For those not in the know, a promo is when a wrestler either in the ring or in the locker room area gets to show their mike skills.
For me, either the Rock
(crowd with him) If ya smelll, hey, wait a minute, no no no, this isn't sing along with the champ.
or the Road Dogg
(opening of each match)
"Ladies and Gentlemen, children of all ages, degeneration x is proud to bring to you the wwf TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS OF THE WORRRRRRRRLLLLLLLLLLDDDDD! The Road Dogg Jesse James, the bad ass Billy Gun, the new age outlaws!
Dubya
11-16-05, 02:01 AM
Ric Flair
The Rock
Jerry Lawler (back in the day)
Qui Gon Jim
11-16-05, 04:34 AM
Best part about the late 90's WWE was the level of involvement with the fans the promos had. The fans could interact by "singing along" with the catchphrases. I think that is one majorly overlooked facet of the huge success of the late 90's WWE(F).
I think Jake Roberts is way up there, as is the HBK. I loved the Rock too, in fact I would buy in a heartbeat any DVD that featured the build up to Rock v. Austin in a buried alive match. The promo in particular where he does a eulogy for Stone Cold starting with "Dearly trailer park trash..." is absoluely classic. I have searched high and low for even a MPEG or WMV of this promo to no avail.
Chris Jericho has to be up there near the top, as was the late great Eddie. Flair of olde in the NWA Horseman days was good as was The 'Merican Dweem Dusty Rhodes. Cornette and Heenan were also nice front men for those lacking promo ability.
Editied to add the great Mick Foley to the list. A glaring ommission.
Cool topic.
Manco
11-16-05, 05:30 AM
Ric Flair in the 80's.Someone should do a DVD with nothing but Ric Flair promos.
I also liked Shane Douglas ECW promos.
mlemmond
11-16-05, 07:10 AM
Ric Flair easily
raven56706
11-16-05, 07:32 AM
Chris Masters ;)
Quake1028
11-16-05, 07:43 AM
Ric Flair
Stone Cold Steve Austin
The Rock
Chris Jericho
Mick Foley
Bret Hart
Lunatikk
11-16-05, 08:00 AM
Rick Rude
Lunatikk
11-16-05, 08:00 AM
and Roddy Piper
GuessWho
11-16-05, 08:08 AM
Shawn Michaels -- although he invented "Suck it," he really didn't need/use catchphrases.
danegger
11-16-05, 08:12 AM
Austin, Foley, The Rock, Iceman "King" Parsons, The 4 Horsemen (Flair, Arn, Tully, and Ole) all come to mind.
Ric Flair in the 80's.Someone should do a DVD with nothing but Ric Flair promos.
I actually have a video of nothing but Flair promos, mostly from the '80's. Really good stuff.
MovieExchange
11-16-05, 08:32 AM
Edge & Christian when they were a tag team. Those were some of the funniest pre-match promos ever, and their backstage stuff with Kurt Angle as "Team ECK" were great as well.
Qui Gon Jim
11-16-05, 08:44 AM
Edge & Christian when they were a tag team. Those were some of the funniest pre-match promos ever, and their backstage stuff with Kurt Angle as "Team ECK" were great as well.
Chris Benoit is here and he's really mad, Chris Benoit is here and he's really ang-ree
Classic! To this day when Benoit's theme hits I hear that in my head.
raven56706
11-16-05, 08:45 AM
Shelton Benjamin
mlemmond
11-16-05, 09:21 AM
also...
Dusty Rhodes
Shawn Michaels
Roddy Piper
The Cow
11-16-05, 12:43 PM
Macho Man
raven56706
11-16-05, 01:11 PM
Macho man is the craziest of them all.... sometimes he just kept on like for 3 hours just to say a freaking sentence....
devilshalo
11-16-05, 01:51 PM
The obvious ones are already mentioned. So I'll add:
Old Sting
Hawk
Ivan & Nikita Koloff
The Fabulous Freebirds
If we can include managers:
Jim Cornette
Bobby Heenan
Nesbit
11-16-05, 01:53 PM
Chris Benoit is here and he's really mad, Chris Benoit is here and he's really ang-ree
Classic! To this day when Benoit's theme hits I hear that in my head.
