Samoa Joe and the 10 Best Mic Workers in WWE Today

At their core, pro wrestlers are performers, and part of their performance always includes having to deliver promos and interact with other Superstars.

A wrestler can get by on pure athletic ability only for so long. In order to make it to the top of the mountain, you have to be able to engage the audience with your words.

Some wrestlers have actually been more successful than others who were arguably better in the ring because they could deliver a killer promo. 

Today's environment requires Superstars to be good on the mic. It's no longer enough to be technically proficient, especially if you want to succeed in a bigger promotion like WWE.

Let's take a look at the best mic workers in WWE today and what makes them so special. Teams are counted as one entry.

Alexa Bliss

Love her or hate her, Alexa Bliss is undoubtedly one of the best mic workers in the entire company, and that is why she is always featured so prominently.

Even when she was dealing with a concussion, WWE kept her on television because she is such a strong character in the women's division.

Bliss' ability to switch from sweet to mean in a split second is amazing. She keeps people guessing as to whether she will ever turn babyface because when she is pretending to be nice, we buy it.

The Goddess managed to become a breakout star when everyone was still talking about The Four Horsewomen kick-starting the Women's Revolution. That is an accomplishment in itself.

Bliss is going to have a long career as long as she can stay healthy and continues to churn out great performances.

Bray Wyatt

Bray Wyatt has always been one of the most unique characters in WWE history, and part of his mystique comes from the promos he has delivered.

His speeches haven't always made sense, but they always leave an impression on the viewer and that is more important than anything else.

His new gimmick is going to be interesting to watch develop over the next few months. He appears to be moving away from the cult-leader vibe he cultivated for more of a demonic character.

It's too bad WWE dropped the ball with The Wyatt Family a few times because it had the potential to be one of the greatest stables of all time thanks to Wyatt. 

Becky Lynch

One year ago, Becky Lynch would not have made this list. She was a standard babyface character with little or no direction until she decked Charlotte Flair in the face at SummerSlam 2018.

Once she was allowed to shift gears and portray a rebel who was willing to do anything to succeed, The Man was like a whole new person.

Lynch's promos helped her continue growing as a performer, and she has firmly placed herself at the top of the women's division in less than a year.

She is now one of the centerpieces of Raw alongside her boyfriend, Seth Rollins, although it would be great to see her make a real attempt at being a heel someday since it didn't work out the first time due to the crowd refusing to jeer her.

Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan was already considered one of the best technical wrestlers in the world when he signed with WWE in 2010, but nobody was talking about his mic work.

He has learned to be better at delivering promos during his time with the company, and it has helped him become one of the most beloved Superstars of the past decade.

Bryan has been especially good as The Planet's Champion in recent months because he has turned what should be a message of positivity and conservation into a heel gimmick.

His mic skills blossomed during his storyline with Kane because it allowed Bryan to show a different side of his personality and embrace the entertainment aspect of the business after years of being known primarily as a technician. 

He has been working with Rowan as a tag team for the past few months, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him back in the main event scene by the end of the year. 

The New Day

Kofi Kingston, Big E and Xavier Woods might not make this list as individuals, but together as The New Day, nobody can touch them.

Big E has proved he is the funniest member of the group of multiple occasions and that extends to his Twitter feed and interviews outside of the company. 

Kingston has become the fearless leader, and Woods is the guy who can take things from fun to serious at the drop of a hat. As a trio, they complement each other perfectly.

When we look back on this era of wrestling in 20 years, The New Day is going to stand out as one of the defining acts of its generation thanks to countless show-stealing matches and great promos.

The Miz

The Miz may be a babyface right now but he has built the majority of his career on being one of the best heels WWE has seen.

His ability to generate heat is unmatched. He could teach a class at the WWE Performance Center about the art of getting under people's skin.

His phony Hollywood persona is made better by the fact he has actually starred in several movies for WWE Studios and has a former model/Superstar as a wife.

One of the reasons WWE was forced to turn Miz into a babyface is because he became so popular being such a strong antagonist. It's only a matter of time before he returns to his devious ways, and it will be a lot of fun when he eventually unloads on the WWE Universe as a bad guy again.

Just look at how hard he tried in a forgettable segment with Grumpy Cat in November 2014. Even when he is asked to do something ridiculous, The Miz gives it everything he has. 

AJ Styles

It's funny to think of how far AJ Styles has come since he first showed up in WCW as Air Styles in 2001. Even in TNA, he was never known for his ability to give a promo during his early years.

We have been lucky enough to watch The Phenomenal One on television for most of his career because we have been able to see him evolve into one of the best performers on the planet.

He was wise to wait until he was almost 40 before signing with WWE because he is much more valuable to the company as the world-traveled veteran than he would have been 10 years ago as a cruiserweight.

Heel or babyface, it doesn't matter: Styles is almost universally loved in the wrestling world because everything he does is a notch above everyone else, and that includes his promos.

Randy Orton

Randy Orton is one of WWE's most tenured performers. He has been with the company since he signed a developmental deal in 2001 and debuted on the main roster in 2002. 

The Viper's athleticism helped him stand out early on, but it was his mic skills that helped him become one of the most featured stars on the roster for over a decade.

Orton can work as a heel or a babyface because he understands his character perfectly. His promos are always strong and that helped him engage the WWE Universe more than most people.

Even though he can be a fun babyface, his work as a heel is what has defined his career. He genuinely seems to enjoy playing a vicious, slightly unhinged wrestler with a chip on his shoulder, and it comes across in his interviews.

He has reached a point in his career where he can come and go without losing momentum because one speech to the crowd will remind everyone why he is one of the best in the business.

Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens is not a bodybuilder, he doesn't wear flashy outfits and he isn't a giant. What he does have working for him, though, are great in-ring ability and one of the best minds for promos in the business.

Whenever he picks up a microphone, you are guaranteed to be entertained. Whether he is trying to be an intense heel or get a few laughs by mocking his opponent, the WWE audience listens to every word he has to say.

It's almost like KO doesn't even have to try sometimes. Other Superstars are probably jealous at what a natural he is with a mic in his hands.

Tuesday's SmackDown sparked a lot of speculation that WWE might turn him back into a babyface because he openly criticized Shane McMahon and delivered a Stunner to Dolph Ziggler after they worked as tag team partners. 

His brief time as an honorary member of The New Day gave us a taste of what he is capable of as a fan-favorite. Let's hope WWE allows him to give it a real shot this time. 

Samoa Joe

Everyone will have their own opinion when it comes to the best mic worker in the business, but anyone who doesn't have Samoa Joe near the top of their list hasn't been paying attention.

No matter who he is feuding with, he makes you believe he is going to rip his opponent in half because he is always so intense with his promos.

His recent interaction with Kofi Kingston on SmackDown Live was a prime example of how he can control the storyline by being one of the most intimidating people in the world.

He can be a good babyface when he wants to, but Joe is so much better as a heel. He is scary in a way that makes you want to keep watching to see what he will do next.

It's hard to believe he hasn't won the WWE or universal title yet because he is miles ahead of several other people who have claimed a top championship in recent years.