NXT announcer Mauro Ranallo proved why he is the best mic man around during NXT Takeover New Orleans when WWE cameras recorded his reactions during the ladder match still annunciating without effort. This got my grey cells thinking about he could currently be the best around. He describes action very reminiscent of how Jim Ross caresses words while portraying unadulterated passion of an “OH MY GOD” Joey Styles.
When Jim Ross described Mick Foley being thrown from the top of the cell at Hell in Cell by The Undertaker, if Jim Ross wasn’t commentating that night, those words “As God is my witness, he’s Broken in Half” wouldn’t have become iconic and legendary as they are today. Mauro Ranallo has Pro Wrestling ability to be the man whose voice brings moments to life.
The Canadian has an unbelievable knack to make sports sound exponentially beautiful, engaging people like myself to switch over to his commentary. Whether it’s NJPW, MMA, Showtime Boxing, Smackdown: Live or NXT he’s encapsulating vocal talents brings matches to another level of life, proven via the ladder match featuring Ricochet, EC3, Adam Cole, Lars Sullivan, Killian Dain and Velveteen Dream at the last Takeover. The rapport with him, Nigel McGuinness and Percy Watson enable the three to display their different personalities and unique knowledge.
A little note, I reckon Nigel McGuiness would be a great leader for a young British Faction within NXT.
A little about the Canadian cat, Mauro Ranallo. Starting at the tender age of 16 years old working the mic at local wrestling events. In 2006 he became the voice for Pride Fighting championships, Oh, boy this is when it all went down with his severe knowledge of combat sports. If you’re an MMA fan you need to go historical for Pride’s catalogue of fights including legends, Fedor Emelienko, Minoru Suzuki, Cro- Cop, Bas Rutten, Chuck Liddell, Kevin Randleman, Don Frye, Kazushi Sakarabu and Quentin Jackson. Later moving to UFC’s biggest rival, Strikeforce, the first promotion to a hold female main event Pay Per View headlined by Cyborg v Carano. You hear his passion throughout his Strikieforce tenure. Listen to him the moment Dan Henderson wins a belt, any Paul Daley and Nick Diaz fights. Get this, he managed to make the McGregor v Mayweather boxing event sound enjoyable.
Ranallo’s been in professional wrestling since Mary Berry baked a cookie, his transferable skills make him the icon of style, the voice I can follow, the charisma of a pro wrestler, he is the Bi-Polar Rock n Roller and yeah, I’m kissing backside and I don’t care.
Away from Wrestling, MMA and boxing Maura Ranallo is an advocate for mental health. The self-proclaimed bipolar RocknRolla is open about his own mental wellbeing. His words, his honesty opened doors for men and women of all ages to speak freely about their own demons, their own illnesses, their own mental health issues, letting likeminded people to realise they’re not alone. Being surrounded in the combat sports entity allows others to be honest and open and walk tentatively hand in hand and be free from the isolation of the mind.
His passionate vocabulary matches the desire of the NXT crowd as Aleister Black wins the NXT title, as Johnny Gargano defeats his one-time tag partner. Tomaso Ciampo. The re-working of War Games a violent mess of crazy moves and high spots where Ranallo gels the efforts of wrestlers, the roar of the crowd as he verbally represents the feelings through the TV screen.
Do this, go make yourself a cup of tea and pretend to have Ranallo talking through every move you make, he’ll give life to tea making. Yeah, I’m a fanboy and so is Showtime the home to Boxing, Muay Thai and Invicta who release documentary BiPolar Rock N Roller on the 25th May.
