H Jenkins on January 2, 2026
There are a lot of legendary stories about Vince McMahon. Most of them are not great, especially after the Netflix docuseries focused on McMahon’s scandals and bullying accusations.
Although Jim Ross was around for a lot of Vince McMahon’s reign over WWE, some of his most treacherous years, he hasn’t come out to defame McMahon. There is a reason for this, and Ross had no problem explaining himself.
Jim Ross addressed Vince McMahon during a recent episode of Grilling JR. He was asked to explain why he avoids revisiting past issues with his former boss’ bullying antics.
“Yeah, why not? What should I do? Piss and moan about things I can’t change. As human beings, sometimes we spend too much time on things we can’t change or fix.”
“And what you do is you regroup and you move on. And that’s kind of what I’ve — my philosophy.”
Jim Ross framed the topic around personal closure and said he does not want to carry old disputes forward, even when fans ask him to speak on Vince McMahon as a bully. In the end, Good ole JR claims that he doesn’t dwell in the past because it won’t change anything.
“So I just don’t believe in rehashing things I can’t change. Why should I put that back in my head and back in my heart, back in my gut, to address a perceived wrong?”
“At the end of the day, really, how bad wrong was it? I can’t go there. I won’t go there.”
Jim Ross also tied his approach to money and opportunity. The WWE Hall of Famer said his career left him in a position where he does not feel the need to relitigate old workplace conflicts.
“I have a lot of blessings. You know, I don’t have to work another day of my life if I don’t choose to. And I’m not saying that out of egotism or bragging or anything like that. It’s just I’ve been very blessed.”
“You know, Vince made me a lot of money, and he and I — I made a lot of money on the stock. You know, I was one of the original people that got grants that all you had to do is vest, which means you got to stay a certain length of time.”
Jim Ross’ comments land in a weird way in 2026. Vince McMahon is still tied to multiple public and legal disputes that reshaped WWE leadership in two separate exits. McMahon stepped down in July 2022 after WWE’s board opened an investigation tied to payments connected to misconduct claims, around $14.6 million in total.
Vince McMahon returned to WWE’s board in January 2023, pushing for involvement in media rights talks and strategic alternatives. He also helped usher in WWE’s merger with UFC under the TKO umbrella.
The Chairman of the Board officially resigned again in January 2024, one day after former WWE employee Janel Grant filed a federal lawsuit accusing McMahon and others of sexual assault and trafficking. McMahon has also faced regulatory fallout tied to disclosure and accounting controls. In January 2025, the SEC announced a settlement in which McMahon agreed to a civil penalty and reimbursement to WWE, without admitting or denying the SEC’s findings.
There are a lot of people who have not held back at all when it comes to their opinions on Vince McMahon. That being said, Jim Ross isn’t going to start burying the man who had a hand in helping him make a lot of money.
What’s your take on Vince McMahon’s legacy in pro wrestling? Do you believe that his name should be protected like Jim Ross is doing? Let us know what you think in the comments section!
January 2, 2026 12:55 pm
Disqus Comments Loading...