Jim Ross breaks silence on WWE not renewing Jerry Lawler’s contract; addresses possible reunion
Jim Ross has spoken up about WWE not renewing Jerry Lawler's commentator contract. He also addressed a potential reunion with his former colleague.
The commentary team of Good Ol' JR and The King was vital to the success of WWE's programming during the Attitude Era. While Ross has been signed with AEW since 2019, the Stamford-based promotion recently released Lawler from commentary duties. However, he is still under a Legends contract with the promotion. Following the update, fans and viewers speculated on a prospective reunion between JR and Jerry Lawler in AEW.
On the latest edition of the Grilling JR podcast, Ross addressed his former colleague's situation. He suggested that the two men have not called their last match together yet, although he clarified that he may link up with Lawler at an appearance, if not on a commentary desk.
"I felt bad about this week's news about Lawler, my partner. You know, I don’t think that he and I have worked our last match together, I really don’t believe that. I think somewhere down the road -- if nothing else it’ll be at an appearance."
The WWE Hall of Famer further clarified that his comments were not meant to foreshadow Lawler's signing with AEW, stating:
"I just think that JR and The King at an appearance is marketable after all these years together. So we’ll see how that works out. I’m not saying that he’s going to join the staff at AEW, whatsoever. I don’t have any idea about that. And nor do I want to know, it’s not my place to hire talent. But I certainly feel in my bones that there will be opportunities for he and I to work together, whether it be on a TV show, a one-off type thing, or certainly some appearances." [H/T F4WOnline]
Ross's comments seem to echo recent reports which suggest that Lawler, who is still under a WWE Legends deal, has not been a talking point in AEW.
Jerry Lawler says his career has ended with WWE
During an interview with PWI, Jerry Lawler addressed his current situation in WWE. The 74-year-old veteran revealed that his career is most likely over.
Lawler, who had suffered a stroke last year, cited health-related issues as a major detriment to his work as an announcer.
"One other thing that a lot of people wonder about, my career has probably ended with WWE, and that's just one of those things that goes with getting over all the stuff that happened with the stroke and it was my...just sitting behind a desk and doing it, commentating on a match, was extremely difficult," said Lawler.
Lawler's release as a commentator from the Triple H-led promotion ended a nearly three-decade-long working relationship between the two parties.
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