Jim Ross on WWE Talent; Why Some Are Pushed, and Others Are Not

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross was currently interviewed and featured in the June issue of Hooked On Wrestling. During this interview, Ross discusses why certain WWE talent is pushed and why others are not. He also talks about being a fan of professional wrestling and being a part of the business for over 30 years. Here is an excerpt from the interview…

“I’m not going to start naming names of guys that have had issues telling the time, committing or paying attention, but the company have to invest in guys that are reliable. Reliability comes in many forms, shades and colours that the average fan is not aware of.mIt’s not that the company are trying to hold someone back or keep someone down. That’s totally counter-productive. No businessman of any intellect is going to do that in any business. No matter what I say or you say, there will still be some people who still say ‘I still think so-and-so should be pushed’. That’s great. That’s your right to say it. But don’t live and die by it and let it upset your day. If it is meant to happen, it will happen.

Look at The Shield. They are three guys that came in and they were prepared. They had no issue in developmental. They were very professional in all aspects in their preparation. They earned the opportunity for the ‘push’ that they are getting. They covered all the bases. The results are three guys getting quality minutes on television and maximising those minutes very well. They are starting to get over.

If WWE didn’t want a guy to get over and didn’t want to use him, guess what they would do? They would release him. It’s simple. In the corporate world, you get job reviews for every job you do. If you are really successful, you get a promotion or a raise. You advance up the ladder to a new payscale and now the task in hand is to do that job very well and be successful. You don’t get into one role where you say, ‘I’m not going to work hard at this job because I don’t really like it. I’ll just wait for my promotion’.

I’ve had wrestlers that I’ve watched their matches and Vince [McMahon] and I would brainstorm and say, ‘You know, so-and-so doesn’t look like his heart is in it, we need to have a little visit with him to see what’s wrong’. He might be hurt, he might have issues at home. I’ve had guys that have literally said to me, ‘Well I haven’t really been putting out a great effort. I’m waiting for my push’. So when you get your push, then we’ll get your great effort? I say, ‘Well, I think you’ve got it backwards. We need to see the difference now so that you earn your push’. It’s funny that you have grown adults, professionals, that have a chance to make an amazing amount of money for something they allegedly love to do, and they have that attitude. It makes no sense.”

You can read the entire interview and get the entire digital issue of Hooked On Wrestling Magazine here.

 

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