WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross recently appeared on the Pro Wrestling Illustrated podcast to promote NJPW on AXS TV. During the interview, PWI senior writer Al Castle asked J.R. about Shane McMahon being chosen as The Undertaker’s opponent for WrestleMania this year.
Ross says he personally has no issues with Shane coming out of the woodwork for the semi-main event match, and that the storyline has people talking. “I believe . . . knowing the two participants as well as I do, and I know both of them very well, that they will do everything within their power to have an extraordinary match based on both their individual skill sets and their strengths and their weaknesses. So I have no issues with Shane McMahon coming out of the woodwork,” Ross said.
He added that people have been stopping him left and right asking about Shane McMahon’s return, so it’s certainly gotten the attention of casual fans. “So a lot of people are talking about it. And obviously when you have a lot of people talking about something they’re not all going to like it. I get it and I don’t have a problem with people expressing themselves and their opinions. But when people are so adamant that they know without a shadow of a doubt that this is bad booking, I sometimes am embarrassed for them.”
Ross was asked if WWE talent would be justified in feeling resentful that the owner’s son was chosen to take such a prestigious spot at their biggest event of the year. The Hall of Famer says he’s familiar with wrestling complaining about things like that, but that it’s usually not justified.
“It’s not the first time and it’s not the last time that people are getting passed over. I found out this: wrestlers that have complained regularly, loudly–discreetly loud–about their spot being taken by a non-regular normally didn’t work hard enough or smart enough during the year to keep their spot. I heard that same thing.”
“What do you think would happen in Bill Watts’ territory when he would bring in Andre the Giant to work the Super Dome or Dusty Rhodes or Tommy Rich or the NWA champion? You’d get the same thing: the guys in the locker room b—hing and moaning that somebody was coming in and taking their pay off.”
It might not be the ideal scenario for the full time performers, but the special attractions coming in raises the water level for everybody and today’s stars should be working to establish themselves as the special attractions of tomorrow.
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