*Official Jim Ross Blog Thread*

Sun, 06/23/2013 - 10:35am — J.R.
Posted in:Wrestling
Great Sunday here in Norman, Oklahoma after a busy week for yours truly that included trips to Orlando/Winter Park Florida and then spending Saturday in Stillwater, Oklahoma. More on both in this blog. Let's Grill....

My observation, in general, on the NXT taping Thursday night at Full Sail University was that the four, one hour programs were as solid and as full of energy as any we've done in the ever growing developmental program.

The taping started at 6:30 P.M. and ended just before 10 P.M. local time which was efficient and kept the capacity crowd engaged throughout the evening.

Lots of talents continue to develop in NXT and many have, seemingly, a date with the WWE main roster in their future at some point in time. Continued hard work in the effort to improve one's game and making the right decisions both in and out of the ring are imperative for those dreams to be facilitated.

Lazy, immature, overly insecure, problem children need not apply.

I like the duo of Adrian Neville and Cory Graves as they have the potential to compliment each other well and to grow as a team for as long as they are together. The new Ascension duo also has potential.

Bo Dallas and Leo Kruger both had solid nights, among several others,Thursday evening as I don't recall seeing any bouts that were cringe worthy.

Arguably, the 'stars' of the Thursday NXT taping were all the Divas who had a series of fundamentally sound bouts including many within the first ever, NXT Womens Title tourney.

Sara Del Ray has done a marvelous job in coaching and teaching the females in NXT and her efforts are certainly obvious to any fan of the genre.

Ric Flair was on hand to see his athletic daughter, Charlotte, make her in ring debut and Charlotte did well for her first outing. She's approximately a 6 footer who has a viable upside.

The Wyatt Family had a strong night and they are ready for a successful entry into the WWE sooner than later. Luke Harper had an especially physical and solid match with WWE Superstar Sheamus on one of the taped programs.

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.

The higher expectations also include the number and quality of young athletes that are recruited and signed to begin their WWE journey in NXT.

Speaking of recruiting , Jerry Brisco and I spent the day and most of the evening Saturday in Stillwater, Oklahoma observing the United States World Wrestling team trials to determine the Free Style and Greco Roman teams for the World Games to be held in Hungry.

We have a top recruit who has tried out with WWE in a recent camp and who did well in the Stillwater competition that we hope to sign in the next few weeks.

Gerald Brisco and I met with many coaches and amateur wrestling officials who are supportive of their athletes getting a chance to make WWE their next career move. Being a star on WWE TV on a Global basis, helps promote amateur wrestling in a significant way. Any student of the genre can look back in history at the great number of amateur wrestlers that have made successful transitions to the pro's since the 20's and 30's.

For the foodies out there, we had to have lunch at the world famous, Eskimo Joe's in Stillwater which is a must if one is in the area. Interesting seeing former Olympic Gold Medalist Rulon Gardner enjoying Eskimo Joe's and Rulon, at one time, was interested in trying his hand in WWE but it never could be worked out. Nice, BIG man though with who had a nice visit.

There is no area of athletics that WWE will not scout for physically gifted athletes who have the aptitude to potentially become WWE Superstars. The collegiate wrestling ranks perceives the sports entertainment genre much differently than in previous generations as many coaches embrace the opportunity to see their wrestlers make WWE a career.

For those devout fans of indy wrestling, WWE will continue to be aware of the independent wrestling talent and look to sign the best of the best from that world too.

Actually, next year's class of seniors at the collegiate wrestling level is greatly anticipated as several top amateur grapplers have demonstrated a strong interest in seeing if they can transition from college to WWE. I feel that 2014 will be a banner, recruiting year for WWE in this particular area.

Plus, WWE will continue to cultivate a relationship with the NFLPA in hopes of finding a handful of former football players each year who want to begin a new career using their natural athletic abilities and charisma. It's amazing how many life long fans of WWE that there are in the NFL.

Interesting days are on the horizon for WWE fans if last week's Payback PPV, RAW and Smackdown broadcasts are any indication. The show's are feeling fresher, new talents are getting more established by the week and more, new talents are on the way. Plus, some of the new rivalries are intriguing for the fan in me.

WWEShop.com, http://www.wweshop.com, is having a HUGE sale on JR's products just in time to stock up for July 4th and the summer grilling season. Save BIG and ordering is safe and easy online with delivery right to your home. Check out my page at WWEShop.com for all the bargains.

Hope to get an update tomorrow on how tickets are going for my first ever, Spoken World Tour which will debut in the UK in late August hitting cities such as Cardiff, London, Manchester, and Glasgow. Tickets can be purchased quite easily online at http://www.psievents.eventbrite.com/. VIP tickets include a private meet and greet with autograph and photo ops but are sold out already in London and Manchester and are selling quickly in Cardiff and Glasgow. I'm going to talk about my career from the beginning of the unlikely journey through the present and then do a lengthy Q&A session with those present in what will be an entertaining and intimate environment. Join me if you can.

For fans attending my shows in the UK, http://www.americansoda.co.uk or @americansoda on twitter will be on site selling JR's products which will save everyone on shipping and provide a nice opportunity to stock up.

I'm working on updating he Q&A's elsewhere on this site so check them out and throw me your questions if you'd like.

You're invited to follow me on Twitter @JRsBBQ.

It's a great day for grilling here in Norman and that's where I'm headed! Have a great balance of the weekend.

