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JR's Blog: Chicago Bound, @FoxSports1, @GoldenBoyBoxing, Ross Report Podcast News, WWE Payback Thoughts

Posted: May 29th 2014 By: Jim Ross

Greetings all..hope everyone is well and thanks, as always for dropping by our newly improved site. Soon to be Chicago bound so let's roll...

I had a great time in El Paso at Fort Bliss broadcasting Golden Boy Promotions boxing event Monday night that aired on Fox Sports 1. It was a new experience for me professionally and one that I enjoyed. The feedback has been largely positive even from the established boxing community. Getting back into the groove after a somewhat long layoff on Monday Night TV wasn't as difficult as I perceived that it might be.

We signed a one fight deal with @GoldenBoyBoxing and @FoxSports1 so, for those asking, I don't know what the future holds as it relates to more boxing broadcasts but we're open to it.

I went into the weekend with only one booking it relates to boxing so if I end up doing more fights then it will be a bonus. Time will tell.

The highlight of the boxing adventure Monday night was seeing the smile on the faces of the men and women from the U.S. Army, many of who just returned from a one year tour of duty in Afghanistan.

This Saturday I will be in Chicago at the House of Blues for our RINGSIDE w/ Jim Ross show with a special start time of 2 pm. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com and will also be available at the door. VIP ticket holders doors are at noon while everyone else is at 1 pm with the show starting at 2 and ending around 4ish. There will be plenty of JR's products on hand at the merch stand and JR's tee shirts from prowrestlingtees.com/jimross as well.

Remember, that the talented Marty DeRosa will be our Chicago MC and I'm looking forward to working with him.

Hope to see you there if you are in the Chicagoland area as we'll have a great time. I plan on making it by Lisa Varon's Squared Circle Restaurant on Saturday evening if all goes as planned.

Got to hit Gibson's Steakhouse, as well. Going eat good this week in Chi-Town!

Check out the Ross Report this week with the hilarious and talented @MichelleDBeadle from ESPN who is also a major, WWE wrestling fan. The podcast is getting great feedback and I hope that you will download it for free at podcastone.com.

We put the list of my booked guests for the podcast on the home page of this site if you're interested.

On our podcast, fans seemingly are enjoying my booking ideas of the week and feedback on WWE, Impact Wrestling, and ROH in addition to the conversations with a diverse group of folks. Eric Bischoff is my guest next week and a new Ross Report debuts every Tuesday evening at 6 pacific time. I discuss with Eric him removing me from TBS/WCW broadcasting which motivated me to go to WWE in 1993. Interesting conversation.

To those that argue with me on Twitter that @steveaustinBSR was a tweener, I wholeheartedly disagree. Even when Austin turned heel he really wasn't one. Tweeners get booed AND cheered no matter who they wrestle. Before WM17 and after the Austin Era began, Steve was never booed.

Toughest role in pro wrestling today is being a villain. With few rules left to break and most villains not yet mastering the crucial nuances such as body English, facials, and how to sell like a heel that it takes to be booed organically, it's harder to be a true heel in the business than at any time in my lifetime.

Love what WWE is doing with Alicia Fox. It's a simple piece of business to be a player in the wrestling biz, one must make fans notice them for the right reasons on a regular basis. Separate ones self from the pack. Be unique and the tenured Ms. Fox is certainly standing out for more reasons than merely being a beautiful and athletic lady.

Hoping that the Shield stay together at Sunday's Payback event in Chicago. With WWE woefully low on top heroes those three can and will continue to grow into their expanded, main event level roles but are they ready to do so solo today? Nope. But they can get there if they steer the course. A hot, protagonist faction is marketable and the longer they can go forward as a unit as they are currently being booked the hotter one of more will be when they turn.

Some have speculated that Roman Reigns will defect on Sunday but I hope not. Patience is needed here but the pro wresting business isn't known for it's patience these days or so it seems.

It will be interesting to see how the Bray Wyatt vs. John Cena match plays out in Chicago. It might be a great time for Wyatt to score a major victory and if he does so I'm curious as to how he gets it done. That outcome and how it is executed will speak volumes as to WWE's long term plans for the third generation talent.

I will be back in Norman to watch WWE Payback on the WWE Network on my IPad while sitting in the backyard this Sunday night. Life is good and let's hope Mother Nature doesn't drive me indoors.

Had a great Podcast visit with Impact Wrestling's MVP Tuesday night and we talked about, among many topics, his 9 1/2 years in prison and a great deal about Chris Benoit who MVP traveled with extensively in WWE back in the day. Fascinating and compelling stuff. Again, on the home page of the site you will find who will be appearing on the Ross Report Podcast and when.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @JRsBBQ.

JR's products are now in the @Crest Foods in Oklahoma with 8 stores in the OKC area. This was big for us. Plus, they are still at the Norman Homeland stores and the Country Mart stores in Lawton.

You can get your hands on JR's products here at the grilling season online at WWEShop.com, americansoda.co.uk and beyondtheropes.co.uk. Business at WWEShop.com has been brisk to say the least.

Our friends in the UK at American Soda and Beyond The Ropes do a super job services the entire UK, Ireland and Europe. Great customer service. Check out their great packages.

See you in Chicago!

J.R. @JRsBBQ