The Jim Ross Report
Release Date: May 30, 2018
Recap by: Joe Aguinaldo
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0:00 – Intro
Welcome back to another week of Slobberknocker audio. Along with all the normal features of the podcast, Drew McIntyre will be on the podcast to speak about his current run in the WWE.
3:37 – What’s On J.R’s Mind
J.R thanks everyone for the success of his book Slobberknocker as sales are still doing well. He confirms that he will be working on a second book. He also talks about his upcoming UK tour and is looking forward to the shows.
J.R starts of talking about RAW which was up against some stiff competition with the NBA playoffs and the Stanley Cup finals. Seth Rollins is on a hot streak and should keep doing what he’s doing. J.R wants to see how good Elias is bell to bell and wants to see him matched up with Seth. If Elias can have good matches with Seth, that will raise his stock. J.R felt Jinder Mahal and Seth had a good match too.
J.R says Finn Balor showed great heart against Braun Strowman and says for an undersized babyface, heart, courage and the will to compete are essential all of which Balor has.
J.R did not dislike the Nia Jax/Ronda Rousey interview. He thought it was fine but it didn’t necessarily make J.R want to run and buy a PPV.
J.R thinks Bobby Roode and Bobby Lashley should be heels.
J.R enjoyed the announcer banter and gives props to Michael Cole. He says Corey Graves and Booker T are sometimes caught up in trying to get the best one liner.
J.R wasn’t crazy about the BBQ segment on RAW because there was no JR’s BBQ sauce (he was joking).
Turning over to Smackdown, J.R loves the work Paige is doing as GM and says she is adapting to the role really well. He also likes the dynamic between Charlotte and Becky Lynch and is looking forward to their match next Tuesday on Smackdown. He says Charlotte is the female version of Hulk Hogan and the WWE can build a roster around her. He says Becky Lynch has gone off the radar as she hasn’t been in a storyline. He hopes this is the start of one and says she looks great and has good fire.
Big Cass had a good night but needs to be more aggressive because there’s no demand for a 7 foot finesse guy. He felt Cass was much more aggressive on this episode of SmackDown. He liked the ending of the main event (Daniel Bryan/Samoa Joe/Big Cass) and felt everyone was elevated in that match.
Asuka and Mandy Rose had a good match but he feels they need more character development.
The Naomi and Lana dance contest led to a match which J.R understood. J.R is high on Naomi but the jury is still out on Lana. He feels Naomi should not lower her game to Lana’s skillset but says the onus is on Lana to step up her game.
J.R doesn’t understand why the clenched fist is used so much in wrestling today. He feels it isn’t wrestling and is a shortcut. He also doesn’t know why the puncher doesn’t sells his hand when punching (which hurts). Additionally the punches never leave a mark which exposes the puncher as having lousy punches. The overuse of punches with not enough selling or evidence doesn’t make sense and is lazy.
Another pet peeve for J.R is why people think having a time limit in wrestling is too old school. He says time limits add drama to a match and also provides an additional finish that currently isn’t used. A time limit draw can be booked intelligently to further a story. He wonders if they will use time limits at the All In show and thinks they might.
J.R is happy to see that the WWE network has uploaded Mid-South Wrestling (which is awesome by the way). The show had symmetry and logic and drove ticket sales for the weekly events back in the day.
29:52 – Slobberknocker Of The Week
Candidates include:
- Lebron James who is in the conversation of greatest players in the history of the NBA
- Mamoudou Gassama, the man who climbed four stories to save a four year old child who was dangling off a balcony.
- The Las Vegas Golden Knights who are in the Stanley Cup finals.
However, the Slobberknocker of the week is a boy J.R met an event who has cerebral palsy. He wants to be a broadcaster however, has been bullied to some degree and has been told he will never make it. J.R takes an opposite view and thinks this kid can do it and wishes him luck on his journey.
36:51 – Pet Coon Goofy Award
Candidates were:
- The father of the kid who was hanging off the balcony
- Delta Airlines due to some flight delays
But, this week’s Pet Coon Goofy Award goes to Roseanne Barr who made a racist tweet which caused her show to get cancelled. It shows a total lack of judgement and what disappointed him the most is that a lot of people lost their jobs because of this.
40:35 – This Week In Wrestling
June 4th 1982 – Fritz Von Erich retirement show. Fritz defeated King Kong Bundy. This card was loaded with Andre The Giant Making an appearance and Kerry Von Erich wrestling Harley Race. Incidentally, J.R came up with the idea of the 5 count for King Kong Bundy.
