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JR's Blog: Controversial @MarkMaddenX on Ross Report Podcast tonight 9 ET, @ShamrockKen, More Rumble/Reigns Thoughts, Venom Overload, Snowy RAW, JR Movie Info, Q&A's Updated

Posted: Jan 28th 2015 By: Jim Ross

Huge day in Podcastland for Ol JR, as the @MarkMaddenX Ross Report drops tonight at 9 ET on podcastone.com where we review the Royal Rumble and talk ROH, TNA, Lucha Underground, New Japan @CMPunk in @UFC, and make Super Bowl predictions. Mark has strong opinions on the wrestling business while remaining a big fan and he pulls no punches. Plus, today I'm speaking with @ShamrockKen for a future podcast. My Ross Report schedule is conveniently located on the homepage of this site. Let's grill.....

While I had a great time in Jersey and Philly doing two Ringside w/ Jim Ross shows at this time we are working on a better touring philosophy and have no future shows booked as of today. I will keep you posted when we do and we hope to do something at WM31 but finding a suitable location/venue is challenging. Stay tuned as some new plans are being formulated by our team.

At some point sooner than later I have to begin investing much more time on our pending autobiography. Would love to have it ready for holiday shopping this year but that seems like it's miles and miles away.

On a separate note of personal interest, my wife made some absolutely delicious 15 bean soup Monday and after two healthy bowls of the high protein dish last night, today I'm re-enacting a key scene from the classic comedy 'Blazing Saddles.' Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

The negativity that I'm receiving on our Q&A's and on Twitter @JRsBBQ regarding the Royal Rumble is getting silly. If someone asks my take on the WWE Royal Rumble and how it ended and I don't agree exactly with their opinion then I'm a WWE sycophant. I am stating facts from my 40 years in the business and not knee jerking my way into being incoherent. It's mighty easy to book pro wrestling storylines after the fact. As easy as it is to make a wrong turn it's just as easy to get back on the right path. I learned years ago that there are multiple ways to do the right thing while compiling wrestling storylines and it's just as easy if not easier to pick virtually any idea a part. To say that wrestling creative is subjective might be the understatement of the year.

I actually picked Daniel Bryan to win the Rumble on my last foxsports.com column but in hindsight and based on how things worked out with Roman Reigns winning, I would not have put DB even in the match. Again, that's hindsight and that point of view is normally pretty accurate.

One of the unfortunate things about this DB/Reigns controversy is that many are ignoring what a great WWE Title match that was featured that would have made any Rumble hard to follow. Lesnar, Cena and Rollins, in particular, really stepped up and brought it and is a match of the year candidate for sure based on what I enjoy in a bout. Thee men delivered, the conclusion of the bout surprised me and they made the title mean more via their physicality and risk taking in attempting to win the match and the championship.

I floated a fantasy booking idea that it would be intriguing for Reigns and Heyman to collaborate as it would be a jaw dropper and Heyman would be a great asset with Reigns especially in the finer points of Romans game including his verbal skills which I don't think are a long term issue whatsoever. I know Reigns has the instincts to communicate because I've heard him do it. Fantasy booking is what many of us long time fans enjoy doing especially those of us that have actually done it in real life. It's no different than playing Fantasy Football ala DraftKings.com who are one of my podcast sponsors.

On this week's podcast with Mark Madden you will hear some of those fantasy booking ideas.

In wrestle speak, having 60 days to build to a card such as WM31 is a lifetime in today's grappling world. I'm motivated to go along for the ride WWE will provide us and see, at the end of the day, how all this will work out building to the biggest event of the year and one, ironically, that many promotions and wrestling entrepreneurs will gravitate to to earn monies off the fans that WM31 will attract....and that includes yours truly as well.

Good to hear that TNA is improving their TV audience as all wrestling fans should be pulling for ALL groups to do well. The issue there is that Destination America is in a smaller amount of homes than, say, Spike TV, and the chances of @ImpactWrestling to exceed their Spike numbers will be extremely challenging. Nonetheless, the brand has several talents that like and at one point in my career with who I would have loved to have worked. Check these folks out on Friday nights, which actually is another challenge as Friday nights are tough as most TV producers will tell you.

Enjoying he evolution of Lucha Underground and feel that their one hour format is spot on. They, too , have a hard to find network that I did not even know existed until @LuchaElRey premiered. They hybrid style of Lucha and catch as catch can is intriguing to me and the backstage vignettes are as good, if not better, than any wrestling show on TV.

Really enjoying the New Japan Wresting shows on Friday nights as I love the work of @MauroRanallo and @JoshLBarnett on @AXSTV Highly suggest that you check it out on @DIRECTV. I prefer a two man announce booth over a three man booth and Mauro and Josh mesh perfectly.

ROH sold out the old ECW Arena Saturday night in Philly and taped, I'm told, three TV shows which is a daunting challenge. Here's another group of hard working talents that I am pulling for and I'm a consumer of a great deal of Sinclair Broadcasting product from the OKC marketplace.

Considering the circumstance, thought WWE delivered as good a Monday Night RAW as they could. Really enjoyed most of the interviews especially @Heyman Hustle giving Reigns a 'history lesson' on Roman's family. Many of Paul's illustrations I could relate to quite easily. Reigns is a committed, legit athlete who knows his shortcomings but he also knows how to solve those issues. For us old timers, you should hear many of the best talkers in the business when they first got started including some broadcasters that I know including me.

Admire the commitment that the broadcasters and the talents and crew made to get to Stamford and provide the fans a RAW show and the fact that they will stay around for the live Smackdown Thursday night on SyFy. Those layovers aren't easy for anyone.

Congrats to @WWE for hitting the 1M subscriber mark. They have my business because I enjoy watching wrestling at some mighty unique times of the day and night.

The film that I appeared in with Dallas Page and Jake Roberts last year entitled 'What Now?' is about to premier and we will have all the info that you need to be able to see it ASAP. It's a TV14 comedy of which I play an 'evil boss' which I acclimated to quite naturally. It's an Indy film that wrestling fans are going to enjoy as there are a ton of wrestling references, some very subtle, thanks to the creative genius of film maker and longtime wrestling fan Ash Avildsen. Plus, the film has a plethora of cameos in it. Stay tuned.

The Q&A's are updated elsewhere on this site.

Finishing prep for the Ken Shamrock conversation tonight for a future Ross Report Podcast. Should be interesting.

Thanks for stopping by...

Boomer Sooner!

JR @JRsBBQ