 Ross in 2025 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | James William Ross (1952-01-03)January 3, 1952 (age 73) |
| Alma mater | Northeastern State University |
Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | jrsbbq |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name | Jim Ross |
| Billed height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)[1] |
| Billed weight | 258 lb (117 kg) |
| Billed from | Norman, Oklahoma |
| Debut | 1974 |
| YouTube information | |
| Channel | |
| Years active | 2020–present |
| Genre | Professional wrestling |
| Subscribers | 115 thousand |
| Views | 34.4 million |
| Last updated: August 22, 2025 | |
James William Ross (born January 3, 1952)[3] is an Americanprofessional wrestlingcommentator, sports announcer, and podcaster. He is signed withAll Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he serves as a commentator as well as an analyst and senior advisor.[4] Ross is best known for a long and distinguished career as a play-by-play commentator forWWE. Known affectionately by WWE fans as "Good Ol' JR", Ross has been labeled as the greatest wrestling commentator of all time.[5] Ross, while in WWE, was occasionally involved in storylines and also participated in nine wrestling matches from 1999 to 2011.[6]
After years of working various jobs in the professional wrestling industry, Ross became the primary play-by-play announcer forMid-South Wrestling in the early 1980s. He went on to do commentary for theNational Wrestling Alliance (NWA)'sWorld Championship Wrestlingterritory, before jumping to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), making his first appearance for the promotion atWrestleMania IX in 1993. During his tenure with WWF/WWE, Ross was widely regarded as the voice of the company, particularly during theAttitude Era of the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was also the lead English-language announcer forNew Japan Pro-Wrestling onAXS TV from 2015 to 2018 and has occasionally done play-by-play forboxing andmixed martial arts fights. He has been inducted into theWWE,NWA andWrestling Observer Newsletter halls of fame, and has been honored by theGeorge Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame twice.
Outside of wrestling, Ross is known for hisbarbecue sauce andbeef jerky brand, J.R.'s Family BBQ.[7] He also hosts his own weeklypodcast,Grilling JR.
James William Ross was born on January 3, 1952, inFort Bragg, California.[3] He is an enrolled citizen of theCherokee Nation, tracing his ancestry to family members who arrived in Oklahoma on theTrail of Tears.[8] In 2022, Ross sold land originally allotted to his great-great-grandfather by theBureau of Indian Affairs.[8]
Ross was raised inWestville, Oklahoma, where his maternal grandparents operated a general store. His paternal grandfather, Dee Ross, worked as a carpenter and owned an off-sale beer establishment.[citation needed] At Westville High School, Ross was active in athletics and student leadership. He playedfirst base for the school's baseball team[citation needed] and was a two-time all-conference football player for the Westville Yellowjackets during the 1968 and 1969 seasons.[9] He also served as student body president and earned four varsity letters in basketball.[citation needed]
Beyond athletics, Ross was heavily involved in theFuture Farmers of America (FFA). He won the Oklahoma FFA Speech Championship in both 1968 and 1969 and placed as runner-up in the national competition in 1969.[10][11][12] That same year, he was elected treasurer of OklahomaBoys State[13] and was nominated by RepresentativeWiley Sparkman to serve as a page in theOklahoma House of Representatives.[14] In 1970, he received the FFA State Degree—the organization's second-highest honor—and was elected vice president of the FFA Northeast District.[15][16][17] He was also named honorable mention center on theTulsa World's 1969 Oklahoma High School All-State Football team.[9]
Academically, Ross was inducted into theNational Honor Society as a sophomore and received recognition for maintaining a 3.6 GPA during his junior year.[18][19] After high school, he remained involved in athletics by officiating high school and college baseball, football, and basketball games across Oklahoma for 18 years.[20]
While attendingNortheastern State University, Ross gained early broadcasting experience by working for the college radio station.[21] This background led to his entry into professional wrestling commentary when he was offered a position with the localNWA Tri-State promotion, stepping in for an announcer who was unexpectedly unavailable for an event.[21]
