Commentators play a huge role in professional wrestling, being the people who paint the stories for fans to understand. They bring excitement and passion to every match, helping turn good ones great, and bad ones into something acceptable. They also piece together the missing blanks that some fans might miss.
Within AEW and WWE, there are a lot of great commentators right now, all of whom offer something different. Some prove to be more analytical, while others are all about having fun and bringing the energy. Of course, every fan has different tastes when it comes to what they want, and there is truly someone for everybody in the commentating world.
10 Wade Barrett
Wade Barrett is a brilliant commentator who brings a lot of energy into everything he does in NXT. Having a former wrestler is always beneficial, as he can tap into his own experiences, which he does. Barrett also brings quite a bit of comedy to his work with different comments.
This is something he has done more increasingly due to the product that he is working on right now with NXT 2.0. However, he is still finding his footing overall in terms of pacing, but there is no doubt he works well on that show.
9 Jimmy Smith
Jimmy Smith is also new to the commentary world in WWE, and he is still finding his feet on Monday Night Raw. However, in Smith, WWE has found somebody that they can develop over time. He comes from the MMA world, so there has been a learning process in terms of moves and story.
However, as each week goes by, Smith has become more comfortable with the role. He does a great job at knowing when to jump in, and when to let the action breathe, and he is sure to become a top WWE commentator.
8 Byron Saxton
Byron Saxton is quite a controversial commentator, with some loving his work, and others being less fond of it. Byron brings a lot of energy, which is great, and he bounces back and forth with Corey Graves nicely, but sometimes their arguing can overtake matches, which is not ideal.
Saxton plays up the goofy babyface who simply loves to be there, and at times that works, and others it falls flat. However, when it comes to just calling the big matches, and setting the emotional tone, he does a fantastic job.
7 Jim Ross
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There is no denying that Jim Ross is one of the best commentators of all time, but the current version of JR is not him in his prime. However, he is still thriving, and knows how to add the right level of emotion into situations, which helps drive AEW's product forwards.
There are times when JR does struggle with AEW, which is mainly because of the pacing and the fact he is more familiar with WWE's style. Plus, hearing him call out the flaws of things like rule-breaking only highlights one of AEW's biggest issues. However, on the whole, JR has settled into this role perfectly, and he is still capable of a great call.
6 Corey Graves
Corey Graves is similar to JR in the sense that he can be great, or quite poor. A lot of it depends on how much he wants to tap into being a heel. Graves can go way over the top with that throughout the show, which takes away from the work that he is there to do.
However, when he's on form, talking through the moves, providing great analysis on things, Graves can be amongst the very best. He certainly has it in him to be a tremendous commentator, and those moments are always fun to hear.
5 Tony Schiavone
Having Tony Schiavone's voice back on television has been excellent, and he is a terrific addition to the AEW team. While there are times he can get a little caught up in things, showing bias that can lead to him rambling over promos, for the most part, he is consistently great.
Schiavone knows when to bring the emotion and excitement, and he always takes it up a notch for the big moments. He draws audiences in with his comments, and his ability to tell the story of the match is amongst the best in the game.
4 Vic Joseph
Vic Joseph has quite consistently been one of the best commentators around for a while now. The work he does in NXT is fantastic, steering the ship every week with his calm and reassuring manner. Joseph brings good knowledge, and his ability to adapt to other styles is great.
NXT 2.0 has vastly different personalities to commentate for, and Joseph does a terrific job of managing that. He never misses a beat, and his ability to be so consistent is a great sign for him and his future in the business.
3 Michael Cole
There was a period when WWE fans would hate on Michael Cole. A lot of this goes back to the heel gimmick he did for too long, but the current version of him is excellent. He truly is the voice of WWE, and he will go down as one of the best to ever do it, being consistently great every week.
Cole calls the action perfectly, telling every story that needs to be told. While there can be times when it feels like he has lines to throw out for the sake of it, like the dreaded, 'it's boss time,' he also knows how to live in the moment. Cole is superb at what he does, and that adds to the product.
2 Pat McAfee
Pat McAfee isn't around to provide detailed analysis or a breakdown of each move like some people are. What he does bring, is untapped energy that no commentator can match, and a lot of excitement. Listening to him simply lose himself in the product helps the fans at home have fun with him.
He is very over the top, but that has worked for him. McAfee has an amazing rapport with Michael Cole, and they bounce off each other well. Pat sells everything that is going on in the ring brilliantly, truly being a one-of-a-kind commentator.
1 Excalibur
Excalibur brings a bit of everything into his commentary work. He has tons of energy, which he throws into every single match and moment. This makes all the segments feel big, and that tone never wavers. However, he is also an amazing play-by-play guy, who brings an unbelievable amount of knowledge.
There is no commentator who knows wrestling like he does, and that is perfect for the AEW environment. When there are crazy moves taking place, Exaclibur can be trusted to explain them. He tells the backstory of everything, and always adds to the story, proving himself to be the ultimate commentator.