Jim Ross recently talked about a wide range of topics on his Grilling JR podcast.
During it, Ross spoke about how he dealt with some wrestlers in WWE that didn’t want to work with Hulk Hogan during his run from 2002-2003. Ross was WWE’s Head of Talent Relations at the time.
“Well, a lot of top guys were not interested in it, because they knew that it was going to create competition for that spot, or those spots. There are not enough spots to go around to cover everybody’s bases it needs and so forth. I tell talent, I remember telling talent: ‘Why are you worried about it? He’s the older guy with multiple back surgeries, he’s very limited on what he can do physically. So I don’t understand your angst, I don’t understand your paranoia. It sounds like you’re worried about competition, right?’”
“‘And knowing your abilities, talking with talent, I don’t know what you got to worry about. Let’s go do your thing. Go do your thing and, and have the best match you can possibly have. And then stick your chest out and you walk back to the gorilla position and say something to the effect of follow that boys. Follow that.’”
“So you know, I had no issues. I just wanted whatever is gonna be good for the company to enhance my paycheck, I’m forever for it.”
Quotes via TJRWrestling