2000 – Two guys won the Hardcore championships on different brands on the same night. Gerry Briscoe beat Crash Holly to become the WWF hardcore champ while Eric Bischoff beat Terry funk to become the WCW hardcore champion
2013 – Impact Wrestling Slammiversary saw one of the better women’s matches J.R has seen on TV with Gail Kim (vs. Taryn Terrel). J.R loves Gail Kim and thinks she can be a Hall Of Famer for several companies.
2008 – One Night Stand PPV at the San Diego sports Arena. Edge defeated Undertaker in a TLC match to win the World Title.
Birthdays This Week – Jake Roberts (63), Cody Hall (27), Vampiro (51), Ross Von Erich (30), Cowboy James Storm (41), Lex Luger (60), A.J Styles (41), Velvet Sky (37), Gorilla Monsoon (would have been 81) and last one….today’s guest, Drew McIntyre, will be turning 33 and will be on the podcast later.
50:22 – Mailbag
Send questions, comments and suggestions to thejimrossreport@gmail.com.
Q: ESPN was one of the losing bidders for the WWE Smackdown deal (which Fox won). Will ESPN try to partner up with another wrestling company?
A: J.R doesn’t thinks so. ESPN will only put a product on that looks close to the WWE from a production standpoint. Presently, there is no company that comes close. While ESPN needs a boost, it won’t come from wrestling.
Q: Who does J.R think are the best villains in wrestling in the last decade or so.
A: J.R says the best villain in the Attitude Era was Vince McMahon. He also says Ric Flair, Triple H, JBL (who made it easy to dislike him), Eric Bischoff and Chris Jericho were great heels. J.R also got a chance to work with some great heels at the announce booth such as Jerry Lawler, Terry Funk and Bobby Heenan.
Q: Was J.R’s wife Jan a fan of wrestling and did she watch the TV shows.
A: Absolutely. She would comment on outfits, how people looked and the music. She may not have known technical wrestling but she loved the business and the people in the business.
Q: How do you make Triple Threat matches more interesting as they are getting tired.
A: J.R understands the point the person is trying to make as seeing too many Triple Threats makes them less special. J.R says an elimination rules stipulation might spice them up but primarily having less of them will make them better.
54:51 – Drew McIntyre
J.R welcomes Drew to the podcast. He brings up one of the first conversations they ever had as Drew had asked J.R for some feedback. J.R said the main thing Drew had to work on was his diction because he would be speaking to the North American audience. After that conversation, Vince McMahon told Drew he would be going through elocution lessons which also helped him in real life as people had a hard time understanding his accent. J.R agrees and mentions during his first UK tour, he had a hard time understanding people during the Q&As because of the Scottish accent.
J.R says Andrew McLean Galloway the fourth would have been one of the greatest heel names of all time which is Drew’s real name. J.R also wishes Drew an early Happy 33rd birthday. Drew mentions he first got signed when he finished university at 21. He moved to America when he was 22 and will be 33 next week. He says he wouldn’t have changed a thing as all the ups and downs have gotten him to where he is as a performer and a man.
J.R asks what the difference was between Drew’s first run and now. What problems did he have getting over the hump?
Drew says the biggest difference is maturity. When he first came to America, he had just moved out of his parent’s house and suddenly he realized he had to do laundry and pay bills which he had never done. It was also a culture shock coming to America and he found it hard to acclimate. Additionally, the level of wrestling in the UK back then compared to today was very low and it was harder to figure out the American style. He was also very immature and was still trying to figure out his life.
When he got released, it was the first time Drew was in charge of himself as he had gone from his parents taking care of him to the WWE taking care of him and now he had to take care of himself. This is where he learned how to look after himself, be a professional and how to be a top guy. He really grew up and that’s the biggest difference as he went from being a boy to being a man.
Drew also brings up social media and how it helped him rebuild himself. When he got released, he got advice about working on the independents, however Drew had bigger plans and used social media to reinvent himself and make himself the biggest star in the world. Using social media, having belief in himself and his drive took Drew to the point where the WWE approached him to come back.
J.R asks what role William Regal played in Drew’s return and was he a mentor for Drew.
Absolutely. The whole time Drew was gone from the WWE, he kept in touch with Regal who always kept an eye on what Drew was doing. After Drew’s TNA contract was up and he decided not to sign with them, he and his wife were thinking about their next steps and it was Regal who suggested Drew talk to Triple H and even got them on the phone. He credits Regal as the reason he’s back in the WWE. J.R says it’s admirable that Drew was able to reinvent himself and says not enough people are willing to take a step back in order to move forward.
J.R brings up Drew’s pairing with Dolph Ziggler which fans are talking about them and thinks it was timely for Drew and puts him on the radar.
