WWE Hall of Famer and AEW commentator Jim Ross has made some interesting comments with regards to the use of steroids in professional wrestling.
During the most recent episode of the ‘Grilling JR’ podcast, co-host Conrad Thompson asked Good Old JR if he felt steroids should be banned from wrestling altogether. “Hell no, absolutely not” Jim Ross replied.
Jim Ross on Steroids in Wrestling
“I believe that talents, all talents, should get ongoing medical exams, in other words the things that are important to know. [such as] More regular blood work the normal perhaps. But certainly you know every week our guys [AEW] should be checked. I think they are checked every week our guys in AEW. [They] should be checked every Wednesday.”
“Negative Baggage”
Jim Ross elaborated further, saying “Any vacillation or change [in blood pressure or heart monitoring] should be noted, it should be noted. Look, it’s [pro wrestling] a performance art, it’s not the NFL. It has the same negative baggage that marijuana has, or had. It [steroids] has not been accepted widely enough. To get that ‘ok it’s alright.'”
Billy Graham
Superstar Billy Graham made comments aimed at former WWE Champion Kofi Kingston earlier this year stating “I urge you to start doing some steroids and add about 50 pounds of solid muscle to your championship body.”
This gained some negative reaction from several big names in the wrestling industry, including fellow Hall of Famer Booker T.
“These old guys need to wake up and realize that their era is over,” said Booker T. “To bring steroids into a conversation as far as what a man need to do to get to the top in the wrestling business, man there’s more to life than the wrestling business. What about your health?”
You can listen to the latest episode of the Jim Ross Grilling JR podcast in the player embedded below. If the embedded player does not appear, listen at Westwood One Podcasts.