Ross began his career with the promotion in 1974 as a referee, a role he held until 1977 before transitioning to the broadcast team. FollowingBill Watts's acquisition of NWA Tri-State in 1982 and its rebranding as Mid-South Wrestling (later Universal Wrestling Federation), Ross was promoted to lead play-by-play announcer. He also assumed administrative responsibilities as the promotion's Vice President of Marketing.[22] During his tenure, he called his firstNWA World Heavyweight Championship match, featuringRic Flair andTed DiBiase.[citation needed]
In 1987, followingJim Crockett Jr.'s acquisition of the Universal Wrestling Federation and its merger withJim Crockett Promotions, Ross joined the newly combined organization as a color commentator. He worked alongsideDavid Crockett andTony Schiavone and was soon promoted to lead play-by-play announcer for theNational Wrestling Alliance (NWA).[22]
Ross continued in this role as JCP was rebranded toWorld Championship Wrestling (WCW) after its sale to media mogulTed Turner. Following WCW's departure from the NWA in 1991, Ross was paired with longtime NWA commentatorBob Caudle, and alsoPaul E. Dangerously.[23] Around this time, Ross briefly expanded into mainstream sports broadcasting, serving as a commentator for one season ofAtlanta Falcons radio coverage in 1992.[citation needed]
Over time, Ross advanced to become WCW's head of broadcasting. However, his tenure was marked by a strained professional relationship withEric Bischoff, a rising commentator and future executive. Ross later claimed that Bischoff effectively promoted himself to WCW's leadership, ultimately leading to a shift in internal dynamics. Conversely, Bischoff alleged that Ross had shown favoritism under the direction of then-WCW booker Bill Watts. In 1993, after Bischoff was promoted to executive producer, Ross requested and was granted a release from his contract.[citation needed]
Although Ross had a three-year agreement withTurner Broadcasting, he opted for an immediate buyout, citing concerns that he would be sidelined from on-air work for an extended period. According to wrestlerMick Foley, Ross also resigned from WCW's booking committee around this time.[24] He officially departed WCW after being removed from television by Bischoff.[25]
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Jim Ross joined theWorld Wrestling Federation (WWF, later WWE) in early 1993 and made his on-screen debut atWrestleMania IX, held atCaesars Palace inLas Vegas. He replacedGorilla Monsoon onWrestling Challenge and worked withBobby Heenan until Heenan's departure later that year. Ross also called major pay-per-view events, includingWrestleMania IX andKing of the Ring, beforeVince McMahon resumed lead commentary duties beginning withSummerSlam 1993.[citation needed]
Ross pitched the idea for Radio WWF, a short-lived radio program where he and Gorilla Monsoon discussed wrestling news and interviewed talent. They also called select events such as SummerSlam,Survivor Series 1993, and the1994 Royal Rumble for the broadcast.[citation needed]
In January 1994, Ross suffered his first bout ofBell's palsy. He was released by the company two weeks later, on February 11. Afterward, Ross worked as an announcer forSmoky Mountain Wrestling, reuniting with longtime broadcast partner Bob Caudle, and resumed duties with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.[citation needed]
Ross was briefly rehired in mid-1994 duringVince McMahon's federal trial, providing commentary onMonday Night Raw alongsideRandy Savage while McMahon was absent. After McMahon's acquittal, Ross was released again, reportedly due to leaking company information. He returned once more to Smoky Mountain Wrestling.
In December 1994, Ross rejoined WWF for a third time. Initially relegated tosyndicated programming, he returned to the main announce team in 1996. That September, Ross turnedheel in an on-screen storyline where he claimed to be bringing back Razor Ramon and Diesel—characters previously portrayed byScott Hall andKevin Nash. OnRaw, he delivered aworked-shoot promo criticizing Vince McMahon and introduced new performers in those roles. The angle was widely panned and dropped soon after.[26]
Following this, Ross resumed his commentary duties across various shows, includingSuperstars,Action Zone,Raw Is War, andShotgun Saturday Night. In December 1998, while broadcastingCapital Carnage in London, he suffered a second Bell's palsy attack shortly after learning of his mother's death. He returned toRaw on March 8, 1999, in a storyline where he confrontedMichael Cole, his on-air replacement. Ross claimed he had been fired because of his condition and tried to reclaim his commentary role, even setting up his own desk labeled "JR Is Raw". The crowd support led the WWF to reinstate Ross permanently, starting withWrestleMania XV.
