Get to know the most famous WWE announcers to ever exist

Get to know the most famous WWE announcers to ever exist

Ciku Njuguna
March 11, 2024 at 6:45 AM

Die-hard fans of World Wrestling Entertainment are familiar with the iconic voices of reporters, play-by-play announcers, and commentators of its most historic moments. Each announcer brings a unique and entertaining edge to the sport, adding to the fans’ experience. Dig in to find out who the most famous WWE announcers are.

Howard Finkel (l), Vince McMahon (c) and Michael Hayes (r).
Howard Finkel (l), Vince McMahon (c), and Michael Hayes (r) attend the 25th WWE Hall of Fame event at the Toyota Center on April 4, 2009, in Texas. Photo by Bob Levey/WireImage.
Source: Getty Images

Table of Сontents:

Who are the most famous WWE on-air personalities? This article lists the most recognisable voices of WWE employees whose jokes, opinions, and banter entertained fans throughout a match. Scroll down for an extensive description of the most famous wrestling announcers and what made them stand out to fans and wrestlers alike.

Who are the most famous WWE announcers and commentators?

WWE announcers are tasked with introducing match participants, dictating match requirements, and announcing the winners. The announcers also double as commentators, filling the match with a humourous edge, hyping the heel or face participant, and promoting upcoming WWE events.

Sports Brief has compiled a list of some of the most notable male and female ring announcers using authoritative sources such as the WWE website. Scroll down and discover who the current and veteran WWE commentators are.

Most famous WWE announcers dead or alive

Wrestler

Period

Alicia Taylor

2018 - present

Jackie Redmond

2021 - present

Justin Roberts

2002 - present

Byron Saxton

2007 - present

Michael Hayes

1989 - 2013

Booker T

2013 - present

Kevin Patrick

2021 - present

Joey Styles

1997 - present

Vince McMahon

1970 - 1997

Lillian Garcia

1999 - 2018

Lord Alfred Hayes

1982 - 1995

Howard Finkel

1977 - 2006

Gordon Solie

1960 - 1995

Mike McGuirk

1987 - 1994

John 'JBL' Bradshaw Layfield

2006 - 2017

Jesse 'The Body' Ventura

1985 - 1990

Gorilla Monsoon

1983 - 1997

Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan

1961 - 2001

James 'Jim' William Ross

1993 - present

Eugene ‘Mean Gene’ Arthur Okerlund

1970 - 2018

20. Alicia Taylor

NXT broadcaster Alicia Taylor is no stranger to the world of entertainment. Before joining the wrestling world, the former YouTubeer played the drums for music icons such as Kelly Osbourne, Hannah Montana, Tracy Chapman, and Selena Gomez.

  • Full name: Alicia Warrington
  • Date of birth: August 30, 1980
  • Age: 43 years old as of March 2024
Alicia Warrington poses for pictures.
Alicia Warrington poses for a picture (l). On the right, she is pictured announcing during a WWE NXT fight. Photo by @aliciataylornxt.
Source: Instagram

19. Jackie Redmond

Before entering the ring, Redmond made her mark reporting for the National Hockey League in various media houses. At the time of writing, the 2011 Gillette DRAFTED 3: The Search for Canada's Next Sportscaster winner works with the WWE Monday Night Raw broadcasting team.

  • Full name: Jackie Redmond
  • Date of birth: April 12, 1986
  • Age: 37 years old as of March 2024
Jackie Redmond poses before a hockey match.
Jackie Redmond poses before a match between the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers on April 30, 2023, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire.
Source: Getty Images

18. Justin Roberts

According to his WWE profile, Justin Roberts grew up imitating ring announcers such as Howard Finkel. Since his first appearance on WWE, he has announced televised and non-televised matches at events such as WrestleMania, ECW brand, SmackDown, and Monday Night Raw.

  • Full name: Justin Jason Roberts
  • Date of birth: December 29, 1979
  • Age: 44 years old as of March 2024
Justin Roberts pictured during one of the AEW events.
Ring announcer Justin Roberts pictured during one of the AEW Rampage and AEW Dynamite events. Photo by @justinroberts.
Source: Instagram

17. Byron Saxton

Former WWE signee Byron Saxton has had his fair share of wrestling action. Although his wrestling career did not take off, the famous WWE ring announcer has made his mark as a colour commentator on ECW, NXT, and NXT Pros. Before fully getting into colour commentary, Saxton was a wrestler who fought and was announced for the Florida Championship Wrestling.

