I’m of the opinion that when Jim Ross speaks it is usually worth listening to. His wealth of experience leads to fascinating stories on his podcast and if you are a listener of Grilling Jr you will be aware that he knows the business of professional wrestling inside out.
During his time as a commentator, he has overseen many aspects of the business, and as you might imagine there are not many things in wrestling that he will have no opinion on.
He clearly wants AEW to succeed and if he sees that something can be improved he is not the type of man to shy away from giving his own opinion. In a recent interview with wrestling observer radio, he revealed that he has spoken to the talent of AEW about selling.
He specifically talked about a conversation he had with top-flight where they let him knew that they understood the situation and were looking to make as many improvements as possible.
“So, I’m really excited about where we’re headed and where we’re going. I like the youth, I’m trying to learn things. The new techniques and styles and things. I’m still a big believer in selling and if there’s one thing that I think, in my opinion — not endorsed by the company, in my opinion, the one thing we can all do better sells and it’s that simple, how you sell.”
“You know, I talked to those two kids, Top Flight, and they’re like, ‘Well we watched Ricky Morton sell.’ I said, ‘that’s beautiful! Watch how he sells at different levels and at different times and you’re in the money!’ But, you’re never going to be 6-foot-three, 300 pounds. Utilize your time and sell to your advantage in that respect, and they got it. Selling’s not a sign of weakness. Selling is a sign of a great worker. Don’t you want to be known as a great worker? Of course! Then sell! Learn how to sell. Learn when to sell. So, I’m really having the time of my life, to be honest with you.”
Selling is a crucial aspect of wrestling. If done badly it can take you out of the moment and have a substantial impact on how you view the match. The quality of selling can also change the impact a body has to go through during a tough career. Jim Ross has seen 1000’s wrestlers come and go so people who decide to not at least take on some of his advice are foolish in my opinion.