Drew says it’s great but initially didn’t know what was going on. He was he would be teaming with Dolph when he got to TV that day. Drew knows people are asking a lot of questions and are jumping ahead about this team but also says there are 52 weeks of TV a year. He wants to take time introducing the casual fan to Drew McIntyre but says they will get there.
J.R says wrestling, like many sports, is ‘what have you done for me lately’. Despite Drew’s past accomplishments in the WWE, people want to see what Drew is going to do now. There’s an interest and a curiosity with Drew’s character. J.R brings up Drew’s recent match with Chad Gable which was a good match.
Drew enjoyed the match and thinks Chad is a great performer with a lot of potential. Drew says everything is an opportunity and he tells a lot of the guys that every single moment they get on the show, anytime someone gets on RAW is an opportunity for a talent to figure out their story and tell the story no matter how much time they get. Coming back to the match with Gable, Drew wanted to show Chad had fire and balls along with his wrestling skills. Drew told Chad he wasn’t going to out wrestle Chad and when the time came, Drew was going to smack him and wanted Chad to fight back and show fire. Drew felt Chad stepped up and both came out of the match stronger. Drew reiterates that everyone needs to be thinking this way….no matter what the story is, don’t blame creative, it’s up to the talent to figure out and tell the story because if they don’t, there’s someone waiting in NXT to take your spot if you’re not going to step up on RAW.
J.R asks Drew if the current locker room has leaders or is there room for more growth?
Drew says there are leaders but there is also room for more growth. Drew says being released is the best thing that happened to him because it reignited his fire and passion. It made him understand that RAW is the best show in the world based on the TV deals they are getting and ratings. But he also says there are 5 hours of wrestling between RAW and Smackdown, even though there’s a lot of good on the shows, there is also a lot of filler and a lot of guys sitting around who don’t have the passion. Drew can say that because he was that guy before he got released. He wasn’t working to get to the top, he wasn’t working hard in the gym, he wasn’t pitching stories and wasn’t trying to become a better performer. People in the WWE have become complacent which bothers him. He knows what kind of talent is in the indies and at NXT who are ready to take the top spots. Drew wants to make sure Monday Night RAW is killer not filler and he wants to be the wake up call that the talent needs.
J.R asks if Drew has a better relationship as far as communicating with the decision makers compared to his first tenure.
In his first run, Drew was nervous to talk to Vince or Triple H or anybody. He was a kid and felt like a kid and was intimidated. When Drew went away, he became a businessman. He built his business and WWE brought his business in. Drew wants to be successful in his business and in turn wants the WWE to be successful. In order to do this, you need to have a relationship with the people in charge. Drew hopes other guys on the roster are listening to him right now because it takes awhile to get there. If you want to be at the top of the show (which you should), you need to be accountable, give everything you can and build those relationships. Drew says a lot of people aren’t and he isn’t going to be shy about calling people out as time goes on. Drew says he’s been in locker room with Taker, Rey Mysterio, Christian and Ric Flair when he was 22 and doesn’t think they would be happy with the way the locker room is these days.
J.R brings up the changes in the business with regards to how the performers work these days. He feels instead of working for the pop, a lot of the boys are doing things that could potentially shorten their careers. Additionally a lot of performers are taking too many bumps and are taking short cuts where they are ‘trampolining’ for the pop as opposed to wrestling for the pop.
Drew agrees and says he’s taken a risk twice and got injured twice doing moves he shouldn’t have done at his size which is something he won’t do again. He also says that he works as hard on live events as he would on TV and at WrestleMania which is how you build a foundation and have people coming back. He sees some of the talent dialing it in at live shows, which potentially could affect the show the next time they are in that town. Drew expects everyone to bust their ass but also doesn’t want anyone to be dangerous.
Drew also expects people to think when using social media. He sees a lot of talent retweeting positive comments and responding to trolls and says people show stop living in a fake world and come back to reality. Use social media for what it’s for and that’s promoting your business
J.R brings up promoters such as Bill Watts and Vince McMahon who love big performers who are athletic like Drew. He thinks Drew will be in a number of main events and wants to know if there’s someone at the top of his list with regards to wrestling such as Brock Lesnar?
Drew says there are plenty of guys he is looking forward to working with. When he and Braun Strowman stepped in the ring on RAW in the UK there was a rumble from the crowd. He also mentions Roman works his butt off and is another person he would like to work with as well as Seth Rollins.
J.R asks what the boys’ attitude towards women’s wrestling today especially since they are now main eventing the shows.