  • Full name: Bryan Jesús Kelly
  • Date of birth: August 20, 1981
  • Age: 42 years old as of March 2024
Ring announcer Byron Saxton pictured during various events.
On the left, ring announcers Byron Saxton (l) and Blake Howard pictured in action. He poses (r) for a photo during Black History Month. Photo by @officialbyronsaxton.
Source: Instagram

16. Michael Hayes

Michael Seitz took on different names in his wrestling career. As a professional wrestler, he took on the Michael 'P.S.' Hayes stage name before later adopting 'Handsome' Dok Hendrix during his announcing days. The interviewer and commentator was known for his colourful outfits and flamboyant presence in the ring.

  • Full name: Michael Seitz
  • Date of birth: March 29, 1959
  • Age: 64 years old as of March 2024
Michael Hayes attends the 25th WWE Hall of Fame event.
Michael Hayes attends the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania's WWE Hall of Fame event at the Toyota Center on April 4, 2009, in Houston, Texas. Photo by Bob Levey/WireImage.
Source: Getty Images

15. Booker T

Among several catchphrases, ‘Shucky Ducky Quack Quack’ sums up the colourful humour Booker T brings to WWE matches. In 2011, the 2006 King of the Ring left behind a successful in-ring career for the broadcast team, where he still serves as of March 2024.

  • Full name: Robert Booker Tio Huffman
  • Date of birth: March 1, 1965
  • Age: 59 years old as of March 2024
Professional wrestler and commentator Booker T.
Professional wrestler and commentator Booker T pictured in Houston, Texas, on February 28, 2013. Photo by Michael Paulsen/Houston Chronicle.
Source: Getty Images

14. Kevin Patrick

WWE announcer Kevin Patrick is an Irish journalist with vast experience in sports broadcasting. He draws from his expertise in broadcasting the Olympics and soccer events to media houses such as CNN, Sirius XM, and beIN Sports.

  • Full name: Kevin Patrick Egan
  • Place of birth: Raheny, Dublin, Ireland
  • Age: 43 years old as of March 2024
Announcer Kevin Patrick pictured at a WWE Smackdown event.
Announcer Kevin Patrick pictured at a WWE Smackdown event held at Barclay's Center on December 1, 2023, in Brooklyn, New York. Photo by Cora Veltman/Sportico.
Source: Getty Images

13. Joey Styles

Joseph Carmine Bonsignore, famously known as Joey Styles, is one of the most famous WWE ring announcers of his time. Known for his ‘Oh My God!’ catchphrase, Styes was a ring announcer in various shows, including ECW, WrestleMania 23, Raw, and Barely Legal.

  • Full name: Joseph Carmine Bonsignore
  • Date of birth: July 14, 1971
  • Age: 52 years old as of March 2024
Joey Styles pictured during interviews.
Joey Styles pictured during interviews with WWE wrestler Luna Vachon (l) and promoter Paul Heyman (r). Photo by @original_ecw_wrestling and @wrestlingthenandnow.
Source: Instagram

12. Vince McMahon

From the early 1970s, Vince McMahon was a commentator and an interviewer for the World Wrestling Federation. As an announcer, the WWE founder partnered with the company's legends, such as Lord Alfred Hayes.

  • Full name: Vincent Kennedy McMahon
  • Date of birth: August 24, 1945
  • Age: 78 years old as of March 2024
Vince McMahon (l) adresses the crowd.
Vince McMahon (l) addresses the crowd during the WWE Monday Night Raw show at the Thomas & Mack Center on August 24, 2009, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Ethan Miller.
Source: Getty Images

11. Lillian Garcia

Before stepping behind the microphone at WWE, Garcia was a well-respected singer and disc jockey. In addition to announcing various matches, she often sang the United States anthem at critical events such as the first SmackDown after 9/11 and Tribute to the Troops.

