WWE’s Jim Ross Talks Randy Orton as WWE Champion, Chris Jericho’s Departure and Michael Cole

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From JRsbarbq.com as always:

Orton as WWE champion: “Randy Orton becoming WWE Champion is a positive in my view. Orton appeals to the young, male demo better, arguably, than any one in WWE. Orton’s demeanor and in ring stylings are somewhat ‘Attitude Era’ oriented of which many fans miss. The pressure of being the WWE champion is pronounced and how the competitive Orton handles that stress and the demands on his time will help define this title reign. I really enjoy Randy’s work and hope to see him in some viable, one on one bouts going forward. If he is still the WWE Champion come WM27, Orton’s contributions to the biggest PPV of the year will be significant. One can almost see the wheels turning as to who the WWE Champion might face for the title in Atlanta…if his reign lasts that long. TBD.”

Jericho’s Future: “No I do not think that Chris Jericho is leaving WWE for good but I do think that Chris will continue to focus on Fozzy not to mention promoting his upcoming, 3 disc, WWE DVD (Awesome BTW) which might necessitate that he not appear on weekly TV on a regular basis. Stepping away from the weekly grind isn’t a bad thing for anyone and allows one to recharge their batteries and enjoy the fruits of their labor.”

Michael Cole’s Direction: “Most people understand that Michael Cole is changing his on air persona to become more of an antagonist and more caustic. That’s simply the creative direction that he’s moving and I actually feel that if and when he masters that dynamic that it can add something unique to the TV presentation. Conflict at the announce table is entertaining to me as some of my best days doing PXP were when the King was a villain and Paul Heyman was simply being himself….and I mean that in a positive way. Think of how effective JBL was on commentary and he certainly never positioned himself as a ‘good guy.’ Point is that controlled conflict helps facilitate most broadcasts as long as the talent and what we are seeing on our TV screen remains the focus and it doesn’t become about the broadcasters.”

Glazer is a former senior editor at Pulse Wrestling and editor and reviewer at The Comics Nexus.