‘Good Ol’ JR’ Jim Ross has given his opinions on love stories in professional wrestling and whether or not WWE should strive to bring them back to television or scrap them all together.
On-screen romance in professional wrestling has been a staple of the industry as far back as anyone can remember. Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth captured the hearts of all with their tale – at least in front of the camera – and storyline wedding at SummerSlam 1991, while in more recent times Lita and Matt Hardy, Lita and Edge, Chyna and Eddie Guerrero as well as Billy Gunn and Sunny have continued the tradition.
Most recently on WWE television, we were treated to an unrequited love chronicle with Otis and Mandy Rose which culminated at WrestleMania 36, when the blonde bombshell marched to the ring to cement their union. Had there been fans in attendance, the roof would have been firmly raised.
Now, AEW’s own Jim Ross has taken to his Grilling JR Podcast to give his own unique opinion of where such accounts sit in professional wrestling and whether, in his opinion, WWE need to implement more of these yarns to drawn their audience back in:
“Sooner than later. They’ve got to figure out some things, get somebody hot and get people talking. What does that really mean? Is that a good thing? Not always. If they’re talking good its good, if they’re talking ‘I’m never watching this s**t again,’ that ain’t good. Vince always liked that sexual element, especially when we were T.V. 14 in the Attitude Era. He had the poetic and artistic license to do whatever the hell he wanted.
That might be a return to their repertoire there. It’s so simple as getting somebody hot with consistent booking and getting those people on a roll. You got to earmark and designate who’s getting on a role and not be talked out of it tomorrow. That doesn’t work for me or anybody. It’s a short term fix. That won’t work any longer. Get somebody in a role that I can attach to and hitch my wagon too and let’s see where it takes us. I can’t do that every other week thing, 50-50 booking.”
With the USA Network calling for WWE’s red brand to push its boundaries and deliver more adult orientated content, there is a large chance that we could see the onset of such storylines in the not too distant future.
WWE have already taken steps to implement something along the lines of what Ross talked about with Alexa Bliss and ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt. Where that will go once the star inevitably returns will be a fascinating watch.
Credit for the interview: Grilling JR Podcast
h/t for the transcription: Wrestling Inc.