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Veteran sports announcer Jim Ross underwent a scheduled surgery early May 27, just two weeks after being diagnosed with colon cancer.
“Checked n and ready to kick this cancer,” the 73-year-old All Elite Wrestling commentator wrote in part on X, formerly known as Twitter, ahead of the procedure.
Ross, better known as Good Ol' JR among fans, announced his diagnosis on May 15, revealing he found out he had colon cancer that week.
The Mayo Clinic reports that colon cancer, which develops in the longest section of the large intestine, is most prevalent among adults over 50. Symptoms aren’t always present from the onset of the disease, but may include changes in bowel habits, such as frequent diarrhea or constipation, bloody stool, and abdominal discomfort, among others.
Just before noon on Tuesday, Conrad Thompson, cohost of Ross’s podcast, “Grilling JR,” shared online that he'd received an update about the WWE Hall of Famer’s cancer procedure.
“JR’s surgery went well and they hope to have successfully removed all of his cancer this morning!” Thompson said. “Please keep @JRsBBQ in your thoughts and prayers as he begins his recovery!”
Ross has previously battled cancer. In the fall of 2018, he had surgery to remove skin lesions on his shoulder, Metro reported. He faced a “potential skin cancer issue” three years later, this time on his ankle.
“Been dealing with this for over a year,” he wrote in an October 2021 post on X alongside a picture of a bloody mass above his foot. Ross noted that he was going in for a CAT scan and was “hopeful for good results.” After completing 20 rounds of radiation, he shared in December that he was officially cancer-free.
During a May 26 episode of his podcast, Ross reflected on the many health challenges he has faced over the years.
“I’m learning a lot about my body,” he said. “It’s like an old car. I’m trying to still drive it and run it, and that’s maybe one of my issues is the old car has run too long, too hard.”
Ross, whose broadcasting career has spanned more than 50 years, said doctors expected him to spend about a week in the hospital recovering from the procedure.
“I love you, the fans. You don’t realize what kind of support system you’ve got until you step back for a while,” he said. “So let’s go get this done and get back to work.”
