• Look Back In History
• Pmessages
• Quiz
• Stump The Staff
• Top Fifty
• Close

JR's Blog: The Ross Report Rocks w/ PWTorch's Bruce Mitchell, RAW/SD Reviews,Quit Bitchin', #Charlotte, FoxSports.com

Posted: Jul 28th 2016 By: Jim Ross

Hello everyone and thanks for paying us a visit. Very pleased with this week's the Ross Report podcast available now here on the homepage, at PodcastOne and iTunes with 26 year PWTorch senior writer Bruce Mitchell. We cover the WWE Draft, Battleground, Monday Night Raw , the Brock Lesnar scenario and much more on this 90 minute show. I invite you to download it for free adn to subscribe to our show, also for free, at iTunes.

Watched RAW this week before I record the latest Ross Report podcast and enjoyed the show. I like the way that the main event for Summer Slam from RAW was determined and the way WWE debuted Finn Balor who seemingly has a fascinating upside. There is no doubt in my mind that Balor and Seth Rollins will have a superb title bout at Summer Slam. Both men are life long WWE fans who have likely watched many Summer Slam events over the years and now they re in one of the main events of the event.

The small, esthetic changes made on RAW seemed to work and I embraced all the changes except for putting the broadcasters far away from the action and the fans and close to the heat and noise of the pyro. Having gone through that back in the day, I can assure you that it is no fun nor is it the optimum location for the announcers, IMO.

No, I'm not unbiased on this matter.

Enjoyed the way WWE debuted newcomer Finn Balor who made a remarkable impact on this first night on RAW. The way Balor was introduced reminded me of the way Bill Watts introduced some key talents on Mid South Wrestling back in the day. There is no reason that Balor and Rollins shouldn't have a helluva performance at Summer Slam even though Balor is a newbie to many WWE fans who all don't watch NXT.

RAW not overexposing Stephanie McMahon or Mick Foley worked well for me and i hope that this trend continues as it wil make it mean more when they do appear on TV to make rulings, matches, etc.

Sash Banks and Charlotte had a strong Women's Title bout but they should have been protected more from all the other out of ring dives, etc that preceded them in bouts of a lesser magnitude. Too many dives lessens the affect and the sheer volume of them on a given show makes them mean less.

I applaud the return of the traditional, TV enhancement matches such as Braun Strowman vs James Ellsworth. They serve a definitive purpose and by keeping them short and sprinkled throughout the three hour show, they feel timely.

RAW has a nice roster for sure and for the most part RAW will always be considered the premier brand in WWE because of it's long tenure, tradition and ratings successes over the years.

Corey Graves is a viable addition to the RAW broadcast team and he is a refreshing, new voice on national, WWE TV.

Smackdown Live was a solid two hour show to watch and I stress two hours because that is certainly easier to sit through for many viewers then the three hour journey that RAW takes every Monday night.

Enjoyed the Becky Lynch vs Natalya bout as the two women had time to tell a story and they were believably physical in their match's execution.

Unlike many, I had no issue with Dolph Ziggler earning a shot at Dean Ambrose's WWE Title at Summer Slam. Was Ziggler primed and ready for the #1 contender role? Obviously, not but fans have been clamoring for Dolph to be put in the game and there is no doubt that Ziggler and Ambrose will have a superb main event level bout in Brooklyn. While I respect the opinion of others, unlike many keyboard warriors, I submit Ziggler is a favorite of many fans who can deliver a great bout and who can have his TV persona enhanced in the next couple of weeks.

Not sure why WWE selected AJ Styles to lose the fall in the Smackdown main event. Arguments can be made either way but beating AJ would not have been the way I would have gone based on what little I know about the lay of the WWE/SD landscape. However, unlike some others who cover the biz, I likely won't lose any sleep over it one way or another.

When hitting the restart button, which WWE has essentially done on both RAW and Smackdown, one should expect a step or two backwards, if you will, in the infancy of the brand split. It largely comes down to patience and many fans/pundits have little of that to spare it seems.

I was asked on twitter at @JRsBBQ in the first 20 minutes of the Smackdown show how I liked the announcing. Really? There's no way to answer that question intelligently based upon 20 minutes of work by three, new talents forming a team for the first time. It's not fair to judge them on a snapshot of their work. I do think that the SD trio will be good to great soon but it takes time for three, new talents to jell but this matter requires patience.

All the armchair attorneys calling for WWE to suspend Brock Lesnar for his failed USADA drug tests associated with UFC 200 need to review Lesnar's contract and the WWE Wellness policy. Lesnar is a part time talent and part timers are not under the standard, WWE wellness policy according to the WWE itself. If Shaq actually does get in the ring with Big Show at WM33 in Orlando, then Shaq would not be tested either because he would be considered a part timer.

I am not condoning PED use in any way but I do agree that WWE cannot require part time performers in a show business presentation, not a legit sport, to adhere to the same rules and regulations that they require of their full time talents. Plus to compare pro wrestling to MMA is somewhat eye rolling.

Finally , regarding Smackdown Live, my suggestion is to let WWE evaluate the broadcast and instill what fixes that they deem necessary in this evolutionary process. Some seem to be knee jerking themselves into oblivion on this matter.

Patience...Tranquilo...

Busy week next week with travel from Oklahoma to LA for AXSTV's New Japan Pro Wrestling broadcasts as Josh Barnett and I will be voicing over approximately 8 shows over a two day period. Then it is off to Charlotte and the much anticipated NWA Legends Fan Fest August 4-7. Tickets for the #Charlotte event are available at www.nwalegends.com. It's one of my all time favorite events to attend and is enjoyed by all. I hope to see many of you there. I will be doing our RINGSIDE with Jim Ross Show in #Charlotte Thursday night at 7 pm at the Hilton during the Fan Fest.

Shelton Benjamin returning to WWE and Smackdown soon is a good move IMO as Shelton was arguably the most naturally gifted athlete that we recruited in WWE and that includes his teammates in the 2000 class that was in OVW that included Lesnar, Cena, Orton, and Batista, It is rumored that other WWE alums are likely heading back to the fold including Curt Hawkins who I always thought was underrated.

I talked to Cody Rhodes, his Mom Michelle, Terry "Magnum TA" Allen and Tony Schiavone on Tuesday for a piece I'm writing for FoxSports.com that will drop next week covering the NWA Legends Fan Fest and the late, Dusty Rhodes induction into the Hall of Heroes.

We are progressing slowly but surely on getting JR's condiments distributed in Australia, Singapore and New Zealand plus a RINGSIDE with JIm Ross and Friends tour of Australia as well. No timeline just yet but all looks positive at this point in the negotiations.

Next week on the Ross Report Podcast I will welcome for the first time on our show ROH Champion Jay Lethal and we will talk about ROH's next PPV, Death Before Dishonor, on Friday night August 19 from Las Vegas. I can't wait to talk to one of the most talented stars in the pro wrestling biz.

You can order JR's condiments that are great for grilling and easily ordered online from www.wweshop.com and for delivery in the UK and Ireland visit www.americansoda.co.uk.

Enjoyed being on Sirius XM's Busted Open today (Wednesday) and encourage you to listen to the show via On Demand if you are able.

Have a great day and be kind to others.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R. @JRsBBQ