Jim Ross Provides Update on His Upcoming Brain Surgery & AEW Contract Status

As noted before, AEW commentator Jim Ross is currently scheduled to be undergoing brain surgery this month to deal with a health issue that has affected his memory since his recent lengthy hospital stay for an undisclosed medical issue. Ross’ contract with AEW is currently set to expire this month.

A recent episode of the Grilling JR podcast featured co-host Ross providing an update on his upcoming brain surgery stating that it is currently scheduled to take place on August 12.

“I’m good, man. I got a big week coming up. My surgery is this Wednesday in Norman (Oklahoma). I don’t want to say I’m looking forward to it, but I guess I really am to get to that point and to get it over with. I have never had brain surgery before. So they’re going to put a — what do they call it? A shunt? So I’m getting a shunt put in my brain. They said I’m only going to be in the hospital a day. That surprised me and made me happy, but still I would have guessed longer.”

In response to comments from co-host Conrad Thompson about him being optimistic that Ross will be back to normal after this surgery improves the memory and balance issues he’s been dealing with, Ross stated:

“Well, let’s hope so. We’ll see. I hope so too, Connie. Quite frankly, I hope so.”

Ross also gave his thoughts about his current expiring contract status with AEW and revealed that he has not signed a new deal yet but he hopes to be able to recover from his surgery quickly enough to attend AEW’s All In 2026 event in London.

“I hope that my ending, my career ending, is planned. And so I don’t just show up one Wednesday night on Dynamite and say, ‘Well, I got some news for you folks, I’m done.’ That might sound cool and edgy, but I would like to be able to know that I’m leaving,” Ross said. “I think that’s important for my psyche. And I don’t know, maybe I’m looking at it wrongly, but in any event, that’s where I’m thinking — just have a good, clean ending. And if I could pull that off, then I’ll be — I’ve done everything else. I’ve done every major event for every major promoter the last how many years? 40.

And I’ve had a blessed career. You know, I’ve been battling some health issues. I’m getting a [shunt] put in my brain on Wednesday. So we’ll see how that works out. No pun intended.

I’ve had a unique life [in wrestling], and I realize that it’s coming to an end. I get it. If you ask me, ‘JR, how much longer you think you’re going to do announcing?’ Well, I think my contract’s up this month. So I’m done, pretty much. I don’t want to be done, but if Tony Khan said, ‘You know, JR, thanks for the efforts and thanks for being here and all that stuff.’ Then I’d have no problem with that. Because what else? How could I be such a greedy bastard and want more in my career than I’ve already received?… My career as a wrestling broadcaster has been nothing but wonderful.”

Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com