Jim Ross Thinks WWE Could Have Done More With This AEW Star

After his 1996 King of the Ring victory, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin elevated his career to the next level with his famous "Austin 3:16" promo. The next year's winner, Triple H, followed in similar fashion as he co-founded the now Hall of Fame stable of D-Generation X and later claimed his second WWE Intercontinental Championship. The trajectory of the 1999 King of the Ring winner, Billy Gunn, however, seemed to yield different results, as his popular "Mr. Ass" gimmick was ultimately forced out (in storyline) by the Right To Censor. During a recent episode of "Grilling JR," former WWE commentator Jim Ross weighed in on Gunn's booking in the wake of his respective King of the Ring victory.

"I don't know that we ever got everything out of Billy Gunn that he deserved and that we could have done more positive things with," Ross said. "You're not going to get anybody that looks better, that's bigger, stronger, faster, got a great physique, knew how to work, so physical. He had all the pieces, but for some reason, the powers that be just never developed the confidence in Billy that he probably deserved, quite frankly."

According to Ross, officials in WWE may have, in hindsight, viewed their move to crown Gunn as the 1999 King of the Ring as "premature," with Gunn possibly not being fully ready to take on that particular role. As such, WWE may have then made a late decision to alter Gunn's booking, which later saw him drop his "Mr. Ass" persona in 2000. Should this be the case, Ross noted that he disagrees with the aforementioned viewpoint, as he believes that Gunn had the potential to achieve so much more in the aftermath of his coronation.

Fast forward 25 years, Gunn is now a former AEW World Trios Champion alongside The Acclaimed (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens).

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Grilling JR" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.