Kazoos rule! Long live the streamer! And long live the zoo!
Manco
11-16-05, 05:24 PM
Macho Man
"HISTORY BECKON'S THE MACHO MAN!!!!!"
Qui Gon Jim
11-16-05, 05:34 PM
I was a huge mark for the Macho Man back in the day. I remember Wrestlemania V. Room full of my friends and my brother's friends, probably 30 people. All Hulkamaniacs except me. The shit I took when Mach dropped the strap.
I was a fan all the way until he sold out to WCW.
nodeerforamonth
11-16-05, 05:41 PM
Ric Flair
The Rock
and (though not a wrestler):
Jim Cornette
TheNightFlier
11-16-05, 05:48 PM
Flair
Pariah
11-16-05, 09:33 PM
I can't believe no one has mentioned Raven. Some of his promos are are as insane as Ultimate Warriors, yet they make sense.
Since all the other big stars have been named I'll add a few indy guys.
CM Punk. His promo from the RoH show "Wrestlerave" was incredible. I have to say all of his promos are great.
Christopher Daniels. His promo from RoH's "Do or Die" was good and his promo before TNA's Unbreakable was amazing.
Colt Cabana. The funniest man in wrestling, hands down, and he won a hopscotch trophy in 1995. Good Times, Great Memories is the best "talk show" in wrestling. For one reason Bobby Heenan was a regular guest. They once had a discussion over a girl in the audience's breasts. Colt said they are both fake, Heenan said only the left one was. Plus you can't beat "boo this man!"
Delirious. If you've never seen him nothing I can say can explain him. Lalalala bananna phone.
Bill Geiger
11-16-05, 11:16 PM
I also liked Shane Douglas ECW promos.
Totally agree, The Franchise had his thing down and was hands down the best during the 90's!
Was always a big fan of him and his promos.
Michael Sheridan
11-16-05, 11:48 PM
Come on, you had to love Roddy Piper....
"Just when you think youve got all the answers, I change the questions."
Charlie Goose
11-17-05, 12:40 AM
In no particular order
Ric Flair - Usually the highlight of the old TBS studio show. Remember those? The ring and about 30 fans. Sweet.
Arn Anderson
Roddy Piper - The 1980s only
Hulk Hogan - Always loathed Hulkamania and still do, but he could cut a promo like few others.
The Rock - I maintain that he only became such a huge star because of his catch phrases.
Taz - With one z. When he was the "F the World" Champion in ECW and doing the angry closeup promos with the ratty towel on his head. Very intimidating.
Harley Race - Always had the whole place riled up.
Dusty Rhodes - Could be annoying, if you weeeel.
Jim Cornette
Nick Bockwinkel - The charming and cultured heel.
Lou Albano
Bob Backlund - I always enjoyed the "golly gee whiz" style.
Mick Foley - The anti-hardcore series of promos rank up there as among the best I've ever seen.
Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Jerry Lawler - He always had the jokes. He still gets off a good one here and there.
Bobby Heenan
Billy Graham
Angelo Mosca - From the old days of CWF.
Ox Baker
Damn, this is just off the top of my head.
Mr. Cinema
11-17-05, 09:18 AM
The Million Dollar Man
Scott Hall
Rick Rude
Hulk Hogan
Roddy Piper
Ric Flair
Lunatikk
11-17-05, 09:33 AM
Hogan sucked, so predictable. It always went like this: Well you know brother.. blah blahblah.. hulkamania running wild.. blah blah blah... what 'cha gonna do blah blah blah.
PixyJunket
11-17-05, 11:21 AM
Hogan sucked, so predictable. It always went like this: Well you know brother.. blah blahblah.. hulkamania running wild.. blah blah blah... what 'cha gonna do blah blah blah.:lol: Yeah.. How I hate him. So very much.
That's why I'd never list The Rock for best promos. He's electric on the mic, no doubt, but his reliance on the same 2-3 catch phrase EACH AND EVERY TIME he picks up a mic grinds into my annoyance factor beyond comprehension. I've always been a big fan of Jericho's promos. In the time I've watched him, he never let a catchphrase get too stale, was always changing things up. Kurt Angle is also one of my favorites. But this last year I'd have to give best promo work to JBL.
