Jim Ross Claims Vince McMahon Was Never Very Motivated to Invest Time and Money in Supporting the Indies

The wrestling world is abuzz following WWE’s launch of WWE ID, a new program aimed at nurturing independent wrestlers and paving their way to WWE. With partnerships formed between WWE and various wrestling schools across the country, the program designates top prospects from the independent scene, sparking mixed reactions among fans. Some worry it could stifle the independent circuit, while others see it as a step forward for WWE’s recruitment strategy.

On the latest episode of Grilling JR, wrestling legend Jim Ross shared his thoughts on WWE ID and its implications. When asked if a program like this had ever been discussed before, Ross didn’t hold back:

“Yes, and I think it’s about time. Vince was never very motivated to invest time and money in supporting the indies. It was just — I remember the conversation we had. It was simply, ‘Well Vince, where do you think we got all these other guys?’ We had some college guys as you know, but we had a lot of diversity. You get diversity via selection. It’s just a crazy deal, you want different personalities, you want different body types, you want different ethnicities.”

Ross emphasized that while independent talent can be a strong recruiting pool, they should be wary of signing contracts that limit their freedom.

“Well, you’re not really eliminating it because if you don’t sign a contract and you got maybe a letter of agreement or something casual, I can see that being a good recruiting tool because then guys build their confidence, they build their self-esteem, they got a WWE deal in the works. They’d be stupid to sign a contract that prohibits them from wrestling for another company. Don’t do that, that don’t make any sense. But having that WWE offer or agreement, that’s good for those guys. It’s good for the talent.”

Ross’ insights shed light on the potential benefits and risks for independent wrestlers navigating their way through WWE ID. As the program unfolds, only time will tell how it will impact the wrestling landscape.