Jim Ross Says WWE Doesn’t Need Two World Champions

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross isn’t one to sugarcoat things, and on the latest episode of Grilling JR, he shared his unfiltered thoughts about the company’s current championship setup—and the very different aesthetics of its two top male champions.

When host Conrad Thompson brought up the ongoing dual world title structure in WWE, Ross made it clear that he’s not a fan of having two top-tier champions across Raw and SmackDown.

“I don’t know why they need two champions. That’s just to tease a few guys, I guess. I don’t know. The two champions doesn’t work with me,” Ross admitted.

Thompson countered with the idea that the two-night WrestleMania format and brand split justify multiple world champs, but JR didn’t bite.

“You can make a reason for it… but [is] it necessary? I really don’t,” he concluded.

The conversation then shifted to CM Punk, whose run as Raw’s top guy has drawn mixed reactions, especially from Kevin Nash, who criticized Punk’s physique and choice to wrestle in a T-shirt. But Ross stood firm in his defense of the Chicago native.

“It’s a head scratcher to me. Punk is a hell of a hand. He’s a great worker. He can have good matches just about anybody you can think of. He could talk his way into the paydays. So that doesn’t concern me. Quite frankly, it doesn’t bother me a bit,” JR said.

But when it came to Drew McIntyre, the current Undisputed WWE Champion on SmackDown, Ross couldn’t help but praise the Scottish star’s physical presence—calling him the picture-perfect wrestling prototype.

“You gotta look like a stud. You gotta look like an athlete. So to me, it’s a pretty simple formula. Everybody can’t have the body that Drew McIntyre has. He’s got a great physique. Trains hard, looks good. So I think it’s good,” Ross explained.

Still, JR acknowledged that not all great wrestlers need to look like a bodybuilder. Citing legends like Dusty Rhodes, he emphasized that charisma and in-ring skill can still draw money—ripped abs or not.