Every story needs a narrator and every televised sporting event needs play-by-play commentary. Professional wrestling is a mixture of sports, theater and storytelling. With this being said, commentary is a vital component to the success of any televised wrestling event. The commentator familiarizes you with all the aspects of what is going on in front of you. They are not only responsible for introducing you to the performers involved in the match but also explaining the overall storyline and what events have led us to the match we are currently watching. Commentators must tell a story, and complete story of good versus evil, in an effort to cause you to invest yourself mentally and emotionally, pulling you into the storyline and leaving you anxious for more.
Since the advent of television, commentary roles have been an intricate part of the overall quality of sports and sports entertainment. The thought of watching a three-hour Monday Night Raw, without commentary, is almost laughable. There have been some good commentators, there have been some not-so-good commentators and there have been great commentators. In this particular article, we will be focusing on the all-time great commentators who have, at one time or another, been behind a WWE/WWF announcers table. This is the top 10 WWE commentators of all-time.
10. JOEY STYLES
Joey Styles is as much an ECW Original as The Sandman or Tommy Dreamer. Styles was indeed the true voice of ECW and the face behind the iconic "OH MY GAWD!" quote.
When WWE acquired ECW, Styles took a small break from the wacky world of professional wrestling, a sabbatical if you will. However, in 2005, Joey would return to the company. Despite being highly respected by many within the industry, Vince McMahon was never a huge fan of Styles’....style. In fact, there's been a long-standing rumor that Styles was passed up for several jobs, including lead commentator for RAW. The reason behind it was that Vince wasn't a fan of Styles' pure play-by-play delivery. Instead, McMahon would opt for the strong storyteller types, such as WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross and others along those lines.
Regardless of his length of tenure, Joey Styles was a great addition to the WWE broadcast team. Today, Joey remains employed with WWE, serving as the Vice President of Digital Media Content.
9. 'MACHO MAN' RANDY SAVAGE
Some of today's younger fans weren't privy to the incredibly entertaining ways of the ‘Macho Man’ during his time as a commentator. However, those of us who do recall this particular stint remember hearing Savage bringing much-needed energy and enthusiasm to the broadcast team. Alongside the likes of Vince McMahon, Savage was certainly one who went against the grain but remained within the context of the story happening in the ring.
As we all know, Randy Savage was a highly touted wrestling icon. He captivated millions with his intense on-ring capabilities and his legendary feuds with names like Hogan, Warrior, and Steamboat to name a few.
The world of professional wrestling is better today, because of his contributions. Unfortunately, Mach' passed away back in 2011. The entire wrestling world misses him dearly.
8. PAUL HEYMAN
Ladies and gentlemen....
Paul Heyman is a true definition of a self-made man. Starting when he was still a teenager, Heyman kicked the doors down of the professional wrestling world, demanding someone give him an opportunity. We all know exactly how that storied unfolded.
Heyman was the brains behind the inception and success of ECW. When WWE gobbled down ECW, Heyman eventually came along and started working alongside the legendary Jim Ross. The two worked insanely well together, JR being the babyface announcer, while Heyman filled the role of the heated and hated heel. Their chemistry when working together on Raw, was undeniably flawless.
Paul Heyman is more than just a mouthpiece for a beast. He was once a mouthpiece for an entire WWE Universe.
7. JONATHAN 'THE COACH' COACHMAN
The Coach began his wrestling career as a backstage interviewer. However, his ability to connect with the audience became too valuable for just backstage use. Coachman was capable of drawing the fans into a storyline and engaging them, with just a simple backstage segment. Once he moved into the commentary position, his talent was showcased at a level, unlike anything he'd been able to display before.
Once he was behind the announcer’s table, Coachman turned his game up to a whole new level. He was almost immediately perceived as a heel by fans, which is what the company ran with. The Coach was fantastic not only as a commentator but also with various in-ring and storyline angles.
These days, Coach has taken his skills to the worldwide leader in sports, ESPN. He has had a successful run thus far with ESPN and had been highly influential in reconnecting ESPN with WWE.
6. JERRY 'THE KING' LAWLER
Originally dubbed "The King of Memphis," Lawler was huge in the delta region during the heyday of the iconic Memphis 'rasslin days. Once the territory days simmered down, Lawler eventually found his way to the WWF, where he had a really good in-ring run before joining the commentary team in the early 90's.
