In a revealing new podcast episode, legendary wrestling announcer Jim Ross has opened up about the famously turbulent dynamic with his former boss, WWE founder Vince McMahon. Ross, a Hall of Famer, suggested that McMahon's persistent frustration and harsh treatment stemmed from professional jealousy.
A Relationship Forged in Fire
The professional history between Jim Ross and Vince McMahon is marked by dramatic highs and lows. Ross was fired and rehired multiple times by McMahon over the years. His tenure was also punctuated by on-screen humiliations on Monday Night Raw, including physical attacks by wrestlers and one infamous segment where he was forced to kiss McMahon's bare buttocks.
Despite this, Ross served WWE intermittently from 1993 until 2013, holding pivotal roles. He was not only the iconic voice of the Attitude Era but also headed talent relations, a position crucial to the company's success. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007 and now works as a broadcaster for All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
"I Think He Was Jealous"
During a recent episode of his Grilling JR podcast, Ross reflected on McMahon's often inexplicable hostility. "I think he was jealous," Ross stated bluntly. He elaborated that McMahon, who was never a play-by-play announcer himself, seemed reluctant to give Ross credit for his role in building WWE's most profitable period.
"He didn't want to give me any credit for helping build the Attitude Era to what it was," Ross said. "I'm not the only person responsible for that, for God's sakes." The Attitude Era, spanning roughly 1997 to 2001, featured megastars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, The Undertaker, and Triple H. Ross noted he was instrumental in signing many key talents during that boom period, which generated millions for McMahon.
Bank Account Happiness Over Animosity
Ross expressed a pragmatic, if not forgiving, perspective on their strained relationship. He acknowledged McMahon's "intense animosity" but said he never reciprocated those feelings to the same degree. "As much grief as he gave me, I always could look at my bank account and get happy," Ross remarked, per a report from Wrestling Inc.
He emphasized that he always treated McMahon with respect and never "phoned in" his work, even while juggling multiple high-pressure jobs within the company. Ross's comments peel back the curtain on one of professional wrestling's most complex and impactful partnerships, suggesting that behind the spectacle and storylines, very human emotions like envy played a part in shaping WWE history.
