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JR's Blog: Congrats DDP!, @Ryback22, Teddy & HBK to Ross Report Podcast, New, RINGSIDE Show Debuts in Orlando, World of Sport, @GrishamMMA

Posted: Feb 22nd 2017 By: Jim Ross

Greetings to all and thanks for stopping by our site. Busy but fun week in the land of The Ross Report Podcast as I welcome @Ryback22 this Tuesday night at 9 pm ET on podcastone.com and iTunes plus here on our home page of this site. Plus, Monday night I'm chatting/recording with both Teddy Long and Shawn Michaels for future shows. I sincerely appreciate everyone who supports our Slobber Knocker audio efforts every week.

On this week's Ross Report I will reveal our plans for our two, RINGSIDE with Jim Ross and Friends shows in Orlando at Plaza Live Orlando Saturday/Sunday of Wrestlemania weekend. We will have two, separate 'panels' discussing two, different and timely topics during our expanded, uncensored Q&A sessions during our shows. These shows will mark the arrival a new format for us and I think that these shows are going to be entertaining, fun and certainly fan friendly. Some VIP tickets still remain for both shows but they are selling fast so if that's on your shopping list I can only suggest that you not burn too much daylight before puling the trigger. Also, General Admission tickets are only $25 while they last.

Visit www.ticketfly.com for ticket purchases and info. www.ticketfly.com

Congrats to Diamond Dallas Page for being inducted this year in the WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony Friday night March 31 in Orlando. DDP's in ring career was memorable and, without question, Page Falkinburg was the greatest "overachiever" that I laid eyes on during my 40 year career in the pro wrestling biz. I mean that in all objectivity and positivity, for sure. The work that Dally is now doing with his DDP Yoga brand is nothing short of incredible. I was told that Eric Bischoff is going to induct DDP but I have no idea if that is accurate but it makes for a nice story, right? Congrats, DDP for this well deserved honor.

I peg the emotional, DDP acceptance speech to be 30 minutes of passion and tears. (Perhaps some of today's talents will take DDP's passion to heart and pack it up and take it with them when they leave the Amway Center.

I'm also hearing that Beth Phoenix, aka Mrs Adam Copeland aka Edge, will also be going into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017. If true, another great selection by WWE. Beth is a classy lady, a great Mom and Wife who was a terrific pro wrestler.

As I wrote here previously, I expect creative tweaks to continue to be made in WWE right through the last week of TV prior to Sunday April 2 in Orlando. I'd even bet a case of JR's Original BBQ Sauce that a new stip or other significant development will be announced the last week of TV to add something new to the card. If that happens, I'll applaud it.

My suspicions are that whatever is booked today for Wrestlemania won't be the exact same card that we will enjoy come Sunday April 2 after many of you have enjoyed our Sunday show that will end by 4 pm giving one and all the opportunity be early for WM33. For the record, I look at these matters as positives.

The return of World of Sport to ITV airwaves is still being actively discussed. I met with ITV while I was in Leicester last week for WCPW plus other meeting were held in Manchester at ITV offices after that. The idea is still alive and there will hopefully be an announcement with good news coming soon for wrestling fans throughout Britain and beyond.

Make no mistake that if ITV gets back into televising pro wrestling that WOS can be a game changer for all that are involved in the project. Business would indeed pick up especially in Britain.

Check out WCPW on their You Tube channel for 'Loaded' the next couple of weeks. See how Matt Striker carries me though one hour of good pro wrestling tv.

Proud of the job that my former broadcast partner Todd Grisham did on his maiden voyage doing blow by blow coverage for UFC Sunday night in Halifax on FS1. Todd talks about this gig and more MMA biz plus his years at WWE, including a great VKM impression, ESPN and now at Glory Kickboxing and the aforementioned UFC on the most recent Ross Report podcast.

I watched both Bellator and UFC over the weekend and wasn't overly impressed with either show and I am a big fan of the genre. I am happy that I watched both shows but both promotions are in need ot someone to get hot, a title getting heated up, a personal issue igniting the fan bases and generally developing new, box office stars not unlike WWE or any other in ring promotion.

Now is the time when companies like Bellator, UFC, WWE, etc should be producing, cool, videos to hopefully connect their talents in question to the TV audience. Fans have to perceive talents as top stars and somehow make an emotional investment in those individuals that they see on their TV screens or they will simply click and go watch something elsewhere.

Both Bellator and UFC were obviously short on main event level stars for their respective broadcasts over the past few days.

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Thanks for the nice remarks regarding Matt Striker and my work on WCPW True Destiny PPV and after watching it I think that you would agree that WWE would be well served to figure out a manageable way to utilize Kurt Angle in the ring after he's inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class for 2017. Kurt had a classic main event with Alberto El Patron at True Destiny and could design a terrific bout on a major, WWE stage, as in next year's Wrestlemania in NOLA. I could see WWE promoting 1-3 Kurt Angle matches in 2017-18 at most but done properly, they could be special attractions on any major show.

Follow me on Twitter @JRsBBQ.

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Go out and have a great day and do something nice for some unsuspecting person who needs it. Remember, our tomorrow's are never guaranteed.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R. @JRsBBQ