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WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross was recently interviewed by WrestlingInc. in which he said that Impact Wrestling has never approached him about coming in to call Impact Wrestling and added that he has no interest in calling a weekly wrestling show.Ā
Below are the highlights:
On the announcer changes in Impact and if he would work for them: āWell, first of all, I knew that the announcer change was coming because I talk to Jeff, and not about me coming in, just we talk in general. We brainstorm sometimes. We exchange ideas sometimes. It behooves me for Impact and all other promotions to be successful. Iām still in the wrestling business and for wrestling to be on its ass or businesses to go belly up because of poor management, is not great for the genre and I pull for the genre no matter whose banner itās under. So Jeff and I [talked]. I was aware that it was going to be J.B. [Jeremy Borash] and Josh [Mathews] and so all I was doing, based on talking to him, and his suggestion was to throw out that changes are coming. I didnāt realize people would pair me into that tweet where, āoh, J.R.ās going to be [commentating].ā Why would we kayfabe ourselves if I was going to be announcing? Why would we notā¦ if I was going to do it, why would we kayfabe ourselves and me just show up? Maybe there is one. I canāt think of a good one. But nonetheless, I donāt really have any desire to do any weekly American wrestling other than what Iām doing and I may do some other projects, internationally, or abroad, or in Britain, but Iām not going to do, I donāt think Iām going to do, I donāt have the desire, you never say āneverā, I get that, but I donāt have any plans, whatsoever, to be doing anything other than what Iām doing right now in North America.ā Ross continued, āso I like what Iām doing. Iām certainly pulling for Impact and if I can help them down the road, in a manageable way, that aināt weekly television, then Iām always willing to help Jeff and his team. Iāve got lots of friends that work there.ā
On calling New Japan matches for AXS TV: āI like the schedule; I love the people I work with; weāve got a real good product; and I know that AXS and New Japan are working diligently to enhance and strengthen their relationship. I think that tells me there will be more opportunities down the road for Josh and I to broadcast some of the New Japan product. And, of course, people are going to think, āwell, what about July when New Japan has their live events in Southern California?ā Well, obviously! Josh lives out there. Itās easy for me to get there. Iād love to be able to say, to get the assignment, āhey, look, weāre going to do a live two or three hour show, whatever the hell itās going to be, on AXS. Primetime.ā So thatād be great! I donāt know if itās going to happen, but Iām up for it.ā
On working with Josh Barnett: āWell, I truly enjoy working with Josh. The great thing about working with Josh, for me, is that, and Iāve had the privilege and opportunity to work with many great partners, is number one, Josh is really skilled at the genre. He is extremely aware of the culture of New Japan. He knows what itās like to be at a main event at a Tokyo Dome event. When the go to ground, submission wrestling, thereās nobody better at broadcasting than Josh Barnett to explain why these submission holds are effective and how the best work. So heās the perfect partner for me for this product. And I decided early on that I was going to try to give Josh a bigger role than he previously had on that show. I wanted him to be a little bit more involved because I needed it. Mauro may not have needed it because Mauro has got a lot of Japanese culture, experienced Pride, and all these bits that he has done over the years. But I wanted to kind of change it up a little bit because I needed the input, I needed the knowledge, so I think Josh has become a bigger part of the broadcast that I can see, and maybe Iām wrong, than before I came along and I really like it that way. Itās a teamwork thing for us and Iām learning from him, heās learning from me, so itās a really good pairing.ā
On if he saw that Okada vs. Omega got a six star rating prior to calling it: āNo, I didnāt see it. I like the surprise element. I donāt read a lot of the spoilers. You canāt stay away from some of it if youāre online at all. I knew that Omega and Okada was allegedly the greatest match of all time. I knew that Dave Meltzer gave it six stars and I have great respect for Daveās opinion. So I knew the expectations for the match were going to be extraordinary and that we would need to bring our A-game for sure. But I think we try to bring our A-game every week, so I enjoyed that match and I thought it was a really good presentation. I think it takes away from the end result and what the show sounds like if I have some sort of preconditioning in my head that I got to watch this spot or āhereās thisā. It moves away from being organic, and real, and reality-based to more of a showbiz presentation if I were to watch the matches and then get a feel for the end. Itās like doing an audition or doing a rehearsal. I donāt know of anybody that would tell you that they embraced doing a rehearsal for a live event. I canāt imagine Troy Aiken and Joe Buck rehearsing an entire Super Bowl before they called this yearās Super Bowl. It doesnāt make a lot of sense.ā
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