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JR's Blog: ROH PPV Thoughts, Entitled Fans Embarrass Themselves, The Taz Show Show Sunday Night, New, Slobber Knocker Tee for Charity Debuts, Adderall, UFC 202 Prediction

Posted: Aug 21st 2016 By: Jim Ross

Here's hoping everyone is enjoying their weekend and are ready to take in all the WWE action from Brooklyn and, if you're like me, enjoy UFC 202 as well.

Enjoyed the ROH PPV Friday night on the FITE TV App via my Apple TV which distributed the show to my big screen TV with absolutely no issues. It has to be great for fans around the world tto be able to enjoy programming such as ROH where ever they are as long as they have a smart device and WiFi. I did not have to call my cable company or satellite provider thanks to using the FITE App. Remember that our FITE App is FREE and easy to use plus there is a ton of FREE content there for you to enjoy from the world of pro wresting, MMA, and Boxing including action movies.

Got a stiff email from a fan who took exception to how I answered another fan's question at our Q&A's section of this site. I do that for free and as a service for fans who have good questions that they want answered. This is not something that I have to do but something that I enjoy doing more often than not. Even though I stress to ask one question, keep them succinct and that I will do my best to answer as many questions as time wil allow, many ignore those requests and continue to go into business for themselves. Many questions do not make the cut as they ae either much too long, looking for nothing but dirt or they actually consider pro wresting as a legit, main stream sport and a part of real life based on their questions.

TV wrestling is a wonderful thing if we all remember to keep in it its place and what it is intended to be...simple entertainment with a sports flavor. I've been a fan all my life and have been lucky enough to live, and am still living, my dreams within the genre but I try my best to not let it cannibalize my real life and creep into what's truly important to me including my family, my fiends, work and, most important of all, my health.

Bottom line for all of us long time pro wrestling fans is that we should strive to maintain balance in our lives and keep TV Wrestling in the proper space.

Many of you know that I sign fans autographs for free if they send me the item that they want signed and a self addressed, stamped envelope to the PO Box listed elsewhere on this site. Here's my point, for many that is not good enough as they dictate what color Sharpie to use, exactly what to say, to personalize or not (which often times means that they are selling the signed memorabilia) or in other words, I get explicit instructions on how to provide them a freebie. I will continue to do this because I care about my fans and only wish that someone would have done this for me when I was a young, pro wresting fan. I will not let a few bad apples spoil the barrel, so to speak, but I hope that the Q&A issues will ease in the future and that brave souls who confidently sit behind their keyboards to perpetuate their own agendas including politics, religion, etc come to understand that those fiery emails never see the light of day.

Perhaps I am merely being exposed to some, entitled fans who feel that they are owed more than I am providing them on this website.

Just a bit of housekeeping here today and I apologize if this doesn't pertain to you as it's the vocal, abrasive minority that I'm attempting to address.

Enjoyed ROH Friday night and thought the PPV was a hit.

I personally appreciated that ROH displayed a graphic multiple times promoting the AXSTV airing of NJPW with Josh Barnett and me. That's good marketing IMO to cross promote the NJPW brand of which ROH has a vested interest in building considering the number of co-ventures that the two promotions do together,

Appreciated the commentary on the show staying focused on the video that I was watching as it kept me focused on the presentation which is always or should always be the objective. Kevin Kelly consistently does solid work but I missed Steve Corino with KK on the broadcast. However, I appreciated the effort from Corino's replacement Friday night, Nigel McGuinness.

Enjoyed the Shibata bout with Silas Young both men worked snugly and physically in telling a straight forward story. I feel that Shibata is an evolving huge star on the rise in NJPW and one that I enjoy following.

Jay Brisco vs Hangman Page was another good one. Perhaps Page doesn't need to use the hangman's noose as much as he does but he's a viable, young talent who got a valuable win.

Always enjoy watching "The Rainmaker" Kazuchika Okada do his thing and I'm a fan of Dalton Castle's work without question. Castle did a stellar job at OklaMania in July for us and he's got 'something' that should soon propel him to the next level soon in his young career. I might have used Castle's "Boys" a bit less but I get why it was done. Good match, without question. The closing moments of this bout were especially strong.

Thought the Bobby Fish vs Mark Brisco bout was solid as the match did not have a clear cut favorite or villain which can make the presentation challenging at times. Nonetheless a fun match to watch and the talents worked physically and diligently which is all one can ask. I like that the ROH TV Title has significance.

