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JR's Blog: Tokyo Bound Soon, Ross Report Podcast News, @BryanAlvarez, @machinegunka, @TNADixie, Sooner Craziness, Daniel Bryan, @RealKurtAngle Q&A's Updated

Posted: Dec 31st 2014 By: Jim Ross

It's getting to be about that time....to begin the long journey from Oklahoma to Tokyo for Wrestle Kingdom 9 on pay per view this Sunday January 4 on all major cable and satellite providers plus on the @FlippsTV App for those outside North America or those without access to cable or satellite. I think that it will be a helluva show and I'm excited to be a part of it and to be working with Matt Striker on the broadcast. Let's grill....

What a week....

Tons of Wrestle Kingdom 9 prep work with still more to come....

An outstanding Ross Report podcast with @BryanAlvarez, co-author of the newly revised book, 'The Death of WCW,' and @machinegunkw Karl Anderson who is a Bullet Club member and who will be competing this Sunday in the Tokyo dome when he and his partner Luke Gallows defend the IWGP Tag Titles. Two guests makes for a great show that you can enjoy for FREE at podcastone.com, iTunes, and on the home page of this website.

Had a great conversation with Dixie Carter Tuesday night for next week's podcast that drops on Tuesday January 6 on podcastone.com. Dixie answered all my questions and there were plenty of them in the hour plus conversation. Impact Wrestling debuts the first week of January on Destination America. We addressed Vince Russo, Bobby Lashley, Bobby Roode, AJ Styles, Mike Tenay the upcoming NYC TV tapings, and she touched on how her company was going to essentially be re-branded. I hope that they succeed and I'm anxious to watch their first show which will also be the debut of Josh Mathews and Taz as the new broadcast team. This is a really good show and I hope that you will join us as always as a new show drops every Tuesday night at 9 pm ET.

I certainly don't want to sound like an endless amount of wrestlers who retire multiple times but the simple truth of my broadcasting assignment this Sunday is that it well could well my last one. I have no wrestling broadcast gigs booked after this Sunday and unless something comes along that i can't pass on Sunday could easily be the last major PPV for which I ever provide play by play. I'm not against doing the occasional wrestling show but it's going to take something special to get me out of Oklahoma on a regular basis.

We are working on multiple boxing opportunities which excites me. I'm a life long boxing fan and I'd love to do more fights notwithstanding MMA is also presenting some opportunities.

Tickets are on sale at www.axs.com for my two, Royal Rumble weekend shows kicking off on Friday night January 23 at 8 pm in Sayreville, NJ at the Starland Ballroom. Ringside with Jim Ross will also feature a VIP meet and greet and everyone attending the VIP M&G will receive a FREE bottle of JR's Original BBQ Sauce. On Sunday afternoon January 25 at 3 pm we will have the Philadelphia version of our show at the Trocadero Theater. The VIP meet & greet at the Troc will commence at 1 pm and everyone will be able to easily make the Royal Rumble event just down the street.

Tickets start at $20 and are on sale at www.axs.com and I hope to see you at one or both of our shows.

January podcast tapings include such guests as Superstar Billy Graham, Melina, and Ken Shamrock. These shows will be airing in February and will all premier on Tuesday nights at 9 pm ET.

Many of my Oklahoma brethren are calling for major changes for the Oklahoma Sooner football program after a disappointing season and an embarrassing loss to Clemson in the Russell Athletics Bowl earlier this week. I've not joined the knee jerking crowd and won't. This issue isn't one without a solution even though most who criticize provided little or no solutions. "Clean House!" isn't exactly an intelligent answer in my opinion. It should always be 'crisis management mode' for all sports teams who depend on wins and losses to measure their success. The Sooners need to recruit like their jobs depend on it. That's where it all starts with any college football team.

When I was head of talent relations in WWE, I never went to work one day without being in crisis management mode. Any any given time, most any wrestling company is only an injury or two away from chaos. Talents generally only want to have one on one conversations where there is an issue, generally about cash or creative, and I remember few conversations where the talents wanted to be cordial just for the hell of it. That job is arguably the most thankless job in the wresting business.

Big question for WWE is, can they get Daniel Bryan back to the level that he was prior to his medial issues? It's certainly doable but will need careful strategizing. Funny how getting one specific talent back on TV makes the entire presentation have a somewhat different feel. Hopefully, the WM31 money bouts are on paper in pencil, at worst, because the key to building a successful WrestleMania or any major event is the proverbial build that creates viable anticipation for the fans. Some creative types out work themselves by doing all they can to make a major card unpredictable when that isn't necessary whatsoever. Making a card logical is the key and then save your surprises for the endings of the matches.

Smart move by TNA to re-sign Kurt Angle and if they utilize Kurt properly, he will remain a significant asset. By properly, I mean wrestling occasionally and only at significant events in main event level matches. Kurt has reached the "attraction" stage of his career and there is no reason to look at him as a "regular" talent any longer. Via creative booking, Kurt can provide the necessary "rub" that older stars should do for the younger talents who are going to be counted on as future, main eventers. That "rub" doesn't have to be physical either.

Happy my @Delta Airlines seat has a 110 volt plug in so I can use my CPAP machine to allow me to actually sleep and not merely nod off for 12+ hours. I encourage all who have sleep issues to get a simple, sleep test as it can save your life. I had sleep apnea all the while I was in WWE and never knew it and never reached rim sleep. The difference in sleeping with or without my CPAP machine is night and day.

I hope that you continue to support our online partners including wweshop.com, americansoda.co.uk and beyondtheropes.co.uk for all our delicious JR's products. Plus, if you're in the mood for a great tee, visit prowrestlingtees.com/jimross. Virtually every size known to man and we ship ANYWHERE.

This will be the first time in my life that I will miss the New Year's Day Bowl Games due to the travel required to get to Tokyo for Wrestle Kingdom 9.

Thanks for reading our last blog of 2014 and please know that we appreciate everyone's support of our website, the Ross Report Podcast, following me on Twitter @JRsBBQ and for enjoying our products via online shopping.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R. @JRsBBQ