Later that year, WCW parodied Ross's condition through a controversial character named "Oklahoma", portrayed byEd Ferrara. The parody was widely criticized, and WCW discontinued it following intervention by TurnerStandards and Practices. Though offended, Ross later said he did not hold Ferrara personally responsible.[27]
In 2001, Ross was assigned to the commentary team for WWF'sXFL football league. Initially on regional broadcasts withJerry Lawler, Ross was later promoted to lead the national telecast alongsideJesse Ventura after the original host,Matt Vasgersian, publicly criticized the production. Ross returned to regional broadcasts midway through the season.[28]
Throughout theMonday Night War, Ross became recognized as the voice ofRaw, forming a legendary commentary team with Lawler. After WWE introduced abrand split in 2002, Ross worked exclusively onRaw and its pay-per-views.[citation needed]
Outside commentary, Ross served as Executive Vice President of Talent Relations, where he was key in hiring and developing talent. He stepped away from his executive roles in 2005, citing health, family, and personal business goals.[citation needed]
In October 2005, Ross was written off television after being "fired" by Vince andLinda McMahon. In reality, he needed time off for colon surgery.Joey Styles filled in during Ross's recovery. Ross returned in 2006 to callSaturday Night's Main Event XXXII,WrestleMania 22, andBacklash, and resumed his position onRaw in May after Styles exited in a storyline.[29]
Ross's contract expired in October 2006, but he continued on a week-to-week basis until signing a one-year deal in November.[30] On March 31, 2007, he was inducted into theWWE Hall of Fame by"Stone Cold" Steve Austin.[31]
In the2008 WWE Draft, Ross was unexpectedly moved fromRaw toSmackDown, ending his 12-year run on the red brand. He was initially unhappy, stating he had not been informed of the decision, but later pledged to help makeSmackDown the best show possible.[32][33][34]
Ross made a one-night appearance onECW in September 2008 and later becameSmackDown's color commentator alongsideTodd Grisham.[35] His final full-time commentary appearance wasHell in a Cell on October 4, 2009. He suffered a third Bell's palsy attack later that month and took a leave from broadcasting.
Ross returned sporadically over the next few years. He appeared on theOld School Raw special in 2010 and resumed commentary in early 2011 during Jerry Lawler's feud with Michael Cole.[36] He appeared atWrestleMania XXVII and other episodes ofRaw, but was again "fired" in a storyline byJohn Laurinaitis. Ross later claimed he was not informed in advance about the firing. He returned briefly for matches and comedy segments through the remainder of 2011.[37][38]
AtWrestleMania XXVIII in 2012, Ross called the "End of an Era"Hell in a Cell match betweenThe Undertaker andTriple H. He also contributed toRaw 1000 and began commentating on the revampedNXT, joiningByron Saxton andWilliam Regal. That same year, Paul Levesque (Triple H) appointed Ross as an adviser and scout for Talent Relations. After Lawler's on-air heart attack on September 10, Ross filled in during his recovery. He was honored in his hometown duringRaw on October 1, dubbed "JR Appreciation Night".[39][40]
In 2013, Ross began mentoring new commentators at theWWE Performance Center. He returned for the20th Anniversary of Raw.[41]
On August 16, 2013, Ross hosted aWWE 2K14 panel where he appeared visibly fatigued and made unscripted comments, including criticism of a sponsor.Ric Flair, also on the panel, made controversial remarks. On September 11, Ross announced his departure from WWE, stating that his contract had expired.[42] Though it was widely speculated that the panel led to his release, Ross later said that it was his comment about the sponsor that caused concern. He also denied being intoxicated, attributing his demeanor to Bell's palsy-related fatigue.[43] Vince McMahon later confirmed the situation contributed to Ross's exit but said Ross left on his own terms and there was no lingering tension between them.[44]