Boomer Sooner!
J.R. @JRsBBQ

Source: JR's BBQ

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross is back with a new blog on jrsbarbq.com. Here are some highlights from this entry:
- Enjoyed watching Ric Flair and Rowdy Roddy Piper on ABC's Celebrity Wife Swap Sunday night. The Naitch isn't going to slow down for anyone until he's six feet under which I hope won't be years and years. That's just the way that Ric's wired...for better or for worse. I tend to lean more toward Hot Rod's life style as I keep it low key here in Norman and have never been overly comfortable being what some might perceive as a 'celebrity.'

- Hard to believe that it was 15 years ago this past week in Pittsburgh that the Undertaker threw Mankind/Mick Foley off the top of the Hell in a Cell at the King of the Ring PPV. My calls from various aspects of that match have been dubbed into some insane, sports video clips over the years and others seem to pop up on a regular basis. I'm not saying that the Taker-Foley match from 1998 was the 'greatest match that I ever broadcast' (I'm never able to answer that one) but it is without a doubt the most memorable match I ever called. One reason for that is because fans simply won't allow that night to be forgotten.

- Many new, wrestling fans are seeing the War Games for the first time now that the collection of Dusty Rhodes' creation is available from WWE on DVD. I'm especially pleased to see my dear, late friend Dr. Death Steve Williams remembered as Doc was a participant in multiple War Games matches. I'd suggest that you give this DVD a look as some of the most famous and infamous stars in the genre appeared at one time or another in this marquis match. Doc military pressing Terry Gordy multiple times in one War Games match still vividly sticks in my mind.

Jim Ross has posted his latest blog online. Check out the highlights:

On ‘Sting to WWE’ rumors: “My Twitter, @JRsBBQ, timeline is being hammered with the latest Sting rumors of him coming to WWE at some point in the future. Are these rumors of any significant difference than the basic, same ones that we’ve been hearing since WCW closed their doors or every time Sting’s contract nears it’s end? As best that I know, Sting is very happy where he is currently working and has no plans to launch a WWE in ring career at the age of 54. I’ve known Sting since day one and have immense respect for the man and do feel that he will be a WWE HOFer some day.”

On his new ESPN project: “The project that I worked on with ESPN.com on OU football will be published this coming Tuesday at espn.com. Five of our all had a fantasy draft to comprise an offense and a defense including specialists of former Sooners. There were actually two men drafted that had distinguished, pro wrestling careers.”

On being part of a “best calls” tournament: “Check out the poll that’s ongoing now at Awfulannouncing.com as one of my old calls is in the competition.”

Sat, 07/06/2013 - 11:24am — J.R.
Posted in:Wrestling
It's a beautiful Saturday in Norman for the @TobyKeithMusic Benefit Concert at OU's Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium to benefit the tornado victims of our area. Over 70,000 fans are expected to attend and 100% of the proceeds go to helping rebuild the local communities affected. With that said, .....LET'S GRILL!

The WWE Performance Center is a game changer in many ways. It will put added pressure on the recruiting efforts by all involved to bring big time, world class athletes into the program plus it will demand even a higher level of coaching and mentoring by the staff. The facility is a show place and the expectations for enhanced results are, as they should be, going up.

Saw a video online where a fan assaulted a wrestler at ringside which did not work out so well for the 'civilian.' Back in the Mid South Wrestling days, whenever a civilian would attack a wrestler inside the barricades or in the ring, the perpetrator would be escorted to the back of the arena usually to a dark, secure location. There the assailant would be provided the opportunity to continue their 'assault.' Often times, it left the brave soul in the hands of promoter Cowboy Bill Watts while police turned their heads and looked elsewhere. The end result was the assailant was usually jailed for trespassing, criminal mischief and assault and spent the evening in jail usually in need of stitches and dental work.

If you haven't checked out 'Ray Donovan' on @Showtime then I highly recommend it. It has a 'Sopranos" feel to it inasmuch as it's violent, gritty, feels real, has great characters, spot on writing and allows one to escape reality and to enjoy the ride. Of course, I read no 'spoilers' before watching it either or any reviews. I judged the show on what I thought and without being preconditioned. I have watched last Sunday's premier episode three times and it is now must see TV for me. (I'm not a fan of 'spoilers,' obviously.)

I've added Showtime's Dexter and Ray Donovan to my DVR list of programs that I record weekly.

I swear that you can grill virtually anything, within reason, on your grill and use only JR's All Purpose Seasoning/Rub and love what you produce. It's the best, single ingredient seasoning that I've ever used. It's available at http://www.wweshop.com and one bottle will usually last for months. Yes, I'm biased but try it and I feel confident that you will agree.

Aaron Hernandez seemingly has made so many life changing/destroying problems largely because he could not detach from his bottom feeding friends. I've seen young wrestlers with great promise attach themselves to bottom feeders who were just happy to have a job and knew that their days were numbered within the system and that they had little or no chance of reaching the main event level of WWE. The impressionable, young talents had to make the decision to detach or derail. It happens in all walks of life. This is why every athletic entity including an organization such as WWE has to have great mentoring by their coaches for these impressionable young talents.

UFC 162 is tonight on PPV and I'm planning on watching unless the Mrs. unbooks me. I need to make 'fight week' some year in Vegas. What are the ramifications if Anderson Silva loses to Chris Weidman in the main event? It won't hurt Spider a bit and it makes Weidman a bigger star with a built in PPV main event rematch. If I watch, I will be live Tweeting my observations @JRsBBQ which usually pisses off the hardcore MMA fans.

