Pro Wrestling: 50 of the Best Talkers of All Time

OK, you spoke and I listened. I have expanded the list of the best talkers in the world of professional wrestling.

Here is a look at 50 of the best ever. There are some twists to this list that you will just have to look at to see. I hope you will not be disappointed in how this is arranged.

There will be great debate and that is something you also asked for. And of course, I am sure you can think of others that would be noted for this list than maybe I left off.

So let the debate begin!

Let's Look at the Managers

Now that I have your attention (stop staring!)...

The managers over the years have played a huge role in making characters and teams look amazing.

This is a list of 10 managers that could talk until the cows came home or their mama yelled at them to "Shut the hell up!"

Scary Sherri Martel

She was the right choice to manage the Heartbreak Kid when Shawn Michaels was a heel in the WWF.

Scary, well spoken and the antithesis of Miss Elizabeth.

Sherri Martel could talk, act and wrestle. Those qualities were vital as part of the HBK machine.

She also managed Ted DiBiase and Randy Savage as well.

Paul Jones

He was a popular wrestler in the 1970s and early 1980s and then turned heel as a manger of the Barbarian and the Warlord and Pez Whatley.

He feuded with Jimmy Valiant, cut his trademark beard and then met the popular wrestler at The Great American Bash where he lost a match and had his head shaved.

Jones could talk with the best of them and was not afraid to jump into a match and make things happen.

Paul Heyman

He may be as annoying as any manager ever, but Heyman is respected by the insiders for paying his dues.

He is the reason ECW was so successful and wrestlers will tell you they owe Heyman a debt of gratitude for getting them in the door in some promotions.

He could talk and was obnoxious, but he will always be remembered as a pioneer in this business.

Paul Bearer

Paul Bearer or Percy Pringle, take your pick.

He will forever be linked with the Undertaker and Kane and the storyline that was created with these two men.

Bearer's appearance made him look like he should have been in a Halloween movie, and he played upon that with a scary voice and a haunting persona.

Jimmy Hart

"The Mouth of the South" still cannot shut up. He started out in the Tennessee area trying to rid the territory of Jerry Lawler, then moved on to the WWF and was manager of the Hart Foundation.

Hart then took his act to Florida and helped usher Hulk Hogan into WCW.

He is one of a kind with the megaphone and that screeching voice.

Sir Oliver Humperdink

Spent many years in Florida feuding with the likes of Dusty Rhodes, Barry Windham and Mike Graham.

A big red blob that managed Abdullah the Butcher, among others.

He was once made into an egg omelet by Barry Windham and Lex Luger on television.

He spoke in the traditional fashion for the wrestlers who could not tell their story.

Gary Hart

He was known in the World Class area and Florida. He also was known for bringing in some of the best talent from the Orient to face the likes of Dusty Rhodes, Lex Luger and Sting.

Hart was not a big figure in the ring, but he gave guidance to his wrestlers like the Great Kabuki, the Great Muta and Kendo Nagasaki.

The Grand Wizard

He was a classic heel manager. He managed the likes of Ernie Ladd, Sgt. Slaughter and Ivan Koloff.

He was known for his talking as well as for the clothing he wore to the ring that made him stand out.

Paul Ellering

He was the voice of the Road Warriors.

Ellering looked like he belonged in a biker gang with the cropped hair and attitude.

He was always firm in his voice and the rolled up Wall Street Journal in his hand.

When he spoke, people listened.

James J. Dillon

He started out managing the likes of King Kong Bundy and Mike Sharpe in Florida, and then moved on to the NWA where he really made his mark.

As the manager of the Four Horsemen, he too could talk and make a statement in and out of the ring.

Dillon was the perfect compliment to egos that moved in and out of the stable.

Jim Cornette

No one paid his dues like Cornette. He was most popular in the World Class area and then in the NWA.

He spoke with a southern twang that drove us nuts. And then there was the tennis racket thing from his mama!

Cornette is also a creative mind: He has been a booker, promoter and road agent.

He is one of the most respected men in the business.

Capt. Lou Albano

He was a class all to himself.

He was the manager of the Magnificent Muraco, the Iron Sheik and Greg Valentine.

He was a heel manager that loved being in front of the camera and when Hulkamania came calling, he was instrumental in helping to usher in the Rock & Wrestling Connection.

He was an actor as well, appearing in Cyndi Lauper videos and on television.

Classie Freddie Blassie

He was a heel manager for so many names, including Hulk Hogan.

Blassie had a great raspy voice, wore sequined coats and told everyone they were "Pencil Neck Geeks."

He was a popular fixture in Japanese wrestling when he actually wrestled.

