If you close your eyes and think about the greatest moments in wrestling history, you don’t just see the images. You hear a voice. It’s a gritty, Oklahoma-drenched baritone that sounds like it’s been cured in barbecue smoke and deep-seated passion. That voice belongs to Jim Ross, the man who didn’t just call the action; he gave the industry its soul.
Honestly, it’s hard to imagine the 1990s boom without him. When Mick Foley fell off the Hell in a Cell in 1998, anyone else might have just described the physics of the fall. J.R. screamed that Foley was "broken in half." He made you believe a man had just died on live television.
The Oklahoma Kid Who Changed the Game
Jim Ross didn’t start at the top. Far from it. Born in 1952, he grew up in Westville, Oklahoma, a place where professional wrestling was less about "sports entertainment" and more about tough men settling grudges in humid armories. He was a referee first. Can you imagine that? The most iconic voice in the business started out counting to three and checking for foreign objects.
He cut his teeth in Mid-South Wrestling under Bill Watts. That’s where he learned the "Cowboy" way of doing business—serious, athletic, and strictly logical. By the time he hit the WWE (then WWF) in 1993, he looked out of place. He wore a toga at WrestleMania IX. It was ridiculous. But he survived because his talent was undeniable.
Vince McMahon and Jim Ross had a complicated relationship. That’s putting it lightly. Vince fired him, brought him back, mocked his Bell’s palsy on screen, and yet, he kept coming back to J.R. Why? Because when Stone Cold Steve Austin was stomping a mudhole and walking it dry, nobody else could capture that "rattlesnake" energy.
Why Jim Ross is the GOAT (Simply Explained)
People often ask what made him better than the guys today. It wasn't just the catchphrases like "Slobberknocker" or "Business is about to pick up."
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It was the emotion.
J.R. was the "everyman" at the booth. When a heel did something terrible, J.R. didn't just point it out; he got angry. He’d call Triple H a "son of a bitch" with such genuine venom that you felt it in your living room. He was our surrogate. He felt what we felt.
- Recruitment: He wasn't just an announcer. As Head of Talent Relations, he signed The Rock, John Cena, and Randy Orton. He built the roster he was calling.
- Vulnerability: He never hid his health struggles. From his multiple bouts with Bell’s palsy to his recent fight with skin and colon cancer, he’s been an open book.
- Adaptability: He transitioned from the territory days to the cartoonish 80s, the edgy Attitude Era, and now to AEW (All Elite Wrestling).
The 2026 Reality: Where is J.R. Now?
Fast forward to right now, January 2026. At 74 years old, Jim Ross is still remarkably active, though his role has changed. He’s no longer the guy doing three hours of live TV every week. He can't. His body has been through the ringer.
Following a successful surgery for colon cancer in mid-2025, J.R. signed a contract extension with AEW that keeps him around until August 2026. He’s mostly doing pay-per-views and the big-event matches now. It’s better that way. We get the "special attraction" version of J.R.
He spends a lot of time on his podcast, Grilling JR, with Conrad Thompson. If you want the unvarnished truth about why certain stars failed or what Vince was screaming in his ear during the 90s, that’s where you find it. He sounds like a man who knows his legacy is secure and doesn't have many filters left.
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Breaking Down the "Greatest Calls" Myth
We always talk about the Mankind fall. But what about the "Climb the ladder, kid! Make yourself famous!" call for Jeff Hardy? Or the raw, tear-filled commentary when Eddie Guerrero won the big one?
J.R. knew how to pace a match. He understood that you don’t scream for twenty minutes straight. You build. You wait for the "high spots." Modern announcers sometimes feel like they’re reading a script or trying to "get themselves over." Ross never did that. He was there to serve the wrestlers in the ring.
Health Challenges and Resilience
It’s worth mentioning his health because it defines his later years. J.R. has dealt with:
- Bell’s Palsy: Three separate attacks that paralyzed parts of his face.
- Skin Cancer: Multiple procedures on his legs and back.
- Colon Cancer: His most recent fight in 2025, which he announced as "cancer-free" by late summer.
- The Loss of Jan: The 2017 passing of his wife, Jan, was a turning point. Many thought he’d retire then. Instead, he used wrestling as his therapy.
He’s tough. Tougher than a two-dollar steak, as he’d say.
What Most People Get Wrong About J.R.
A common misconception is that J.R. hates modern wrestling. You’ll hear critics say he’s "out of touch" because he complains about too many "flips" or a lack of selling.
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That’s not hate. That’s a coach wanting his players to be better. He wants the business to last another fifty years. He’s seen the toll that "high-spot" wrestling takes on the body, and he wants these kids to be able to walk when they’re his age.
How to Appreciate Jim Ross Today
If you’re a new fan who only knows him from AEW or YouTube clips, here is how you actually dive into his work. Don't just watch the highlights.
Listen to the silence. Watch a match like Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold at WrestleMania 13. Notice how J.R. lets the crowd noise tell the story sometimes. He isn't talking over the drama; he's punctuating it.
Follow his current journey:
- Check out the Grilling JR podcast for historical context you won't get on TV.
- Watch for his "Big Event" appearances in AEW. He usually calls the main events or the "Old School" style matches.
- Read his books, Slobberknocker and Under the Black Hat. They are some of the most honest wrestling memoirs ever written.
Jim Ross is the last of a dying breed. He’s a bridge to a time when wrestling felt like a legitimate sport, even when we knew it wasn't. As he nears the end of his current contract in 2026, every "Bah Gawd" we get is a gift.
Enjoy the voice while it’s still on the air. You won't hear another one like it.
Next Steps for Fans:
Go back and watch the 1992 WCW Great American Bash. It’s some of his best early work before the WWE machine changed his style. Then, compare it to a 2026 AEW pay-per-view. You’ll see the evolution of a man who never lost his love for the "squared circle," despite the industry trying its best to break him.