9 Craziest Moments In Jim Ross’ Career
For nearly fifty years, Jim Ross has been a fairly permanent fixture in the wrestling world. He is certainly one of if not the most beloved announcer in wrestling history. He’s had some of the best lines and unparalleled in his storytelling ability. Even JR himself has regaled fans with stories about how fans come up to him anywhere and everywhere will recite to verbatim his most famous Hell In A Cell call.
Related: 10 Backstage Stories About Jim Ross That We Can't Believe
But in the WWE, even commentators are subjugated to participating in storylines. Especially when they “sell” the fact that they’re annoyed about it. According to several of his colleagues and himself over the years, Good Ol’ Jr sold really well. Sometimes those storylines were memorable for the right reasons and sometimes they were embarrassing.
8 He’s On Fire
There’s certainly a litany of JR’s BBQ Sauce jokes to be had to be running around Vince’s head when he concocted this storyline. Shortly after Kane was unmasked, JR had conducted one of his old “shoot-style,”’ sit-down interviews with the Big Red Monster. As JR offered his opinions on Kane’s scarred mind, the unmasked man began to assault Jim Ross as the stunned crowd and Stone Cold watched on. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Big Red Machine doused JR in gasoline and set him on fire.
7 The Mick Foley Interview
Speaking of JR’s “shoot” interviews, his greatest one was with Mick Foley and set the stage for all the rest. The idea to use elements of Mick’s real life but stay in the Mankind character the whole time was a stroke of the genius of Mick Foley.
Related: 10 Real-Life Facts That Fans Need To Know About Jim Ross
Jim Ross sat in his chair and looked incredulous as Foley began to get more and more angered. Then Foley nailed JR with The Mandible Claw and incapacitated the announcer. He then patted Jimmy and bemoaned to anyone that Ross needed help.
6 “Are You Better Than Me?”
Vince McMahon’s Kiss My Ass Club was one of the more ridiculous concepts of 2000s WWE. But plenty of stars were “offered” the chance to join, including JR. After mocking his efforts to make Stone Cold join the Club, Vince turned his attentions to JR.
It seemed that all hope was lost and Kurt Angle was going to forcefully make JR join. Until Big Evil made the save. Or so it seemed, The Undertaker proceeded to tell JR that no one kisses Vince ass more than he does and ominously asked Ross the question, “do you think you’re better than me?” before pummeling JR and forcing him into the club.
5 Fake Diesel And Fake Razor
A perfect storm of bad ideas rolled into the WWE in late 1996. Jim Ross turned heel, citing getting pink-slipped several times thanks to having Bell's Palsy. McMahon has tried several times to have a heel play-by-play guy, but the fans no interest in booing Good Ol’ Jr. the turn continued when Ross promised that Diesel and Razor were coming back, along with having his friend Dr. Death assault Bart Gunn.
Ross also delivered a low blow to a young Michael Cole, which had the completely opposite fan reaction.
4 Have Some Candy
Did you know that there are announcers who like to have a glass jar lying around the desk so they snack all night? Nobody else did either, that’s because there never was and never was again after SummerSlam 2000.
While Jerry Lawler and Tazz were going at it on the outside of the ring during their match, JR helped his broadcast buddy out by smashing the glass jar over Tazz’s skull, allowing The King to stand tall.
3 Austin Turns On His Friend
Despite it seldom being mentioned on TV or in storylines, plenty of fans knew about the real-life friendship between Stone Cold and JR. JR was there when Austin woke up from neck surgery; their bond goes beyond Head Of Talent and WWE Legend.
Related: 10 Times WWE Failed Stone Cold Steve Austin
But as Austin turned heel at WrestleMania X7, Ross was already condemning the actions of the Rattlesnake. But Austin had no interest in caring what his old buddy thought about it. To get even more heat and cement his heel turn, The Rattlesnake beat the tar out JR on the Smackdown after WrestleMania.
2 Getting Over At The Garden 04/18/2005
Any wrestler, or live performer in any entertainment genre will tell you that Madison Square Garden is the Mecca of all of entertainment. If you don’t aim to perform there, you shouldn’t be in the business.
Even Good Ol’ JR got the chance to headline the hallowed halls of MSG, as a competitor! On the road to his WrestleMania rematch with Batista, Triple H would take on JR in a No DQ match. After beating JR into a bloody mess, Batista was able to finally make it to the arena and even up the odds, helping JR actually beat Triple H at MSG!
1 Headlining The Georgia Dome 10/11/1999
As the WWE was really starting to turn the corner in the Monday Night Wars, Raw descended on The Georgia Dome, right in WCW’s backyard of Atlanta. The raucous crowd was ready for anything and everything and they got it. Despite Jim Ross espousing why he doesn’t like Intergender matches on his podcast, he found himself in one. The main event of the evening would be Triple H and Chyna taking on Stone Cold and the ornery Oakie, in his first match ever.
Austin and The Game brawled all over the arena while Chyna pounded on JR in the ring. Double J, who was feuding with Chyna at the time would take her out of the match. The match ended in a no contest but it was Austin’s music playing by the end of the skirmish.
