Jim Ross Recalls Finding Out That Vince McMahon Wanted To Replace Him

Jim Ross Recalls Finding Out That Vince McMahon Wanted To Replace Him

There is no denying that Jim Ross is still a great commentator for AEW on his day and probably the most legendary announcer in professional wrestling history due to his sensational work with WWE.

Despite this, Jim Ross has opened up about finding out that Vince McMahon wanted to replace him on commentary during the mid-2000s on the latest edition of his Grilling JR’ podcast show:

“My contract expired and we didn’t come to term. What we were doing was doing these little extensions until we got a deal done. I was hoping for a longer term deal in 2006, and I got a one year deal.

The writing was on the wall for me. Vince wanted me out, he wanted to go with young, pretty guys – SportsCenter guys. Todd Grisham type guys. That’s what he wanted, the look Vince was enamored with. Not me and [Jerry] Lawler. If they could have found someone to replace me that Vince was pleased with, then I wouldn’t have got those little extensions, ’cause he did want me out.”

The WWE Hall of Famer noted that the company had plans to replace him on commentary in 2007. For those that don’t know, Ross would continue working with WWE on-and-off for another twelve years:

“The irony of that is not even a year later, Lawler and I both went into the Hall of Fame,” Ross said. “The plan was, we’ll do something nice for JR, we’ll put him in the Hall of Fame – whether he deserves it or not doesn’t matter – and that will be his going away present, because in the fall of 2007, Todd Grisham had already been informed that he was going to be the new voice of RAW.

“After all that turmoil and chaos, I stayed till 2018. 12 more years of that sh**, knowing you’re not really wanted, you’re not the first choice. I didn’t have the T.V. look that McMahon joneses for. I got to a certain point where I just had to stop worrying about it. I couldn’t control it. In 2006, I learned a great lesson – don’t go crazy and worry about things you can’t control.”

Ross revealed that he would arrive at work every week doubting whether he’d be leaving the venue with a job. On the matter, he had the following to say:

“Lawler would sit there and tell me every week: ‘Did you hear anything?’ ” Ross said. “Nope. I’m going to work till I’m told not to work. What options do I have? I wasn’t happy, but at least I was getting paid and doing what I loved to do. I took those as wins, wins that superseded the movement or lack of movement of my contract. It was not a happy time in the fall of 2006.”

What are your thoughts on the above story? Let us know in the comments on Twitter or Facebook.

Thanks to WrestlingInc for the transcription.

3 years ago by Wrestle Talk

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