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JR's Blog: Brucie Love on New, Ross Report, WCPW PPV, Booking Braun, Goldberg-Brock-Joe, AXSTV G1 Coverage, Impactful Jarrett

Posted: Feb 8th 2017 By: Jim Ross

Greetings one and all and thanks for the visit to our site. Crazy, busy week but one that I'm excited about because the next few days will see me all over the Globe broadcasting pro wrestling events. What could be better?

You are going to really enjoy this week's Ross Report podcast with my special, first time guest Bruce Prichard, the star of his own podcast "Something to Wrestle With" also featuring the ubiquitous and soon to be legendary Conrad Thompson. A Ross Report drops every Tuesday night at 9 ET on podcastone.com, iTunes and here on the home page of our site. You'll get some laughs out of this show, I promise.

Revised, Ross Report schedule sees Todd Grisham joining me next week on February 14 while Ryback comes on board on February 21. Subscribe for FREE at iTunes and never miss a show. Thanks for subscribing to those who do.

Doing voice overs in Los Angeles this week on AXSTV for NJPW and their converge of their last G1 Tournament. Should be fun as the match list that Josh Barnett and I will voice over is unique and provides some new, matchups. We will do six shows this VO session plus I;m doing three more hours of of PbP Sunday and about that on Monday night.

Counting down the days until I join Matt Striker in England for What Culture Pro Wrestling's True Destiny PPV this Sunday. The FITE App people are carrying the PPV among other program providers. This is a well booked, pro wrestling event that provides multiple, highly skilled talents the opportunity to make an impact before a potentially significant sized viewership. The live audience that attend these WCPW PPV events are worth the price of the show as they provide amazing energy and one can feel their passion while watching at home. When a PPV has multiple matches booked on the card that can all realistically steal the show then one has to assume that we are in for a terrific in ring wrestling broadcast Sunday night featuring a hungry roster of talents looking to turn heads around the ever growing world of pro wrestling.

Striker and I will also be in Leicester this Monday for WCPW TV taping that I'm looking forward to contributing. Tickets for both our events are selling fast I'm told so we fully expect to see two, full houses loaded with rabid fans.

Attending Wrestlemania this year? If so, I'd like to invite you to join me for our two, RINGSIDE with Jim Ross and Friends Shows Saturday and Sunday at noon of Wrestlemania weekend in Orlando at Plaza Live. Tickets are still available for both Slobber Knocker VIP and general admission tickets at ticketfly.com. Tickets start at only $25 but won't last long.

www.ticketfly.com

Smart money seems to be leaning on the Wrestlemania main event being Goldberg defending the Universal Title against Brock Lesnar. You can do the math on this one. I like the booking if it goes down this way as it adds a viable wrinkle to the expected main event that was born under surprising and unlikely circumstances in November.

The argument that WWE is building around two, older talents is feasible but no promotion can "save" an epic match that already has a short shelf life. Get it while one can is my way of thinking. Plus, the more eyeballs on Wrestlemania the better it is for ALL talents to turn in memorable performances in their respective matches so that they can vie for the main event spot next year in NOLA.

Because the Lesnar-Goldberg storyline likely has a sooner than one would like to admit shelf life, I agree in getting all one can out of these two now, as in 2017. Seriously doubt that there will ever be another opportunity to promote Lesnar vs Goldgerg which obviously has cache now.

Really enjoyed talking with Todd Grisham last night for next week's Ross Report Podcast. We chopped it up on a ton of topics including Todd's WWE tenure, a great McMahon impersonation, WWE road stores, Todd being groomed to replace me on RAW in 2007, his ESPN tenure, and now with Glory Kick Boxing and UFC. We touched on Ronda Rousey, Conor McGregor, Ric Flair and so many more top stars that Todd has interacted with over the years. It will be a fun listen and it's set to be released next Tuesday night February 14.

Impressed regarding how WWE is building Braun Strowman especially the past 4 weeks. Strowman will get every opportunity to "get over" because his size combined with his agility can't be manufactured. Plus, wrestling fans have always been willing to invest in a monster athlete especially one who is 'protected' when necessary and who is to focus of positive booking. WWE is doing all that and more for Strowman.

Strowman cannot become a victim of 50/50 booking and WWE is going to have to be willing to make some creative sacrifices of some to accomplish the best end result with this massive talent who has a discernable upside.

I can only imagine how Bill Watts and Ernie Ladd would have booked Braun Strowman back in the day. Bottom line, Watts and Ladd would have gotten the big man 'over.' I think WWE will too but much of that is up to the talent to seize this moment and focus completely on improving his fundamental, bell to bell, skill set and continuing to grasp the 'feel' for the business. At times, Strowman reminds me of Big Bubba Rogers when he first burst upon the scene. Big Bubba was made to be very special thanks to Dusty Rhodes booking.

I like Strowman's chances.

Same goes for one of my favorite talents in all of the biz, Samoa Joe, whose debut and subsequent appearance on RAW has been impressive. About now is when many fans will begin to second guess the booking because they can't figure out where Joe is headed creatively.

Hmm..how's this? Goldberg vs Lesnar at WM33 for Universal Title, Lesnar wins, Lesnar is the Champ until he meets, gasp, Samoa Joe on a big stage for the title. Joe gets the duke. Case Closed. Builds to a Kevin Owens versus Samoa Joe rivalry around the title that could be epic.

It's hard to think that this Sunday on the WCPW PPV that I will likely call the last wrestling event in my career involving Kurt Angle, one of my favorite all time signees. Damn, where does the time go? I sure embrace every chance I get to prove to myself that I can "still do this." Kurt and the other talents will certainly get my best considering that we all knw that our tomorrow's are not guaranteed. (But Kurt is likely to get a little special, verbal TLC on this one)

www.wweshop.com and www.americansoda.co.uk for JR's online ordering of delicious condiments delivered to your home or office.

Interesting things seem to be going on with Jeff Jarrett and Impact Wrestling and all for the better based on what I'm hearing. Hopefully Anthem trusts Jeff's instincts enough to let him attempt to get the brand they just bought to get off life support as it relates to public perception. The rebuilding of the Impact Wrestling brand is largely tied to making their in ring product unique to other pro wrestling TV options that currently exist. In other worlds who ever can produce an athletically intense, believable, reality based wrestling show has the best chance to be able to see WWE, who will always be far ahead, in the distance. Yes, WWE is the 'shimmering light...up ahead in the distance'... Google it kids...

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Please check this out if you have a moment...www.prowrestlngtees.com/jimross

Now it's back to prepping for six NJPW TV shows, one WCPW PPV and a WCPW TV shoot, all within a 5 day period of time. Lots of background info to review and back stories to understand. Plus, we've got a book to finish! Enjoy the new, Ross Report podcast and thanks for the visit.

I ain't gonna die of rust.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R. @JRsBBQ