Top 10 Wrestler on the Mic

[Guest asher66]

Agree? Disagree? Feel free to comment or post your own Top 10!

 

Top 10 Wrestlers on the Mic

 

 

10. Raven--The wrestler known as Raven has been highly successful in melding old school wrestling psychology with the new era of grunge attitude and angst (with elements of the comic book fanboy thrown in for good measure). His promos and feuds often touch on themes of alienation and betrayal, allowing him to connect with a new generation of wrestling fans. With this in mind, it’s no wonder why Raven has a fiercely loyal internet following.

 

 

9. Scott Hall--He took the generic villain role of Razor Ramon and made it a household name. Hall was also a solid in-ring worker, but it was on the mic where he truly set himself apart. Possessing a highly-underrated sense of comic timing, Hall had the ability to make you laugh while at the same time portraying a despicable villain. It’s unfortunate that his personal demons continue to haunt him. Otherwise, there’s a good chance that he’d still be in the WWE to this day.

 

 

8. Dusty Rhodes-- "If you weeeeeelllll." "I’m gonna get funky like a monkey." These are just a few examples of the nonsensical ramblings of the man known as "The American Dream." Rhodes had a style all his own on the microphone, often seeming to ramble on with unintelligible gibberish. But he always made it work, and, like Ric Flair, it transformed him into a unique character who became larger than life.

 

 

7. Roddy Piper--Working in the role of a mad Scotsman, Piper was anything but predictable on the mic (something he would demonstrate more and more as he got older). His face red with anger and spit flying from his mouth, Rowdy Roddy was the epitome of the old school heel. From insulting little old ladies to bashing Jimmy Snuka in the head with a coconut, Piper could get a crowd worked up like few others. And even when he played the babyface, Piper still projected an aura of madness and danger. He was one of wrestling’s original anti-heroes.

 

 

6. Shawn Michaels--Heel or face. From degenerate leader of Degeneration-X to born-again Christian, HBK can seemingly blend into any role on the mic and make it believable. With his distinctive voice and cocky sneer, Michaels can flip flop from loved to hated within the course of one sentence. Just take a look at his work every time he goes to Montreal (home of the infamous Bret Hart screwjob), then watch the next week when he comes back to the United States. He’s the epitome of versatility on the mic.

 

 

5. Mick Foley--An average worker in the ring, Foley made up for it by absorbing huge amounts of punishment and delivering excellent promos which never failed to tell a story. Take, for example, his ECW "Cane Dewey" promo, in which Foley talks about a fan’s sign advocating the caning of Foley’s young son. Many consider it to be the single greatest promo in the history of wrestling. With such excellent storytelling abilities, it’s little wonder why several of his books have become bestsellers. Catch more of his work on the DVD entitled Mick Foley: Greatest Hits and Misses.

 

 

4. Jake Roberts--A master of psychology, both in and out of the ring, Jake "The Snake" Roberts was perpetually in tune with his dark side. Often delivering his lines with a giant python wrapped around him, Jake sold every match as if the mental battle was just as important as the physical one. Between his cutting-edge promos and his invention of the DDT, Jake has more than assured himself of a lofty spot in wrestling history. For more examples of his brilliance, check out his DVD entitled Jake "The Snake" Roberts: Pick Your Poison.

 

 

3. The Rock--One of the major reasons behind the wrestling explosion of the late 90’s, the Rock’s promos are entertaining and can be enjoyed by fans of all ages due to their comic tone. With his exaggerated eyebrow and goofy catchphrases, his appeal was cinched by the crowd’s need to laugh. A master of ad-libbing and playing off the crowd, it’s no surprise that The Rock has made a smooth transition into the world of film.

 

 

2. Steve Austin--An absolute master at working the crowd, Austin still gets chants from WWE audiences, and he hasn’t wrestled regularly in years. He perfectly captured the image of a crazy redneck from Texas, but also possessed a flair for comedy which peaked its head out from time to time. His tirades against the arrogant "Mr. McMahon" are legendary, and his mic battles with the Rock showed two superstars in the prime of their careers. Here’s hoping that he’ll come back to the WWE in another capacity in the future, because, frankly, the business needs his abilities.