  • Full name: Lilián Annette Garcia
  • Date of birth: August 19, 1966
  • Age: 57 years old as of March 2024
Ring announcer Lilian Garcia enters the ring.
Ring announcer Lilian Garcia enters the ring at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on August 23, 2015, in New York City. Photo by JP Yim.
Source: Getty Images

10. Lord Alfred Hayes

From Judo Al Hayes to Lord Alfred Hayes, the British-born wrestling legend was a feared contender before joining the WWE broadcast and managerial teams. Between 1950 and 1995, the 2018 WWE Hall of Famer held various positions in wrestling, such as singles wrestler, tag team wrestler, manager, and later, ring announcer and commentator.

  • Full name: Alfred George James Hayes
  • Date of birth: August 8, 1928
  • Date of death: July 21, 2005
WWF ring announcer Lord Alfred Hayes.
WWF ring announcer Lord Alfred Hayes poses for a photo. He (inset) pictured in action circa 1980. Photo by @80swrestling_ and @WrestlingIsKing.
Source: Twitter

9. Howard Finkel

The Fink was one of the longest-serving WWF announcers of the 1980s, whose career started in April 1980. For five decades, Finkel was one of the most fun and famous wrestling announcers known for the unmistakable match outcome announcement,

“Ladies and gentlemen! The winner of this match, the neeewww World Champion…!”
  • Full name: Howard Finkel
  • Date of birth: June 7, 1950
  • Date of birth: April 16, 2020
Howard Finkel attends the 25th WWE Hall of Fame event.
WWE announcer Howard Finkel attends the 25th WrestleMania's WWE Hall of Fame event at the Toyota Center on April 4, 2009, in Houston, Texas. Photo by Bob Levey/WireImage.
Source: Getty Images

8. Gordon Solie

From a military man to a disc jockey, ring announcer Gordon Solie rose to the highest levels of fame in WWE broadcasting history. When cancer struck in the late 90s, robbing him of vocal cords, hoards of fans were left with fond memories of his quick wit, unmistakable banter, and signature lingo.

  • Full name: Francis Jonard Labiak
  • Date of birth: January 26, 1929
  • Date of death: July 27, 2000
Legendary ring announcer Gordon Solie pictured in action.
Legendary ring announcer Gordon Solie pictured in action with wrestling greats Lou Thesz (l) and Haley Race (r). Photo by @this_is_real_wrestling and @classicvintageprowrestling.
Source: Instagram

7. Mike McGuirk

Who was the ring announcer for the WWF in the 80s? Michael Kathleen McGuirk was a trailblazer in the wrestling broadcast world. During her induction ceremony, the first-ever female WWE announcers told All Axxess Entertainment that,

“If anybody ever doubts that women did not have a place back in the day. I showed them differently. I just had to have a boy's name to get it over with.”
  • Full name: Michael Kathleen McGuirk
  • Date of birth: March 16, 1955
  • Age: 68 years old as of March 2024
Ring announcer Mike McGuirk pictured in action.
Ring announcer Mike McGuirk pictured in action. Photo by @Wrestlling80s90s and @primetimemooney.
Source: Twitter

6. John 'JBL' Bradshaw Layfield

Before John Bradshaw Layfield joined the elite list of the best WWE announcers, he was a professional athlete who played football and wrestling. A jack of all trades, the CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News financial analyst and self-made millionaire was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020.

  • Full name: John Charles Layfield
  • Date of birth: November 29, 1966
  • Age: 57 years old as of March 2024
JBL acknowledges the crowd.
JBL acknowledges the crowd during one of the WrestleMania Goes events in Los Angeles, California. Photo by J. Shearer/WireImage for BWR PR.
Source: Getty Images

5. Jesse 'The Body' Ventura

Jesse 'The Body' Ventura, formerly 'The Great', has worn various hats throughout his career. From serving in the United States Navy Seals and fighting in Vietnam to competing and later announcing fights in the ring, Ventura entered politics, winning the Minnesota gubernatorial seat between 1998 and 2003.

