"I'm ready to roll" - WWE Hall of Famer on contract negotiations with Tony Khan

AEW President Tony Khan has a lot on his plate at the moment, with his company's television deal nearing renewal and several contracts for day-one talent coming due by the end of this year. One star whose contract is nearing its end is WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross. However, the legendary commentator is optimistic about a new deal.

Jim Ross signed with AEW soon after the company was founded and was the primary color commentator throughout Dynamite's first couple of years. Tony Khan eased JR's schedule when the Hall of Famer began dealing with health issues, including a bout with skin cancer.

Although he isn't as active as he once was, Ross is hopeful about a contract renewal. Speaking on Grilling JR, he gave an optimistic update on his deal with AEW:

“I’m very blessed. Tony Khan has answered a lot of my prayers. I hope to continue working for AEW for the foreseeable future. That’s our goal, that’s Tony’s goal, that’s my goal. Tony and I had a nice chat about my contract last week at TV, so things are moving along well in that regard. I’m sure that between Barry Bloom, my agent, and the legal department at AEW, that they’re gonna get something worked out. That’s my belief. I’m being positive and optimistic," Ross said.

Ross further revealed that he's very happy to be working with the young, exciting talent in AEW:

"This is the best scenario for me that I could imagine, working for a young company, where when you go to work, you feel invigorated, you feel excited. You’re around a lot of great young talent that want to be stars. This group of talents, boy, they work their a** off. Some of the matches we’ve had on Collision the last few weeks have just been epic in my view. Hard-hitting, epic matches that I just can’t get enough of. The only thing I’d like to do more of is call more than just the main event, but that’s not my goal. I’m running the plays, baby, but just put me in the game, coach. I’m ready to roll." [h/t Fightful]

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Industry veteran believes that Tony Khan is paying WBD for television time

Despite being only four years old, All Elite Wrestling has carved out its place as the de facto #2 wrestling promotion in the world, second only to industry juggernaut WWE. However, with the landscape of television in constant flux, some aren't convinced that Warner Bros. Discovery is happy with the company's ratings.

Speaking on Busted Open, former WWE head writer Vince Russo recently expressed his opinion that Tony Khan must be paying the television network for the right to air Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision:

"There’s no question in my mind that Tony Khan is paying for TV time. The dude’s a billionaire, he wants these shows on the network."

There is, of course, little evidence for these claims, but it's a suspicion that several fans seem to share.

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Are you excited to see Jim Ross get a contract renewal with AEW? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!