Jim Ross Says AEW Star Deserves WWE Hall Of Fame Spot

Jim Ross thinks an AEW star deserves a WWE Hall of Fame ring.

Dustin Rhodes has been a fixture of North American wrestling since the late 1980s. The second-generation star is one of wrestling’s great survivors having appeared for WCW, TNA, and WWE where he enjoyed several spells as Goldust.

Rhodes has also been open about his battle with addiction which saw him seek treatment for issues with alcohol and drugs. In his autobiography, the star gave an insight into just how badly he was struggling, admitting to using cocaine before his matches in TNA in 2005.

Despite these problems, Rhodes battled back and now stands as one of the most well-respected figures in the industry as he enjoys the final stages of his in-ring career in AEW.

On a recent episode of his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross — who has known Rhodes his entire adult life, said he’s more than deserving of a Hall of Fame induction. But Ross acknowledges Rhodes’ ties to AEW could prevent him from getting the nod any time soon.

“He’s a Hall of Famer, without a doubt. I wonder if he’ll ever be enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame. He deserves it but because of his relationship with Tony Khan and AEW, which is well deserved, it may never happen and that’s unfortunate.

I feel close to him, I feel a kinship to him still today and it’s growing because I’m so proud of the fact that he’s not dependent on drugs and alcohol, [he] saved his life. There’s no way that Dustin would have been alive today if he had not made those changes.”

Jim Ross Calls The Action At AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door

Despite being admitted to the ER for breathing difficulties for the second time in recent weeks, Jim Ross was on hand to call the action at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door.

Jim Ross signed a new one-year deal with AEW in March 2024 which will see him call pay-per-views without being involved on Dynamite, Collision, or Rampage. Upon signing the deal, Ross said he expects it to be his last as an announcer.