Philadelphia, Pa – Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty was named as the special guest referee for the WWE Universal Championship match at Wrestlemania 40.
The bright orange creature will be donning the official’s uniform to enforce all the rules in the epic confrontation between Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns. While he is known for his hijinks and shenanigans at sporting events, this is not the first time Gritty has been involved with WWE. WWE officials were eager to get him involved with Wrestlemania and believe that he will bring a hometown edge to the main event.
Reactions from the participants were mixed.
“This is absolutely ridiculous!” bemoaned Roman Reigns’s wise man Paul Heyman. “How can we trust this…this…thing to be an impartial referee. I have written a strongly worded message to both Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis demanding they remove this shag carpet immediately.”
The challenger, Cody Rhodes, welcomed the inclusion of Gritty to the match.
“I’ve known Gritty for a long time,” Rhodes said after the announcement. “He is a creature of integrity and commands respect. I fully believe that he will call a fair match right down the middle, allowing me to beat Roman Reigns and finally finish my story.”
Rumors of the Phillie Phanatic serving as special ring enforcer have yet to be confirmed.