 

 

1. Ric Flair--For much of his career, Flair was the man we loved to hate. Now, he’s simply the man we love to cheer. His jet-flyin’, kiss-stealin’ antics are still amusing after all these years, and his occasional bouts of in-ring mania are works of art. Sure, he’s been working the same gimmick since forever, but his raw charisma ensures that it never gets old, and his apparent passion for the business is contagious to anyone who listens to him speak. Flair truly is a wrestling institution. And just in case you’ve forgotten how good he can be on the mic, go check out his DVD entitled The Ultimate Ric Flair Collection.

[Guest J0bber]

Wow that's a tough question. It's hard to limit workers with great mic skills down to a list of ten. I agree with almost all of your picks except for Scott Hall. For some reason, I always thought of his mic skills to be boring and repetitive. It was "Hey yo, Wolf Pac in the house" or "Win one for the bad guy" every night. He also had a bit of a monotone voice along with a cheap accent.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

1. Mick Foley

Able to convey multiple emotions in one promo, and always made every match he ever cut a promo for seem that much more important. Foley could make you laugh and cry with just a few words.

 

2. Roddy Piper

The innovator of the modern promo. He rambles on about nothing nowadays, but back in the 80's he was entertaining as all hell. Charismatic, good vocabulary, and had a terrific pace.

 

3. Ric Flair

Much like Foley, another man who could get you emotionally hyped for ANY match he was involved in. Put over people by simply mentioning them.

 

4. The Rock

...self-explanatory. Humor, charisma, great pace, and when he came back as a heel with his shaved head in '03 he was AMAZING on the stick, perhaps the best he'd ever been.

 

5. Raven

His only true downside was his expansive vocabulary that sounded like a foreign language to most viewers.

 

6. Jake Roberts

Metaphors, Biblical verses, and stories all weaved into one big promo that hyped every single even he was a part of.

 

7. HHH

You have to hand it to the guy: when he gets the stick, people pay attention. In 2000, his promo's were GOLD, some of the greatest the industry had ever seen, and although his New England accent shines through too much with his words (trust me, the emphasis of "ah" after most words is all New England, and since he's from NH...yeah), he very rarely was inaudible. Don't forget the hilarity of the '97/'98 DX promo's, either. Many of them were carried by Hunter rather than HBK or Road Dogg.

 

8. Steve Austin

He's only this far down the list because of how terrible his promo's were later in his career. The "What?" craze started off as wonderful heel work, but it soon became a self-parody. And how many times have the words "if you want [insert name here] to beat [insert other name here]'s ass, gimme a hell yeah" copied?

 

9. Kurt Angle

Only this far down because of how many other greats there are.

 

10. James Mitchell

Say what you will about him. Sure, he's a little over-the-top. Sure, most of his memorable promo's were comedic filler. However, the man has a way with the mic, and his overall screen presence demanded that you pay attention to him. Whether he be cutting promo's with Whipwreck and Tajiri in ECW, or speaking for the New Church in TNA, or for Abyss most recently, his mic work has always been very, VERY solid.

[snuffbox 0]

Arn Anderson.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

If you're talking about wrestling promo's, then I don't think I'd have Rock or Piper in my top 10. If you're just looking for entertainment, though, they'd be there.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

While he got retardedly big pops, I was never a big fan of the Rock on the mic.

 

Foley, Piper, Jake and yes, Mitchell were my first instincts.

[Guest Hass of Pain]

1 - Jerry Lawler

1a - Terry Funk

[Black Lushus 0]

Bret Hart was never a mic master, but I loved his mic work in 97...man I'm such a mark for 1997 WWF it's pathetic...

