AEW's Jim Ross wasn't surprised to hear about former WWE star's death: "His biggest opponent - drug addiction"
AEW veteran commentator Jim Ross recently commented on former WWE star Test's unfortunate death. The former star passed away in 2009.
The former Intercontinental Champion was a notable star of the WWE's Attitude Era and was signed with the promotion for nine years. However, many felt Test's career never reached its peak and he was stuck in the mid-card scene. He had a history of battling substance abuse and passed away in 2009.
In a recent episode of his Grilling JR podcast, AEW veteran Jim Ross commented on Test's passing and revealed that he wasn't surprised by his passing as he was dependent on painkillers.
"[It was] his biggest opponent - drug addiction. He couldn't win, he didn't win, and it killed him," Ross said. "That is as abrupt an ending as you can ask for. I must tell you that when I heard that he had passed away, I wasn't shocked because he became very dependent on painkillers, muscle relaxers, and downers in general." [H/T - WrestlingInc.]
AEW veteran Jim Ross claims Test could have been a bigger star in WWE
Test was one of the best big men in WWE and also managed to win multiple titles during his run in the Stamford-based promotion. He was a former Intercontinental, European, and Hardcore Champion. He was also a tag team champion. Many wondered why the star wasn't launched into the main event scene and it is one of the major 'What ifs' in the promotion.
In the same episode, Jim Ross acknowledged that the promotion never tapped into Test's potential as he could've been a bigger star in the promotion.
"We never tapped into what he could've done. He could've been a bigger star than most people ever dreamed he could've become, but we never got to see that. It ended too quickly." [H/T - WrestlingInc.]
Jim Ross is currently signed to AEW and occasionally provides commentary on pay-per-views and Dyamite and Collision. It will be interesting to see if the veteran makes his return to WWE someday.