The never ending tale of NBA star Dwight Howard makes my case even better that high school hoopsters would be better served to attend at least two years of college and actually go to class and pass their courses before venturing into the deep end of the money pool in the NBA. Howard is a uber talented albeit immature athlete who seemingly feels entitled and has apparently never had the chance to be a kid. His vacillation in finally deciding on which team is going to make him richer has been a turnoff except, I'm assuming, for NBA hardcores. Long term, guaranteed money is often times another form of financial insanity within the world of professional athletics.

Maturity issues are something that any organization has to deal with which is why I do not covet the signing 18-19 year old kids to WWE Developmental deals. Just my personal take.

Only Cardiff has VIP tickets remaining for my first ever, Spoken Word Tour coming to the UK August 24-27 in Cardiff, London, Manchester, and Glasgow. For show info or secure tickets simply go to http://www.psievents.eventbrite.com/. VIP tickets earn you a private meet and greet and all that entails.

Our partner in the UK, http://www.americansoda.co.uk will be on site at these shows selling JR's products that they stock in their stores and distribute online.

Notice that I will be home in time to not miss my Oklahoma Sooners home opener on Saturday night August 31. Amazing coincidence, right?

Twitter is a wonderful social media vehicle especially when one gets verbally face slapped for not wishing someone a happy birthday. I have 830,000+ followers @JRsBBQ of which we hope to push to 1M by year's end.

Bray Wyatt isn't another Jake Roberts or another Waylon Mercy as some suggest. He's going to have some of those men's tendencies or personality traits but Bray Wyatt is uniquely himself. I've seen the young man become this persona over time notwithstanding dropping a few pounds while increasing his strength and quickness. Being from an athletic family, Bray Wyatt is blessed with the '2nd Gear' that is coveted on the gridiron, etc or inside a 20X20 ring. Big men that can move have an opportunity to find a long term home within the biz and always have. That's not a new concept. The Wyatt Family debuts this Monday night on RAW.

Fun contest ongoing now at http://www.awfulannoucning.com where they have a tournament where fans can vote for their favorite 'calls' in a variety of sports from a variety of broadcasters. I'm honored to be even in the contest along with some of great broadcasters that I've admired from afar. Not sure when voting ends but check it out if you have the chance.

Really enjoyed the latest Legends Roundtable show on WWE On Demand. The topic is Wrestling and Patriotism. No other Roundtables are scheduled, that I am aware of, at this time but are fun shows in which to be a part.

Love the experts that call me an idiot for even suggesting that Sting could some day be a member of the WWE Hall of Fame because he's never wrestled in WWE. I'm not sure who the idiot is within this discussion but this development wouldn't set a precedent. Check out the list, Einstein.

I've updated the Q&A's elsewhere here on the site. Throw me your questions there if you choose and i will try and address them.

Thanks to those who support our efforts and use our JR's products on their grill and in their kitchens. You are greatly appreciated.

