Jim Ross is dealing with complications following his recent brain surgery as he continues working toward a return to the AEW commentary booth.
During a new episode of his Grilling JR podcast following the AEW Dynamite PAC Tribute show on September 30 in Pittsburgh, PA., Ross provided an update on his health and said he has additional testing and doctor’s appointments scheduled.
The 74-year-old WWE Hall of Famer said he remains proud to be part of AEW and hopes to resume his part-time commentary duties once his health allows.
“I’m proud to be a part of AEW. I still got my playbook, I still got my jersey, I just got to get healthy,” Ross said. “We’re working on that right now. CT scan tomorrow, then back to the neurosurgeon later this week.”
Ross underwent brain surgery earlier this year to have a shunt placed to drain excess fluid from his brain. He said the shunt has already been adjusted three times, but he is now experiencing severe headaches that regularly wake him during the night.
“This shunt is problematic. Having blistering headaches. They hurt so bad that I wake up in the middle of the night more often than not, you know, 2-3, 4 o’clock in the morning because I got a headache,” Ross said.
“I watched too many John Wayne movies over my lifetime to say that I’m complaining because I have a headache. The only thing I could say is that it probably would remind me of, what I think anyway, a migraine headache is. They could be debilitating.”
Despite the headaches, Ross said the surgical wound on his skull is healing well. He also has upcoming medical appointments concerning a spot on his kidney.
The surgery was intended in part to address balance problems Ross had been experiencing. Those issues resulted in several falls before the operation, leaving him with a broken wrist, a groin injury and two broken toes.
“I’m breaking sh*t right and left, man,” Ross said. “And it’s not any fun whatsoever.”
Ross added that professional wrestling has provided a welcome escape while he deals with his ongoing health issues.
“God bless pro wrestling. It means so much to us in our lifetime,” Ross said. “And for me, the last 51 years, I’ve been immersed and I don’t feel burned out. I feel very blessed, very lucky that I’m still able to put sentences together from time to time.”
Ross also spoke highly of AEW coming out of All Out 2026 and Wednesday’s special Dynamite tribute to PAC.