On January 4, 2015, Ross andMatt Striker served as the English language commentators forGlobal Force Wrestling's presentation ofNew Japan Pro-Wrestling'sWrestle Kingdom 9 in Tokyo Dome pay-per-view.[45]
On January 19, 2016, it was announced that Ross had signed to become the new lead announcer for NJPW's weekly program onAXS TV along withJosh Barnett.[46] Ross's contract was directly with AXS TV and not NJPW.[47] It was revealed in November 2018 that Barnett and Ross would no longer be doing NJPW commentary.[48] In 2019 the New Japan World commentary team took over broadcasting the AXS shows until the contract ended in December of that year.[49]
On October 8, 2016, Ross, along withJim Cornette, provided commentary for What Culture Pro Wrestling's (WCPW) first iPPV, Refuse to Lose. On December 31, Ross was on commentary for the pilot episode ofWorld of Sport Wrestling onITV.[50] On February 12, 2017, Ross returned to WCPW for commentary at the iPPV, True Destiny and for WCPW'sLoaded tapings that same month.[51]
On April 2, 2017, atWrestleMania 33, Ross returned to WWE, providing commentary for the main event No Holds Barred match betweenThe Undertaker andRoman Reigns. Shortly after the event, it was announced that Ross had signed a two-year deal with the company.[52] During the summer, Ross would provide commentary, alongsideLita, for theMae Young Classic. On the January 22, 2018, episode ofRaw 25 Years, Ross would reunite with Jerry Lawler as part of the commentary team that was at theManhattan Center in which Ross was caught by several cameras sleeping. On April 8, 2018, atWrestleMania 34, Ross called the fifth annual André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the WrestleMania 34 pre-show, alongside Jerry Lawler andByron Saxton.[53] Ross's last televised appearance for WWE was part of the pre-show panel for theGreatest Royal Rumble on April 27, 2018.[54]
Ross left WWE on March 27, 2019, after electing not to renew his contract.[55] Ross stated that the reason for his WWE departure was because, "I had two bookings in 2018 and they weren't using me very much".[56][57] Ross also attributed that another factor in his departure was Ross stating himself that, "I still think I can do play-by-play even though others that may surround Vince think I can't".[58] In August 2019, Ross later revealed what he said toVince McMahon before he left, stating "Vince, unlike you I still believe I can do it and there are other people who believe I can do it including some of your audience".[59]
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On April 3, 2019, it was announced that Ross had signed a three-year deal withAll Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a commentator and senior advisor.[4] Ross initially provided full-time commentary on the broadcast team onAEW Dynamite and occasionally part-time commentary onAEW Rampage.[60] On the January 5, 2022, episode ofDynamite, Ross returned toTBS for the first time since 1993. In June 2022, Ross switched from full-time commentary onDynamite to full-time commentary onRampage in a commentary team rotation swap withTaz.[61][62]
On June 17, 2023, Ross tweeted an image showing a black eye he had suffered due to a fall, he worked at the debut episode ofAEW Collision but later announced that he would be stepping away to heal.[63][64]
On August 5, 2023, Ross returned to theAEW Collision commentary team, and has since only provided commentary as an analyst for the main events in the second hour of AEW Collision.[65]
Following his further surgery in February 2024, Ross returned on March 3, 2024, forRevolution to commentateSting's retirement match.[66] In August 2024 he recorded separate sit-down interviews withBryan Danielson andSwerve Strickland ahead of their match atAll In.[67] Later that month he revealed he had broken his wrist although he expected to call the match at All In.[68][69] On August 25, 2024, Ross commentated during the main event between Danielson and Strickland at All In.[70] He returned on September 7, 2024, for theAll Out main event andunsanctioned matches.[71]
After 10 months away due to illness, Ross returned on July 12, 2025, atAll In to provide commentary for the last 2 matches of the show.
