol of how far he’s come.
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.