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JR's Blog: Ross Report Podcast Rocks, DBryan, Flair, Jake, Ronda Rousey, Sonnen, Slobber Knocker tees, Wrestling Managers, Grill w/ J.R.

Posted: Jun 11th 2014 By: Jim Ross

It's been a great day here in Norman, Oklahoma USA with another Ross Report podcast dropping, @MDMTedDiBiase, and recording another podcast with @RealKurtAngle to air in a couple of weeks on podcastone.com. Let's Grill!

The Ted DiBiase podcast that's available for FREE downloading now at podcastone.com is a classic. Amazing conversation with one of the great minds and all time top heels in the business who was the son of a pro wrestling father, Iron Mike DiBiase, and pro wrestling mother, Helen Hild. The only other person in the wrestling biz that I can recall who had both parents being pro wrestlers is 'Baby Doll' Nicola Roberts. Are there others?

Playing name association with Ted with all the promoters that he worked with was fun notwithstanding his amazing run that started in Mid South Wrestling in 1975 to becoming one of the greatest personas in the biz as the Million Dollar Man which would have been Vince McMahon's persona had he been a wrestler. I was also enthralled hearing Ted speak on his epic career in Japan. We also discuss the art of being a pro wrestling villain in today's world from someone who perfected that art form. True fans are going to love this podcast.

Tuesday night I interviewed Kurt Angle and we went deep into his drug and alcohol addiction, the fact that Kurt has been 11 months clean and sober and his desire to sign one last contract to finish out an amazing, Hall of Fame career. Plus, we talked in depth about the infamous 'shoot' amateur workout that Kurt had with Brock Lesnar in South Dakota back in the day before a WWE TV taping that damn near got me fired...again. Other topics discussed was Chris Benoit, Shane McMahon, Steve Austin, Vince McMahon, CM Punk, The Undertaker, training with Dory Funk, Jr. and Tom Prichard, WM19, Impact Wrestling's up's and downs and so much more.

Check out the home page of this site for the debut date of the Kurt Angle edition of the Ross Report podcast.

Feel bad about Daniel Bryan's injury that has necessitated him being stripped of the WWE World Title. The past couple of months has been the best and the worst of times for arguably the best, pure wrestler in the world. It certainly sets up the opportunity for WWE to craft an amazing comeback story for DB and the opportunity for him to perform all phases of his comeback superbly which could get Bryan more over than he ever was. I'm curious to see how this potentially amazing story will be told and executed.

Read online where Ric Flair got cleared by WWE medial personnel to return to the road but is that a great idea? Can Ric add to TV presentations? Absolutely. Does a 65 year old man need to be on the road full time? No. Flair is an iconic figure who needs to not be over utilized and should remain special. I'm all for Naitch appearing on TV in the right role and at selected live events if his appearance is made to be a major, promotional item but putting Ric back on the road full time like one of the boys isn't wise. Having said all of this, I will admit that I don't know what WWE has planned for Ric as it relates to his booking schedule and I do applaud WWE for having Ric medically checked from bumper to bumper before doing whatever it is that WWE has planned.

If WWE has a plan for Flair to become a red hot, heel manager then all I can say to that is good luck. Flair is beloved and his Woo's are a part of pop culture. I assume that it could be done but it certainly won't be easy. I've heard that some want Ric to manage the Miz but I'm not feeling that one.

Really pissed that the Nevada State Athletic Commission has suspended Chael Sonnen due to a failed drug test from his July fight with Vitor Belfort of which I really wanted to see in person. The info on this matter feels sketchy and I'm hopeful that Sonnen's appeal reverses the tepid decision. From a layman's perspective, the NSAC drug rules feel vague and at times antiquated and need overhauling much like MMA judging.

Speaking of UFC, if I were WWE I'd be planning now on @RondaRousey being a part of WM31 and getting the right male wrestler ready for the UFC superstar. Yes, you heard me correctly...the right MALE wrestler and I'm not a fan of intergender wrestling but Rousey is special and could pull it off. Pairing her, unless she was in a tag match, vs. one WWE Divas isn't realistic.

It will be interesting to see who comes out of WWE's MITB Ladder match as the new, WWE World Champ. As usual, creative info will likely leak and I'd guess that many will wager on this match as it appears to be wide open as in 3 and perhaps 4 wrestlers could realistically win it.

With the overwhelming success of 'Advocate' Paul Heyman @HeymanHustle it would seem that WWE would attempt to cast more competent managers on Raw and/or Smackdown. No one is going to walk off the street and top Heyman, who's arguably the best talker in the biz, but having another character in the 'Advocate' role seems to be logical. Zeb Colter aka Dutch Mantell can damn sure talk but the persona that he plays is hard to take seriously as he is currently produced. I still think that Jake Roberts deserves consideration because he can turn on a dime and become a bitter, evil individual who knows how to play an audience like the most skilled mat maestros.

I also think that WWE should pair up their producers with key, young talents to get the ride along experience of the younger talents listening to the wise vets explain many of the nuances of the game that so many of today's talents simply don't get.

Grill with JR's products at wweshop.com, americansoda.co.uk and beyondtheropes.co.uk. Delicious products, excellent customer service and quick delivery await. Remember that our products are just as tasty and effective in one's kitchen as they are on the grill.

Q&A's are updated.

Thanks for those of you who are checking out our many T shirt designs at prowrestlingtees.com/jimross. The new crimson SLOBBERKNOCKER tee is my favorite but the 'Tougher than a $2 Steak' design is still the top seller.

Thanks for stopping by and for supporting all our efforts.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.