Boomer Sooner!
J.R. @JRsBBQ

Tue, 07/09/2013 - 11:34am — J.R.
Posted in:Wrestling
Greetings all as we start the grill and thanks to everyone for visiting my page at http://www.wweshop.com where you can find all JR's products and some great packages. Easy online shopping with delivery right to your front door. JR's great for the grill or in one's kitchen. Grills hot so let's get to cooking.... Enjoyed Monday Night Raw from Baltimore and here are a few of the moments that especially stood out to me: Two, outstanding wrestling matches to start and end the broadcast. Loved seeing a clear cut winner in both and appreciate the efforts and physicality of all four men involved in these two matches that helped promote Sunday's PPV in Philly. Neither man who lost was damaged in the process. The John Cena-Mark Henry segment was text book stuff and I felt helped add some steam to the WWE Title bout at MITB this Sunday. Cena not being able to control Henry's size and girth adds to the intrigue come Sunday. The overall build for the Wyatt Family from the beginning of the show including their entrance was well done. I'm curious to see what their next move will be. Smackdown? MITB? Next week on RAW? All of the above? The overall promotion for the MITB PPV this Sunday was good especially for the MITB bout for the WWE title opportunity. I'm a Daniel Bryan fan and him closing the show and dealing with Punk and Orton before ascending the ladder was great foreshadowing. Bryan's apparent 'unstableness' is intriguing and DB has organically connected with the fans notwithstanding his in ring expertise. The RVD promos certainly made Rob feel special and I'd venture to say more special than his TV persona has felt since he was last in WWE. Great video clips with, ahem, some nice sound bytes from some voice over guy. :) Brad Maddox being named the new, RAW GM provides for some interesting creative opportunities in the future. I'm curious to see where this matter goes and the political agenda that Maddox' TV persona establishes. Brad certainly doesn't have the support of the announce trio based on their comments Monday night which could provide some entertaining interaction in future weeks. Maddox reminds me somewhat of the late, Eddie Gilbert. Maddox' upside is viable. Vickie Guerrero was fantastic Monday night. I'm very proud of her work and how she has committed herself to develop as a TV performer. She's been through a great deal of challenges in her life and I, for one, am elated for her success. When I think of the great city of Baltimore I often times think of the after parties at Sabatino's with Ric Flair and friends, my pal and former Crockett Promoter Gary Juster, and me passing kidney stone fragments during the PPV broadcast of the 1991 Great American Bash. Not sure what was worse, the pain of the kidney store particles or the PPV itself. Thank goodness there were ample video packages during the show and the announcers were on the stage in the Baltimore Arena and not at ringside. Check out my fantasy OU football draft that I did for ESPN.com at /www.es.pn/12hZlfQ and vote to help my team be named the best. More info on Twitter @ESPNSoonerNation. Will @UFC Anderson Silva's shocking TKO loss Saturday night to Chris Weidman cause harm to "Spider's" legacy? Likely not too much if any at all. However, Silva's unprofessional approach to the #ufc162 main event was embarrassing even though it will be defended by some as simply being a part of the former champion's 'strategy.' I'm not buying it. A Silva vs. Weidman rematch a given. It's always been a given since the moment Silva lost the title. It's a great PPV main event, that has a sound reason (a story) for happening plus there's too much money to be earned especially for Weidman who hasn't had the massive paydays in his career thus far that Silva has. For those that say Silva "doesn't need the money," they're being naive. No athlete or performer ever has TOO much cash as most talent's egos won't allow them to refuse that lucrative trip to the pay window. My 1st ever Spoken Word tour that will land in the UK August 24-27 still has a handful of tickets available and they can be had at http://www.psievents.eventbrite.com/. This will be my first trip to Wales as we start the tour in Cardiff, my first trip to Scotland as we end the four day tour in Glasgow. London, last I heard, had a total of 4 tickets remaining for the Sunday August 25 show. I'm also very excited about playing the famous, Manchester Comedy Story on Monday August 26 and great seats are still available for that event. Our promoter feels that all the tickets will be sold before I ever leave the USA to fly over to London to begin our adventure. I'm going to share some great stories, fully invest in the Q&A portion of each show, and I always enjoy the private, meet and greets that come with a VIP ticket. Plus, http://www.americansoda.co.uk or @americansoda on Twitter will be with us each night selling JR[s BBQ Sauces, Chipotle Ketchup and Main Event Mustard with no shipping costs included which is a savings. Heading to Waterloo, Iowa this weekend for the annual festivities at the Dan Gable Museum including a tryout camp where I will help out Gerald Brisco on Friday and then attend the indy event on Friday night, a meet adn greet Saturday afternoon at the Gable Museum and then the banquet on Saturday evening where several stars will be recognized. I'm bringing JR's Beef Jerky and some new photos to make a nice, package deal for those that are interested. For info on the Waterloo event contact dgmstaff@hof.org or call 319-233-0745. Great time for all fans and is family friendly along with being affordable. The official grand opening of the new, WWE Performance Center is this Thursday In Winter Park, Florida via invitation only. Lots of VIP's slated to attend and I can assure one and all that this facility is a 'difference maker' as will see in the years to come. Everyone involved in the process will have to now up their respective games as expectations have increased substantially. The Q&A's here at the site have updated. Check them out. Follow me on Twitter @JRsBBQ. Hoping to hit 1M followers by year's end. WWEShop.com has some great packages available on JR;s products at http://www.wweshop.com. These are not only super for your grill but are kitchen friendly as well and they make great gifts for any occasion. Thanks for stopping by and come back and see us. Boomer Sooner! J.R. @JRsBBQ

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has published a new blog entry on JrsBarBq.com. Here are some highlights.

On the WWE Performance Center: No one is more excited than am I about the Performance Center. Years ago our team had a vision to start the Development Program in WWE and I always dreamed that we would have a state of the art facility someday but I never dreamed of anything the magnitude of what WWE now has.

On Damien Sandows MITB victory: Never saw Damien Sandow's win coming but thanks to hard work and re-inventing himself, Sandow is now the winner of MITB and his career got another boost Sunday night. Damien is a great example of never giving up and doing what one has to do improve himself and to eventually "make the team." He's also taken a piece of creative, made it his own, and has become what was creatively envisioned for him and more.

Cody Rhodes: Cody Rhodes took a big step toward renewed relevancy after his controversial loss to Sandow in the MITB contest. Lots of winners can potentially come out of these multi person bouts.

AJ's performance at MITB: AJ using her Octopus Submission made famous by Antonio Inoki is sound strategy to me. AJ is the focal point of the WWE Diva scene and her eyes tell a compelling story more often than not.

Jericho vs. Ryback: Thought Jericho and Ryback had a solid, sound wrestling match that had a surprising ending with Ryback using a cradle rollup to win. Another ending that I did not see coming.

Del Rio vs. Ziggler: Del Rio vs. Ziggler was a masterpiece. Some fans will bitch and complain about "AJ ruining the match" due to her in ring involvement but I didn't see it that way. ADR and DZ had ample time to tell a compelling story and they accomplished that. AJ's involvement just adds another element to the storyline that has to be addressed and could lead to more, interesting things for Ziggler to sink his teeth into.

Cena vs. Henry: Cena vs, Henry was the type of match that I used to covet calling back in the day. Straight forward, easy to understand story that made sense. Of course, those that aren't Cena fans likely weren't happy that Cena won but that's nothing new. Mark Henry really came to play Sunday night and was impressive especially when one considers that he is a 400 pounder. I also loved the lighting for this WWE Title contest. It felt classic, old school.

MITB Ladder match for the WWE Title shot: The final match of the evening, the MITB Ladder match for the WWE Title was a human demolition derby of epic proportions that delivered in a multi layered, big way. Several issues were forwarded, everyone in the match got an opportunity to shine and, at least for me, the winner, Randy Orton, was unexpected.

RVD got the major star treatment largely in part to the partisan Philly crowd and Van Dam's debut couldn't have been in a better place on Earth.

The Heyman/Punk element adds a significant log to the fire of what looks to be as hot a personal issue as WWE has had in a good while. Bring on Lesnar!

Daniel Bryan's flurry of offense late in the MITB match was a thing of beauty and his natural emotion and intensity was riveting. Young talents can learn a great number of lessons on that one sequence of offense. Simply amazing stuff.

There has to be many banged up men today and some with multiple staples and stitches, This ain't ballet and the toughness of many of the WWE Superstars is admirable. To think that most of the men who went to hell and back last night will be up again tonight in Brooklyn for a sold out Monday Night RAW is amazing to me.

Tue, 07/30/2013 - 6:54pm — J.R.
Posted in:Wrestling
Business is booming at http://www.wweshop.com and in Manchester, England at http://www.americansoda.uk.co for JR's products that are perfect for grilling or your kitchen. At WWEShop.com we are rocking the JR's Beef Jerky or as someone used to say "Business has picked up!" It's GRILLING TIME Enjoyed Monday Night RAW as the broadcast seemed to have ample in ring content of which I enjoy. I also thought @MichaelCole and @JerryLawler had a good night even though I missed the mountain climbing @JCLayfield. The end game for the McMahon Family conflict interests me especially considering that #1 contender for the WWE Title @WWEDanielBryan is in the middle of it. Where is this matter heading? I'm happy that I have no idea. If Daniel Bryan were to win the WWE Title at Summer Slam, how would that affect the 'family' dynamic? Hmmm @TheMarkHenry has 'presence. His facials are extraordinary. I can see the big Texan doing well for WWE as a newly minted fan favorite. Enjoyed RVD's bout with Fandango while it lasted. RVD has been an outstanding 'get' for WWE since he returned at the MITB PPV. His style is unique, it's physical and he has done what every star must do to be a star....connect with his audience. AJ Lee continues to pilot the crazy train and she is arguably the most compelling Diva in WWE. Interested in seeing Dolph Ziggler vs. Big E again especially if they're in the ring longer. Loved the Del Rio vs. Christian match. Great story. ADR focusing on the damaged arm of Christian made the match easy to follow. Isolating a body part is a key component to story telling. A really, solid TV bout. The follow up on the Sandow-Cody issue was good. I'd like to see them in a high profile match ala Summer Slam to see how they would deliver under the hot lights of a major PPV. Sandow speaking poorly of Cody's family made me squirm. Daniel Bryan continues to be, arguably, the best in ring talent in the business and "Fear the Beard" countering Kane and winning with an inside cradle was perfect execution. Thought that IC Champ Curtis Axel had one of his better outings as he seemed more poised and comfortable Monday night. The 'Perfect Son' sounded like an old pro on the mic which is vital and always has been since wrestling moved to TV. Ryback had a good night even in a losing effort in the Tables Match vs. @JohnCena. Ryback seems to really enjoy his antagonist role and it fits him better and better each week. Being a great, wrestling villain is a skill that isn't easily or quickly acquired. If Ryback had came along in the 70's or 80's, some promoter likely would have made him a 'Russian' or another non American to capitalize on a Nationalism story. My wife and I enjoyed the premier episode of Total Divas on the E Network Sunday night. I had a few 'flashbacks' from my talent relations days watching the ladies interact with each other and the WWE folks in general. When I became head of talent relations, we had only one or two women on the roster. That aspect of the team grew quickly and the Diva locker room soon became a complex and unique entity. That's not to say that the men didn't have their share of problems, too, but the ladies presented an entirely different ballgame. In the days before cell phones, texting, etc, my home phone rang at all hours of the night and quite often it was a Diva with an issue as the ladies usually wanted to vent right away while the guys would often times 'stew' over what was bothering them. Ah, the stories. New drinking game, take a shot every time 'The Count' on 'Counting Cars' says, "Brother." Upon further review, forget the previous statement. Excited to be heading to LA for Summer Slam to do some work with 2K Sports regarding the new video game that I've done some work on the past several months. I also have an AXXESS autograph appearance Sunday 1-3 pm. I'd be remiss without noting that The Wyatt Family had a solid night on RAW and that their vignettes introducing them to the WWE Universe were more golden than many perceive. They had an identity before they ever showed up in person on RAW. Reminds me of how Bill Watts established the Rock 'n Roll Express in the Mid South Territory using music videos before Morton and Gibson physically arrived in the 80's. Thanks for contributing to our Q&A Section here on the site. If your questions don't make the cut they were likely WAY too long or just Pet Coon Goofy. Tickets for my show in Manchester are still available for Monday August 26 at the Comedy Store via http://www.psievents.eventbrite.com/ . There are just a handful of tickets left for Cardiff as well and available at the same site but they will be gone at any time now. London and Glasgow are both sold out. If you aren't watching 'Ray Donovan' on Showtime, I feel for you especially if you love great TV. Awesome show! Jon Voight is amazing as patriarch Mickey Donovan who has some evil, Mr. McMahon qualities about him. Plus, I have become hooked on 'Dexter.' Boomer Sooner! J.R. @JRsBBQ

Credit: JRSBARBQ.com

Jim Ross once again answered questions on his website. Here are the highlights…

On Bray Wyatt’s in-ring ability: “Many of us have seen him wrestle a great deal in NXT. He’s a keeper.”