Mick Foley
The Rock
and...... John Cena (runs out of thread.......)
I know John Cena doesn't have a lot of love as a wrestler, but he has made me laugh quite a few times over the last year.
Nesbit
11-17-05, 02:32 PM
I don't have any problems with Cena as a performer but he was much better as a heal than he has been in the past year. At least promo wise.
HN
11-17-05, 02:55 PM
I was rotfl when The Rock delivered this one, with impersonations and all:
(quoted from elsewhere)
'And it doesn't matter what you call, Kevin Kelly. Whether you call it a Hell in a Cell, Rage in a Cage, painus in you anus, the only the thing that matters, is that The Rock is going this Sunday night, to do exactly what he does best. Layeth the smacketh down and get back, The Rock's WWF Title. And the fact of the matter is this, is that The Rock knows this Sunday night, he has his work cut out for him. The Rock knows, he's got five other guys he's got to compete with. And even if The Rock has got to beat Kurt Angle, which means, 'I'm gonna drink a big glass of milk, eat some chocolate chip cookies and maybe I'll take three viagra'. Or maybe the Rock has got to face Rikishi, beat Rikishi. 'I did it for The Rock. I did it for the people. I did it for... oh, shut your mouth, you thong wearin' fatty. Or maybe The Rock has got to beat the Undertaker, the American bad-ass, beat him so bad, that one more he'll raise up... 'Rest in peace!' Or maybe The Rock has got Triple H himself, which meeeaaaanssaaa, he's got to beat The Gaaammeeeaa, in the middle of the riinnnggaaa. And he has a two dollar slut for a wwwiiiiffffeeeaa! Or maybe The Rock, has gotta beat... Stone Cold Steve Austin. Which means I gotta get my, I gotta get my pick-up truck, drink some Steve-wisers, listen to some Backstreet Boys. And that's the bottom line, 'cause the Great One said so.!'
raven56706
11-17-05, 03:22 PM
classic promo..... now we are stuck with the likes of John Cena ....
just someone put a mask on Shelton benjamin and make him a freaking ninja....give shelton a freaking chance
fujishig
11-17-05, 05:28 PM
The Rock - I maintain that he only became such a huge star because of his catch phrases.
I doubt you'd find many who'd argue that point, or who think Rock became so popular purely because of his wrestling ability. I mean, he's no stiff, but still... his natural charisma and his promos were classic.
DRG
11-17-05, 05:47 PM
Edge & Christian when they were a tag team. Those were some of the funniest pre-match promos ever, and their backstage stuff with Kurt Angle as "Team ECK" were great as well.
One of my favorites of theirs I still laugh at to this day:
"The Game? Who is your manager, Milton Bradley?"
Rypro 525
11-18-05, 06:25 PM
even though this one probably doesn't have them all, but this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004STEF/104-5649983-5016736?v=glance&n=130&v=glance
dvd contains some of the Rock's best promos (including a very special kind of pie, those 99/2000 wwf fans will know what this means)
Bell65
11-19-05, 12:22 AM
Dude, we're alllimiting ourselves to a lot of WWE/F
Honestly, Flair was awesome, but less we forget Tazz and Foley's ECW shoots. and if we're lookin for comedy...
the rock was great, but less we forget Mortimer Plumtree Tree pre show quotes...
"I leave the ladies screamin'
for my vanilla flavored semen"
I think this guy has some great potential, and it looks like WWE feels the same way..
ElementZ
11-19-05, 09:49 AM
The person that always made me spit out my beer is none other than the "Quintessential Studmuffin" Joel 'You can't have your pudding if you don't eat your meat' Gertner. Here are some of my favourites.
"The man who drove Beulah McGullislutty into the mat so hard she didn't know whether to urinate, deficate, or ejaculate, I present to you Buh Buh Ray Dudley."
The quintessential muffstuffer - opps, I mean studdmuffin
"Joel 'Just like the Rubix Cube, the more you play with it, the harder it gets' Gertner"
"Joel 'Put your lipstick on my dipstick' Gertner"
"Joel 'I've busted more nuts than a peanut factory' Gertner"
"Joel 'Bigger and better than the Titanic, because only 400 women went down on the Titanic' Gertner"
"And there's me, Joel 'The biggest ladykiller in Buffalo since O.J. Simpson' Gertner."
"Joel 'I'm like the middle of the litter box...I'm always surrounded by pussy' Gertner"
Also, the dudleys were nuts in ECW.
Remember when they hit the ring the crowd wanted to kill them.
darkside
11-19-05, 11:12 AM
In the 80's and 90's I loved Ric Flair's promos though he was predictible. The Rock was flat out hilarious at times and next to Flair he is my favorite. Granted he could be predictible as well, but looking back he was great on the mic.
Recently I can't think of much, but that recent bit Stone Cold did about Stephanie's nuts falling out was pretty funny.
mikewendt
11-19-05, 12:22 PM
ECW had some of the best promos ever.
Joel "Insert Hysterically Vulgar Poem" Gertner...
Shane Douglas... Best shoot promos, and the first thing that attracted me to ECW.
Bubba Ray Dudley... Damn could he get under a crowd's skin. One of the best lines, "If God was a heel he'd be The Dudley Boys!"
Taz... One of the most miserable bastards on TV.
and I can't leave out, Paul Heyman... The "I hate your guts!" shoot on Vince was classic.
In the other feds...
Flair, Austin (pre "What?"), Rock, Jeff Jarrett, Road Dogg (the same ol' thing is getting a little old but he can still talk), Jericho, Christian's become really good...
I'm sure I'm leaving a bunch out, this was just off the top of my head.
gmal2003
11-19-05, 07:37 PM
Good thread. Brings back alot of memories. I always thought heels were the ones that were truly talented ones on the mic. Kurt Angle is unrated in this regard.
Mr. Cinema
11-19-05, 08:15 PM
Flair was my favorite as far as reactions in the ring. When he would get hit hard, he would turn around, start walking and then fall on his face. Greg "The Hammer" Valentine did a similar thing in his glory days.
Da Thrilla
11-22-05, 11:30 PM
Yeah Joel Gertner was pretty damn funny :lol:
But the best I've even seen: The Rock
other notables:
Stone Cold
Ric Flair and Roddy Piper are pretty crazy
JBL is a great speaker
Mr. Kennnnnnnnnnedy
and you can't beat..."WELL YOU KNOW SOMETHING BROTHER!"
I'm forgetting a bunch.
NORML54601
11-22-05, 11:42 PM
Have only seen Angle mentioned a couple of times. He was the first that came to mind.
Bell65
11-28-05, 10:38 PM
The person that always made me spit out my beer is none other than the "Quintessential Studmuffin" Joel 'You can't have your pudding if you don't eat your meat' Gertner. Here are some of my favourites.
"The man who drove Beulah McGullislutty into the mat so hard she didn't know whether to urinate, deficate, or ejaculate, I present to you Buh Buh Ray Dudley."
The quintessential muffstuffer - opps, I mean studdmuffin
"Joel 'Just like the Rubix Cube, the more you play with it, the harder it gets' Gertner"
"Joel 'Put your lipstick on my dipstick' Gertner"
"Joel 'I've busted more nuts than a peanut factory' Gertner"
"Joel 'Bigger and better than the Titanic, because only 400 women went down on the Titanic' Gertner"
"And there's me, Joel 'The biggest ladykiller in Buffalo since O.J. Simpson' Gertner."
"Joel 'I'm like the middle of the litter box...I'm always surrounded by pussy' Gertner"
Also, the dudleys were nuts in ECW.
Remember when they hit the ring the crowd wanted to kill them.
I stand ashamed and uncorrected, my post for mortimer plumtree was for Joel gertner, no idea how i got the 2 fucked up...joel gertner hands down is the funniest promo cutter ever, if u would call them promos!
Rypro 525
07-05-06, 08:22 PM
found 2 great ones on youtube
Kane speaks!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkbHtiBDBpo
Jericho's wwf debut
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFX7_4uTqhI
Buy: