Jim Ross Talks Sting's Future, Triple H, If Roman Reigns Is Ready For WrestleMania Main Event, More
Joe Roderick and John Marecek of PrimeTime on CBS Sports 920 and InsideStl.com recently interviewed WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross. You can download the full interview here, below are some highlights:
Has a manager ever been hotter than Heyman is now:
Probably not, because he's in a unique situation. The champion doesn't like to do a lot of talking, he can as we saw on SportsCenter. I thought he did a nice job. Then you have the other guy, who's green, new. It's a learned art form. Heyman has done a great job given the hand he's been dealt. To sell the main event on both sides, he's been nothing short of exceptional.
Do you think Roman Reigns is ready for the spotlight of the WM main event:
NO!!! I don't think you can get ready. I don't think Austin was ready when he beat Shawn Michaels, I don't think the Rock was ready either. When Bruno Sammartino started his 8 year run, no one knew if he was ready. Who knew that Lou Thesz was ready back in 1937? The challenges of being the show closer to sell the tickets to make others on the roster more money, you never know. Can he get ready with a guy like Heyman? Sure! He's a natural athlete.
How impressed are you with what HHH has done at NXT:
I'm amazingly impressed. I think he's done a phenomenal job. When I was head of talent development the company was teetering on bankruptcy, we got very fortunate that my staff and I were able to sign some amazing talent. There are no more territories, so where do you find your new guys? You create them. I never dreamed of the facility that Paul created in Orlando, and it is the future of the company. The future of the WWE is what NXT produces. And I too am a weekly viewer. I have a vested interest in that brand, an emotion interest.
On the SI article on Michael Cole:
I was the voice of Raw and PPVs, I was the Executive Vice President of the talent roster, we did all the scouting, hiring, firing, and worked in drug testing, I was in charge of payroll, I booked events, I would manage the talent roster and take care of their problems. Then I would fly to Louisville, or Cincinnati, or Louisville and Cincinnati, then I would have office hours. And then I would work with agents on house shows on Saturday and Sunday, and then I would do Raw.
I admire Michael Cole's work ethic. He and his broadcast partners get brutalized because people tag me in on their damn tweets telling them "they sucks" and "we want JR back", so I don't have a very good relationship with many broadcasters because they are tired of me and I don't blame them, and I'm tired of being included in to the negativity of how they perform.
I'll put it this way. I worked for the WWE for 21 years. I filled out 2 vacation forms in 21 years, and 1 of them got turned down. So if anyone knows about putting your life, your family, your health on the back burner due to your love of the company, I got paid very well and I'm set for life thanks to Vince McMahon, and I earned every penny of it. But I'm not advising that to anyone. 1 vacation in 21 years isn't good for anyone.
On the Sting match:
I'm so proud of Sting at the age of 57. I met him when he was with the Ultimate Warrior as the Blade Runners. They were going to be our version of the Road Warriors, but unfortunately Jim Hellwig got sideways and left the company. Sting stuck around and became a heel, and we've been friends since the mid 80s. There is no one I have more respect for as a human being. I had him signed. People ask why I didn't have him signed after WCW went belly up. He had guaranteed money from Time Warner as long as he didn't sign with another wrestling company. But I couldn't get him closed because we were a TV-14 product. He wouldn't come because of his religious belief.
The future of Sting:
I don't think he wrestles again, win, lose or draw. It would not surprise me if Sunday was his last match.