On favorite Mid-South Wrestling angles: “Had many favorites and am looking forward to the Mid South DVD WWE is releasing on Sept 10. Ted [DiBiase] and [Junkyard] Dog were hard to beat.”

On Dean Ambrose’s potential when The Shield eventually breaks up: “The goal is always for any entity to have more sizzle and potential when they split and become single stars. Ambrose will be interesting to follow along with Rolins and Reigns.”

On a possible U.S. & IC Title unification: “I don’t see the value in doing so. It’s not hard to make them both mean more.”

You can read the full Q&A session by clicking here.

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross published a new blog entry on jrsbarbq.com. Here are some highlights:
Friday's SmackDown:
Thought Friday night Smackdown was a really solid wrestling show highlighted by Punk vs. Fandango in what I thought was Fandango's best outing and the Triple Threat match featuring Orton, Christian and RVD. I'm a much bigger fan of a wrestler earning a title opportunity than being granted, willed, decreed, etc a championship match. Yeah, I'm old school. Alex Riley did a really nice job in filling in for the mountain climbing JBL Friday night. Alex has done some commentary down in NXt and I've enjoyed working with him there. Riley is a bright young man who has a viable future in WWE and is the son of talentd broacdater Kevin Kiley

CM Punk's matches:
Does @CMPunk EVER have a bad match? I don't recall one.

If WWE will ever go back to the TV-14 rating:
You asked...I do not feel that WWE will or do they need to go back to TV14 ratings for their broadcasts. There are lots of reasons but one is simple....advertisers do not covet spending big money on prime time, TV14 rated shows as much as they do PG programming. Plus, the talent, and not the TV rating, made the Attitude Era so successful. Cursing, foul language, edgy gestures, ect did not draw ratings and set WWE on fire but instead it was the talents who brought intensity and created a competitive nature in the locker room where several Type A personalities 'needed' to be the top star.

Prediction for CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar:
You asked...Punk vs. Brock prediction at Summer Slam....I love this match and will be in LA to see it live and I think that Lesnar wins thanks to a little diversion from Happy Heyman aka @HeymanHustle. I do feel that this will be a compellingly physical contest between two alpha males who don't' enjoy not having the top billing. This match will be challenging to follow. The key to Punk winning, however, may be is feet. More on that soon.

Credit: JRSBARBQ.com

Jim Ross recently did some Q&A on his website. Here are the highlights…

If WWE Will Ever Release A DVD On Sting’s Career: “Seems like a lock to me.”

His Favorite WWE Era: “I live in the now. Whatever ‘generation’ now is would be my answer. I have never not enjoyed being in the business. “

His Thoughts On Brutus Beefcake’s Career: “Why? Seriously, why? I wasn’t around him that much. He was a solid hand. Being friends with Hogan helped him greatly. I’m not the guy to ask because I never really worked with Beefcake.”

If The WWE Performance Center Will Hold Open Tryouts: “Nothing is planned as best that I know at this time. When will a NFL team have open tryouts at their facilities for potential football players? Same deal.”

Why There Is So Much Hate Towards Chris Benoit When His Autopsy Showed He Had Extensive Brain Damage: “We don’t know what happened that fateful day, conclusively. or what mental state Chris was in or why he was in it, either. I don’t ‘hate’ Chris and most of his friends do not either. It’s a topic that you or I cannot solve to everyone’s satisfaction. I’m really tired of addressing it.”

Source: JRsBarBQ.com

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his Q&A section on jrsbarbq.com. Here are some highlights:
If Total Divas is scripted: "What reality show on TV isn't scripted to some degree? I can answer that... none of them that I've seen."

Working with Jerry "The King" Lawler: "Jerry is very easy to work with and is a light hearted, fun person to be around. He's like family to me."

On Steve Austin walking out on WWE back in 2002: "Steve had a legit issue but I felt like he handled it wrong."

Source: JR's BBQ WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated the Q&A section on jrsbarbq.com. Here are some highlights: What happened with Chyna? "There is plenty of info online about Joanie that you can research and read. We simply could not come to a mutually agreeable contract for her to stay in WWE."

Did he agree with the decision to remove Kane's mask? "I don't recall any one asking my opinion but in hindsight I'd have rather Kane stayed masked."

Thoughts on Jimmy Del Ray and Tom Pritchard, the Heavenly Bodies? "Extremely fundamentally sound team who were likely underrated by many. Dr. Tom has always been one of my favorite people as he did great work for me and our department back in the day."

Is Santino Marella's Italian accent legit? "Uh, no. He's Canadian...not that there's any thing wrong with that. Funny guy."

Credit: JRSBARBQ.com

Jim Ross has posted a new blog entry. Here are the highlights…

On Summerslam and Daniel Bryan: Enjoyed the Summer Slam PPV and it was a real masterpiece from a TV production standpoint and look of the show. Very slick and well produced. No one does live TV better than WWE but I’ve been saying that for years. Cena/Bryan/HHH/Orton created a most memorable moment at Summer Slam that certainly has a great deal of fans talking. It sets up some potential, interesting scenarios down the road. Bryan winning the title from Cena and then being able to celebrate before the pedigree and Orton’s pin was well done. Daniel Bryan may be more popular today than if he had actually won the WWE Title at Summer Slam. Bryan will now apparently chase new Champ Randy Orton and the thrill of the fan favorite chasing the antagonist has always interested me as a fan.

On Punk vs. Lesnar: Punk vs. Lesnar w/ Paul Heyman was another masterpiece. I predicted that it would be overtly physical and it certainly was in delivering a ‘DEE-LUX’ Slobber Knocker of a match. Great intensity and physicality rarely fails to deliver when the money is on the line in a major PPV. Simple gameplan….great results.

On Christian vs. Del Rio: Del Rio vs. Christian also had a terrific bout and one that many young, wrestling students could learn from as it relates to fundamental skill set and in ring psychology.

On WWE’s Young Talent: Lots youth on the WWE roster and they continue to work hard in improving their game and to compete for viable, roster spots. Competition within the locker room is a positive thing. That was an Attitude Era trait however patience is needed by many fans who want instant stardom….yesterday.

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has published a new blog entry on JrsBarBq.com. Here are some highlights.

Daniel Bryan Raw promo: Thought Daniel Bryan's promo directed at Randy Orton and referencing Orton's heart was effective. The 'David vs. Goliath' main event made early and built throughout the night was a solid thread that ran the duration of the three hour broadcast.

The Prime Time Players improvements: The Prime Time Players have upped their game or so it seems. I'm beginning to take them more seriously. They're playing like every match is in the 4th quarter. If these two keep upping their game they will quickly realize the results.

AJ Lee future: If she continues down her current path, AJ Lee has the opportunity to be in the same discussion with the all time best Divas in WWE history.

Cody Rhodes Raw match & promo: Orton vs. Rhodes was a stout match that could have been even longer for my tastes. Liked the back and forth, the battle for momentum, and the near falls. Cody's exit promo was his best verbal work to date in my opinion.

The following are highlights from a recent website Q&A from WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross:

On whether or not the Internet Wrestling Community is killing the business: “Far from it. So, no.”

On whether or not WWE still views Survivor Series as one of the “Big 4″ PPVs: “I can only speak for myself but I’d say yes. Having 12 PPV’s makes it challenging for all of them to be special.”

On if he’d like to see Jake “The Snake” Roberts back in WWE, possibly in the Royal Rumble: “I’d love to see Jake clean, sober & healthy living a happy, productive life.”

On if there is a reason WWE holds PPVs on Sunday nights: “I’d assume that there is research to indicate that Sunday is the best night for WWE PPV’s plus it is and has become a tradition that I don’t see changing. Plus, it works well with the cable and satellite operators which is critical.”

On his opinion of Abdullah The Butcher, and if he deserves to be in the WWE Hall Of Fame: “Abby had an amazing, LONG career and was an independent business man who was a main event star around the world. He was unique.”

You can check out more Jim Ross Q&A online at this link.

Greetings from 39,000 feet on American Airlines. Great deals w/ JR's family of products online at http://www.wweshop.com & http://www.americanoda.co.uk.

Always enjoy the Toronto fans. Love it when an audience lets their feelings be shown....good or bad. Makes for good TV.

The verbal interaction between HHH/Edge was compelling & a great way to start off Raw. Would love to see those two go at it but that's never going to occur.

Paul Heyman feigning a knee injury was funny. Reminded me of an old time promoter who pulled that stunt in grocery stores to score paydays back in early 70's.

Punk's act of caning was timely and memorable.

Antonio Cesaro, one of my personal favorites, and his marathon Giant Swing was big league. Shades of Killer Kowalski & Don Leo Jonathan.

Great chemistry between Daniel Bryan & Dean Ambrose. Could I have seconds, please?

Big Show is percolating and he's going to blow.....but when?

Anxious to see what the eventual destination will be for Bray Wyatt & Family. Remember, big men w/ a 2nd gear are special. Was actually surprised to see Wyatt vs Ziggler on Raw for some reason.

P.S......when traveling to Canada...carry on one's bags...don't check them...right, King? :)

Great build up for Goldust vs Orton. The match was a good one too w/ the last five minutes hitting another level w/ all the near falls.

Enjoyed the pace of Goldust vs Orton too. Far too many talents in the biz wrestle too fast more often than not & if the audience doesn't have the time to process and feel what they are seeing, then who wins?

if Texas A&M beats Alabama Saturday, I will be shocked. I'm pulling for the Aggies as head coach Kevin Sumlin is a great friend.

QB issues at Oklahoma or are there? Lots of speculation on this matter. Sooners need more consistent play as their schedule begins to get nasty in two weeks.

Follow me in Twitter @JRsBBQ. Approaching 1M followers.

Q&A's here on the site are updated.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.

@JRsBBQ

Jim Ross has posted a new blog entry. Here are the highlights…

On working a weekend indy event: Had a great time Saturday in Fishkill, New York at their Wrestling Under the Stars event. Promoter Michael Lombardi does a wonderful job at his events. Great seeing Jerry Lawler, Charles Wright, Rikishi, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Matt Striker, John Morrison and many others. Scott looked great and has made legit, giant steps in getting healthier. I’m so proud of him. Scott’s son Cody Hall is an excellent, young prospect who’s being coached & mentored by his Dad. The young man has major potential. The event Saturday was my last, scheduled wrestling booking for 2013.

