8 Things We Learned From The WrestleMania Go-Home Smackdown Live! (March 28)

6. Class Is Permanent

Maryse The Miz
WWE Network

Though it didn't occur on Smackdown Live! itself, the comments about the passing of Jan Ross made by Daniel Bryan at the very beginning of Talking Smack bear repeating, in a traumatic time for the tragically widowed industry institution Jim Ross.

Anybody with even a loose connection to the industry as a performer, past or present colleague of 'Good 'Ol JR' or merely as a fan of professional wrestling felt a deep sadness for the former voice of WWE as he reported the heartbreaking loss of his wife, and Bryan was typically full of class and dignity when it came to paying brief tribute.

As a company, the death of a former announcer's wife is a challenging situation to formally address in a public setting, but the former World Champion effortlessly echoed the thoughts and condolences of the mass 'WWE Universe' with aplomb in a manner that would likely reach many that have grieved for and with Jim.

It was a noble acknowledgement of some deeply dire circumstances, and as an avid follower of the current product, Ross will hopefully see the tributes and be reminded of the vast network of support he has in and outside of the industry.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett