Josh Barnett Talks Jim Ross Injury At NJPW G1 Special, Ronda Rousey In WWE, ROH Heading To MSG
Josh Barnett appeared at the premiere for the Pro Wrestling Documentary, 350 Days, and spoke with Denise Salcedo of Instinct Culture. During the conversation Barnett spoke more in detail about the bump Jim Ross took at commentary during the G1 Special, Ronda Rousey / Shayna Baszler in the WWE, and ROH/NJPW heading to MSG.
Ronda Rousey and his student, Shayna Baszler:
"I think [Ronda is] doing well because she had a big name, she's a great athlete. She took to the training seriously and picked up on some of the important elements of it, but also anything she does everyone already respects. My student, Shayna Baszler, is someone that I trained from [the start] and she's even more in the reality vein. I would say that in terms of the way that they work in the ring – if we're speaking 'behind the curtain' – Ronda is more sports entertainment than Shayna is. Hey, there is more than one way to skin a cat, but Shayna is more down that narrow path of keeping it more realistic."
ROH / NJPW heading to Madison Square Garden on April 6:
"I think now it's really too early to say, but I think the possibilities that exist are pretty fantastic. And with just the potential that exists there it's a step in the right direction. It also says a lot about New Japan's expansion into the US. I'm sure it's going to ruffle some feathers."
Jim Ross' bump at the NJPW G1 Special during Jay White vs. Juice Robinson:
"Jim has an injured rib, that much is for sure. He'll heal up, but it's going to take some time. ... The railings themselves, the guardrails down around the ring were not linked up and when these guys went hurling into it the first time they were all over the place. It looked like bowling pins going everywhere. "Switchblade" Jay White went and grabbed Juice Robinson in a half-hatch suplex, slung him into the railing. That railing careened into our table, knocked all our stuff down, disrupted our broadcast and sent the table right into Jim Ross – who was sitting there ringside – sending him backward into the railing behind him. It was an unavoidable circumstance, but at the same time what do you expect out of a heel like Jay White?"
You can see Barnett's full comments in the video above.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Instinct Culture by Denise Salcedo with an H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.