Underrated Talkers In WWE!

[Hard Hit Prince]

Generally there are three ways to evaluate a wrestler's ability - his in-ring work, his promo work and his popularity/sales. Sometimes a bad wrestler and a bad talker can turn out to be a big hit, such as former World Heavyweight Champion The Great Khali (he's freaking popular in India, I'm not kidding). On the other hand you also have great all around performers who never seemed to "do it" for the fans, someone like Alberto Del Rio. There are a lot of examples as I'm sure most of you know a lot more than me, but today let's just look at the best talkers we have inside the WWE. I'm not talking about guys who everyone knows can cut a great promo - John Cena, Paul Heyman, Kevin Owens, Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt, Seth Rollins, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, The Rock... I'm talking about the current guys that most people forget how good they can be with a microphone.

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First and foremost, in my opinion, we have Randy Orton. "The Viper" is never associated with his promo work, as much as his in-ring ability or his patented RKO. However there were many times in his career where Orton was just freaking awesome selling a match/feud. Nowadays it seems that WWE just forgot how to use Orton. His last title reign was overshadowed by Daniel Bryan's rise to the top and so Orton never really had a chance to up his game (even though him and Cena had an awesome trade before unifying the world championships).

The second one is The Miz. If there's a reason for The Miz's 160 day WWE title reign it's obviously his promo work. Back in 2010/2011 there were even audience members who cheered The Miz over Steve Austin just because how good he was at being the obnoxious, cocky and coward heel that his face so rightfully tell. Since then, he got the MizTV segment, but that was never really about him. Most of the times, it's actually WWE just using him to hype other feuds and when was the last time that actually worked? The Miz is so much good at being a cocky heel that he deserves to tell us, how he came from nothing to main eventing WrestleMania! Something CM Punk never did!

My third guy on the list is Damien Sandow. Remember Miz's double? Before that he was just great at being the Intellectual Savior of The Masses. He was so funny and his delivery was so rich that he got to win a Money In The Bank briefcase. Only of course, to see the opportunity blow up in his face, thanks to the end of the separated brands and of course, John Cena. After that he never really got that much attention and mic time, and it's a damn shame. Who here, does not miss the "Silence" catchphrase? He was so articulated that the gimmick just fit him perfectly.

I'll leave my honorable mentions to Mark Henry, Stardust & Wade Barrett.

So your turn, who is the most underrated talker in WWE right now? Why do you think that is and what promo really caught your attention?

 

[OYDK]

Xavier Woods- he's really solid on the mic and has been the primary component in getting New Day over with the crowd. Rarely botches and has been entertaining crowds with his promos now for a while.

Cody Rhodes- I wouldn't call him great on the mic, but I would describe him as solidly reliable. Almost every gimmick Rhodes has had, he has been able to portray with success and a lot of that has to do with mic ability. He's nothing special but his promos are definitely underrated.

The Big Show/Kane: I think these two are in the top level of mic workers right now. They've been in the business forever and it's obvious how comfortable they are. Big Show especially is a great promo in my opinion.

 

[5 Moves of Doom]

I would say Kofi Kingston is also underrated. He is decent when they let him talk.

 

[S.J. Maximus]

I honestly really like Rusev on the mic. His deliberate yelling and constant butchering of the English language reminds me of an angry Santino Marella, who most would agree is among the most entertaining people with a microphone of the last 10 years. I constantly find myself cracking up or simply entertained during a Rusev rant.

New Day is obviously very good too, but I think everyone is starting to see that so I wouldn't call them underrated. Woods is the most competent I'd say, but Big E is great and Kofi has great comedic timing.

 

[BillAlfonsos_Whistle]

First, I'd like to refute the OP.
I agree with the Miz being talented on the Mic in many different ways. Host/Hell/Announcer whatever they really need or want from the guy. Anyone who doesn't give him credit for working his way up to where he has been and is can shut it.


