Jim Ross Says He Wanted To Bring This NJPW Star To AEW

Since the relationship between AEW and NJPW was formed, fans of both promotions have seen a number of crossovers. Jay White, Will Ospreay, and Kazuchika Okada have all become 'All Elite,' Jon Moxley has conquered both companies by becoming the AEW and IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, and the two companies have come together every summer to stage the Forbidden Door pay-per-view that has become a must-see event in recent years. 

However, there is one man who Jim Ross pushed AEW President Tony Khan to sign when the company first got going. On "Grilling JR," Ross explained how much a fan he is of the current NJPW World Television Champion Jeff Cobb. "He was one of my original guys that when Tony and I talked about talent and bringing talent in, he was on my shortlist of guys that I wanted to see at AEW," Ross said. "He's a classy guy, he's a professional, he's very talented, he can work with anybody and believably work with anybody." 

Ross stated he doesn't know what role Cobb might play at Forbidden Door 2024, but he does think that he should be involved as the NJPW World Television Champion reminds him a lot of the late "Dr. Death" Steve Williams, a close friend of Ross. "I hope that he does something with us because anytime you can add guys like that, with that sort of demeanor into your locker room, you win ... Whether they win or not is irrelevant, but the company wins by doing business with people like Jeff Cobb." Cobb has issued an open challenge for the event, but his opponent has yet to step forward at time of writing.

Please credit "Grilling JR" when using quotes from this article, and give a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.