Jim Ross recently spoke on his Grilling JR podcast about Michael Cole.
During it, the WWE Hall of Famer was asked if he felt like Cole was angling to get him out of his spot as lead announcer for WWE or if that was a call by Vince McMahon.
“I think it was Vince. He wanted younger. He didn’t want Southern. He didn’t want chubby cheeks. He wanted a change. He also underestimated my popularity. With that said, it sounds very egocentric to say something like that, but I think that was all proven over time. In any event, I don’t think Cole had anything to do with it or any conspiracy theories or any underhanded bullsh*t. That’s just not him. I don’t know how much he could have influenced it anyway to be honest with you in all fairness to everybody involved. It was one guy’s decision.”
H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription