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JR's Blog: Thoughts on Chyna, @AustinAries Stars on Ross Report, Lesnar Oppnents, ROH's Joe Koff, NJPW on AXSTV, Bullet Club in WWE?

Posted: Apr 24th 2016 By: Jim Ross

Here's hoping that everyone is having a great weekend where ever you may be. Our conversation with Austin Aries on the Ross Report podcast is getting super reviews. From talking about his stellar career as an under 6 feet tall wrestler to his vegan lifestyle and his runs in ROH, TNA and now NXT, Austin is a terrific guest. Subscribe for FREE to The Ross Report on iTunes and never mss a show. A new Ross Report drops every Tuesday night at 9 pm E on podastone.com, iTunes and here on the home page of our site.

I am still reeling regarding the sudden and unexpected death of Joanie Lauer aka Chyna this past week in Los Angeles. The cause of death has yet not been revealed but I wonder if it could have been something as simple as sleep apnea? Undiagnosed sleep apnea can cause a heart attack if the affliction goes untreated. I had 99 episodes where I stopped breathing in a hour on my sleep test. I had severe undiagnosed sleep apnea all the years I worked for WWE and as far back as the late 80's in WCW as well according to my wife Jan. When I read that Joanie was being teated for anxiety and for a 'sleep disorder' I immediately thought of the sleep apnea matter. The autopsy will tell us what we don't know about how she passed but the bottom line is that she's gone and she left us much too early.

My most recent communications with Joanie had been somewhat frequent and it was obvious that she still had her good days and some that were not so good. She knew that she needed to regain full control of her life and to essentially create a healthy restart. I was convinced that was exactly what she was doing but I also realized, as did she, that transformation was going to take time and would be a daily 'work in progress.'

As I wrote for my story on Joanie's passing for www.foxsports.com that at the end of the day all that Joanie Lauer wanted was to be happy and to be loved.

That's not a bad goal for any of us. RIP Joanie.

This Tuesday night I have a fascinating conversation with ROH COO Joe Koff for The Ross Report podcast that Ring of Honor fans will embrace and other fans of the genre will enjoy as well. Joe dodges no questions and is hugely forthcoming and honest about his ever growing brand. I used many of your Twitter questions for this interview and Joe Koff answered them all with intelligent, honest responses.

Happy birthday to John Cena who's is obviously one of the best signings that we ever inked to a WWE contract. No one that I ever signed had a stronger work ethic than John Cena. That's what one gets when an All American in college football as an offensive lineman joins the team. John is a terrific example of what young talents should aspire to be as it relates to being a team player, giving unrelenting effort and putting the team's agenda before one's own. @JohnCena is a credit to the wresting business.

Congrats to Samoa Joe for winning the NXT Title from Finn Balor. I saw their match in Dallas and it was an old school, fundamentally sound pro wrestling match that made me proud to be in the business. Joe will be a great opponent for Brock Lesnr someday and no matter who WWE decides to have dance with Lesnar at WM33 in Orlando now is the time to start getting that person ready. Book the match in pencil and begin to work toward it while focusing on who Brock will face in a high profile WM33 bout.

I could also see such men as Cesaro, Kevin Owens and Bray Wyatt being sound booking choices for @HeymanHustle 'client' with the proper build. If fans don't think that Lesnar's WM33 opponent doesn't have at least a remote chance of winning, then the booking won't work.

Really enjoyed calling the AJ Styles vs Okada match Friday night on @AXSTV presentation of New Japan Pro Wrestling. It's great working with @JoshLBarnett on Friday nights and we have some terrific shows still to come that I hope that you will check out. AXSTV is on selected cable systems and DirecTV and the Dish Network.

Here's hoping that TNA can close a deal this week to obtain more funding and if they do that they have a viable and achievable plan to jump start their business with a fresh, new approach that parlays what their current talent roster does best. One thing, for starters would be to not tape so much TV so far n advance so as to be able to change storylines if and when necessary in a more timely manner. However, on going budgets will likely dictate thier taping schedule in Orlando.

I have no idea why The Undertaker was pulled from the recent, WWE international tour but it might be as simple as his lingering and ongoing lower back issues that make flying long distances for a 6'9" 300 pounder virtually undoable. For those to speculate that it's 'politically motivated' is pet coon goofy...and yes I once had a pet raccoon and it was damn sure goofy hence the expression. For you Oliver Stone's out there to assume that his cliche is inapproiate is an embarrassing stretch. Just saying...

I'm all for the faction known as the 'Bullet Club' to be utilized in a main event manner on WWE programming but for anyone to assume that the masses know all bout the New Japan Pro Wrestling creation to be widely recognized is short sighted. The story of the Bullet Club needs to be told to the mass, WWE TV audience for it to work as desired. This positioning will also determine if they are villains or heroes to the fans as well.

The Q&A's here on the site are undated.

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My piece here earlier in the week regarding Conor McGregor's 'retirement' being all about one of the two C's, CASH or Creative, seems to be spot on. There's no retirement and McGregor wants to be paid to do extra promotional work for UFC. I see a compromise on the horizon.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R. @JRsBBQ