In a recent episode of his “Grilling JR” podcast, renowned commentator Jim Ross shed light on a few intriguing topics. These included Hulk Hogan’s affiliation with WWE in 2005, Vince McMahon’s view of Batista, among others.
Here are some notable points from the podcast:
On the subject of whether Vince McMahon saw Batista as his leading star in 2005, Ross said: “Absolutely, without any doubt. Dave deserved the chance, and the sole way for Dave to make it was through a triumphal post-match. And we accomplished that. Triple H deserves recognition for his dedication to work and his exceptional efforts in establishing Batista’s strong persona.
“I was personally invested in that scenario myself. If you recall, I had a wrestling match with Triple H at the Garden where Batista saved me from getting thrashed. Hence, I had personal stakes in the result and the proceedings. Triple H pulled off a remarkable job in charting the course and having a significant match with Dave. You have to bear in mind that Dave was not one of The Funks or Briscoes. His skill set was somewhat limited. Triple H enhanced it exceedingly well. So I take my hat off to Triple H for that.”
Regarding the reasons for the termination of the initial blissful period between WWE and Hulk Hogan in 2005, Ross stated, “It can be attributed to backstage politics. Simply put, Hogan aged, and people had enough in that sense. There was a lack of effective communication. Many talents felt they were being used and discarded for Hogan’s benefit. So it was an uncomfortable agreement. Nonetheless, the way in which he was scheduled and the support he was providing to other talents was beneficial.”