In response to comments that Seth Rollins me about Kenny Omega “playing in the minor leagues,” AEW commentator Jim Ross fired back at the WWE Universal Champion on his latest podcast:
“You’re right, I’m pissed off about it. Here’s what I’m pissed off about: Number one, it doesn’t do any favors for our business. Our business in general, any promotion in the total of all the pro wrestling business it’s bigger than any individual. Now I’m not inferring that Seth thinks he’s bigger than the business, but by what he says sometimes, you can make that assessment, rightly or wrongly, but it’s not a classy thing to say, for an athlete of his designation.
“Since this came out, I talked to two Hall of Fame guys—off the record cause I’m not going to throw them under the bus—that were embarrassed about those remarks as well. It doesn’t do the business any good and one of these cats even said to me, ‘Well maybe Rollins is breaking under the pressure because he’s getting a lot of criticism.’ You know, here’s the deal folks: the WWE today is a whole different world than it was when guys were earning a buck or a downside guarantee significantly, based on what the live events and the PPVs were producing.
As another Hall of Famer has mentioned to me, it’s not about the individuals being over or drawing the house or selling out, it’s about the WWE brand selling out. Hence, the best illustration is WrestleMania. The brand name WrestleMania and the parent company, the big dog in the yard, WWE is what sells tickets to WrestleMania under the auspices that they’re going to do deliver a special show, opponents and participants to be named. But Rollins is in a great spot, he’s blessed, maybe someday he’ll be as over as his girlfriend, I don’t know, but nonetheless, I’ve always liked his work. He’s a solid guy, he’s a solid guy, but saying things like that make him look bad and for that I feel bad for him. I just do.”
After that jab at Rollins, Jim Ross would go on to say that a dream match between the two would be quite the spectacle, and would say that perhaps people like Rollins say the things they say to gain the favor of higher-ups:
“If Omega and Rollins did have a match it would be a great match because both of them are great workers. I was upset at Seth because I thought his comments made him sound bad, made him sound bush league. Made him sound like he was one of those guys that was born on third base, woke up and thought he hit a triple because it’s just, for a guy that worked his way through the indies and Tyler Black and Ring Of Honor, great hand, I don’t know what happened some of these guys.”
“I just believe sometimes it’s internal, sometimes what they’re driven to say, what they feel obligated to say, they say things that they think will gain the favor of their bosses, I don’t know. I don’t know what the answer is, but for a top talent that’s being blessed with great health right now—thank God—and making a ton of money and dating the hottest woman in the business, arguably by many, man what do you got to bitch about?” Ross asked. “Are you kidding me? We’re over there working our ass off and a lot of us have dedicated our lives longer than you’ve been alive to this business, and we’re busting our balls without knocking – I’m not knocking WWE. I think it’s a bad thing when you’re knocking a company that’s working our ass off to be good.”
Transcription credit goes to Dominic DeAngelo of WrestleZone
