Jim Ross
On November 19, 2001 after a nine month hiatus from the company, Lawler returned to the WWF. He was reintroduced by Vince McMahon on "Raw" as the replacement for color commentator (and Alliance member) Paul Heyman, who had been (kayfabe) fired in the aftermath of the Alliance's loss at the previous night's "Survivor Series". As he had been before his departure, Lawler once again became color commentator on "Raw" and pay-per-view events alongside Jim Ross and "SmackDown!" with Michael Cole, until the brands were separated and Lawler became exclusive to Raw. Lawler stated that his well-worked chemistry with Jim Ross has been a result of their different styles; according to Lawler, Jim Ross is a fine storyteller and keeps fans well-versed with current storylines, whereas he provides reaction and emotion to liven the commentary.