AEW: Jim Ross Contract Expiring Next Month, Anna Jay on Brodie Lee Tribute Match, Scott Garland on Sonjay Dutt Getting Him AEW Job

Jim Ross Reveals His Current AEW Contract Expires on February 14th

In a recent episode of the Grilling JR podcast, co-host and AEW commentator Jim Ross revealed that his current contract with AEW is currently set to expire on February 14th.

Conrad Thompson – “That’s that the day your contract’s up? On Valentine’s Day?”

Jim Ross – “Yeah …”

Ross also gave his thoughts about being hopeful of being given a new contract by AEW CEO Tony Khan and being able to call Sting’s final match of his career at AEW Revolution 2024.

“I mentioned that to Tony Khan last night. He agreed. It’s only right. It makes sense.

How can I say this without sounding like a turd? I think there’s money in Schiavone and I working together. Not just in Greensboro, but going forward, sporadically. And we have great chemistry, we’ve never lost that.

If he and I are doing the match with Sting and company… I believe it’s the right thing to do.

I need to get signed up so I can be there.”

Ross also gave his thoughts about being hopeful of finishing his career in wrestling in AEW.

“I’d like to finish up in AEW… I love working with them.”

Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com

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Anna Jay Comments on Competing in Brodie Lee Tribute Match at This Past Wednesday’s Dynamite Show

This past Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite Homecoming 2024 show at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida featured Anna Jay, Kris Statlander, Willow Nightingale, & Thunder Rosa defeating Julia Hart, Skye Blue, & The Outcasts in an Eight-woman tag team match held in tribute to the late Brodie Lee.

Following the match, AEW held a digital exclusive backstage interview with Jay. One of the topics discussed included Jay’s thoughts about the match and how it sparked something in her that she has not felt since Lee’s passing in 2020.

“Yeah, he’s really what started me here in AEW. He was here from the beginning when I was signed at 21, he kind of took me under his wing. I was in the Dark Order to begin with and he’s somebody who kind of showed me what was right, what was wrong, what to do, what not to do and really helped me a lot. Now not having him is obviously really difficult, but tonight really sparked something in me that I haven’t had since then. He’s somebody who kind of gave me a lot of hope in the beginning. Recently, I just haven’t really had it and you know what, I feel like tonight, like I said, kind of sparked that in me. I feel like I’m ready again.”

Jay also gave her thoughts about if she feels that she is still making Lee proud.

“I hope so. Yeah. I hope so, but I think, like I said, tonight kind of has given me that fire again to keep going more where maybe I lost some of it. I think now, I do want to make him more proud.”

EXCLUSIVE! @AnnaJay___ reflects on her match honoring The Exalted One, Mr. Brodie Lee and how he influences her to this day. pic.twitter.com/R1utqSM75Z

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 11, 2024

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

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Scott Garland Comments on Sonjay Dutt Helping Him Get a Producer & Coaching Job in AEW

A recent episode of the AEW Unrestricted podcast featured AEW producer and coach Scott Garland, former Scotty 2 Hotty in WWE, as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Garland revealing that Sonjay Dutt was the person who helped him get a job in AEW.

“So it was kind of out of nowhere (AEW coach/producer opportunity). I’ve done a lot in Europe over the last couple of years wrestling-wise and I was in Europe in July and I got a message from Sonjay Dutt and asking if I’d be interested in trying out as a coach and producer and it was exciting. It kind of came out of nowhere. The only thing was at the time, with like you said, I had a five-week tour of Europe booked for November. So I did. I start at the end of July and then I worked up to almost Halloween and then I left for five weeks and then I just returned last week so, it’s kind of like I started and it definitely was put on pause and then I came back so I’m excited now to really get into the groove and really dive in and start working with people.”

Garland also gave his thoughts about if he is interested in wrestling in AEW alongside his other duties in the company.

“I mean you know, it was talked about right. The idea is exciting to me, I just want it to be for the right reason, I want it to be for the right thing.

I want to elevate somebody, I want to elevate the show, create a moment, I don’t want it to just be a cold match if we do it. I don’t want to just go out there and have a match. It has to be the right thing. My first job here is to be a coach and producer, I don’t want to split my time doing both, I feel like it hurts my job as a producer. If there is the right thing, and it can make the show better or if I can help bring somebody up, I think that’s the way to use it and the way to do it. I don’t want to be going out there every week and be thinking about the match I’m going to have while producing a live segment on Dynamite. I feel like that would hurt my job as a producer.”

Transcript h/t: PostWrestling.com, Fightful.com