Jim Ross Hired By New Japan Pro Wrestling

[BostonBob]

from foxsports.com:

Jim Ross will be calling the action for New Japan Pro Wrestling.



Good God almighty, legendary voice Jim Ross is back in business.

The WWE Hall of Famer will be doing play-by-play for "New Japan Pro Wrestling" on AXS TV, it was learned on Tuesday. Ross will work alongside NJPW veteran and former UFC star Josh Barnett beginning March 4. The show is broadcast at 9 p.m. ET.

"New Japan Pro Wrestling" will feature the matches from Wrestling Dontaku 2015. Ross will do the voice-over calls from Los Angeles.

"This opportunity to work with AXS TV is attractive on many fronts," Ross said. "The travel won't be weekly but approximately 8-10 trips to Los Angeles in a year's time. While there, in a two-day, voice-over session, we will hammer out up to six shows. I'm happy OKC now has non-stop flights to LAX."

Ross was the voice of WWE for two decades. He was part of the first English language, live broadcast of NJPW in 2015 when he worked Wrestle Kingdom 9.

"I'm a big fan of the New Japan product as they have been one if the most highly regarded brands within the genre for decades," Ross said. "New Japan has a unique opportunity with AXS TV to grow their brand in North America. The more fans sample the athleticism, physicality, no-nonsense presentation of NJPW the more they're going to like it.

"For me, the New Japan Pro Wrestling business philosophy reminds me of my earlier years in wrestling. I've had numerous other offers, some serious and others just flirting to return to TV Wrestling broadcasting but none have had the appeal that AXS TV offered me. We think my style will fit the NJPW in-ring presentation well. We'll know that conclusively in early March. Plus, AXS TV and I discussed other potential projects outside NJPW."

NJPW's season features episodes highlighting matches from the 2015 New Japan Cup, Invasion Attack, HINOKUNI, Best of the Super Juniors 22, Dominion 7.5, G1 Climax 25 and more throughout the year.


Full story here: http://www.foxsports.com/buzzer/sto...-japan-pro-wrestling-matches-on-axs-tv-011916

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[Dr Pepper]

So the matches will be done in Japan, taped, and JR will "call" them in a studio in LA?

Weird.

Why not have a "live" announcer who is actually present for the match?

 

[Morozov]

Fantastic news.

 

[Karma]

So the matches will be done in Japan, taped, and JR will "call" them in a studio in LA?

Weird.

Why not have a "live" announcer who is actually present for the match?

The matches are already done. All the stuff is from 2015

 

[Loosie]

Business is about to pick up!

 

[Kimi]

So the matches will be done in Japan, taped, and JR will "call" them in a studio in LA?

Weird.

Why not have a "live" announcer who is actually present for the match?

NJPW has no money. They could never afford to constantly fly people to Japan for shows, or even pay for them to live in Japan (nor would anyone of note accept a deal like that). They care even less about the market outside Japan, like absolutely no interest in any non-Japan market. They don't even have an English version of their Network equivalent, or even advertise it during the shows which are in English.


But the entire AXS show is from a year ago. They're in March 2015 playing catch up.

 

[Account Terminated]

That's huge! Happy to hear this.

 

[GarbageGoal]

So the matches will be done in Japan, taped, and JR will "call" them in a studio in LA?

Weird.

Why not have a "live" announcer who is actually present for the match?

The logistics have already been explained, but quite frankly as a regular viewer it has not hurt the product. Then again, it will be interesting to see if JR still has the fire like Mauro had.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Ha! Revenge! Take that WWE. Bah... Gahd.

 

[Brodeur]

So the matches will be done in Japan, taped, and JR will "call" them in a studio in LA?

Weird.

Why not have a "live" announcer who is actually present for the match?

Cheaper to do it that way, especially if they wanted a famous announcer like JR. Not sure how many English speaking announcers are available and living/willing to move to Japan.

Not particularly related, but FXX happened to show the Simpsons episode where Maude Flanders died which led me to read up on it. The voice actress who did Maude had a pay dispute with Fox. Part of her complaint was the rising costs of flying to LA from her home in Colorado.

 

[Android 16]

Is he gonna do it in Japanese?

 

[The Gongshow]

I miss good ol JR, even if they brought him back for Mania's i'd be happy

 

[TNT87]

Is he gonna do it in Japanese?

Now that would be awesome.

 

[George Binks]

Is he gonna do it in Japanese?

There has to be one person that speaks Japanese that can do a good JR impression

 

[GarbageGoal]

Watching his first AXS New Japan show from Friday night right now. Man, great to hear JR again. Hasn't lost a step.

 

[bruins309]

Is he gonna do it in Japanese?

グッド全能の神

That's "Good god almighty" per Google translator

 

[DenisSamson3]

JR is so good. Would have been crazy listening him call Shane Mcmahons return. Also was listening to a few of his old matches. He is really good at giving anatomical descriptions. The spleen, liver, kidneys, ribs, shins, sternum....

Here is a new japan clip.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

JR's problem is he calls the moves and cares about the product