Jim Ross Defends Undertaker’s Starrcast Appearance: ‘He’s Got To Make A Living’

In the latest edition of The Jim Ross Report podcast, Jim Ross spoke about The Undertaker’s decision to appear at Starrcast II, which is rumored to be something that Vince McMahon is reportedly not happy about. Here are highlights:

On The Undertaker at Starrcast: “I heard it through the grapevine that the Undertaker’s decision to appear at Starrcast for today’s guest Conrad Thompson has not been a popular front office decision. They’re not happy in the front office apparently. How mad can you get at The Undertaker? Secondly, you got a 50-year-old guy with young children, a son in college. His track record with marriage is much like mine. It takes a while sometimes to find the right one and he has, but he’s got to make a living. And if he’s at the point age wise where WWE doesn’t want to use him in the ring or he doesn’t feel able to compete in the ring, and you want to keep him around then you gotta pay him something. But you might not pay him the same as if you get that one, two three matches a year out of him.

On Lacey Evans getting a push: “Lacey Evans is in line for the old proverbial push. I think this. I said this and I met her, Lacey Evans, before the Mae Young Classic #1: she has everything. She has an amazing look, her background is absolutely unduplicated. She’s a Marine drill instructor. For real! She’s an amazing athlete, but here’s the thing folks: she needs more time to learn how to wrestle. I’m not saying she sucks, but for her to be on the level of a Becky or a Charlotte or any of the top top top echelon, which is apparently where WWE sees Lacey, then she needs to work on her game.”

On how this is similar to Brock Lesnar: “I remember the old story where Vince said, ‘We want to bring Brock Lesnar to television.’ And I said, ‘He’s not ready’. ‘Well he’ll be alright.’ ‘No, he’s not alright because he can’t protect anybody yet. He’s too damn big and strong to be not fundamentally sound and not protect his opponents. It don’t take much of a miscue from him and you’re in trouble. And Vince realized it and he agreed, so we waited a few more weeks. Lesnar was on the fast track, he was the exception, not the rule. So my thoughts are Lacey Evans has everything it takes to be a star. Great media star. She’s intelligent, she’s articulate. Get her back in the ring and drill, drill, drill. I hope that’s being done.”

If using the above quote, please credit The Jim Ross Report with an h/t to 411mania.com.