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Love him or hate him, it is impossible to deny that JBL's voice was a constant weekly fixture for every sports entertainment fan over the past few years. A man who garnered more split reactions than John Cena, during his stint at the announce desk, JBL's loud, boisterous, voice definitely added colour to the action inside the ring.
Only a few days ago, he announced that he would be stepping down as the colour commentator on SmackDown Live to spend time with kids at risk. We commend him for his bold decision, but that leaves us with one question: who could possibly fill the void left by the former WWE Champion's departure? We pick five likely contenders for the role in question. Sorry, TJP isn't one of our ideal candidates.
#5 Nigel McGuinness
The entire point of NXT is to prime talent in developmental for a role on the main roster. Nigel McGuinness occupies the colour commentary spot on NXT, and he does a fantastic job at the booth. He would be absolutely spectacular on the main roster because his scathing British sneer and highly sarcastic comments often hit home. He has a fantastic vocabulary, he has the respect of the wrestlers, and he also has the support of the WWE universe to boot.
Of course, some may complain that he's being moved up far too soon from NXT, but the truth remains that he has shown that he's ready for the job. McGuinness is a colourful individual, as he has shown with his histrionics every time the Iconic Duo make their appearance. We would love to see him moved up to SmackDown Live.
#4 Mauro Ranallo
Ranallo was an integral part of our Tuesday nights, much like JBL, before he suddenly stopped showing up on SmackDown Live. The reason for his absence was allegedly the man who's stepped down as the colour commentator of SmackDown Live — JBL.
It was alleged that the man bullied Ranallo, aggravating his mental health issues. With JBL no longer a part of the mix on SmackDown Live, there's a huge opportunity to have Ranallo come back and man the booth once again. Ranallo stepped away from WWE for awhile and then made his comeback to the NXT brand, where he's been handling play-by-play duties.
Mamma mia, guys!
Of course, the problem then would be the presence of two play-by-play announcers at the commentary desk. We believe that Ranallo can easily do colour because of how, well, colourful a personality the man truly is.
#3 Renee Young
Do you guys remember Renee Young's stint at the commentary desk? Young had a colour commentary run, first on NXT, and then on Superstars, where she proved that she's not just qualified for the job, but she is excellent at it. Some may say that she deserves this position because 'Talking Smack' was taken away from her.
The heart and soul behind Talking Smack, Renee helped build many characters who've become integral components of the WWE Universe, showcasing a side of theirs that we don't get to see on TV anymore. Talking Smack was made a special attraction, only to be shown after pay-per-view events.
While Young has a backstage role right now, we believe that Charly Caruso and Dasha Fuentes are more than equipped to take over the role in their respective brands and allow Young a chance to shine on the commentary table, as she should.
The WWE Universe, at least online, is a lot more fond of her than they are of John Bradshaw Layfield.
#2 Daniel Bryan
With the departure of Talking Smack, we don't get Daniel Bryan on a weekly basis, like we once did. Which is criminal considering that he still is the biggest babyface in the company.
We could have him (kayfabe) stepping down from his General Manager role, and have Shane McMahon take over the reins, once and for all. As both Shane and Angle have proved, we do not need two Authority Figures really.
This would allow Daniel Bryan a chance to be a part of the commentary desk. As he proved during the Cruiserweight Classic, Bryan is a natural on commentary. He does not add colour to the commentary in the traditional heel fashion that Heenan or Lawler did, but does it as a babyface, genuinely enthusiastic about the action in the ring. He brings a human touch to the action between the ropes.
#1 Jerry 'The King' Lawler
Jerry 'The King' Lawler is not only a wrestling legend but also the voice of the most popular era in wrestling. Last week, Booker T could not make it to Raw in time, and Lawler took over his duties. Lawler was miles ahead of Booker T, and despite the fact that he is well past his prime, he can still hang with the newer lot.
We think he's the most likely contender for the SmackDown Live desk and can add his distinctive charisma to the whole product. Do you think there are other contenders for this role, who can suit the product better? Let us know in the comments below!
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