In 1992, Ross joined theAtlanta Falcons radio broadcast team.[20] However, he would leave after one season, but had a second stint with the Falcons in 1994.[72]
Ross made his debut calling boxing on May 26, 2014, forGolden Boy Promotions onFox Sports 1.[73]
Ross teamed up with MMA fighter andUFC veteranChael Sonnen to commentate the Battlegrounds MMA one night tournament PPV on October 3, 2014.[74]
In 2014 Ross began hosting his ownpodcastThe Ross Report forPodcastOne. It was later relaunched as part of theWestwood One podcast network in 2018 asThe Jim Ross Report.[75] In April 2019, Ross partnered with wrestling podcaster/mortgage lenderConrad Thompson to revamp his podcast asGrilling JR, with a new format of reminiscences about Ross's history in wrestling, much in the same style as Thompson's podcasts withBruce Prichard,Eric Bischoff,Tony Schiavone,Kurt Angle,Jeff Jarrett andArn Anderson.[76]
Although Ross's career has predominantly been as a commentator, Ross has participated in matches, with some notable success, including a victory overTriple H in a no-disqualification match in 2005 (albeit with help fromBatista).[77]
Another notable in-ring appearance by Ross was in a tag team match with broadcast partnerJerry "The King" Lawler againstAl Snow andJonathan Coachman at the 2003Unforgiven pay-per-view, with their Raw broadcast jobs on the line. They lost the contest to Snow and Coachman due to interference byChris Jericho, however two weeks later Ross and Lawler regained their jobs when Ross defeated Coachman in aCountry Whippin' match, using astunner as a finishing maneuver. Ross has participated in more matches alongside Lawler, including a few withhardcore stipulations. In 2011, Ross competed againstMichael Cole on the April 25 episode ofRaw, where he defeated Cole by disqualification after Cole's manager for the match,Jack Swagger, attacked Ross while he had Cole mounted and was landing punches on him.[78]
Ross has been involved in numerous other conflicts with other competitors as well such asTriple H,Val Venis,Jack Swagger,Vladimir Kozlov,Mankind, andSteve Austin, Ross has been bloodied in a match by then-Raw General ManagerEric Bischoff, and was even set on fire byKane. Ross even main-evented the WWF's first-ever show from theGeorgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, an episode ofRaw is War that took place on October 11, 1999. Ross teamed with Steve Austin to take onWWF Champion Triple H and his partnerChyna.[79]
As part of storylines, Ross has been regularly targeted byVince McMahon in rather harsh circumstances throughout his time with WWE: most notably in 2005 whenVince McMahon's character, Mr. McMahon, featured in a series of segments which made fun of Ross's legitimate colon surgery. This has been seen as form of bullying towards Ross by fans.[80]
In 2011, after his firing as an announcer byJohn Laurinaitis, he returned to team up withJohn Cena to faceMichael Cole andAlberto Del Rio in a tag team match onRaw in a winning effort.[81]
Ric Flair claims he introduced Ross to his late wife, Jan.[82] Ross writes in hisautobiography thatRic Flair was present on an airplane when he first met Jan who was a flight attendant. He has two daughters from two previous marriages and two granddaughters.[83][84] He citesSteve Austin andJerry Lawler as his closest friends.Ross lives withBell's palsy, which sometimes temporarily paralyzes his facial muscles. The symptoms first occurred on January 30, 1994.[85] In late 1998, following the death of his mother, Ross took a break fromWWE Raw as the effects of his grief reportedly aggravated his palsy;[86]Michael Cole filled in for him.[citation needed]
In 2007, encouraged by sales of his line of barbecue sauces and beef products, Ross opened up J.R.'s Family Bar-B-Q inNorman, Oklahoma.[87] The restaurant closed in May 2010.[88] Ross is also a fan ofSkyline Chili and has mentioned them in connection toCincinnati numerous times on AEW programming.[89]
Ross is an avidOklahoma Sooners fan and a regular football season ticket holder. This is reflected in his entrance music, which is "Boomer Sooner" (the Sooners' fight song). He can be spotted at some Sooners home games, and when the Sooners play top teams around the country.[90] In 2014, he became FoxSports.com's Contributor for NCAA Football and Oklahoma Sooners.[91] On the February 23, 2021, episode of his YouTube seriesGrilling J.R., Ross stated thatThe Sopranos is his favorite TV show and that he still would occasionally watch it.[92]
On March 21, 2017, Ross's wife Jan was involved in a vehicle accident, suffering serious head injuries. She was put on life support, and she died two days later.[93]
Ross had an eye operation in 2018 that greatly affected his eyesight in one eye.[94]
On October 23, 2021, Ross tweeted that he had skin cancer as he was on his way toAEW Dynamite.[95] On December 29, 2021, Ross tweeted that he was cancer free.[96] On February 1, 2024, Ross once again posted that he had undergone successful cancer surgery on hisright hip.[97] On May 15, 2025, Ross announced that he had been diagnosed withcolon cancer and was to go into surgery for it "in the next week or two".[98] On May 28, Ross announced that his colon cancer surgery was a success, and on June 25, Ross revealed he was cancer free.[99]
In the filmMan on the Moon, Ross playedLance Russell (Memphis weekly wrestling show's lead announcer) announcing the match betweenAndy Kaufman (played byJim Carrey) andJerry "The King" Lawler.[citation needed]
Ross also has a recurring role on theAmazon Prime Video originalParadise City as Ned.
