WRESTLING NEWS
Jim Ross Had His Reasons For Leaving WCW, And It May Have Saved His Broadcasting Career
By ROBERT GUNIER
On an episode of his “Grilling J.R.” podcast, legendary pro wrestling commentator “Good ol' J.R.” Jim Ross detailed his reasons for leaving the WCW. His dedication to the promotion started to dwindle when it became clear that WCW announcer and future executive Eric Bischoff was trying to climb the corporate ladder and push Ross out.
His conversation with Bruce Prichard on the matter went well, and it gave him the window to speak with former WWE boss Vince McMahon about his desires. Ross recalled, “We talked about my salary in WCW. He said, ‘I can't pay you what they're paying you right now but I can get fairly close, and I can also give you 50 grand to sign.’ I immediately stuck my hand out and said you got a deal.”
Ross would work with WWE on and off again throughout his career, with his longest stint at the commentary booth occurring from 1994 to 2013. He would resume working for the company in various ways by 2017, before departing and signing a multi-year contract with Tony Khan's AEW — the promotion he currently calls home.