Jim Ross To Undergo Brain Surgery, AEW Future Uncertain

Jim Ross revealed on his Grilling JR podcast that he is scheduled to undergo brain surgery on Wednesday, August 12, in Norman, Oklahoma. The 74-year-old AEW commentator said doctors will insert a shunt to help drain excess fluid from his brain, a procedure that follows a hospital stay of more than a month during May and June.

Ross told listeners he wasn’t exactly looking forward to the operation but was ready to get it behind him. “I’m good, man. I got a big week coming up,” he said, adding that he expects to be in the hospital for only about a day, shorter than he anticipated. Podcast co-host Conrad Thompson said he hoped the surgery might help with the memory and balance issues Ross has dealt with, to which Ross responded, “I hope so too, Connie. Quite frankly, I hope so.”

Before heading into surgery, Ross made an appearance at WrestleCon in Minneapolis during WWE SummerSlam week. He said he enjoyed the fan interaction but admitted the physical demands of long convention hours are catching up with him, joking that four-hour shifts are “a little more than I want to handle” these days.

Ross is hopeful his recovery will allow him to be in the UK for AEW All In on August 30, but his participation is complicated by his contract situation. His current AEW deal expires this month, and he confirmed he has not signed a new agreement. Rather than have his run end abruptly, Ross said he’d prefer a planned exit. “I hope that my ending, my career ending, is planned,” he said, adding that he doesn’t want to show up on Dynamite one week and announce he’s done without warning.

Ross, who has called AEW action since the company’s 2019 launch, has increasingly stepped back from a full-time commentary role in recent years, typically appearing for marquee matches and pay-per-views rather than weekly television. He acknowledged that his broadcasting career, which spans more than four decades, is nearing its close, saying he’d have no issue with AEW simply thanking him for his contributions if that’s how things play out.

For a broadcaster whose voice has been synonymous with pro wrestling’s biggest moments — from WWE’s Attitude Era to AEW’s founding broadcasts — the timing of this health scare adds real weight to an already uncertain contract situation. Whether or not Tony Khan and AEW work out a new deal, Ross’s comments suggest he’s at peace with however the next chapter unfolds. For now, the focus turns to Wednesday’s procedure and whether he’ll be well enough to make the trip to All In later this month.

The wrestling world will be watching closely for updates on his recovery in the days ahead.