On May 15, WWE Hall of Famer and current AEW commentator Jim Ross announced the following:
“Diagnosed this week with colon cancer. Surgery being scheduled in the next week or two. I appreciate your concern and support.”
Good Ol’ JR underwent surgery this week and it was a success! Here’s what Conrad Thompson tweeted:
“Just heard from @rmorfnyc that JR’s surgery went well and they hope to have successfully removed all of his cancer this morning! Please keep @JRsBBQ in your thoughts and prayers as he begins his recovery!”
Today, Good Ol’ JR announced the good news himself:
“Happy to say that today’s cancer surgery was a success. Now we be begin to rehabilitate.”
Happy to say that today’s cancer surgery was a success. Now we be begin to rehabilitate.
— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) May 28, 2025
In 2021, JR was diagnosed with skin cancer and successfully beat it.
On his podcast, JR noted that he doesn’t plan on retiring and wants to call the AEW All In: Texas PPV on July 12.
JR also recalled getting a phone call from Stone Cold Steve Austin prior to his surgery:
“I was at home and I got a call from Steve Austin, and when we got off the phone we had talked for 43 minutes. 43 minutes. Here’s what your friends do, they call you, they talk to you and at the end of the conversation, they tell you they love you and that’s what Steve did.
That’s what I got and it cheered me up and made me feel strong, vibrant and he said, ‘You’re going to beat this and everything’s going to be just fine, ride or die tough it out’. And that’s what I’m going to do.”
Speaking of JR’s health, Dave Meltzer isn’t happy about WWE ignoring Jim’s cancer news. Here’s what Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio:
“He’s undergoing surgery soon. I really do think, very strongly on this one, that because they haven’t done it yet, they could have done it on Friday (on SmackDown), they could have done it [on Saturday Night’s Main Event], WWE announcers should [send their best wishes to Jim Ross].
I know there’s an incredible level of tribalism that goes on and there’s a wrestling war going on but this is above a wrestling war and Jim Ross is every bit as big a name to WWE fans as he is to AEW fans.
He’s actually more a part of WWE history than AEW history even though he works for AEW right now. But he worked for WWE for decades and I felt it was a real slight that they didn’t mention him on Friday, I felt it again on Saturday.”
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