It has been confirmed that Jim Ross and Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler will feature on RAW’s 25th Anniversary episode. The two commentary legends have a long and successful history with WWE, and have become synonymous with professional wrestling commentary.
Triple H recently spoke to USA Today’s “For The Win” to promote the historic episode of RAW, where he highlighted and praised the careers of these two commentary giants.
Some people just have chemistry with each other
The Game pinpointed Lawler’s knowledge and understanding of the business, as well as his ability to turn situations on their head with humour, or the inflection of his voice. Contrast that with ‘the straight man’ attitude and persona of JR, and it makes an extremely effective duo. Triple H explained that while Lawler has his excitement and energy, JR provides the intensity, passion, and a sense of realism.
“I would see JR […] on the edge of his seat like every fan in the arena, because at the end of the day he’s just a fan and he was going crazy for what we did, but that’s what made him so good. When you put that energy that he and Jerry [brought] together, it was magical.”
Moreover, it’s their dedication beyond being commentators which is also admirable.
Jim Ross recently appeared on the Unsanction Podcast, where he discussed Shelton Benjamin, as well as disagreements with Vince McMahon.
The commentary legend explained that Shelton Benjamin was a top worker, but the timing always seemed to be off whenever he was in a position to win a heavyweight championship title. Ross continued by describing Benjamin’s ability on the mic as his main downfall.
But JR was also able to be critical of himself:
“I wasn’t the easiest guy to manage. The story about McMahon used to give J.R. hell; he did sometimes. But guess what, guys? I deserved it sometimes. I deserved to get my ass taken to the woodshed. I’m not infallible, I’m a human being, I have strong opinions, and sometimes I forget who my audience is. And also, I was like one of those guys that I don’t like now and disagreed with every damn thing you say – if you don’t agree with everything I say, you’re an idiot, and I used to think that.”
It’s clear to see that Triple H’s praise seems to be mirrored by Jim Ross’ attitude towards his own work, career, and passion:
“If you’re asking if I could carry the mail on today’s WWE product, absolutely. I like to consider myself a 40-plus year broadcaster. I’ve done boxing, I’ve done MMA, I’ve done NFL, I’ve done XFL. I’d like to think I’m a broadcaster/storyteller. And I believe that if I couldn’t adapt, it’d be on me, not on the product. Because product’s what it is. I’ve done everything from WrestleMania to Smokey Mountain Wrestling. It’s all different man.”
Opinion/Discussion:
Is the combination of Jim Ross and Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler the ultimate commentary team in professional wrestling, let alone just WWE?
