Jim Ross Foreshadowed His Own Fate

Jim Ross was either drunk at the 2K Sports symposium and/or foreshadowed his future when he made this comment during the panel:

“This is real. This is reality television at its best. I’ve lost complete control of my job. I’m sure I’ll never be asked back, and this has probably destroyed what career I have left.”

I'm not sure why everyone is surprised that Ross has been released. Paul Levesque and Stephanie McMahon will be taking over the WWE someday. Levesque is already responsible for most of the day-to-day operations and has been putting his own staff in place. I think Ross was let go because he no longer filled a need, and the debacle at SummerSlam gave them a reason. I also don't believe that he wasn't drunk. The writing was on the wall when the EVP of Creative, Stephanie McMahon had to apologize on behalf of the WWE.

Jim Ross Blogs On His Retirement From WWE, Talks About Writing A Book And More

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has published a new blog entry on jrsbarbq.com discussion his retirement. Here is part of what he wrote:

"It's been quite a day. September 11, 2013 was my last day in WWE.

Its hard to believe that It was over 20 years ago when I debuted in WWE at WM9 & my first ever WWE assignment was doing play by play w/ the great, Bobby Heenan and the unpredictable Macho Man Randy Savage.

Time flies when one is enjoying one's dream job. Heck, it only took me 19 years to make it to the NFL of sports entertainment. Overnight sensation, right?

So, at the age if 61 it's time to close this chapter of my life and begin exploring new, adventures while my health is great. I wouldn't have changed a thing in WWE except I wish that I'd been able to avoid some health issues along the way. That was the hand that I was dealt and I simply refused to fold it. Other than health issues my 'run' in WWE has exceeded my wildest dreams. I was fortunate enough to have a key role in arguably one of the most interesting and compelling eras in our business's history.

Hmmmm....perhaps a book is in order some day. Time will tell. Now I actually have the time to write the autobiography many have asked about over the years. For the record, I'm not purchasing a rocking chair so I'm not "going away." I have many interests & I plan on exploring them all."

Rumor Mill - JR/WWE Update: Ross Said to Have Been "Let Go," "Retirement" Excuse Said to be a PR Move, What Really Caused Ross' Departure

Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer just released a breaking audio update, and has provided even more information on the developing story of Jim Ross announcing his retirement from WWE.

According to Meltzer, JR met with Vince McMahon in Connecticut last night, and all but a handful of Vince's inner circle had any idea why the meeting was taking place.

The reason why Jim Ross was let go from WWE was due to his inability to control Ric Flair at the WWE 2K Sports panel that took place the night before SummerSlam. As we noted earlier, there was talk of letting JR go "the minute the panel ended," as WWE felt he should have cut Flair off and regained control of the event.

Meltzer further noted that the part of the panel that drew the most heat for Flair was when he made mention of his son Reid's death and when he joked that John Cena never used to drink before they met but now he downs a six pack of beer every night.

The update went on to note that WWE is using the "retirement" excuse as a PR move to avoid major uproar over the firing of a beloved WWE talent and Hall of Famer. Meltzer stands by his belief that Ross was let go entirely due to the 2K Sports panel because just a couple weeks ago during his Q&A session in The UK, Ross said he had no plans to retire from WWE.

Another interesting note is that aside from Vince McMahon, Triple H and a couple other employees mentioning it on Twitter, no WWE wrestlers have commented on the news of JR retiring.

Rumor Mill - Possible Reason For Jim Ross' Retirement From WWE

As previously reported, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has announced that he is retiring from WWE effective immediately.

In an update to this story, The Wrestling Observer reports that WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon "had a role" in Ross's departure from the company. The website states that the two men met on Wednesday to discuss Ross's future with WWE, a conversation which led to Ross deciding to retire.

Word is that the "unruly behavior" of Ric Flair at the WWE 2K14 panel, which took place at last month's SummerSlam Axxess, was a factor in Ross's decision to retire, as WWE management felt that as the host of the event, Ross should have cut Flair off after he went off-script and made "several controversial remarks" not only in front of WWE executives, but also in front of executives representing 2K Sports.

source: wrestling observer

Vince McMahon & Triple H Offer Words Of Thanks To Jim Ross

WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon and WWE COO Triple H have taken to their respective Twitter pages to offer words of thanks to WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross, who as you may already know has announced his retirement from WWE.

Vince McMahon: “Thank you @JRsBBQ for 20 years of service with @WWE.”

