Jim Ross On Vince McMahon’s Reaction To His NJPW Job, His Favorite NJPW Wrestlers, AXS Negotiations

I recently spoke to WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross about his new job with New Japan on AXS and several other topics for an exclusive interview. Ross talks about some of his favorite performers in New Japan, in addition to telling the WWE about who he thought would be good fits after Wrestle Kingdom 9. Ross also spoke about Vince McMahon’s feelings on his new job.

You can see the full interview below, and listen to it in the audio players at the top or the bottom of the page. New Japan Pro Wrestling on AXS returns this Friday with all new episodes.

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AXS had to move away from Mauro Ranallo when he signed with WWE. Usually companies would have to take a step back when replacing him, but they went out and signed you. What is the feeling you get about AXS’ commitment to NJPW?

“When Mauro came to them and let them know he was going to the WWE, they wasted no time in contacting my business manager to let me know I was their top priority. That’s always nice, but you still have to get a deal. We had to talk about travel and you always get down to the bottom line of what you’re going to get paid, and they stepped up to everything. They made sure that I’d be working with Josh Barnett come March 4. I love the product, I love going to Los Angeles. It’s a good job to have with the wife that I have because she loves going to LA. 8 to 10 times a year we fly out there, do a couple of days of voiceovers and have a blast. There’s no pressure. I get to go out there and be creative. It’s free flowing and I think that shows up and it sounds that way on the broadcast.”

Did you speak to Mauro Ranallo about the NJPW gig or him going to WWE?

“No, not at all. I’m assuming that Mauro and WWE were negotiating in confidence, so I didn’t talk to him at all until he got it. I congratulated him and he was happy to hear it. We’re friends, respect each other’s work. He’s one of the best hires WWE made in a long time. We didn’t talk about it, but I watched their show. I’m a regular viewer of NJPW on AXS. I was very familiar of the style, the cadence, how Mauro worked. I’m a little different than him, we’re different guys. I was just happy for him going to WWE, which I know he’s been wanting to do for a long time.”

Did Barnett admonish you for calling a double wristlock a Kimura or did you manage to avoid that?

“I knew the double wristlock back in the shooting days when it was Lou Thesz’s go-to hold. Danny Hodge was a big Lou Thesz devotee, and my boyhood hero, so he was a big double wristlock aficionado as well. Only since the proliferation of UFC on TV has Kimura found a pulse in the lexicon of which we’re speaking today.”

I saw that you had spoken to WWE about some of the guys you saw at Wrestle Kingdom 9. Is that still something you’d do while calling this show?

“I was going to Florida, and I have a great friendship with William Regal, who does a lot of the scouting …

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