Lawler was influential in the success of what Monday Night Raw would become. He and Vince McMahon were a part of the building blocks of the whole Monday night wrestling phenomenon. Today, Lawler has become a household name in the commentary world and has given his life to the business, almost literally. In 2012, Jerry had a heart attack while working an episode of Raw. Instead of hanging up his crown and heading home, Lawler made a comeback and until recently, has been a fixture on the broadcasting team.
5. JESSE 'THE BODY' VENTURA
One of the most animated personas in the history of professional wrestling, The Body had a tremendous career, during one of the most pivotal times in wrestling's history. Following his in-ring career, Jesse worked his way back in front of the TV cameras, starting with the segment known as "The Body Shop." However, things really kicked off when Ventura was paired with one of the all-time greats, Gorilla Monsoon.
Ventura and Monsoon created a very unique, yet highly effective on-screen tandem. This proved to be one of the most entertaining duos ever assembled when speaking of wrestling commentary teams.
Jesse has had a very interesting life in politics, since leaving wrestling. Despite no longer being directly connected to the industry, his legacy remains intact.
4. VINCE MCMAHON
Some of today's fans are too young to realize that Mr. McMahon has done more than just make intense struts down the entrance ramp and smack talk with his self-entitled children. In fact, Vince was one of the original WWF commentators. During his early broadcasting days, the company wanted to push the idea to fans that Vince was nothing more than just a commentator. During this time, the fans were to believe that Jack Tunney was the president of the company. It wasn't until some years later that the chairman's true status was revealed.
McMahon worked side-by-side with some of wrestling's giants of the commentary world and together, they all worked together to help wrestling television evolve into what it is today.
3. GORILLA MONSOON
This is the part of the rankings where things get interesting and difficult. Any of the mentioned top 3, could easily make an argument as to why they should be number one.
Gorilla Monsoon is one of the most recognizable voices of all-time. Together with Heenan, the two formed what some believe to be the greatest commentary team ever. With memorable quotes such as the one from the Hogan vs. Andre Wrestlemania main event- "the irresistible force meets the immovable object," Monsoon was a master of his craft and had the ability to captivate millions.
Monsoon was one of the most loved and respected personalities of all time. He leaves behind a legacy that will always be revered throughout the sport.
2. BOBBY 'THE BRAIN' HEENAN
Not many people have ever been able to draw pure heat and hatred towards himself as Heenan was. He was a pioneer, and innovator and an absolute legend. He left a mark that will never be duplicated by anyone.
As mentioned earlier, Heenan was a part of the greatest commentary team in history, with Gorilla Monsoon. Bobby was able to hone in on the fanbase and command them to absolutely detest the sight of his presence. Once nicknamed "the weasel," Heenan was a heel in every sense of the term. However, even being a "bad guy" TV, very few are as loved and adored by his peers as Bobby Heenan was and is today.
In recent years, Bobby has struggled with problems from throat cancer and reconstructive surgery, which has limited his ability to communicate verbally with people. Regardless of what he's battling, he remains strong and just as passionate about wrestling as he's ever been.
1. JIM ROSS
Baseball has Babe Ruth, basketball has Michael Jordan, football has Joe Montana and "for the love of god!," professional wrestling has Good Ole J.R. We have made it to the top spot, numero uno, the greatest commentator in WWE history.
Jim Ross began his wrestling career as a timid, carefully worded sideline announcer for Mid-South Wrestling. Ross was just what the business needed at that time, but like any true great, JR evolved with the times and in doing so, remained relevant. As the business became more mainstream, JR continued to roll with the punches and adapt with the times.
Jim Ross is probably best remembered for his work during the Attitude Era. Ross was extremely captivating and incredibly engaging. He also is responsible for the best quotes in the history of the business. Some of the top fan favorites are "bah god, look at the carnage!," and "Stone Cold is shaking hands with satan himself!" just to name a couple.
Jim Ross is someone who's shoes will never be filled. He was undoubtedly the best storyteller to ever call a match and will always be mentioned as one of the best, if not the very best to ever commentate a wrestling match.
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