[humanoid92 0]

Honorable Mentions: HBK, HHH, Savage, Hennig, Lawler, Raven

 

10. Christian

9. Hulk Hogan

8. Kurt Angle

7. Steve Austin

6. Jake Roberts

5. Chris Jericho

4. Mick Foley

3. The Rock

2. Ric Flair

1. Roddy Piper

[Jericho2000Mark 0]

1. Mick Foley

2. Eddie Guerrero-seriously, listen to his two promos on SmackDown before NWO 04

3. The Rock

4. Steve Austin-his promo on the Hardcore History DVD is almost as good as Foley's Anti-Hardcore promos

5. Chris Jericho

6. Jake Roberts

7. Ric Flair

8. Bret Hart-for his '97 heel run

9. Raven

10. Paul Heyman

 

Triple H cannot hold anyone's interest longer than 40 seconds. Shawn Michaels best mic work was dick and fart jokes.

[iggymcfly 0]

If it's mic ability you're looking at, then Shawn Michaels has to be right up there, if not in the Top 5, at least in the Top 10. The problem is that he doesn't let that ability show through too much.

 

For example, his promos on Hogan were dynamite, as were his promos on HHH when he first came back. If he doesn't have a hot feud or a little heelish edge however, he gets kinda boring. His typical stoic face routine that we see week in and week out on Raw is extremely stale.

 

As far as the best of all time go, I'd say:

 

1. The Rock

2. Ric Flair

3. Steve Austin

4. Shawn Michaels

5. Kurt Angle

 

Admittedly though, I haven't seen enough of Jake Roberts' work to accurately judge him. I wouldn't argue with him in the Top 5.

[hyperchord24 0]

"Cane Dewey" promo?

 

Explain

[Guest netslob]

a fan held up a sign, as a joke, that said "Cane Dewey" at an ECW show. Mick saw it and was offended. a while later, he was trying to come up with a promo, and decided to interject his disgust for this sign into it, making the point that the ECW guys were killing themselves with their hardcore style for fans who didn't give a shit. in his first book, Mick mentions the guy who made the sign told Stevie Richards, who told Mick, that he just meant it as a joke and didn't think it would piss Mick off so bad.

[Guest Zarock]

10. Kurt Angle- It's probably best to remember the days when he cut a promo without working himself into a berserker fury.

 

9. Shawn Micheals- He'd be on the list even if the only promo he ever cut was his Montreal one.

 

8. Edge & Christian- Yes and I'm including them both, because these guys made some of the funniest promos EVER. As singles, they work A LOT better when they're trying to be funny then when they're trying to be serious (that goes more for Edge, then Christian, but it still applies)

 

7. The Ultimate Warrior- A must see.

 

6. Chris Jericho- Sorta like E & C + A bunch in that he can be really funny, but also can cut good serious promos (I loved his one during the Battle of the Bands).

 

5. Eddie Guerrero- His Latino Heat promos ruled, and his promos during his feud with Rey REALLY ruled.

 

4. Mick Foley- His serious promos are beyond great. Really, if you havn't heard a Cactus Jack promo, you owe it to yourself to hear one.

 

3. The Rock- This guy is just all funny. I don't think I remember one serious promo he cut, but his jokes were nearly always hilarious.

 

2. Ric Flair- No explanation necessary.

 

1. Steve Austin- Simply puts, everything he says turns to gold, GOLD, baby!

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

I personally grew to intensely dislike Austin all around, but having just watched the Superstar Billy Graham DVD, I'd have to put him up there, especially with his time frame what he was doing.

[MikeJordan23 0]

Only counting wrestlers

 

1) The Rock

2) Ric Flair

3) Steve Austin

4) Arn Anderson

5) Mick Foley

6) Jerry Lawler

7) Chris Jericho

8) Rowdy Roddy Piper

9) Hulk Hogan

10) Raven

 

 

New Jack has cut some of the best, most memorable promos I ever heard. But he relies too much on shock for me to rank him properly.

[snuffbox 0]

Finally someone else mentions Arn Anderson.

 

Amazingly somebody listed the Ultimate Retard but not Double A. Pretty sad.

[Guest Coffey]

Did everyone just forget that Michael Hayes existed, or what?

[MikeJordan23 0]

Finally someone else mentions Arn Anderson.

 

Amazingly somebody listed the Ultimate Retard but not Double A. Pretty sad.

 

Arn Anderson at one time was cutting the best promos in the business.

