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Jim Ross Calls Recent AEW Show “The Most Exciting Night” Of Career

By TJR Staff • Published 26th September 2021
Jim ross speaking at home

Legendary wrestling announcer Jim Ross has reacted to a WWE card from 21 years ago by putting over a recent AEW as the “most exciting night” of his career in professional wrestling.

The 69-year-old Ross, known by many simply as JR, has been a part of the pro wrestling business for 47 years. Whether he was a young referee learning the business, an announcer sitting ringside, a top executive in WWE during their most successful run ever (“The Attitude Era”) or calling AEW action, he’s seen it all.

WWE Hall of Famer Bubba Ray Dudley posted on Twitter about a WWE live event at Madison Square Garden from 21 years ago on September 23, 2000.

When Jim Ross saw it, he asked this question: “Who booked this card for goodness sakes?” The answer is JR himself because as Head of Talent Relations in 2000, he was in charge of putting together the live event lineups. JR has talked about that for years.

The ten-match card featured 16 current WWE Hall of Famers along with several others that will obviously be in there one day like The Rock, The Undertaker and The Hardy Boyz.

The Rock, The Undertaker & Triple H headlined the show as the babyface team against Kane, Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit. Steve Austin was out of action for nearly a year with a neck injury, but he would return to the ring by October 2000. Rikishi & Chris Jericho also teamed up against Eddie Guerrero & X-Pac.

The WWE Tag Team Titles were on the line as Edge & Christian defended the gold against long-time rivals The Dudley Boyz. Al Snow put the European Title on the line against Perry Saturn while The Hardy Boyz & Lita faced off against T&A and Trish Stratus in Six-Person Inter-Gender Tag Team Match.

There were three more tag team matches on the card since WWE was loaded with tag teams. The Acolytes faced the RTC duo of Bull Buchanan & The Godfather, Too Cool wrestled Lo Down and even a mixed tag match with Jerry Lawler & The Kat facing Tazz & Ivory.

Rounding out the card was Steve Blackman defending the Hardcore Title against Gangrel while Mideon faced Steven William Regal because WWE was trying to figure out his name until they settled on William Regal.

While JR noted that this card was loaded, he remarked that the “most exciting night” of his pro wrestling career was this past Wednesday at AEW Grand Slam Dynamite when Kenny Omega faced Bryan Danielson in a 30-minute time limit draw that was called a five-star classic match that is one of the best TV matches ever.

Considering that JR has sat ringside for many WrestleManias, huge WCW/NWA moments and countless other things, the answer may surprise some, but clearly, JR is happy working for AEW. There’s nothing wrong with letting people know it.