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JR's Blog: Big News From @AXSTV G1 TV Coverage, RINGSIDE Shows to WM33, 'Faces/Heels DEAD?, Podcast Growth, New, JR's Blog!

Posted: May 2nd 2016 By: Jim Ross

Greetings all and thanks for the visit. Good day to catch the latest episode of The Ross Report Podcast featuring my guest this week ROH COO Joe Koff which is a fabulous listen. A new show drops as usual this Tuesday at 9 PM ET on www.podcastone.com when I welcome Mike Johnson of PWnsider.com fame to the show to dissect WWE Payback and more. We will record this show Monday evening.

WWE Payback hits Chicago tonight on the WWE Network which is how I'm watching via my Apple TV. No reason that Payback should not be a strong, in ring product if the show isn't over produced and the matches don't have the time to tell a compelling story. My predictions for this show are included in my latest blog that you cn access easily here on the site.

When motivated, the Chicago, live crowd at All State Arena can be hard to beat and can make an average show sound infinitely better for those of us watching at home.

AXSTV will present 10 Broadcasts of the 2015 G1 Tournament from New Japan Pro Wrestling beginning on Friday May 27 over a six week period. Josh Barnett and I will call the action for these ten shows that feature some of the best in ring talents in the business including Hiroshi Tanahashi, Katsuyori Shibata, Kota, Ibushi, AJ Styles Tetsuya Naito, Kazuchika Okada and many more amazing athletes.

At AXSTV, we are produced to call the action that we see on our monitor and Josh and I are fortunate that we are able to do that with this product. We are also lucky that we work with a great collection of pro wrestling fans at @AXSTV.

I am hopeful that some day that AXSTV and NJPW can work even closer and help better build the NJPW brand in North America. It would also greatly enhance the awareness and the needed growth of New Japan World, the NJPW digital network.

We return to the next round of these much anticipated voice overs in LA for the next wave of NJPW shows in mid May where Josh and I will attack 7 shows in two days. The process is a blast even though nothing beats being at ringside and calling a live event.

We are close to announcing some key information on our RINGSIDE with Jim Ross & Friends shows for Wrestlemania 33 in Orlando next April. We're looking to grow tour brand and offer the fans more than ever before. We expect the VIP packages to, as they did this year, sell out quickly so we will be giving one and all plenty of notice as to the on sale date and pertinent information for all tickets dates, and show times soon. We are looking at some unique show times while we are seemingly set on our venue and will announce such soon.

If you live in the UK check out www.americansoda.co.uk offer of FREE SHIPPING WITHIN THE UK on JR's products that they distribute via fast, home delivery.

On Tuesday May 10 ESPN's The Coach will join me for the first time on The Ross Report Podcast and the following week on May 17 I will be joined for the first time by JTG as we will talk his WWE career and his E book which I'm currently reading.

Congrats to John Cena and Nikki Bella on the invite to attend President Obama's last White House Correspondents Diner that I watched on CSpan. Yep, CSpan, kids.

I'm becoming my Grandpa.

The days of being a 100% babyface or 100% villain in pro wrestling are likely over and if not over certainly nearing an end and at best is on life support. Smart booking, in rng execution, creative tweaks, etc likely won't change this trend that is society influenced more than it is wrestling influenced in my opinion. Something as straight forward as the broadcast of the NFL Draft and how the live audience responded over a three day period is certainly proof that our society is one of overt defiance and for being outspoken in essentially all forums which would have been unheard of just a few years ago.

This is not a sign of the end times for pro wrestling but it does indicate that decision makers must create with these issues in mind and present their products more smartly and with today's ticket buyer/TV viewer in mind more than ever. It will also affect how broadcasters present the product, too.

Times they are a changing and this isn't our granddaddy's rasslin' business any more.

Our FITE TV App is carrying the ROH PPV Global Wars on Sunday May 8. Check it out on our App as all you need is a smart device I.E. phone, tablet, TV, and WiFi. Should be a really good wrestling event with the ROH talent and the NJPW athletes.

OklaMania '17 is coming to OKC on Sunday July 17 downtown at the Cox Convention Center formerly know as The Myriad. A Sunday afternoon fan fest will see many of the wrestling business biggest names conducting meet and greets, etc plus vendors will have their products on hand, as well. Sunday evening will be the most aggressive, talent laden indie show ever in this part of the USA. The plan is for tickets to go on sale at ticketmaster.com this Saturday but that info is still being addressed.

Q&A's elsewhere here are updated.

We are on FACEBOOK at JimRossBBQ...... SNAPCHAT @JimRossBBQ

WWE Network is reportedly going to do a series on the history of WCW's War Games which was created by the late Dusty Rhodes. This is something that I will want to watch as I don't think that I ever saw any of them in their entirely since being involved in the original broadcasts. Remember this, the 'faces never won a coin toss and the environment spawned plenty of blood so beware.

We have You Tube at www.jrsvideos.com. It's free to subscribe.

Enjoy @WWE Payback and follow me on Twitter @JRsBBQ for live tweets if that sort of stuff interests you.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R. @JRsBBQ