Many wrestling fans often overlook ring announcers. However, when one of these talents is excellent at their job, it makes it easy to fall in love with their voice as they introduce the wrestlers when they come out to the ring. Honestly, the ring announcer is such an essential part of a wrestling match.
Since the Attitude Era, it seemed more important to hear the glass break or for The Rock to ask if you smell what he is cooking to get fans off their feet. With that said, when the announcer introduces each wrestler (possibly even listing their weight and home town), it brought a level of respect to the match. Let's celebrate some of the greatest ring announcers ever to grace WWE.
10 10. JOJO OFFERMAN
JoJo Offerman wasn't around for a long time, but she appeared to be possibly the woman who could finally replace Lilian Garcia as the top ring announcer in WWE. She started on Total Divas in 2013, but she never seemed comfortable in that role and soon moved on to her work as a ring announcer.
JoJo Offerman moved to NXT and started announcing matches there, becoming their top ring announcer from 2013 until 2015. At that time, she moved up to the main roster and performed the same role for various brands until she disappeared. She began a relationship with Bray Wyatt and the two had a baby this year, explaining her absence.
9 9. MIKE ROME
Mike Rome is one of the newest names in WWE when it comes to ring announcers, but fans have gotten to know his voice quite well due to one thing: Rome is the ring announcer for SmackDown Live on Tuesday nights and he is often the man Shane McMahon focuses on.
Shane has started to call himself the "Best in the World," and every time he comes to the ring, he works his ring entrance like a conductor, showing Rome how long to hold his name when announcing him. If anything, Rome has a perfect voice to be a ring announcer in WWE, as long as Shane McMahon doesn't cause people to hate him.
8 8. BRANDI RHODES
Today, wrestling fans know Brandi Rhodes as the wife of Cody Rhodes, the Chief Brand Officer of AEW and the head of the women's division there. However, before she was any of those things, Brandi was known as Eden Stiles, and she was an announcer in WWE.
She started as a ring announcer in 2011 for Superstars and worked part-time for SmackDown Live. In 2013, she returned to WWE and became the ring announcer for NXT and then for both SmackDown and WWE Main Event. She even got a chance to work as a ring announcer at WrestleMania 31.
7 7. DAVID PENZER
While David Penzer did not work specifically for WWE, he was a referee for WCW for eight years until WWE purchased the company. He started up with WCW in 1994 and was mentored by Gary Michael Cappetta to become his replacement. By 1995, Eric Bischoff made Penzer the lead ring announcer for WCW.
David Penzer was a staple of WCW and was part of every single television taping of both WCW Monday Nitro and WCW Thunder. After WWE purchased WCW, Penzer eventually found his way to TNA Impact Wrestling, where he worked for five years.
6 6. GARY CAPPETTA
Gary Michael Cappetta is one of the legendary, iconic names when it comes to ring announcers in professional wrestling. He worked as a ring announcer for over 20 years, calling matches all over the world. He performed the role in WWE from 1974 until 1985 and then moved on.
After his time in WWE came to an end, he worked for the AWA and then WCW before moving on to backstage work in Ring of Honor. Cappetta had a hand in training David Penzer in WCW, helping pass on his experience to future generations.
5 5. TONY CHIMEL
Tony Chimel started working for WWE as a ring technician and then got a chance to begin working as a ring announcer in 1989. While he got his start working the B-shows in WWE, he waited and learned under the legendary Howard Finkel until he got his chance to step up.
That time came in 1999 when Tony Chimel took part in a historic moment. He was the ring announcer when SmackDown premiered and continued to work in that capacity for the TV show and all SmackDown pay-per-view events until 2007. Chimel is still with WWE, now working as a production manager.
4 4. JUSTIN ROBERTS
Justin Roberts started working as a ring announcer in professional wrestling a the age of 16, in various independent wrestling promotions. In 2002, WWE took notice and hired him to work as a ring announcer on SmackDown and then moved him to Raw. Roberts also worked on Heat and Velocity.
When WWE started up ECW again, Roberts became the ring announcer there, before moving back to SmackDown in 2007. Perhaps his biggest moments came when he announced the Undertaker vs. Edge match at WrestleMania XXIV, and then at WrestleMania XXVII for the entire show. Roberts is now in AEW.
3 3. LILIAN GARCIA
Lilian Garcia is perhaps the only superstar ring announcer an entire generation of WWE fans will know. She started working for WWE in 1999, making her debut as a ring announcer on Monday Night Raw during the Attitude Era. Garcia also gained recognition for her singing career, and she has performed the National Anthem at WWE events numerous times.
In 2016, after 17 years, Garcia left WWE, although she still returns on occasion. Her last major ring announcing appearance was at WWE Evolution in 2018.
2 2. MICHAEL BUFFER
Michael Buffer might be the most famous ring announcer in the world, and only part of that is because of professional wrestling. In 1982, Buffer started his career in the role in boxing, and he was announcing all boxing matches one year later for ESPN. This role made him a national star.
In WCW, Michael Buffer became the exclusive ring announcer for all WCW matches featuring Hulk Hogan, as well as other main events at PPVs. He worked for WCW until 2001 when WWE purchased the company. He last served as the guest ring announcer for the WWE Royal Rumble in 2008.
1 1. HOWARD FINKEL
Howard Finkel is easily the most beloved ring announcer in WWE history. He started working for WWE in 1975 and is still with the company to this day, the longest-tenured employee on staff. In 1977, he started working as the WWE's principal ring announcer.
Howard Finkel was the announcer for some of WrestleMania's most significant moments. He worked non-stop as the most famous voice in the company until 1995. Even now, over 40 years later, Finkel makes random on-screen appearances and works in a backstage role for the company.