After months of speculation in the WWE, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has confirmed that he will part ways with WWE once again after his current contract runs out on March 29. He will be taking his talents to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), after agreeing to their terms. Ross will be a “senior advisor” there under what AEW is calling “the most lucrative deal in pro wrestling commentary history”. No other details – including financial ones – about Ross’ contract were shared.
Speaking on The Jim Ross Report (h/t John Pollock of Post Wrestling), Ross said he and WWE chairman Vince McMahon made the decision mutually. JR has been under contract with WWE for the past two years, as they brought him back shortly after the death of his wife, Jan, in 2017. Ross said the smartest thing he ever did was go to work for McMahon back in 1993.
“I’m 67, I still feel I can get the job done doing wrestling play-by-play and I want to explore that opportunity and possibility,” he spoke. “I’ll be moving on in a positive way, nothing but a good thing to say about everyone involved.”
“You know, I have my critics in WWE as we all do, as people do when you’re there for very long. It’s a very unique community and I have no regrets. The smartest thing I ever did was come to work for McMahon in 1993.”
The 67-year-old Ross joined WWE in 1993 and worked for the company almost uninterrupted until 2013. During that time, he became the voice of WWE and Attitude Era, which is why he is now widely considered one of the best play-by-play men of all time. Ross did some announcing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling on AXS TV after leaving WWE and continued to work in that capacity until 2018, even after rejoining WWE.
After being away from WWE since 2013, Ross returned to work for WWE under a two-year deal a few weeks after his wife passed in the spring of 2017, calling the No Holds Barred match between The Undertaker and Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 33. Ross would reunite with WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler to call some of the action at the RAW 25th anniversary special in January 2018, then call the fifth annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal with Lawler and Byron Saxton at WrestleMania 34 in early April 2018. Ross last appeared for WWE as a pre-show panel guest for the Greatest Royal Rumble event from Saudi Arabia in late April 2018.
Ol’ JR’s first in-ring appearance for AEW will be at the indie startups next big event, “Double or Nothing,” which takes place Saturday, May 25, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
“He will also work closely with the senior leaders at AEW on their roadmap to shift and reinvent the wrestling landscape,” the company said on Wednesday.
His departure will obviously have a huge emotional impact on WWE, however with the current commentary team on Vince McMahon’s company already working full-time to quite some success, it is unlikely that the work will be affected at the WWE.
