Jim Ross Reveals 2-Year WWE Contract After Appearance at WrestleMania 33

Jim Ross' return to announce the Undertaker's final match at WrestleMania wasn't a one-off special after all. The voice of WWE's Attitude Era is returning to the company on a two-year deal that will see him continue to make sporadic appearances in various capacities.

“They’ve got a lot of things that I can contribute (to), and I’ve been so blessed in the business that I’ve done so many different things,” Ross told Sam Gardner of Fox Sports. “I’ve been an administrator and a syndicator, a marketing rep, a VP of broadcasting, a head of talent relations. But the fun part is what I did tonight.

“I hope to have more ‘fun part’ assignments in the future, but I’ve got my jersey back. So if the team needs me to play, to work more than they anticipated because they need it, I’m in.”

Ross, 65, returned Sunday night to call the Undertaker's loss to Roman Reigns with Michael Cole and JBL. He had not been with the company in an official capacity since 2013 after a WWE 2K panel went awry and led to his "retirement."

Of course, as is typically the case in the wrestling business, "retirement" simply meant "not working for WWE." Ross became the English voice of New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2016 and has worked other events on the independent circuit. He's also launched a successful wrestling podcast and traveled around the United States for one-man shows.

Ross' appearance at WrestleMania came less than two weeks after the passing of his wife Jan, who died in an automobile accident March 22. He was in Orlando for WrestleMania weekend, which included appearances at panels and his own show. 

“I’ve had some skeptics say, ‘Well, JR didn’t grieve very long. He’s already going to Orlando,’ and it pisses me off,” Ross said told Gardner. “How do you know I’m not grieving? What are you, Carnac? Are you some mentalist? And how do you have the audacity to say I’m not grieving about losing the love of my life, my angel? They say, ‘He’s already back at work,’ but what did you want me to do? Sit at home?

“I lost my best friend and soul mate, 24 years together. And I could have not come and sat in the darkness and cried more. But I was tired of crying, and I wanted to get around people that I knew loved me.”

Ross did not say when he would appear next with WWE.