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All Elite Wrestling announced Wednesday it has signed WWE Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross to a three-year contract.
AEW called the deal “groundbreaking” and “the most lucrative deal in pro wrestling commentary history.” Ross has been named a senior advisor for AEW effective immediately.
Ross’ first appearance for AEW will come at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view in Las Vegas on May 25. With regard to his decision to join AEW, JR expressed excitement over the possibility of making a difference in the world of pro wrestling:
“I’m moving on in a very positive way to this timely opportunity to be on the ground floor of one of the most exciting moments in the history of pro wrestling. I’ve known [AEW President] Tony [Khan], Cody [Rhodes], The Young Bucks and Kenny [Omega] for a long time, and I know they’re going to change the world of pro wrestling. Their roster is already packed with top-level talent and up-and-comers. They’ve got a huge show coming up in May. They’ve brought in game-changing partners like KultureCity. And they’ve got an all-inclusive, welcoming culture like I’ve never seen before. I’m ready to change the world with them.”
The 67-year-old Ross began working as a wrestling broadcaster in 1974 before joining WWE in 1993 and remaining with the company for most of the next two decades. Ross returned to WWE in 2017 and worked in a limited capacity until his deal expired March 29.
During his most recent stint with WWE, Ross called a handful of matches and events, including the first Mae Young Classic. He also appeared on some pay-per-view pre-show panels and essentially worked in a jack-of-all-trades role.
Upon announcing that he was not renewing his WWE contract, Ross revealed that he was in negotiations to join AEW.
Khan said the following about Ross’ signing with the upstart company:
“I’ve been part of the wrestling community since I was seven years old, and there’s no greater thrill than welcoming the voice that I grew up with, Jim Ross, to our AEW family. We all share a common goal to make this the true golden age, to make this the greatest time ever to be a professional wrestling fan. And, as a business, we also seek to make this a new golden age for the performers and our staff members. Our entire team is thrilled to have Jim on board, and we can’t wait to shake things up together.”
It is not clear from the press release whether Ross will be a regular part of the AEW announce team in addition to his role as senior advisor. Even if he doesn’t provide play-by-play commentary, he brings a wealth of experience to the table.
Ross held multiple backstage jobs for WWE over the years in addition to his work as an announcer, and he is quite familiar with the field of talent relations.
AEW is already generating plenty of buzz in the wrestling world thanks to a roster that includes Omega, Cody, The Young Bucks, Chris Jericho and others. With arguably the greatest wrestling announcer of all time in the fold, the promotion continues to gain credibility within the business.
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