Jim Ross — or Good Ol' JR as he's affectionately known — has been inseparably linked with the world of wrestling for 40 years, serving as a referee, announcer, talent scout and commentator during this time.
Many regard him as the voice of wrestling, which in 2007 led to him becoming one of the few non-combatants to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
In September, however, the stetson-wearing veteran announced his retirement from WWE. While the 61-year-old insisted it was due to his advancing years, internet observers have speculated that he was forced to quit by the WWE chairman Vince McMahon after failing to control guests at a press event Los Angeles.
Whatever the reasons, just before his departure, Ross reminisced with us about the highs and lows of his career.
In his opinion, his longevity in the business was down to an uncomplicated passion for the spectacle of wrestling.
“I always remained a fan,” he explains. “I never broadcast down to my audience. I remained someone up on those seats. I kept that in mind.
“I never knew what a wrestling broadcaster was supposed to be, so I never played a character. I was just myself, for better or for worse. I always maintained my love of the genre and that what kept me going.”
Nowadays WWE is a phenomena, generating millions of dollars in revenues and pulling in top TV ratings in more than 100 countries.
Ross recalls that it has been a battle to realise this success, fighting against the lack of coverage and scorn from the mainstream media.
"We were almost like a man without a country — we didn’t find our ways to the sports pages and the entertainment writers didn’t want to write about us,” he explains.
“The only time we’d get some outside the box coverage would be if there was a tragedy,” he adds, alluding to events such as the death of the wrestler Owen Hart in 1999 while abseiling into the ring.
But Ross is unsurprised that wrestling managed to transcend national borders to achieve a truly global fan base.
“Where we live, no matter our ethnicity, we all have heroes. We have protagonists and antagonists in our lives, whether that be fictional or non-fictional,” he says.
“That formula of good versus evil is very easy to translate. If the performers are doing their job, even if you don’t speak their language, you should be able to establish who’s the villain and who’s the fan favourite.
“Back when I began, it wouldn’t have crossed my mind that it would be popular in the United Arab Emirates. It doesn’t surprise me now as I realise that it’s such great entertainment, so why wouldn’t it be popular everywhere?”
As for his future plans, as well as a forthcoming spoken-word theatre tour in which he will recount anecdotes from his career, Ross says he will continue to watch and admire the bouts from afar.
"I'll be sitting somewhere out of sight and enjoying the show,” he says. “Now I’ve had the journey I had, I’m almost broadcasting in my brain. I’m processing too much information. But I guess other people would think I’m crazy if I’m actually commentating out loud.”
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
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Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Greenwood 77')
Everton 1 (Lindelof 36' og)
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The flights: South African Airways flies from Dubai International Airport with a stop in Johannesburg, with prices starting from around Dh4,000 return. Emirates can get you there with a stop in Lusaka from around Dh4,600 return.
The details: Visas are available for 247 Zambian kwacha or US$20 (Dh73) per person on arrival at Livingstone Airport. Single entry into Victoria Falls for international visitors costs 371 kwacha or $30 (Dh110). Microlight flights are available through Batoka Sky, with 15-minute flights costing 2,265 kwacha (Dh680).
Accommodation: The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel by Anantara is an ideal place to stay, within walking distance of the falls and right on the Zambezi River. Rooms here start from 6,635 kwacha (Dh2,398) per night, including breakfast, taxes and Wi-Fi. Water arrivals cost from 587 kwacha (Dh212) per person.
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
What is a calorie?
A food calorie, or kilocalorie, is a measure of nutritional energy generated from what is consumed.
One calorie, is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1°C.
A kilocalorie represents a 1,000 true calories of energy.
Energy density figures are often quoted as calories per serving, with one gram of fat in food containing nine calories, and a gram of protein or carbohydrate providing about four.
Alcohol contains about seven calories a gram.
Day 3, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage, the Sri Lanka pace bowler, has had to play a lot of cricket to earn a shot at the top level. The 29-year-old debutant first played a first-class game 11 years ago. His first Test wicket was one to savour, bowling Pakistan opener Shan Masood through the gate. It set the rot in motion for Pakistan’s batting.
Stat of the day – 73 Haris Sohail took 73 balls to hit a boundary. Which is a peculiar quirk, given the aggressive intent he showed from the off. Pakistan’s batsmen were implored to attack Rangana Herath after their implosion against his left-arm spin in Abu Dhabi. Haris did his best to oblige, smacking the second ball he faced for a huge straight six.
The verdict One year ago, when Pakistan played their first day-night Test at this ground, they held a 222-run lead over West Indies on first innings. The away side still pushed their hosts relatively close on the final night. With the opposite almost exactly the case this time around, Pakistan still have to hope they can salvage a win from somewhere.
'C'mon C'mon'
Director:Mike Mills
Stars:Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Woody Norman
Rating: 4/5
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Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
Profile of Hala Insurance
Date Started: September 2018
Founders: Walid and Karim Dib
Based: Abu Dhabi
Employees: Nine
Amount raised: $1.2 million
Funders: Oman Technology Fund, AB Accelerator, 500 Startups, private backers
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
