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JR's Blog: Battleground Predctions, Undertaker, Sting, Ross Report Podcast w/ ROH Mike Elgin, Aldo-McGregor, RINGSIDE SHOWS UPDATED, Grande & Ranallo Shine, Let's Grill

Posted: Jul 21st 2015 By: Jim Ross

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Thanks for all the well wishes after my Tuesday surgery. I'm feeling great and getting better daily. Expect to be at 100% when I travel to Charlotte later this month for the NWA Legends Fan Fest at the University Hilton. For info and tickets, the $99 VIP All Access pass is the way to go, visit www.nwalegends.com.

WWE broadcasts Battleground this Sunday from St. Louis that has found new fan interest since the rumors that both the Undertaker and Sting may both be making appearances Sunday night setting up something for each of them, not likely against each other, for Summer Slam. WWE needs to make a financial impact in August utilizing Summer Slam plus, one would assume, another Steve Austin podcast on August 3 but I've heard nothing about the latter whatsoever.

There is no reason for WWE to 'save' Taker and/or Sting for Monday night when they can easily creatively position both on the PPV Sunday leaving the air with more questions posed than answers provided that would drive viewers to the Monday night flagship broadcast. Sting still has a massive fan following as his two appearances on my podcast garnered over 3M+ downloads combined for the two shows.

I do not feel that it is time for Seth Rollins to lose the WWE Title and in my mind, as I've discussed on my podcast, I'd have Rollins hold the title until Wrestlemania Texas in April in Arlington, Texas where Brock Lesnar would beat him after Lesnar wins the Royal Rumble in January. That's one school of thought but that scenario could be efficiently changed if decided early and worked toward whatever plan is chosen with strategic, long term planning.

So I have Rollins retaining the title Sunday and it's certainly possible for Taker to leave both Lesnar and Rollins in a bad way as the show goes off the air. I don't know and I'm happy that I don't as I don't lke the spoilers aka the Jardine's and prefer to watch the big shows just as I would a movie without knowing all the details.

Curious to see wht happens with Ambrose and Reigns, if anything, as both men to have flattened out and both seem to be more comfortable as villains rather than heroes who are, arguably, being forced upon the audience. Casting or booking is where the money is in the business and it's easy to miscast individuals as evidenced in various territories over the years.

John Cena will likely retain the US Title unless WWE is really going to be bold and do all they can to make Kevin Owens a 'made man' which would not hurt Cena one iota. I can also see the underutilized Cesaro playing into this equation Sunday night. Cesaro is as I've expressed here before a main event level talent who could be the WWE World Champion as easy as anyone on the roster....he's that good.

Sheamus vs. Orton is a somewhat cold match that I see Orton winning considering that the Irishman will still be the MITB winner no matter the outcome. I'd love tosee Sheamus steal a few pages out of Conor McGregor's playbook and become the heel that he has the ability to become if he chooses to travel that road.

No reason that I can see to beat the Prime Time Players in a tag team division that needs identity and relevancy.

Reigns beats Bray Wyatt whose stock has dropped significantly since losing to Taker at Wrestlemania in a somewhat uneventful match. That's not an indictment on the talent but the storyline leading into their match was not strong.

King Barrett vs. R Truth...does it matter? Flip a coin. Make the fans happy with a comedic R Truth victory is what's most likely.

Could we see a big, WWE show with all clean finishes?

I will be watching the show on the WWE Network of which I do enjoy and then will be joined by Canada's Fight Network's John Pollock to review it for dropping Tuesday night at 9 pm ET on the Ross Report on podcastone.com, iTunes and on the home page of this website.

My visit with ROH's Mike Elgin on this week's podcast has done well and many fans have responded favorably about the 28 year old star's maturity and focus. I really enjoyed talking to Mike about @ROHWrestling and much more.

Upcoming RINGSIDE w/ Jim Ross Shows include:

Thursday July 30 at the Mid Atlantic Fan Fest in Charlotte with info at www.nwalegends.com

Wednesday August 19 at the DC Improv with tickets available at dcimprov.com and are selling very well as it looks like this one will sell out so don't delay. General Admission tickets are only $25.

Saturday August 22 at 8 pm at the Gramercy Theater in New York City with less than 40 VIP tickets remaining and general admission tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com. and the Gramercy box office. To some lucky attendee to our NYC show the night before Summer Slam we are giving away two, FREE tickets to Summer Slam which has been sold out since day one.

Other RINGSIDE Shows are also coming to Knoxville and Houston in September and we are still finalizing venues and ticket info.

We've made great progress on our book that is still scheduled to be released in 2016. Our three man writing team is rocking it! I was up until 3 am last night addressing questions for Paul O'Brien.

Congrats to Tommy Dreamer for his House of Hardcore success in Toronto Saturday night at the Ted Reeve Arena. Tommy is one of the good gus in the business and will never short change the fans.

Same goes for my pal Dan McDevitt and Maryland Championship Wrestling and their team for their success in Joppa, Maryland over the weekend. MCW is one of the finest indy groups in America.

If UFC books AT&T Stadium, the home of Wrestlemania Texas for December and McGregor vs. Also it will do great business but it won't sell 100,000 seats unless there is a Cain Velasquez-like, Hispanic attraction on the card as well. Adding Ronda Rousey to the card would obviously help as well but I still think that the WWE will do just north of 100,000 fans for their April event. Remember, the person with the last word always "wins." With all that said, UFC may nab a higher gross for their Arlington, Texas extravaganza.

We're now on Facebook at JImRossBBQ. Pay us a visit and 'like.'

HOT crowd in Glasgow Saturday for UFC on Fox Sports 1. A HOT crowd enhances average fights into good fights especially when finishes are involved.

Congrats to my two pals Sean Grande, the voice of the Celtics, for a successful play by play debut Friday night with Bellator on Spike and to Mauro Ranallo who always kicks ass on Showtime Boxing. I'm living vicariously through my friends and not dealing with TSA.

www.wweshop.com has JR's ready for immediate delivery. Easy, online ordering.

JR's returns to @americansoda and @beyondtheropes in August due to a shipping snafu.