Triple H: “Can’t thank you enough @JRsBBQ for all you’ve done for me personally and for @WWE … Enjoy your time, you’ve earned it!!! #thankyouJR”

Jim Ross to Retire

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross announced that he is retiring from WWE today, after 20 years of service, to focus on his personal business endeavors.

Jim has had a long and storied career at WWE, both on the corporate staff as well as his television persona, calling some of the most memorable matches in WWE history as the voice of Monday Night Raw and SmackDown for more than two decades. He made his debut with WWE at WrestleMania IX in 1993 and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007 by his long-time friend “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

Jim has made many contributions to WWE and the sports-entertainment industry, and we thank him for his many years of service and wish him well.

source: wwe.com

The Ric Flair Weekend Follies, Jim Ross Caught in the Fallout

For those that missed it yesterday, Ric Flair had quite a weekend at the Symposium for the new WWE video game (you can find a video of the entire conference on the site). In a nutshell, Flair was feeling no pain and basically hijacked the show about half way in. WWE management was said to be really angry at Flair's behavior, pulling him from any more activity after the panel ended. The word I have received was that the video game company didn't really have any problems with how the panel went, but to be fair their interests overall are different than WWE's. A lot of the things that Flair said aren't in line with the mores of a family-friendly company.

Some sites apparently reported that Jim Ross, who hosted the event, was drunk at the panel symposium as well. Ross stated on his Twitter that he was not and if you watch the video, I think it would be a stretch for anyone to think that he was. On his Twitter he mentioned that any slurring in his voice was related to his Bells Palsy condition. As I mentioned yesterday he was certainly acerbic and brutally honest at times, but that doesn't equate to drunk. I found him to be very entertaining. Flair was too, but for a much different reason.

source: pwinsider.com

WWE Event Sponsored By Grey Goose?

The big story this morning stems from the video that we posted earlier today. Suffice it to say, WWE management is said to be really unhappy with how the WWE 2K14 panel "discussion" went last night. In case you missed it, Ric Flair was completely off the rails. Jim Ross, who was hosting, also appeared to be feeling no pain. In fact at a few points in the presentation JR even made a few references that the event was being sponsored by Grey Goose, which of course is high end vodka. To me, the best part of the presentation was when Paul Heyman got up and ripped up Jim Ross' script as it became obvious by that point that the thing had become a train wreck.

The ironic thing about Flair's behavior last night is that there has been a lot of talk about the company bringing him in as someone of a WWE Ambassador. If last night was a tryout for that spot, Flair has a lot of work to do. Seriously, WWE can't send him out to promote of TV PG product if that is the way he is going to conduct himself.

source: pwinsider.com

Controversial 2K WWE Legends Panel Featuring Ric Flair, Jim Ross, Steve Austin, Ziggler, Foley & More

Twitch.TV has posted a 75 minute video of the WWE 2K14 30 Years of WrestleMania Symposium that needs to be seen to be believed. Jim Ross hosted the event and, let's just say that he was in a condition where he was very acerbic and quite honest. Perhaps it was due to the "Snapple" he was drinking.

The panel consisted of Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio, Mick Foley, Paul Heyman, Steve Austin and Ric Flair.

Flair was also in, uh, rare form, going down some roads that WWE probably wish would have stayed unpaved, so to speak. Things really get wild around the 38 minute mark.

You can watch the video, which is really unreal, at this link.

WrestleZone has learned that Ric Flair was pulled from last night's 2K Sports Legends panel, and it appears as though WWE sent Jerry Lawler to the event to replace Flair in talking to the media. According to a backstage source in WWE, WWE Executives Jane Geddes and Mark Carrano were summoned by TV exec Lisa Lee to the event to remove Ric Flair from the stage while the event was still ongoing. Lisa Lee apparently was shooting the event on her cell phone and notifying WWE management of the fact Flair appeared to be intoxicated. WWE is said to be furious about the public display by Flair, who has been negotiating to be the good will ambassador for the company.

Flair was said to be “out of control, profane and a total wreck.”

We can also exclusively confirm Stephanie McMahon LeVesque personally came to the event, and was whisked in by her own personal security staff to apologize to 2K Sports on behalf of WWE.

WrestleZone has been told WWE is furious with Flair, and also at host Jim Ross for losing control of the situation.

source: wrestlezone.com & pwinsider.com

Rumor Mill - Triple H Berates WWE Talent In Backstage “Team Meeting” Warning Against Twitter

Triple H held a “team meeting” at last week’s WWE NXT tapings from the campus of Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. Hunter basically “berated” a lot of the developmental talent, telling them if they didn’t want to be there they could leave and would be granted their release. Apparently this drew a lot of confusion amongst talent as morale had been “pretty good” lately and Hunter’s speech seemed to have come out of nowhere.