[Guest Hass of Pain]

Chris Jericho hasn't cut a money drawing promo since he was in WCW, and Kurt Angle hasn't in his entire career so I don't know how either could really be considered top ten.

 

Good call on Michael Hayes.

[CanadianChris 0]

Chris Jericho hasn't cut a money drawing promo since he was in WCW,

Disagree on that. He was cutting excellent promos during his feud with the Rock.

 

My top 10 (no particular order):

 

The Rock

Ric Flair

Hulk Hogan

Roddy Piper

Raven

Steve Austin

Mick Foley

Jake Roberts

Michael Hayes

Fred Blassie

[MikeJordan23 0]

WTF how'd I forget Jake the Snake...Damn. He's definitely in the top 10, if not top 5.

[Jericho2000Mark 0]

Chris Jericho hasn't cut a money drawing promo since he was in WCW

 

His promos during his fueds with Rock and Michaels are as close to a "money drawing promo" as I've ever heard.

[MikeJordan23 0]

Chris Jericho hasn't cut a money drawing promo since he was in WCW

 

His promos during his fueds with Rock and Michaels are as close to a "money drawing promo" as I've ever heard.

 

"This is not a joke! I am not a joke you stupid son of a bitch!"

[BruiserKC 0]

Some names you guys are forgetting...

 

Ted DiBiase...especially in his Million Dollar Man days

 

Sid Vicious...in his early years Vicious has the awesome intense shaking monster promo thing down pat.

 

Gino Hernandez

 

Captain Lou Albano

[fisticuffs 0]

Flair is the fuckin' king on the mic. I don't see how he's not the clear cut #1 to some of you. I also agree with those of you that recognize the genius that is Double A.

 

Some guys that never cut memorable promos but were entertaining: Randy Savage, LOD, Jim Cornette, Rick Rude, Jimmy Valiant.

[chaosrage 0]

1. Mick Foley

2. The Rock

3. Steve Austin

4. Ric Flair

5. Shawn Michaels

6. Jake Roberts

7. Kurt Angle

8. Chris Jericho

9. Roddy Piper

10. Bret Hart

[Team Angle Pusher 0]

Triple H cannot hold anyone's interest longer than 40 seconds. Shawn Michaels best mic work was dick and fart jokes.

 

Really? Montreal 2005 as heel HBK. No way everything was scripted in that promo because he reacted to the crowd, what if the crowd didn't react that way. That was the best promo of 2005 and it showed HBK is one of the best on the mic as a Heel.

 

Not a top ten, just some guys who are great on the mic

 

The Rock

Steve Austin

Chris Jericho

Roddy Piper

Shawn Michaels

Michael Hayes

Vince McMahon (a lot of emotion in his voice)

Ric Flair

Christian

Ted DiBiase

Arn Anderson

JBL

Mick Foley

[Guest JMA]

I'd never put Michaels in my top ten. He can cut money promos as a heel, but as a face he's never been that great. He's not bad when he's cutting a face promo, mind you, he's just much better as a heel. I see the truly great mic workers would have to be able to cut consistently great promos as a heel or face. That being said, the Montreal promo was a thing of beauty--turning Shawn face again after the Hogan feud was a bad move.

 

My #1 choice would be Foley. He's the best at conveying emotion and convincing the audience that he truly believes what he's saying.

[Jericho2000Mark 0]

Triple H cannot hold anyone's interest longer than 40 seconds. Shawn Michaels best mic work was dick and fart jokes.

 

Really? Montreal 2005 as heel HBK. No way everything was scripted in that promo because he reacted to the crowd, what if the crowd didn't react that way. That was the best promo of 2005 and it showed HBK is one of the best on the mic as a Heel.

 

All he did was milk the cheap heat from Montreal.... It had nothing to do with his ability on the mic, because the montreal fans still would have reacted strongly to Michaels for his direct involvement in the screwjob, he just egged them on for 15 minutes. It doesn't take skill to do what he did. You make it sound like he was such a good heel that he had the crowd eating out of his hand...he isn't, those fans would of booed him strongly no matter what he said. "Montreal" heat is not "good heat", because there will never be a payoff to that heat.