Jim Ross: podcast appearances and interviews

James William Ross, born on January 3, 1952, is an American professional wrestling commentator, sports announcer, and podcaster based in Arlington, Texas. He is signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he serves as a commentator, analyst, and senior advisor. Ross is most recognized for his extensive career as a play-by-play commentator for WWE and is widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestling announcers of all time. He has been affectionately known as Good Ol' JR by WWE fans. Throughout his career, Ross has been involved in various roles within the wrestling industry, including occasional storylines and participation in nine wrestling matches from 1999 to 2011. His early career saw him become the primary play-by-play announcer for Mid-South Wrestling in the early 1980s. He subsequently worked for the National Wrestling Alliance's World Championship Wrestling territory before joining the World Wrestling Federation in 1993, making his debut at WrestleMania IX. During his tenure with WWE, Ross was considered the voice of the company, especially during the Attitude Era of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Outside of wrestling, he has served as the lead English-language announcer for New Japan Pro-Wrestling and has occasionally called boxing and mixed martial arts fights. Ross's contributions to the sport have been recognized through inductions into the WWE, NWA, and Wrestling Observer Newsletter halls of fame, as well as honors from the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. Beyond wrestling, Ross is known for his barbecue sauce and beef jerky brand, J.R.'s Family BBQ, and he hosts a weekly podcast, Grilling JR.