"The pain is just a little bit unbearable" – AEW's Jim Ross on how traveling has become extremely difficult for him
Legendary wrestling announcer Jim Ross has been the voice of AEW since the company's first event in 2019. However, he admitted that constant travel has made life difficult for him due to his health.
JR has had a few health concerns over the past year, the most notable being a skin cancer diagnosis, which saw him step away from commentary to undergo radiation treatment at the end of 2021.
Ross kept fans up-to-date with his treatment and revealed in December 2021 that he was officially cancer-free. He later returned to AEW less than 24 hours later.
Jim Ross announced he is cancer-free after undergoing treatment for skin cancer 🙏 https://t.co/edJX6638Xi
However, JR still has problems. Speaking with Conrad Thompson on an episode of Ask JR Live, Ross detailed how his feet have made flying on airplanes almost unbearable:
“My foot swells so badly on the airplanes, and the pain is just a little bit unbearable. Today was a horrible, horrible day, because I was in the airplane for so damn long, and the pressure of the cabin and all this stuff and just a bunch of rigmarole.” (H/T: Wrestling Inc.)
Ross is still a regular member of the AEW announce team and recently signed a contract extension that will keep him with the company until 2024. When his contract ends, JR will complete 50 years in the business, a landmark achievement for the legendary announcer.
Jim Ross might make an appearance at Starrcast 5
While the travel schedule might be getting a bit too much to handle for Jim Ross in recent years, he's still making an appearance at the upcoming Starrcast 5 event.
The star-studded event will take place in Nashville, Tennesse, with the main attraction being Ric Flair's final match. JR told Conrad Thompson he received an invite to the event, but again, whether he can stomach the pain on one of his days off is a different matter:
"It’s going to be great, it’s going to be a hell of an event. I’d like to go just to watch, so I don’t know yet.” (H/T: Wrestling Inc.)
The Roast of Ric Flair is happening, after the first attempt was delayed due to Flair's unfortunate health issues.
It's finally set to happen at Starrcast V https://t.co/ABgnDs11ZC
The event will also feature the special "Roast of Ric Flair," where The Nature Boy will be made fun of by fellow wrestlers and celebrities. With his extended stint in the business, rest assured Jim Ross has a couple of funny Flair stories up his sleeve.