Legendary professional wrestling announcer Jim Ross is recovering after a successful procedure on his brain on Wednesday.
Ross, 74, currently announces All Elite Wrestling matches but became famous calling WWE bouts.
“JR” was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007 and the NWA Hall of Fame in 2016.
According to Bleacher Report, Ross’ daughter provided an update on her father’s surgery to Conrad Thompson, who co-hosts the “Grilling JR” podcast with the announcer.
“I heard from his lovely daughter this morning that everything went well and good ole JR is expected to be back home by Friday!’ Thompson tweeted.
Thompson did not specify in his tweet which one of Ross’ two daughters provided the update.
Doctors performed a shunt procedure on Ross, according to Sports Illustrated. The operation involved drilling a small hole into the brain to drain fluid, the magazine reported.
Doctors were hoping the procedure would help Ross improve his memory and balance, two health issues that have become problematic over the past few months.
Ross tweeted about the procedure a day before his surgery, noting that “a hole will be drilled in my skull.”
“I’m optimistic,” Ross wrote. “Thanks to all.”
Ross has had health issues before and has spoken about his battle with Bell’s Palsy. He was reportedly diagnosed with skin cancer in 2021 and recently had surgery on his right hip to remove a cancerous mass, according to the Syracuse Post-Standard.
Ross began calling pro wrestling matches with the Mid-South Wrestling promotion during the early 1980s. He then moved to World Championship Wrestling, a territory run at the time by the National Wrestling Alliance.
[ Pro wrestling announcer Jim Ross hospitalized for ‘shortness of the breath’ ]
According to his biography on the WWE website, Ross debuted in Vince McMahon Jr.’s promotion in 1993 at WrestleMania IX.
Ross was the voice of the WWE during the promotion’s “Attitude Era” of the 1990s and 2000s, notably teaming with former wrestling star Jerry “The King” Lawler.
He was also on the microphone at the May 23, 1999, pay-per-view event in Kansas City, Missouri, when Owen Hart suffered a fatal accident after the shackle on his harness released, sending him crashing from the ceiling to the canvas, the Calgary Herald reported.
Ross also worked in WWE’s front offices for several years.
Ross has been with AEW since it was formed in 2019, according to Bleacher Report. He provided play-by-play and color commentary. He is no longer a regular announcer for the promotion but continues to call matches for AEW pay-per-view events, the sports news website reported.
In addition to his wrestling work, Ross markets J.R.’s Family Bar-B-Q Sauce.
Ross is the author of five books, including two cookbooks..
His latest, “Business is About to Pick Up! 50 Years of Wrestling in 50 Unforgettable Calls,” was released in 2024.
“Slobberknocker: My Life in Wrestling” was published in October 2017, followed by “Under the Black Hat: My Life in the WWE and Beyond” in March 2020.
The cookbooks include 2000’s Can You Take the Heat? The WWF Is Cooking and J.R.’s Cookbook: True Ringside Tales, BBQ, and Down-Home Recipes (2003).