  • Full name: James George Janos
  • Date of birth: July 15, 1951
  • Age: 72 years old as of March 2024
Jesse Ventura (far right) watches over a fight.
Jesse Ventura (far right) watches over a fight as a guest referee during the WWF SummerSlam on August 22, 1999, at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Photo by Craig Lassig/AFP.
Source: Getty Images

4. Gorilla Monsoon

Gorilla Monsoon was an accomplished professional wrestler and one of the most popular WWE commentators in the 90s. In addition to the 1963 United States Tag Team Championship, Monsoon won the 1979 Ithaca College Athletic Hall of Fame and the 1994 WWE Hall of Fame.

  • Full name: Robert James Marella
  • Date of birth: June 4, 1937
  • Date of death: October 6, 1999
Former wrestler and announcer Gorilla Monsoon.
Former professional wrestler and announcer Gorilla Monsoon poses for a portrait circa October 1963, in New York City, New York. Photo by Stanley Weston.
Source: Getty Images

3. Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan

The Brain was a self-proclaimed broadcast journalist who doubled as the manager for Nick Bockwinkel, the Blackjacks, Big John Studd, King Kong Bundy, Rick Rude, Curt Hennig, Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard, Harley Race, and Andre the Giant, who made up the Heenan Family. In the WWE Universe, Heenan announced various shows, including Monday Night RAW, WCW Monday Nitro, and Wrestlemania X-Seven.

  • Full name: Raymond Louis Heenan
  • Date of birth: November 1, 1944
  • Date of death: September 17, 2017
Ring announcer Bobby Heenan pictured in action.
Ring announcer Bobby Heenan pictured in action with the Ravishing Rick Rude (l) and Andre the Giant (r). Photo by @WWFWrestling1.
Source: Twitter

2. James 'Jim' Ross

At the height of commentating, Ross, who coined phrases such as 'tougher than a $2 steak' and 'don't do it', was known to join in the action. The 2007 WWE Hall of Fame inductee got physical with wrestlers such as Jack Swagger and Triple H on various occasions.

  • Full name: James William Ross
  • Date of birth: January 3, 1952
  • Age: 72 years old as of March 2024
Jim Ross attends the WWE Hall of Fame annivesary.
WWE commentator Jim Ross attends the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania's WWE Hall of Fame at the Toyota Center on April 4, 2009, in Houston, Texas. Photo by Bob Levey/WireImage.
Source: Getty Images

1. Eugene ‘Mean Gene’ Arthur Okerlund

Mean Gene was famously referred to as a backstage interviewer, ringside commentator, host, and the most famous male WWE announcer of his time. In 2006, the renowned ring announcer was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

  • Full name: Eugene Arthur Okerlund
  • Date of birth: December 19, 1942
  • Date of death: January 2, 2019
Former professional WWE announcer Gene Okerlund (r) during a WCW broadcast.
Former professional wrestler Miss Elizabeth (l) and announcer Gene Okerlund (r) pictured during a WCW broadcast circa 1998. Photo by George Napolitano.
Source: Getty Images

Who are the most famous female WWE announcers?

Who are the greatest female WWE commentators? The company has seen its fair share of female broadcast team members. Here are some of the most famous female WWE announcers to grace the ring.

  1. Jackie Redmond
  2. Alicia Taylor
  3. Maria Menounos
  4. JoJo Offerman
  5. Renee Paquette
  6. Lilian Garcia
  7. Jackie Redmond
  8. Samantha Irvin
  9. Kayla Braxton
  10. Brandi Rhodes

Final word

Through their voices, the most famous WWE announcers are easily recognised by fans all over the world. Their roles as ring announcers, interviewers, and commentators add to fans' joy from watching any WWE match.

READ ALSO: Is WWE fake or real? A detailed answer and all the explanations

Sports Brief published an article revealing the mysteries surrounding the WWE, its contenders, fights, and outcomes. To die-hard wrestling fans, the drama, pageantry, and techniques displayed in the ring do not affect the sport's authenticity.

However, critics tell a different story. Click on the link above for in-depth answers to age-old questions such as 'Is WWE fake?', 'Is WWE fake or scripted?' and 'Is WWE real fighting or acting?' Click on the link above to find out.

Authors
Ciku Njuguna photo
Ciku Njuguna
Ciku Njuguna is a journalist with 3 year’s experience in content creation based in Kenya. She currently covers sports personnel as well as team biographies.