Triple H also told talent that some more releases could be on the horizon and anyone that bad mouthed the company on Twitter after being released would never be brought back. He talked specifically about guys getting let go on good terms only to return later. Hunter stressed the importance of staying on good terms with WWE, even if you end up losing your developmental deal.

Side Note: Triple H’s meeting seems to be a reaction to Derek Foore (f/k/a Chad Baxter), who is threatening to sell a copy of his contract and has made other claims against management.

It also might have something to do with this Twitter post from J.R.:

Jim Ross ‏@JRsBBQ 20 Jun

@WWENXT will be on USA TV in the future. When? Where? I don't know but it will happen.

He has since deleted it.

source: wnw premium news

Jim Ross Blogs On WWE Performance Center Opening

"The new, WWE Performance Center will officially open on Thursday July 11 which is also the next time we tape NXT at Full Sail. This grand opening is not open to the public and will be via invitation only to the media and a variety of WWE business partners, etc.

"The Performance Center begins a new era in the development of WWE talents that is truly exciting. I went through the facility again last week and it is amazing. There is not a NFL training facility that exceeds what WWE has done with this facility. With that said, the training of these future WWE Superstars will be amped up and the expectations raised not only for the athletes but for the coaches as well."

Jim Ross Explains Why Some Talents Are Not Pushed In WWE

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross recently talked with Hooked on Wrestling and explained what goes into giving some talents a push while others may not receive a push:

“I’m not going to start naming names of guys that have had issues telling the time, committing or paying attention,” Ross said. “But the company have to invest in guys that are reliable. Reliability comes in many forms, shades and colours that the average fan is not aware of.mIt’s not that the company are trying to hold someone back or keep someone down. That’s totally counter-productive. No businessman of any intellect is going to do that in any business. No matter what I say or you say, there will still be some people who still say ‘I still think so-and-so should be pushed’. That’s great. That’s your right to say it. But don’t live and die by it and let it upset your day. If it is meant to happen, it will happen.

“Look at The Shield. They are three guys that came in and they were prepared. They had no issue in developmental. They were very professional in all aspects in their preparation. They earned the opportunity for the ‘push’ that they are getting. They covered all the bases. The results are three guys getting quality minutes on television and maximising those minutes very well. They are starting to get over.

"If WWE didn’t want a guy to get over and didn’t want to use him, guess what they would do? They would release him. It’s simple. In the corporate world, you get job reviews for every job you do. If you are really successful, you get a promotion or a raise. You advance up the ladder to a new payscale and now the task in hand is to do that job very well and be successful. You don’t get into one role where you say, ‘I’m not going to work hard at this job because I don’t really like it. I’ll just wait for my promotion’.

“I’ve had wrestlers that I’ve watched their matches and Vince [McMahon] and I would brainstorm and say, ‘You know, so-and-so doesn’t look like his heart is in it, we need to have a little visit with him to see what’s wrong’. He might be hurt, he might have issues at home. I’ve had guys that have literally said to me, ‘Well I haven’t really been putting out a great effort. I’m waiting for my push’. So when you get your push, then we’ll get your great effort? I say, ‘Well, I think you’ve got it backwards. We need to see the difference now so that you earn your push’. It’s funny that you have grown adults, professionals, that have a chance to make an amazing amount of money for something they allegedly love to do, and they have that attitude. It makes no sense.”

WWE Trying Out Mainstream Athletes

Jim Ross is at WWE Developmental this weekend for tryouts. He responded to a couple of Twitter followers regarding the tryouts, stating that females will not be participating in this particular camp. Rather, he said "15-20 men from mainstream sports world" would be trying out.

Jim Ross Comments on The Wyatt Family & NXT

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog. Check out some of the highlights below:

Bray Wyatt & Family: "The Bray Wyatt Family vignette was spot on and after seeing them perform as much as I have in NXT I can attest that they will, without question, contribute positively to WWE once they arrive on RAW and/or Smackdown. Wyatt has success and athleticism in his blood and has that rare, second gear that most big men do not possess. I can't stress how important that is. Luke Harper and Erick Rowan are big, rugged dudes who, at times, remind me of a young Mick Foley or Bruiser Brody inasmuch as they are 'brawlers' who move well for being such big men."