Ross was one of the original lead announcers of the originalXFL in spring 2001.[100]
Ross has also provided his voice for many WWEvideo games, and is also an unlockable character inWWE '12,WWF WrestleMania 2000,WWF No Mercy and many more.[citation needed]
In October 2014, he appeared in "Brian and the Boz", a30 for 30 documentary on fellow OklahomanBrian Bosworth.[101] Three years later, he appeared in another30 for 30 documentary, this time aboutRic Flair.[102]
Ross has written two WWF/WWE themed cook booksCan You Take The Heat? The WWF Is Cooking andJ.R's Cookbook released in 2000 and 2003 respectively. His autobiographySlobberknocker was released on October 3, 2017.[103] The foreword for the new autobiography was written by Vince McMahon. The book includes a letter from McMahon to Ross from when Ross was sick for the second time with Bell's Palsy.[104][105] Ross's second book and further autobiographyUnder the Black Hat: My Life in the WWE and Beyond, co-written with Paul O'Brien, was published in March 2020. On May 7, 2024, Ross and O'Brien released a second book,Business Is About to Pick Up!.[106][107]
Ross has also created a range of J.R.'s BBQ sauces and mustard which have been inspired by his own culinary knowledge and that of his close family.[108]
Ross has been labeled as the greatest wrestling commentator of all time.[5][109] Ryan Dilbert from theBleacher Report has stated "Ross also brought searing passion and a love of the wrestling business toMid-South Wrestling,WWE andWorld Championship Wrestling.[110] To hear a match with Ross on the call was to watch wrestling morph into poetry, for the scripted action to feel real, meaningful and unforgettable.[110] Debating the greatest pro wrestling commentator comes down to two men, Ross andGordon Solie. As for the greatest in WWE history, there is no debate Ross stands alone".[110]
Professional wrestling booker and promoter and colleagueEric Bischoff has praised and been critical of Ross, stating, "Jim was in upper-management, had a lot of influence, was participating in the booking during WCW's worst days, and he still didn't have management of the company. So I'm not saying he wasn't capable, necessarily. But he certainly didn't have a track record that he could point to and say look, this is what I did over here."[111] Bischoff also further reiterated that Ross "worked very closely with Bill Watts, which is one of the biggest train wrecks in the history of professional wrestling. So it's not like Jim came in with a résumé that would make one think he would be the ideal candidate to run a wrestling company. Jim is the best announcer, probably on planet Earth. Jim had a tremendous amount of experience and had seen a lot, but he'd never done it."[111]
WWE Hall of Famer and LegendStone Cold Steve Austin has praised Ross stating, "Jim Ross, to me, with his range, with his storytelling, he paid his dues. I mean, he learned from the ground up. And his inflection and his ability to watch a match, tell a story, get the talent over with the credibility that he had, he was the shining diamond on top of everyone, so always a good experience with Jim".[112]
I was born on January 3, 1952, inFort Bragg, CA.
,Cagematch,Internet Wrestling Database| Preceded by | Raw lead announcer 1997–2008 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Michael Cole | SmackDown lead announcer 2008–2009 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Inaugural | Dynamite lead announcer 2019–2022 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Excalibur | Rampage lead announcer 2022–2023 | Succeeded by Excalibur |
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