Impressed with he creative finish in the three team tag title bout. Very cleverly done. "Big Mike" Elgin was particularly impressive in this one and has come into his own while in New Japan and shows flashes from time to time of the late, Dr. Death Steve Williams especially when Elgin uses his strength.

After seeing all the dives, high risk moves, false finishes etc from a litany of positions and talents, Jay Lethal and Adam Cole closed the show as main event talents should in a stellar finale that saw Cole become the new, ROH Champion. In hindsight, Ii might have let Cole have his "moment" but I certainly understand getting Kyle O'Reilly involved which will apparently be Cole's next adversary. Loved that outside interference was omitted from tis match that was simply too good to be affected by a run in.

Jay Lethal who was a recent guest on The Ross Report podcast is a real, pro's pro and made Adam Cole look even better than Adam is and Cole is a helluva talent. Cole has loads of charisma and he seems to enjoy being a heel despite the cheers many fans give him because Adam is "cool" and the Bullet Club is over.

My black hat's off to the ROH talent and staff for providing this wrestling fan with a fun Friday night of rasslin' and thanks to @FITETV app for a problem free, high quality viewing experience. If you missed this show,you can enjoy it on the FITE App via VOD.

Remember that tickets for our two Wrestlemania weekend shows in Orlando will go on sale THIS MONDAY August 22, the day after Summer Slam, at www.ticktfly.com starting at $25. Tickets will be limited, especially the VIP/Slobber Knocker, meet and greet, pre show tickets, so get yours early and join us in Orlando. We only have 100 VIP tickets per show and when they are gone there won't be any more added. www.ticketfly.com

Looking forward to tonights NXT Take Over in Brooklyn headlined by, arguably, the main event of he weekend, Samoa Joe vs Shinsuke Nakamura. This event will be loaded with raw, passion and desire which will resonate through our TV screen on the WWE Network If you are not a subscriber to the WWE Network I encourage you to subscribe.

I will review the NXT show with another blog on Sunday morning Oklahoma time and you're invited to check that out.

UFC 202 is tonight in Vegas headlined by the eagerly anticipated return fight between the master marketer Conor McGregor and the equally combustible Nate Diaz. I've got the bigger Diaz winning again but the Irishman getting the nod might be what is best for UFC business as it could create a 'blow off' bout between the two and that third fight would likely create another big money payday again.

We just launched a new, tee shirt campaign to help raise funds for Headlock on Hunger which helps feed hungry school aged children. I need your help with this one folks so please consider buying a cool, new Slobber Knocker tee at www.represnt.com/JimRoss.

So the use of Adderall has seeped its way into pro wresting just as it has the NFL. If the drug is being used as it is intended to be used then I have no issues with it but when it's used as 'speed' as many are apparently using it, then it has no place in any entity. The seemingly insatiable quest by many athletes and performers, especially younger ones, to discover any way possible to create "an edge" or "advantage" is getting old and one has to assume that the general public will quickly grow tired of these ridiculous attempts to attain a short cut. Way too much time is invested it seems in discovering a loop hole to 'legally' gain an advantage in one's game instead of rolling up one's sleeves and putting in the hard work and preparation to accomplish the same result.

It's happened to friends of mine in the NFL and now it appears it has occurred on more than one occasion in the sports entertainment business.

What ever happened to simple, hard work, study and big time preparation in our world? Not a healthy trend in our world if it continues.

Follow me this weekend on Twitter @JRsBBQ as I will be all over NXT, UFC 202 and Summer Slam. Plus, make a point to listen to the Taz Show radio special on the CBS Radio Network from 11 pm ET until 2 am ET on CBS radio stations nationwide and on www.tazshow.com.

Remember that you can get JRs products delivered to your front door by shopping online at either www.wweshop.com or in the UK and Ireland at www.americansoda.co.uk. Great on your grill or in your kitchen.

Check out al the blogs available her if you're caching up and feel free to throw one questions our way at the Q&A section of the site.

Subscribe for FREE @iTunes to The Ross Report and never miss a show as they will be downloaded automatically into the device of your choice every Tuesday night at 9 PM ET. This weeks guest wil be Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer as we review a huge weekend of pro wrestling action.

Thanks for the visit tio our site and be sure to maximize your minutes every day because our tomorrow's are never guaranteed.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R. @JRsBBQ