The Boom Boom is back in the booth

If you listen closely, you can hear the collective sound of a thousand mechanical keyboards clicking in unison. Why? Because Jim Ross dropped a hint on his latest podcast that he is likely headed to Las Vegas for AEW Double or Nothing on May 24, 2026. The man who provided the soundtrack to our childhoods is reportedly dusting off the black hat for another round in the desert, and as usual, the internet has thoughts. Lots of them. Some loud, some angry, and some just happy to hear a legend call a main event.

The divide in the wrestling community right now is wider than a Sid Eudy powerbomb. On one side, you have the nostalgia enthusiasts who believe a big-time wrestling match simply doesn't feel like a big-time wrestling match without JR. They argue that his voice brings a gravity to the proceedings that the younger play-by-play guys haven't quite mastered yet. When the glass breaks or the lights go out, we want to hear the guy who sounds like he's watching a car crash in real-time. For this crowd, Jim Ross believes he's booked for the show, and that is a net positive for the product.

The critics are coming for the hat

Then you have the skeptics. These are the fans who spent most of the 2024 and 2025 seasons pointing out every time JR called a wrestler by the wrong name or took a ten-minute break to talk about a local barbecue joint. The argument here is that the game has moved too fast for the legend. They point to the high-flying, chaotic style of AEW and wonder if Ross can keep up with the 450 splashes and the Canadian Destroyers. There is a vocal segment of the audience that thinks the spot should go to someone younger who can match the frenetic energy of the modern ring.

My take? The critics are being a bit harsh. Look, we all know JR isn't the guy who could call a three-hour marathon without breaking a sweat anymore. But for a one-off special attraction? It works. You don't bring in Jim Ross to call the opening match between two guys from the Buy-In. You bring him in for the final 30 minutes of the night. You want him there when the stakes are highest. His presence tells the casual viewer that whatever is happening in that ring actually matters. It’s about the big-fight feel, not whether he remembers the exact name of a bridging tiger suplex.

The Hall of Fame Legacy Wing is a joke

Speaking of things that get the fans riled up, Jim Ross didn't just talk about his travel schedule this week. He took a massive swing at the WWE Hall of Fame. Specifically, the Legacy wing. JR called the whole thing a joke while discussing the late Sid Eudy. According to Ross, Sid deserved to be in the regular section of the Hall of Fame, not tucked away in a video package that most people use as a bathroom break. It’s hard to argue with the man on this one. Sid was a multi-time world champion who main-evented WrestleManias. Sticking him in the Legacy wing is like putting a steakhouse in a food court.

The fan reaction to this has been surprisingly unified. Usually, you can’t get wrestling fans to agree on the color of the ring ropes, but the 'Justice for Sid' movement is real. People are tired of seeing icons who drew huge money in the 80s and 90s get relegated to a side-car status. The Legacy wing feels like a way for WWE to check a box without actually giving these performers the stage they earned. As Ross noted on Grilling JR, the current setup feels dismissive of the history that built the company.

Why the HOF structure is failing the fans

The problem is that the WWE Hall of Fame has always been more of a marketing tool than a legitimate sports institution. We know there's no physical building. We know the inductions are often based on who is currently on good terms with the front office or who has a documentary coming out on Peacock. But fans still care about the legacy of the business. When you see someone like Sid—a guy who looked like he was carved out of granite and could command an entire arena with one look—get treated as an afterthought, it stings. It makes the whole concept feel hollow.

One fan perspective making the rounds is that the Hall of Fame needs a complete overhaul. They suggest a tiered system that actually reflects the impact a wrestler had on the industry. If you were a world champion who moved the needle on ratings, you should be a first-ballot, main-stage inductee. The Legacy wing should be reserved for the pioneers from the early 20th century whose footage is lost to time, not guys who were on national TV during the Monday Night Wars. The current system just creates unnecessary friction and makes the company look out of touch with its own history.

Dakota Kai is not retired and she is pissed

Finally, we have to talk about the weirdest trend in wrestling social media: the 'Death by Release' syndrome. Apparently, some fans believe that if a wrestler is released by WWE, they cease to exist or immediately enter a retirement home. Dakota Kai is the latest victim of this bizarre logic. After her departure from the E, rumors started swirling that she had hung up the boots for good. Kai took to social media to shut that down with the kind of energy you’d expect from a woman who built a career on being one of the best sellers in the world.

The reaction to Kai's 'call out' has been a mix of support and 'wait, who thought she retired?' The enthusiast crowd is already fantasy booking her in Marigold, TNA, or even a return to the indie circuit where she first made her name. They see her as a top-tier talent who was underutilized and is now free to show what she can really do. As Dakota Kai made clear, the retirement talk was nothing more than internet fiction. She’s still in her prime, and the idea that she’d just walk away because one contract ended is insulting to her work ethic.

The skeptics and the 'Where are they now' crowd

Of course, there’s always a contrarian take. Some fans argue that if a wrestler isn't on TV every week, they might as well be retired. This is the toxic side of the 'Fed-only' mentality. They equate visibility with viability. If you aren't on Smackdown, you're irrelevant. This mindset is what frustrates performers like Kai. They are out here training, recovering from injuries, and planning their next move, while a guy with an anime avatar on X claims they’ve given up on the business. It’s a lack of respect for the grind that happens outside of the bright lights.

The reality is that Dakota Kai is one of the most versatile performers in the game. Whether she’s a fiery babyface or a calculated heel, she delivers in the ring. The fact that fans are even discussing her retirement shows how much they miss seeing her on their screens. But instead of making up stories, maybe we should just wait for the inevitable 'is All Elite' graphic or the surprise appearance at a Korakuen Hall show. The woman hasn't even hit 40 years old yet; she's got plenty of mileage left in those knees, despite what the doom-posters say.

In the end, this week in wrestling news proves one thing: we are obsessed with the 'before' and 'after.' We care about the legends of the past getting their flowers and the stars of the present getting their respect. Whether it's JR getting one more night in the sun or Dakota Kai proving she's still the captain of the kick, the conversation never stops. It's loud, it's messy, and it's exactly why we keep coming back to the bar every Wednesday night.