Former NXT Stars Stepping Up In WWE: "NXT is doing its work as many new faces from developmental are beginning to to occupy key, roster spots on RAW and Smackdown. Some incumbent talents on the main roster who are 'peculating' might want to glance over their shoulder. More, outstanding NXT prospects are pushing to be "next" on the call up list. Competition is on going and good for all. It will take time for all the 'new' to be facilitated which means that it will take patience of which many fans and some talents don't have in an abundance. I see much of 1013 being a 'transition year,' of sort, which means fresh, new, and exciting times on WWE TV programming."

You can read the full blog here.

Jim Ross comments on meeting with the NFLPA on behalf of WWE

"I flew to Washington , D.C. Tuesday evening and met with the NFLPA on Wednesday morning. It was a productive meeting as the NFLPA group is in contact with literally hundreds of high level athletes who become detached from the NFL and are looking for their next career opportunity. Obviously, not every former football player will fit into WWE Developmental but some will and those that do have a chance to use their God given athleticism and their extroverted personalities to fit into the system and hopefully become WWE stars some day... Time will tell how this potential arrangement works out for all involved but WWE will continue to look far and wide for potential WWE talents including other sports groups and organizations worldwide, the independent wrestling circuit, and beyond."

HBK Honored In Salt Lake City

Jim Ross came out and gave a speech honoring Shawn Michaels, followed by a video package. Michaels then came out and was presented a plaque from Valley City Mayor Mike Winder. Antonio Cesaro interrupted and said Michaels doesn’t deserve the honor, he does. JR grabbed the plaque from him and when Cesaro was getting ready to attack, HBK hit him with Sweet Chin Music.

Jim Ross Meeting with NFLPA Officials About WWE Relationship

Representing WWE, Jim Ross will be meeting with officials from the NFL Players Association in Washington, DC. Ross is looking to develop a working relationship that could see the NFLPA send players whose football aspirations have ended to WWE for tryouts. Ross told Alex Marvez and Jim Miller on their SiriusXM NFL Radio show Tuesday night:

"Everybody doesn’t make the 53-man roster. Some guys are going to be looking for work, and we’ve got some job openings. Maybe we can put the synergies of those two entities together and create something wonderful some day."

WWE may come calling for players who get cut from the NFL

Talent Evaluation with Jim Ross and Gerald Brisco on 7/12

The following press release has been issued:

Talent Evaluation with Gerald Brisco and Jim Ross July 12th

For the third straight year, Gerald Brisco and Jim Ross will be evaluating professional wrestlers during this year’s George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame weekend in Waterloo, Iowa. The event will be held at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center on Friday, July 12 starting at noon. Last year’s event saw wrestlers from across the country get in the ring in hopes of getting to the next level.

The format for the evaluation is that each wrestler will wrestle a full match with introduction. After all matches are completed, Brisco and any special guests in attendance will take time to talk to the group. Also, a wrestler that shows promise may be asked to take part in the Impact Pro Wrestling show taking place Friday night. Last year’s event was evaluated by Gerald Brisco and Jim Ross. Danny Hodge was a special guest at ringside.

Brisco has been involved with professional wrestling for over 40 years and is currently a WWE talent scout. In addition to Brisco and Ross, several Midwest wrestling promoters will on hand to look for talent for their own promotions.

Registration begins today and the cost of the evaluation is $200.00. All proceeds will go to benefit the Dan Gable Museum and the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. In order to be considered, you will have to send a resume including a picture and the following information: Height, Age, name of trainer, and brief list of career highlights to WRESSHOW@YAHOO.COM . The evaluation is open to both men and women.

Jim Ross Comments on Triple H, Brock Lesnar, and Paul Heyman

"Paul Heyman took almost an inhumane, physical beating from HHH before The Game signed his name to a contract that says The Game is done as an active wrestler if he doesn't beat Brock Lesnar on April 7. I know that HHH would rather wrestle than sit in business meetings even though his long term future as WWE COO is well established. Men like HHH want to end their run on their terms and not the terms of people like Heyman and Lesnar. However, HHH could be facing the same fate as his friends Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels who both ended their in ring careers in WWE at WrestleMania events."

Rumor Mill - NXT Returning to U.S. TV?

Following Thursday's NXT TV tapings at Full Sail University in Florida, WWE announcer Jim Ross dropped a hint on Twitter that NXT could be returning to U.S. television.

When asked by a Twitter follower if NXT will return to television, Ross said, "It's in the works." Ross did not provide further details.