Styles, Ross React To WrestleMania Plans
March 29th, 2006 by Brian Cantor
Joey Styles looking to call WWE Heat?
WWE’s decision to assign Jim Ross control of the RAW commentary booth at WrestleMania appeared to be a crushing blow to Joey Styles’ status as RAW’s lead announcer. Nonetheless, Styles is coping with the decision.
“My initial response when I was told on Monday when I arrived at the arena in Omaha was disappointment,” Styles told WWE.com. “Then, after real introspection, I realized I’m not where they need me to be in terms of what the position is. And I think what readers of WWE.com and fans watching at home don’t understand is what the position is: WWE doesn’t have play-by-play men. They may call it a play-by-play man, but what that position really is, is a ‘lead storyteller.’ It’s a completely different animal than what I was trying to do.”
Styles confirmed that Ross has been grooming the announcer to become the long-term voice of WWE. In fact, Ross actually produced Styles at Monday’s RAW telecast.
“I thought J.R. did a wonderful job last night — probably the best job I’ve ever seen in someone producing me in terms of storytelling. He may have only given me five lines in a five-segment match. That’s it. But it was the right line at the right time. And it’s a very difficult balance to weave that story from the beginning of the segment to the end of the segment. And now with J.R., helping me, I see no reason that I’m not going to get there. I mean, with the best-ever teaching me and the fact that I’m going to work as tirelessly as possible to eventually be as good as he is — and I will not stop until I am, period,” said Styles.
He has also expressed interest in calling WWE.com’s weekly Heat webcast as a way to improve his storytelling ability.
Jim Ross had a mixed reaction to being given the role he assumed was slated for his successor.
“I felt excited and exhilarated,” Ross told WWE.com. “But at the same time, I felt some apprehension regarding Joey Styles’ status. I know, like myself, he grew up as a wrestling fan and he’s always wanted to work in WWE and I felt badly for him. At the same time, I won’t lie, I was very excited to get the assignment. And I look forward to it tremendously.”
Nonetheless, Ross believes Styles will improve to the point where he will get to call many future WrestleMania pay-per-views.