As far as Orton goes I couldn't disagree more. He is so scripted and robotic. I always try to like the guy. I loved him as the legend killer and since that era he's just gone down and down. Don't get me started on Face Orton. It's HORRIBLE. Dude should have been a heel or tweener his entire career.

 

[MartialHorror]

The Miz is excellent on the mic, although I don't know if he's underrated since even most of his detractors generally acknowledge this. I'd probably say either Ryback or Roman Reigns. They aren't among the best talkers, but they're currently better than they're usually given credit for.

Stardust also doesn't usually get brought up as one of the better talkers, but he's really good too.

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

As far as Orton goes I couldn't disagree more. He is so scripted and robotic. I always try to like the guy. I loved him as the legend killer and since that era he's just gone down and down. Don't get me started on Face Orton. It's HORRIBLE. Dude should have been a heel or tweener his entire career.

It's part of his character. He's very methodical in everything he does in the ring and on the mic. You sound like one of those people who complain because guys like Henry and Ryback don't talk like Jericho. A big, musclebound guy like them would sound stupid if they cut sophisticated promos. It's not in their character. If you can't understand that, then there's really no bother to discuss it further.

If you want to talk truly underrated, I'd say guys like Miz and Sandow shouldn't even be on this list. Many people around here understand they can talk on the mic very well, even if they don't like them otherwise.

Guys like Big Show and Kane are truly underrated, at least around here. So many people around here are so sick of seeing them that they use their bias to completely ignore that both of them are very good on the mic. I was actually surprised on Monday when Kane added a little tweak in his usual promos with the sort of demented kind of laugh when talking to Rollins on the tron.

Henry is definitely underrated. During his Hall of Pain run he showed how a heel Ryback should be cutting his promos. Short, fierce and to the point.

Cody Rhodes can cut a good promo as well, it's just harder to tell with the wierd Stardust gimmick.

 

[JoeMallard]

Ryback is extremely underrated Since he's been back his promos have improved immensely. He's been able to add real life struggles into his promos, which has made them not seem forced. He keeps getting better, I'm ready to see how working with Owens with help him.

I'm sure people will disagree with me, but I think Rusev has been looked over. Since he and Lana have split, he has been improving. He is now being allowed to speak some English, which will help him in the long run. It is really hard to tell how much he has improved when he's stuck in this love storyline where he has to talk all sappy.

 

[MartialHorror]

Yeah, Rusev has also been overlooked. I like the intensity behind his promos and the broken English kind of works for him. My problem with A LOT of wrestlers these days is that they're too smooth and soft in their delivery. No one sounds like they really want to fight each-other. But Rusev has such a forceful way of talking that it makes his desire to 'crush' seem more genuine.

Did Randy Orton sound like he wanted to destroy Sheamus when they had their boring feud? No, his promos just seemed kind of bland. The Ziggler/Rusev storyline is like the worst thing ever, but at least Rusev has passionate promos.

 

[That N Word]

I'm going to go with Roman Reigns,Ryback,Big Show and Kane. The four most disliked by the IWC. Kane and Show are damn good on the mic and are very underrated in that category and always have been. Ryback and Reigns has gone from being terrible to above average on the mic.

People say Reigns suck on the mic, but he hasnt cut a bad promo since Royal Rumble and people still says he sucks. He isn't a Rock or CM Punk. But he has improved a helluva lot on the mic. He is a solid 7.5 on the mic at this point. Just my opinion

 

[Jeff Deliverer of Mail]

It's never mentioned enough. But Stephanie McMahon can grab a mic and go with anyone in the WWE , anyone. She really has Vince's blood on that mic and she's totally engaging. I'd like her to personally back someone, be it a Diva...Superstar or whatever and have her work the mic on her own away from The Authority as a bad manager type. Just to see how she would do. A verbal tirade vs Paul Haymen showing her support for a Brock Lesnar opponent or something.

She doesn't get a fraction of the time on the mic as anyone else does, but when she does grab the mic, she is never dull.