Jim Ross has revisited one of the more debated creative decisions of the mid-1990s WWF era: his brief transformation into a heel television character during the company’s attempt to move forward after Scott Hall and Kevin Nash departed for WCW.
The storyline placed Ross at the center of the introduction of new versions of Razor Ramon and Diesel, a direction that asked viewers to accept replacements for two established stars who had become major personalities on WWF programming. Ross has long been associated with his authoritative play-by-play voice and talent-relations work, making the on-screen turn especially striking. Looking back, however, Ross said he was never convinced the concept could work.
On Grilling JR, Ross described the entire situation as confusing and difficult to support, saying he was not consulted about the creative change before it was put in motion. He recalled believing that a wrestling story should be easy for fans to understand and emotionally invest in, rather than one that needs repeated explanation.
“When you have to stop and explain to your audience what’s going on on a regular basis, it’s not a good idea,” Ross said. “This is pro wrestling, and wrestling fans have simple needs and simple desires.”
For more background on this topic, read Oba Femi Says His Paul Heyman ‘I’m The One’ Promo Was a Message to WWE’s Entire Backstage.
Ross said he was aware that somebody close to Vince McMahon had supported the idea, though he could not say with certainty who was responsible for putting it forward. He mentioned the possibility of Vince Russo or Bruce Prichard, but emphasized that he was not asked how he felt about being moved into a radically different on-screen role after years of building credibility in his previous position.
For Ross, the issue was not merely whether he could perform as a heel. He felt the premise itself created an obstacle that no amount of performance could fully overcome. The audience knew Hall and Nash had left, and the characters of Razor Ramon and Diesel were strongly tied to those wrestlers. The attempted continuation of those identities placed WWF in a position where it had to sell viewers on an idea Ross felt they had little reason to embrace.
Ross Said His Concerns Were Clear
Ross said he did voice his apprehension directly to McMahon. Still, he felt there was little appetite for a discussion because he was not endorsing the boss’s vision. In Ross’ view, that created a particularly difficult professional position. He was being asked to help sell the program through his commentary and heel character work while privately lacking confidence in the direction.
“I shared with him my apprehension that this concept, this idea, was not going to work, and I think I was right,” Ross said. “It didn’t work.”
He returned repeatedly to the idea that the angle was overly complicated. Wrestling stories can certainly involve betrayals, rivalries, shifting alliances and surprises, but Ross argued that the central hook must remain clear. The fake Razor Ramon and Diesel presentation, in his estimation, required the company to continually explain why the replacements were there and what viewers were meant to think about them.
That was a poor fit for the type of product Ross believed WWF needed at that moment. Rather than creating anticipation about what would happen next, he felt the program put too much of the burden on the audience to process a concept they had already rejected.
Ross also acknowledged that the episode made him concerned for his future as a commentator. A move into a prominent heel role could have signaled a longer-term removal from the announce desk, regardless of whether he wanted that to happen. He said that possibility made sense given the direction being taken, and he described the period as both unsettling and confusing.
He characterized himself as someone who wore his emotions openly and said McMahon knew that. Ross believed the situation became part of a larger effort to make clear that McMahon had the final word within the company. “There’s one and only one boss,” Ross said in describing the dynamic, adding that whatever McMahon decided was what would happen.
“Nobody Liked the Angle”
One of Ross’ strongest recollections is that he did not remember receiving meaningful encouragement from others around WWF. He named Bruce Prichard, Gerald Brisco and Jerry Lawler among the people he could not recall endorsing the plan. Ross did not suggest they were openly campaigning against it, either. In an environment where McMahon had committed to the idea, speaking forcefully against it could carry consequences.
“Nobody that I can recall was endorsing this idea of heel JR and the fake Razor and Diesel,” Ross said. “Nobody. It was Vince’s baby, Vince’s idea.”
Ross said he worked to find something positive in the assignment because he did not want to appear disloyal to McMahon or WWF. He wanted to be a professional and do what was required of him. But he could not make himself believe the overall concept was logical or sustainable.
That distinction is important in Ross’ account. He did not say he refused the role or declined to participate. He said he tried to make it effective, even while believing it would fail. His frustration came from being put in the position of advancing a story he regarded as fundamentally flawed.
The storyline also gave Ross an unusual opportunity: he could verbally confront McMahon on WWF television. Ross said the two did not rehearse their arguments. McMahon was not fond of rehearsal, Ross explained, while Ross preferred being given the necessary boundaries and talking points so he could speak naturally in his own voice.
That approach allowed their exchanges to feel less scripted, even within a story Ross considered fictional and ineffective. Ross said several wrestlers got enjoyment from seeing him take verbal shots at the company owner, with some telling him he looked like he was having too much fun. Ross’ response, however, was that they could have had the booking because he did not enjoy being part of it.
“I don’t give a shit. I don’t like doing it anyway,” Ross recalled saying of the assignment.
The Hershey Promo and a Veteran’s Advice
Ross specifically looked back on a Raw promo in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and the audience response that accompanied it. While other wrestlers may have enjoyed the spectacle of Ross openly challenging McMahon, Ross said he still did not see it as a program that would generate business. A crowd reaction could provide a momentary indication that an audience was engaged, but it did not change his feeling that the replacement characters would not ultimately be accepted.
The night before the Hershey event, WWF had been in Philadelphia. Ross said he traveled with Gerald Brisco and went over the promo with him several times. He credited Brisco’s feedback and veteran perspective, describing his common-sense advice as helpful in preparing for the segment.
Ross’ comments make clear that he differentiated between preparing well for an individual performance and endorsing the larger creative strategy. He could take Brisco’s advice, work through the material, and attempt to deliver a compelling promo while still expecting the broader angle to be rejected.
He said he was eager to get to Hershey in part because he wanted the experience behind him. Ross did not know exactly how the segment would be received, but he said he never truly believed the fans would accept the new Razor Ramon and Diesel. He tried to persuade himself otherwise, but his instincts continued to tell him the idea did not make sense.
A Heel Role That Did Not Fit
Ross did not rule out the possibility that he could have been effective as a heel in a limited setting. Still, he said the positioning was not natural for him. His focus had been on becoming a strong commentator, a role he believed he had worked extremely hard to master. Moving away from that identity was not simply a character adjustment; it threatened to pull him from the area where he believed he could contribute most to the success of a show.
He also recognized the demands of playing a heel. The performer has to be confident enough in the character and the material to invite the audience’s dislike. Ross said he was trying to create that reaction, but he did not enjoy the role and did not think it suited him.
Despite the negative memories attached to the creative, Ross said there was one tangible professional benefit. The run resulted in a promotion and increased pay. He framed that as the practical upside to an experience he otherwise viewed as a “train wreck.”
“I got a promotion, I got more money, and that’s why we’re in business,” Ross said. “I’m not an amateur. I’m a pro who gets paid for his services.”
Ross’ reflection offers a candid view of a turbulent WWF chapter, one shaped by major roster changes and creative experimentation. It also underscores the conflict that can arise when an experienced television performer is asked to sell an idea he does not believe in. Ross fulfilled the assignment, prepared for the key moments, and found a measure of financial reward in the process. But decades later, his assessment remains unchanged: the heel JR character and the fake Razor Ramon and Diesel concept never had his confidence, and he does not believe it had the confidence of the people around him either.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.