All Elite Wrestling’s Jim Ross confirmed earlier this week that he was going in for testing on an unknown growth just above one of his ankles. The WWE Hall of Famer then popped up on Saturday with an update, confirming he had tested positive for skin cancer and would be promptly seeking treatment. He wrote, “On my way to Orlando for tonight’s @AEW Dynamite. Skin cancer confirmed. Waiting on radiologist study to determine best treatment. Likely radiation. Feeling great and ready to attack. Thanks for the support from so many.”
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Many in the wrestling community immediately reached out to offer their support. Former WWE head writer Brian Gewirtz wrote, “All the best JR and positive vibes for a speedy recovery.Skin cancer has no idea who it’s dealing with,” while MMA Fighting‘s Ariel Helwani tweeted back, “God bless you, Jim! Hope you make a speedy recovery. All the best!”
Ross has been a part of AEW’s commentary team since the company launched, though his performance has been met with some criticism over the past two years working as AEW Dynamite’s play-by-play man.
“Well, I think people forget that JR is one of the most over people on the show,” Cody Rhodes said in an interview with Inside the Ropes back in July. “Our generation, speaking specifically about my generation, no other generations, we all think that we’re just it. We’re it. Well, I tend to be more of a pessimist, and really, are we? Are we it? Numbers are on a nice . . . they’re moving upwards, but JR is part of the most prolific wrestling period of all time, and that’s no coincidence.”
“He helped build it. He helped construct it,” he continued. “That guy . . . I’m always surprised to see how much flak he gets online. He’s an older guy who decided to jump ship, join us, take a chance on this. I mean, he’s going to probably retire his jersey here, take this huge chance, this massive gamble when he had a legacy and a job for life elsewhere.”
After two editions of Saturday Night Dynamite, AEW’s flagship show will return to Wednesday night this week.