On Sami Zayn: Keep an eye on NXT talent Sami Zayn. He’s a keeper and likely will be on a WWE main roster this year or so I think. Great attitude and skill set. There are several excellent prospects in NXT. How they are introduced to the masses is a huge key.

On Broadcasting WWE events from Chicago: Loved broadcasting WWE events at Chicago’s All State Arena. So many memorable moments there for me. My WWE Hall of Fame induction announcement there in 2007 was a game changer for me personally and professionally. Hope WWE has a strong show Monday night. The main, corporate storyline puts many talents potentially in a position to maximize their minutes. Hopefully, they realize that.

On Saturday’s UFC 165 event: The Jon Jones- Andrew Gustafsson main event at UFC165 was an amazing fight to say the least. A physical and mental war that tested both athletes in every way and built to an automatic, organic, big money, rematch. I had Jones winning but arguably the fight could have gone either way. Jones is developing the Floyd Mayweather syndrome in that some fans buy his fights to see Bones lose. Muhammad Ali had the same affect on some fans early in his career.

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has published a new blog entry on JrsBarBq.com. Here are some highlights.

Raw's main event: "11 on 3 mismatch in the favor of the 'good guys' was most unique. It actually ended up well. Spotlight on Bryan but others got some positive minutes too. Exceeded my expectations for the concept."

CM Punk's returning to his hometown: "CM Punk had an awesome night in his hometown. He felt more like Stone Cold than I can ever recall. Home field advantage didn't hurt."

What's next for him: "Interesting days lie a head for yours truly. I'm in no rush to get back to work. Having some interesting irons in the fire. But for now it's football time in Oklahoma."

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has published a new blog entry on jrsbarbq.com. Here are some highlights.

Finish to WWE Battleground: Controversy abounds following the WWE PPV Battle Ground Sunday night in Buffalo. Many fans hitting me on Twitter @JRsBBQ with ample venom regarding the finish of the show. Obviously, it was a way to continue a storyline between Bryan and Orton. Pro wrestling creative is more subjective today that ever in my lifetime. Like most theatrical productions that I watch, I enjoyed some aspects of the PPV and wasn't as enthralled with some of the other content.

Payoff for Cody Rhodes: The payoff on the personal issue involving the Rhodes clan and the Shield, representing the establishment, was spot on in my view. The spotlight was on Cody Rhodes as it should have been. Now, let's see where it goes from here and if Cody evolves into the main event level superstar that many feel he is capable of doing.

Goldust's performance: There is no doubt that Goldust can still contribute in today's WWE at least for the short term IE through WM30.

Antonio Cesaro's giant swing: Cesaro's Giant Swing, among other nuances, had the crowd in Buffalo cheering for the villains vs. the comedy duo of Khali and Santino. Tough match to call for the announcers which one website took as me criticizing the match. I wasn't for the record but was simply stating fact.

Returning to pro wrestling announcing: Was asked on Twitter @JRsBBQ, actually several times a day, it seems, if I was ever going back to pro wrestling commentary. At this time, the answer is a definitive "No, thanks." I've learned to never say never but I have zero plans to re-enter that world. Very proud of my career and have nothing left to prove within it.

Confusion on Undertaker's WrestleMania XXX opponent: Here's another Twitter beaut...someone asked me who I thought would wrestle Undertaker at WM30? I said that I had NO IDEA. That's, NO IDEA. I added that I'd likely put Ryback and Cena on a short list that could include several names. Now, I've got some who feel I'm endorsing Ryback as Taker's WM30 opponent and they think that I'm insane.

Source: JR's BBQ

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has published a new blog entry on jrsbarbq.com. Here are some highlights:

On being drafted to SmackDown back in 2008:
I was asked about being 'drafted' to Smackdown in 2008 and my reaction to such. Obviously, if you were watching I wasn't enthralled about that creative move which I think was an inside joke that someone in creative sold upper management on just to see my reaction. Of course, I could be wrong but I did not, and still do not, see any reason for breaking Jerry Lawler and me up.

That's simply how i feel and it may well be my ego talking so take those comments with a grain of salt. That was a turning point for me as it relates to truly having fun on the road doing TV. At that point, it came more like a job which is how many broadcasters today perceive their work. Until then, I had never approached that role in that manner. I had been told the night before the Draft in San Antonio that I wasn't going any where and that why would WWE break up "Madden and Summerall?"

WWE Performance Center:
Nothing in WWE is more important than what goes on in the WWE Performance Center. Nothing. I expect that procedures there to continue to evolve in every way including the personnel who are depended upon to coach up the prospects. Over time, I'm thinking that WWE must continue to invest in that process as it relates to teaching methods and overall approach. Every great system has to be continually re-evaluated and refined. The future of WWE rests in Orlando at the Performance Center.

Danny Hodge in the WWE Hall of Fame:
On the WWE HOF topic that so many ask me about, for Dan Hodge not to be in the WWE HOF is another name that can be added to the list of 'head scratchers.' Hodge is in every Hall of Fame in the sport, both amateur and pro, except WWE, if I'm not mistaken. Dan was a legend in the days before cable TV, etc and of all the Oklahomans who are in the WWE HOF Danny Hodge is the most deserving. Plus, Hodge was a star in the Louisiana territory aka Mid South Wrestling that made New Orleans it's top market. Dan is in his 80's and can likely still beat a large percentage of pro wrestlers in the biz or at least those that play the role of a pro wrestler on television.