During a recent episode of his Grilling JR with Jim Ross podcast, Ross discussed McMahon’s frustration with him during his tenure with the company, which often seemed unsubstantiated.
“I think he was jealous. He was never the play-by-play guy that I was, but he didn’t want to give me any credit for helping build the Attitude Era to what it was,” Ross said during his podcast, via WrestlingInc. “I’m not the only person responsible for that, for God’s sakes.”
McMahon was an announcer for WWF shows during the 1980s and 1990s before eventually handing the reins to a series of commentators, including Ross.
Ross wasn’t just the TV announcer for WWE shows. He was also WWE’s Executive Vice President of Talent Relations for a time, which meant he was involved with signing key wrestlers who became superstars during the “Attitude Era” of the late 1990s and early 2000s. He maintained that role through 2005.
“That was my roster and it happened to click, and I wish I could take all the credit for it like any other egomaniac in wrestling, but I can’t,” said Ross. “As much grief as he gave me, I always could look at my bank account and get happy. So I never had the animosity towards Vince that he had toward me.”
Ross initially joined WWE in 1993 (then WWF). In January 1994, he suffered his first bout of Bell’s palsy and was released by the company two weeks later. He rejoined in mid-1994 to replace McMahon as announcer during Vince McMahon’s federal trial, but was rereleased after the trial concluded. He returned in December 1994 and became a cornerstone of the company’s TV announcing team, while also working behind the scenes. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007.
McMahon and his family owned WWE until it merged with UFC to form TKO Group. McMahon initially served as the executive chairman but resigned in 2024 after allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault. He also settled charges with the SEC for over $1.7 million related to undisclosed hush-money payments, though he denied all claims against him.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.