Drew says all the guys are very positive about it because the girls work just as hard and sometimes harder than the guys. In the past, the women’s match was used to bring the crowd down which is no longer the case. Drew says when he was in NXT, if he was following the girls match, he knew he had his work cut out for him because the women were going to steal the show and it’s the same on RAW and Smackdown too.
J.R brings up the popularity of women’s sports (not just wrestling) and says people are interested in women as long as they know their story. This segways into J.R saying we need to know more about Drew’s story and brings up Drew having graduated college with a degree in criminology which is an interesting point.
Drew says he had an agreement with his dad was that he’d finish his degree while doing the wrestling and thankfully he got signed in his last year of criminology so it all worked out.
J.R asks if Drew had gone through OVW
Drew says he was in there for the last six month of OVW and they put him on the road the third week he was in America. He thinks he was the fastest guy to go through developmental. Three weeks prior he had been watching RAW in university. Four weeks prior, he was drunk with his friends and now he was in catering sitting in front of Vince McMahon.
J.R says communication is important and tells talent if they have the opportunity to go one-on-one with Vince, do not confront, only converse which is a good way to build a relationship.
Drew says when dealing with Vince, be confident, be humble and have ideas. He says if you’re on RAW but don’t know who you are or where you want to get there and how to get there that’s a wasted opportunity especially if you’re in front of Vince.
J.R brings up that sometimes the boys are their own worst enemy and brings up a story from the territory days that caused them to lose a hotel deal.
Drew has cut out drinking and partying. He also started getting better with his diet and this helped him get back into the WWE within 6 months. He is able to look in the mirror and know he’s giving it everything he’s got.
J.R brings up nutrition and diet and how important it is.
Drew says there are companies that will prep your meals so there are no excuses for not eating healthy on the road. He brings up Jinder Mahal as an example of someone who came back and used it as an opportunity. He worked hard in the gym, worked hard on his diet and cut out the drinking and made the most of his opportunity.
J.R asks what the boys thought of the Fox TV deal.
Drew says it was exciting and says the industry keeps growing to heights that they never imagined would be possible. Professional wrestling has been accepted in the last few years and has been proven to be a ratings winner. People love wrestling and everyone is excited and blown away by the numbers. Drew is proud to be part of a company doing these amazing things.
J.R brings up his late wife and how she would keep him sane during his run. Sometimes we don’t give the spouses of the talent enough credit because they carry a lot of weight and pay a price that is immense.
Drew is glad to see J.R is doing well since Jan’s passing and couldn’t imagine what he was going through. He says it is difficult to find the right person and takes a strong woman to put up with the wrestling lifestyle.
J.R brings up going to the UK for his one man show and how knowledgeable the fan base is.
Drew says there wasn’t much of a scene earlier however, it has grown and Drew was one of the reasons for that growth. On the 18th and 19th of June, the WWE will be holding the shows at the Royal Albert Hall for the UK championship tournament. The winner will face Pete Dunn for the UK championships for the next night. Drew says it’s a great time to be a wrestling fan in the UK.
J.R says it’s a great time to be a wrestling fan due to the Fox deal. It’s a difference maker in how talents are perceived. There are going to be more eyeballs watching the product and if there’s ever an opportunity to get their game right, now is the time.
J.R thanks Drew for being on the show and wishes him continued success. He looks forward to watching Drew win a championship. Drew thanks J.R for having him on the show and says he’s not here to be one of the guys but to be the guy.
1:38:47 – Show Wrap
J.R goes through some of the 5-star ratings the show has gotten, thanks Drew for being on the show and says Drew is a pro and knows what he wants. Couple of sponsor reads and that is a wrap.
Rating – 8/10
Another good show from Jim. The Drew McIntyre interview was great and he has an awesome attitude. It’s like an old school attitude in a new school environment and I hope he does well in his current run. My only one complaint is that J.R still talks a little too much . He seems to be more interested in making his point instead of focusing on the interviewing which sometimes wrecks the flow of the interview. Although in the case it was not as prevalent as past interviews (like on his interview with Cody). All in all, solid show.
Timestamps
0:00 – Intro
3:37 – What’s On J.R’s Mind
29:52 – Slobberknocker Of The Week
36:51 – Pet Coon Goofy Award
40:35 – This Week In Wrestling
50:22 – Mailbag
54:41 – Drew McIntyre
1:38:47 – Show Wrap
Writer Bio
Joe lives in Toronto, Canada with his wife and two boys. He’s been watching wrestling for about 40 years (give or take) but doesn’t consider himself any sort of expert. He just likes wrestling. Check him out on twitter and instagram @ja113.
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