Backstage News On Whether WWE Referee Rod Zapata Has Heat Following Money In The Bank

While the big talking point coming out of Money In The Bank was John Cena’s retirement announcement, a very close second was Damian Priest’s failure to kick out during his match with Seth Rollins. And while Triple H would comment on this botch during the post-show press conference by saying, “ Mistakes happen,” whether referee Rod Zapata had heat for stopping the count remained unknown. However, insider X account @WrestleVotes has now confirmed that there was no heat on Zapata, although it was noted that there would have been in the past.

WWE’s protocol is that referees should call matches like a shoot and count the pin if the shoulders are down on three, regardless of how big the bout is. Yet given the stipulation was that had Rollins won, Priest would have to leave Judgment Day, it’s understandable why Zapata had second thoughts. Still, considering he was the referee that Vince McMahon heavily fined for counting the three when Ronda Rousey’s shoulders clearly weren’t down in the main event of WrestleMania 35, it was a risky decision to make.