Jim Ross Criticizes ‘Vindictive’ WWE For Removing His Voice From Undertaker Video Package
Legendary wrestling announcer Jim Ross says WWE is being selfish by removing his voice from The Undertaker's Hall Of Fame video package.
The relationship between Jim Ross and WWE is seemingly weaker than it’s ever been! As you may have noticed, to commemorate The Undertaker’s imminent WWE Hall Of Fame induction a video package featuring some of the Deadman’s career highlights has recently been airing on WWE programming. As is often the case with WWE video packages, the Undertaker Hall of Fame package was elegantly edited and really packs an emotional punch … but there’s something missing.
Relive the iconic career of The @undertaker following his WWE Hall of Fame induction announcement.#WWEHOF pic.twitter.com/RP2uy26CSv— WWE (@WWE) February 18, 2022
On a recent edition of his Grilling JR podcast, Undertaker’s fellow Hall of Famer Jim Ross opened up about WWE’s decision to remove some of his calls from the footage featured in Taker’s HoF video package.
“What really matters is how many JR soundbites have been in any of these packages,” JR said of the matter. “Is the wrestling war that volatile that the guy that was the soundtrack of the biggest moments in Undertaker’s career is eliminated? Is that authentic or is it just being selfish or vindictive? It’s not like I walked out of [WWE],” he added.
“It’s not like I left them high and dry somewhere, or I didn’t do my job,” Ross lamented. “It’s all optics and that’s not fair to the fans. Why wouldn’t the fans be interested or entertained by hearing a bite that I did live? Are they going to dub somebody else’s voice in when Taker tosses Mick [Foley] off the Hell in a Cell in June of 1998?”
JR’s frustration isn’t misplaced. WWE will have its reasons for removing his voice, but the epicness of so many Undertaker moments was solidified by JR’s incredible calls. The Undertaker’s Hall of Fame induction is long overdue, and his achievements speak for themselves, but without JR’s voice, the video packages just aren’t going to be as good as they could be.
During his time as WWE’s lead announcer, JR earned a deserved reputation as one of the best professional wrestling announcers of all time. He called almost the entire Attitude Era and is the definitive voice of professional wrestling to many fans as a result. Ross signed a three-year deal with All Elite Wrestling when the company launched back in April 2019.
