All Elite Wrestling Senior Advisor and Commentator “Good Ole’ J.R.” Jim Ross recently took to his Grilling JR Podcast, where he discussed being let go by the WWE in the early 2000s. He was the voice of WWE Monday Night RAW for years through all the WWE’s success.
This is what Jim Ross said:
“I found out as the process went along but in the beginning, I didn’t know.” “I didn’t know that I was that ugly or that old. I’m not buying into that bullsh. Nobody ever told me, ‘JR you’re getting too old’. They’re making themselves vulnerable to an age discrimination lawsuit. It was just another bump in the road. I could’ve easily quit and say I’m not going to be in this wrestling business anymore, bullsh. Getting rid of JR as the voice of Raw after all the success and years of productivity that we had. And my loyalty meant sh**.”
JR then talked about former UFC Commentator Mike Goldberg being offered the job to replace him as the lead commentator of WWE Monday Night RAW.
People giving Goldberg advice that it would be a mistake to sign with the WWE, which is why Mike Goldberg turned the WWE down. When he turned them down JR got a phone call from the WWE, asking him “What are you doing Monday?”
This is what Jim Ross said:
“He turned them down.” “Which ironically got my phone ringing again. They wanted Goldberg for a big show in Dallas and he turned them down, so I got a phone call asking ‘What are you doing Monday?”
Jim Ross then talked about him and Jerry “The King” Lawler being a solid component on RAW and there being stability. The problem was Vince McMahon changing his mind about their team and it just being disrespectful.
This is what Jim Ross said:
“It was just disrespectful.” “Poor communication and too many sycophants surrounding the boss to change his mind about the team. JR and the [Jerry Lawler] King were the solid components always on RAW, there was stability there.”
JR then talked about when he and Jerry “The King” Lawler was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007 and that moment being a bittersweet year.
Ross also talked about his Hall of Fame induction being a way for him to say goodbye and the WWE’s plan to get rid of him before the end of the year despite the reaction and treatment he has gotten from the fans.
This is what Jim Ross said:
“2007 was a bittersweet year.” “My hall of fame induction was a way for me to say goodbye. Todd Grisham was promised my job that Fall. [He was] younger, he did Sportscenter, he’s exactly what they were looking for. He confided with me that it was uncomfortable for him cause we were working together on SmackDown. That was the plan, get rid of JR again before the end of the year.”
“The reaction I got in Chicago when I was announced I was going into the Hall of Fame blew [Vince] McMahon and Kevin Dunn away. They put the brakes on me being derailed. I knew it was inevitable and I knew it was coming. It’s going to happen, and it’s going to happen when Vince wants it to happen.”
JR then talked about it being so much fun getting Tony Schiavone back at the announce desk and working together with him. Jim Ross also talked about their broadcast team, which also includes Excalibur, being able to stand against anybody’s broadcast team in today’s game.
This is what Jim Ross said:
“It’s so much fun getting Tony back at the announce desk and working together with him.” “Excalibur compliments our older styles and our more traditional styles extremely well. I think our broadcast team will stand against anybody’s broadcast team in today’s game. Not knocking these guys, but we’re a new team. We got together in October, we’re still getting our rhythm and dance steps together.”
