WrestleZone Radio is proud present this exclusive interview with WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross. Jim’s interview is to promote his upcoming debut as a broadcaster for New Japan Pro Wrestling on AXS TV starting March 4th.
During the interview some of the topics Jim talks candidly about include:
- Why he chose to join the AXS TV broadcast team to call their NJPW action
- Working with former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett in the broadcast booth
- His thoughts on Okada, Tanahashi, Nakamura and others on the NJPW roster
- What he likes about the NJPW product
- What he thinks is missing from broadcasting in professional wrestling
- If he thinks WWE views NJPW as competition
- How he thinks the WWE may present the NJPW wrestlers that they appear to have signed
- His thoughts on Mauro Ranallo as a pro wrestling broadcasts and his work so far in the WWE
- How close Nakamura came to signing with WWE in the past
- More…
You can find the full audio from Jim’s interview with WrestleZone Radio as well as some transcribed quotes from it below:
On why he chose to return to the broadcast booth calling pro wrestling from NJPW on AXS TV:
JR: Working with a young, energetic network like AXS TV is an amazing opportunity for a broadcaster. That was one thing that really was great for me. I like the energy and the direction. The vibrancy of their network. It’s really a cool network. They do a lot of great things. Their Fight Nights are must see TV. With New Japan Pro Wrestling and the MMA shows it’s really cool. I liked the fact that I was going to work with a great network. I like the fact that the travel was very compatible. The fact that we’re going to fly 8-10 times a year. Voice over. Mobile shows. It made the travel very compatible. I really was never interested in going back. I had plenty of opportunities to go back to work on a weekly wrestling show. I just wasn’t ready to commit to a weekly schedule with all of my other activities I’ve got going. The schedule was good. The network is good. I love the product. The New Japan product. I’m not new to the New Japan scene. New Japan has been a vibrant brand for decades. They’re a class organization. I got to do Wrestle Kingdom 9 last year. I saw them first hand, up close at their biggest event of the year. Their version of WrestleMania if you will. The product is awesome. It’s physical. It’s fundamentally sound. It’s logical. I think their style fits with my style. I am very excited about working with them. In all areas. Hopefully being able to build upon the AXS TV relationship with New Japan and do more things as time goes on. You always want to grow. You don’t want to stay static. All the way around. The network, the product, the travel… great. Nothing. I have no issues. None whatsoever. Other than I am very, very ready to get started.
Related: Jim Ross Officially Returning to Pro Wrestling Broadcasting
On whether he thinks WWE is signing big NJPW talents because they view NJPW as competition:
JR: I don’t think it has anything to do with New Japan being competition to WWE. The footprint that WWE has globally is beyond reproach. Nobody comes close to them as far as… it’s like saying how many pro football leagues are there? There’s one NFL. There’s one WWE. That doesn’t mean that there is not good football. It doesn’t mean there aren’t good things that we shouldn’t enjoy. I experienced a Tokyo Dome show with New Japan. I know what they can do. I saw what they can do in their country. I know that they have a loyal following. They are kind of the “it” brand right now. Which I understand. I just think that WWE is smart because the four talents that they are signing: AJ Styles, Gallows, Anderson and Nakamura. They are all damn good talents. They can help WWE. It’s like getting four free agent signings for your team. They are good if you play them. They are good if you put them in the position that they can play best to help you win. But if you try and re-invent the wheel with them and not put them in their strengths I think you are doing yourself and your company and the talents and the fans a disservice. That remains to be seen. I don’t think it has anything to do with competition. I think it has to do with the fact they saw four guys that were interested in making a move. They are all very, very talented men.
Related: JR Comments On AXS / NJPW Announcement
We will have more transcribed quotes from Jim’s interview with WrestleZone Radio coming out later this week. You can listen to the full archives for WrestleZone Radio including our recent three part interview series with Mick Foley in the embedded audio player below:
