Evaluating Byron Saxton's Commentary Work for WWE Thus Far

Thrust into a high-profile spot on the WWE announce desk, Byron Saxton has received a glut of criticism for his commentary early on.

The former NXT commentator has moved to SmackDown, and now with Booker T tasked with duties related to Tough Enough, Raw as well. His detractors may be overly harsh at times, but there is plenty lacking in how he calls a match.

That was most apparent when Brock Lesnar went full Hulk on the Raw after WrestleMania and smashed everyone in sight, Michael Cole and John "Bradshaw" Layfield included. Thanks to that storyline, Saxton was out there on his own. It was a lackluster effort met with the online equivalent of a Bronx cheer.

Saxton's work overall hasn't generated great reviews, though.

Brian Gulish of Chair Shot Reality said that Saxton's work puts him to sleep. On ProWrestling.net, Jason Powell wrote, "Let's just say that Michael Cole has nothing to worry about when it comes to job security and the threat of Byron Saxton." Smith Hart mockingly called him "Mr. Excitement" on Twitter:

As much truth as there is in these jabs, they don't tell the full story. Saxton's strengths aren't discussed nearly enough.

His best work comes when he helps add a narrative layer to the stories playing out in the ring. 

Stories and Stakes

In the quiet moments of the match where a mat technician is cranking an armbar on an opponent or when a weary foe is struggling to his feet, Saxton is at his peak.

He does a good job of reminding the audience of the stakes involved. Whether it's momentum, championships, pride or revenge, Saxton creates the image of the carrot that these horses are running after.

In addition, he builds onto the in-ring story by playing up the characters' distinct qualities. In that way, he bolsters what the wrestlers do in the ring. 

Take Dolph Ziggler's battle with Kevin Owens on the June 15 edition of Raw. The Showoff was just one night removed from a vicious Ladder match. Saxton made sure to use that fact to shine a light on Ziggler's heart.

He said, "How about the guts of Dolph Ziggler here? Battered, bruised, beat up after he was in that Money in the Bank contract Ladder match with six other Superstars, still coming out here and saying, 'You know what? Here's an opportunity to take the NXT Championship. I'll take it.'"

In that match, he did a good job of diving into Owens' state of mind as well. He painted Owens as a two-faced, sadistic predator.

And he made sure to talk up what a win would mean for Ziggler.

That's something Saxton does often and something he does well. He did it when Kofi Kingston was looking to knock off Roman Reigns on June 8. Kingston was on a bit of a roll, which inspired Saxton to ask, "What would it do for the momentum of Kofi Kingston, the momentum of New Day, to pick up a win tonight against Roman Reigns?"

Too often, WWE commentators spend too much time throwing in one-liners and going on tangents. Saxton doesn't do that; he is usually more match-focused than many of his peers.

That allows him to amplify the existing story as he did when Paige and Emma collided for the NXT Women's Championship at NXT Arrival.

Emma was exhibiting a tougher, more aggressive side of herself. Saxton seemed to be in awe of that transformation.

"Once again Emma is showing so much in this match that we have never seen before," he said.

This part of his game is why Saxton is where he is today. It's when he's asked to call the immediate action or insert emotion that he falls short.

Voice, Style

Saxton is often too understated. When there's a chance to ramp up the excitement of a bout, he offers a monotone delivery. When the match calls for the announcer to be thrilled, stunned or disgusted, he's still stuck in first gear.

There's an overall lack of intensity to his work.

He's more golf announcer than Joey Styles, and that clashes with the larger-than-life world of WWE. That may be something he can adjust over time. Announcing is a mighty difficult enterprise with several elements to master, and perhaps he learns to turn up the volume and energy knob over time.

For now, though, the inability to do that is his biggest flaw.

Saxton's chances to carry the load of the broadcast have flopped. Much of that is about not projecting enough emotion. Fans saw that on display when Brock Lesnar returned to Raw after Money in the Bank. 

Here was a major moment, the beastly Lesnar coming back to WWE TV for the first time in months. Seth Rollins was liable to get a thrashing. Fear permeated Cole's voice. JBL sounded as if he was in awe.

Saxton responded to Lesnar's arrival by saying, "I cannot believe what I am seeing."

The words were fine, but the emotion wasn't present. What should have been astonishment sounded more like mild interest.

And overall, Saxton is too quiet. Commentators have to let moments breathe but also insert themselves into the broadcast. He too often lets the match unfold while he remains tight-lipped, while every voice but his is heard.

An excellent example of that issue is the early part of Rollins' battle with J&J Security. It is not until 45 seconds into the match that we hear Saxton's first words.

Perhaps some of that is borne from a lack of confidence. One would imagine that it's partly due to Vince McMahon telling him not to just blather on throughout the action.

Even if that is the case, he has to make more of an impact when he does interject. Cranking up the emotion is the first step and learning to maximize big moments is second on his to-do list.

Big Moments

A good commentator provides the exclamation point at the end of the sentence that wrestlers write. Saxton often just sticks a period on instead. Or worse yet, he lets the moment go to waste, not saying anything at all.

Take the aforementioned Ziggler vs. Owens match.

At one point, the NXT champ hurls Ziggler over the guardrail. Cole calls the move, shock swelling in his throat. There is then silence, no additions from Saxton.

When J&J Security defeated Rollins in perhaps the biggest upset of the year. Cole and JBL yell into the microphone. JBL dubs the victory "the Bourbon Street Nightmare." Saxton, meanwhile, offers nothing.

Reigns took on Sheamus this past Monday and laid him out with a flying clothesline that sent him crashing onto the announce desk. JBL says, "Wow!" Cole talks about how Sheamus is splattered onto the table.

Again, there is no input from Saxton.

Working a three-man booth means letting other guys speak their piece, but he slides into the background a lot. It's too easy to forget he's there at times. 

And when he does step up for these kinds of moments, he doesn't make the kind of mark one would expect. Take Adrian Neville (now just Neville) powerbombing Dallas into a ladder at NXT Arrival, for example.

A man cracked another man's spine onto steel, a move that is sure to change the complexion of the bout, one that needs emphatic punctuation. Saxton simply said, "Gosh!" "As God as my witness, he is broken in half" that whatnot.

WWE's announce team is often unfairly criticized, fans not giving Cole and company their due for what they do get right. That's certainly the case with Saxton. He does have his successes; he does show promise.

However, he clearly has work to do to be a top announcer. Much of that work involves him increasing the emotional voltage of his announcing. For now, he's just producing a flicker of electricity.