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Jim Ross Talks About His Relationship With Stone Cold & The Rock, On People Not Being Happy With Him Debuting In The WWF

Jim Ross

During a recent interview with ESPN, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross talked about his debut in WWF and working WrestleMania 9, his relationship with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and The Rock & more. Below are the highlights:

On people not being happy when he arrived in the WWF:

“I was very much aware of the attention that the room paid to Vince when he spoke because everything that they needed to know, that affected their job. I thought that was pretty cool. He introduced me to the room and it was like there wasn’t an audible sound. It was an audible non-sound. Nobody gave a s***. I was not welcome there, and I could see it from that very first moment.

That’s not the greatest feeling to have when you’re getting ready to do your first assignment. It’s only going to be a live show with no net, and the biggest event of the year. So, that was a little unsettling, but you persevere, man, you work through it. Poor me. I’m going to broadcast WrestleMania IX. I’m a wrestling fan. It’s taken me 19 years to get here. And I’m going to bitch and moan that I didn’t get the Chamber of Commerce welcome wagon welcome? You kidding? The first night was an adventure, commentating alongside “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Bobby Heenan, but Ross pushed forward and did his job as well as he could do it, toga and all. Things could have gone sideways in a hurry if the iciness from the rest of the boys continued, but Ross found a pair of key allies in one of the most recognizable commentary teams in wrestling history.

Luckily for me, Monsoon and Heenan became my surrogate WWF uncles at the time. They loved me. I loved them. We traveled together. And they were great liaisons for me to break the ice with some of the less trusting.”

On how Stone Cold & The Rock vouched for him to return from his bout with Bell’s Palsy to commentate at WrestleMania 15:

“They are two of my signees. They’re two guys I had a very strong personal relationship with. And you know I just thought the world of both those guys. They were what we needed to revitalize the talent relations department. They were components of what we needed to re-jump-start the competitive feeling you get often times when you have a locker room that’s dotted with overachievers and ex-mainstream athletes.”

You can watch Jim Ross’ entrance at WrestleMania 15 and the entire main event between Stone Cold & The Rock below:


The Rock vs. Steve Austin (WWF WrestleMania 15) by WWFOldSchool


        
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