AEW personality received backstage heat in WWE due to Vince McMahon relationship

Vince McMahon had several right-hand men alongside him behind the scenes in the 1990s, including Bruce Prichard and Pat Patterson. Jim Ross, another former member of McMahon's management team, recently recalled how his association with the former WWE Chairman led to real-life heat.

In the mid-1990s, Ross combined his commentary duties with an important backstage role in the talent relations department. The current AEW announcer was also responsible for hiring wrestlers and assembling WWE's roster during the Attitude Era.

On his Grilling JR podcast, Ross confirmed his relationship with McMahon changed when he took on a more serious position. He also reflected on Patterson and Prichard initially having doubts about his addition to the team:

"Oh, yeah, it [relationship with Vince McMahon] changed," Ross said. "He liked me again. He thought I was all right. I'm sure there was a little bit of animosity [with Bruce Prichard and Pat Patterson] because I upset the formula. I interrupted the formula. I intruded on the formula." [1:31:40 – 1:32:02]

Ross and Jerry Lawler became the voice of WWE's Attitude Era in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In the same episode, the 73-year-old revealed which commentator he did not get along with in real life.

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Jim Ross gained the trust of Vince McMahon's allies

Despite Bruce Prichard and Pat Patterson's apparent initial reservations, Jim Ross won them over to become a key part of Vince McMahon's staff.

Ross added that McMahon also trusted him to oversee WWE's hiring process:

"Yeah, that's kinda the way it was [backstage doubts], but over the years Pat and Bruce, I would say, both accepted me for what I was bringing to the table, and Vince accepted me there strongly enough to make me the head of talent relations because then I really had some mojo. I was hiring talent, and I was hiring talent in my image and what I wanted." [1:32:34 – 1:33:06]

In January 2024, McMahon resigned as a board member of WWE's parent company TKO amid misconduct allegations. He is no longer involved with WWE in any capacity.

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Please credit Grilling JR and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.