• “Jim Ross lost every bit of credibility with me in life” – Ric Flair
During an episode of his weekly ‘To Be The Man’ podcast, WCW/WWF Legend Ric Flair talked about the recent negative comments Jim Ross made about John Laurinaitis (fka Johnny Ace).
Laurinaitis became Ross’ successor as ‘WWE Executive Vice President of Talent Relations’ during the Ruthless Aggression Era, but was recently released due to his involvement in the Vince McMahon hush money scandal.
JR said the following about Laurinaitis:
“I had a hard time as time went on trusting Laurinaitis. That’s sad to say. I hired him. I gave him a job when he needed it. I don’t think he treated me quite right.
He just wanted to show Vince that he was a better manager than JR and all these things. So now his a$$ is without a job and he deserves the goddamn misery that he’s living, that I perceive that he’s living, and I didn’t like how he treated me.”
Here’s what The Nature Boy said about the beef between the two:
“I know them both about the same. Jim Ross lost every bit of credibility with me in life, in spite of calling me the greatest wrestler of all time or whatever other bullsh*t, when he jumped on The Dark Side of Wrestling because all he is starving for and leaning on life is to be relevant because he ain’t, and I will tell you this.
What disappoints me the most, and this is a very serious statement when Russo and Ferrara mocked up Jim Ross and made fun of the Bell’s Palsy, I thought it was the worst thing I’ve ever seen in wrestling in my life.”
Forget anything I ever went through personally, it was the worst thing and it’s unforgivable to make fun of a situation like that, which was, you know, I can only imagine what it did to Jim’s mind.
So I can forgive Jim Ross for Dark Side of Wrestling, which I have because it’s not worth it, but I don’t appreciate it. Jerry Lawler texted me, I don’t know how he goes, he said, ‘What the f**k did Ross mean that you got to know when to walk away from Ric Flair?’
Well, WWE learned when to walk away from Jim Ross. I’m going to the 30th (RAW) reunion. Do you think he is?
Do you know what he said when I called him on it? He said, ‘I love you Naitch. Always have, always will.’ I said, ‘What the f**k are you doing?’ That was his answer, not, ‘hey I’m sorry.’
I’ll tell you something else, going back to these documentaries and how they can be hurtful, when Jim was talking about me dancing on tables and drinking and all that sh*t, but forgot to pay the IRS, you know why he knows about the IRS? Because he was the Head of Talent Relations, and that’s supposed to be private when they garnished my wages.
So you ask me what I think about Jim Ross? I’ve felt the pain of Jan (Jim Ross’s wife) like nobody else. I was there when he met Jan. I know a lot of things a lot of people don’t know, but sh*tting on me is not cool.
First of all, why did he say it? Why is he on the show? You know how many people have called me and said, ‘We’d love to say something, but we don’t want to hear something about ourselves?’ How many phone calls do you think I got like that for a year? They said, ‘Hey, I don’t want them jumping on me.’
So a convicted felon, in trouble with the IRS, arrested for domestic violence twice, gets to say sh*t about me 22 years later. I lost half a million dollars and almost caused me to get divorced.
You don’t think that hit Wendy and her kids? What do you think my grandkids thought of all of that? You don’t think that runs through my mind every day? To this day, it runs through my mind.”
WATCH: Charlotte Flair Accidentally Exposed By Lana:
• ON THIS DAY IN WWF HISTORY (December 29, 2001) – WWF Jakked / WWF Metal
On this day in 2001, the World Wrestling Federation aired an episode of their weekly syndicated TV show ‘WWF Jakked’ (night version) aka ‘WWF Metal’ (afternoon version).
It featured pre-taped mid-card matches on the road to the ‘WWF Royal Rumble 2002’ PPV.
The card can be found right here:
Crash Holly vs. Chris Nelson
Edge vs. Funaki