Bobby Heenan

Manager in the AWA and WWF. He managed the likes of Nick Bockwinkle, Adrian Adonis, Big John Studd and Harley Race.

Heenan also brought Ric Flair to the WWF the first time in the early 1990s and was a commentator for WCW toward the end of his career.

Skandor Akbar

He was an institution in the World Class area in Texas under the guide of the Von Erichs.

While in the Texas area, he managed the likes of the Missing Link and Kamala. He was their voice mainly because neither ever said a word when they were in or out of the ring.

The Voices

I know what you are thinking...

Now that you have seen the best managers, you want to know who the best voices are in wrestling.

Come on, admit it. That is exactly what was on your mind.

Lance Russell

He was famous for his time in the mid-south area of wrestling, calling matches for Jerry Lawler and Jerry Jarrett.

Russell had a great feel for a match and was really in tune with what was going on in the action.

He also called the matches between Jerry Lawler and actor Andy Kauffman.

Jim Ross

He is still calling matches like he was youngin.

Ross' voice is so iconic, so popular and so in tune with WWE fans. He got his start in the UWF and Bill Watts promotion, becoming good friends with Dr. Death Steve Williams and then moving on to WCW and then WWE.

He and Jerry Lawler are some of the best commentators in the business ever.

Gorilla Monsoon

Went from wrestler to the announce table. He and Lord Alfred Hayes, and then a very young Vince McMahon, helped bring the WWF to prominence during the beginning of Hulkamania.

Mean Gene Okerlund

Popular in AWA, WWF and WCW.

He was part of the Rock & Wrestling connection and his voice and that smug look are just as iconic of the era.

Gordon Solie

I miss his voice and his commentary more than anything about the 1970s and 1980s wrestling scene.

No one called wrestling matches like Solie. He made the likes of Dusty Rhodes, Kevin Sullivan and Mike Graham icons in the business.

There are terms and phrases today that are used just because of how he called a match.

A true icon if there was ever one in this business. And he made it seem so real.

The Wrestlers

Yes, I know what you want!

You have been thinking about it for some time now, haven't you?

You want to see the wrestlers who are the best talkers of all time, right?

These will be listed in order of how David sees them in terms of the greatest ever.

30. Hacksaw Jim Duggan

He was as patriotic as they come.

Duggan walked to the ring with the 2x4 and moved like a man with stiff legs, but he was a great face for years in Louisiana, the WWF and WCW.

And one of the toughest to ever lace them up.

29. Luna Vachon

Just watching this scares the crap out of me.

Vachon was one of the best male or female personalities on the mic. And the scratchy voice just screams that she should be in a Halloween movie somewhere.

28. Jimmy Garvin

He had more hair than most families combined.

Garvin was a thrill-a-minute Disney ride.

He could talk with ease and with Precious by his side, he could not stand still.

27. JBL

He was part of the APA and then he became a singles superstar.

JBL could talk with that Texas drawl and that intimidating look.

And in the end, he captured the WWE Title.

26. Michael Hayes

The original "Freebird" always wanted to party and talk.

And in between things, wrestle.

He hailed from Backstreet, USA and lived through wild southern roots.

25. Tully Blanchard

He was a member of the Four Horsemen, so you knew he knew his way around a microphone.

Maybe the fourth link in the chain of the team, but don't fool yourself. He came to wrestle every night.

Having Baby Doll by his side never hurt, either.

24. Raven

He may be the most misunderstood wrestler.

Raven had his demons, his flock and his ways about getting things done.

Somehow, Scott Levy made all that come together to become a star.

23. Sgt. Slaughter

Listen, all you maggots. He got his start long before WWF when he was a champion in the Carolinas in Jim Crockett territory.

Not only was he the U.S. Heavyweight Champion as a heel, he was also a world tag team champion as well.

Then he moved north and the rest is patriotic history.

22. Triple H

The COO of the WWE can cut a promo.

The COO of the WWE can wrestle.

The COO of the WWE can do pretty much anything he wants.

And he usually does.

21. Road Dogg Jesse James

Just listen. That is all you need to know.

The New Age Outlaws!

20. The Miz

This is how reality television and wrestling come together.

The Miz has improved so much in the last year. And it is a true testament to his mic work that has made him a star in the ring as well as on the screen.

He has a chance to be the best ever.

19. Scott Hall

As Razor Ramon or Scott Hall, it did not matter. While he was overcome by alcohol issues throughout his career, one thing was certain, Hall could work the mic well.

Had he stayed in the NWA, he could have had a Sting-like career.

18. Shawn Michaels

He is arguably the greatest superstar ever to be in a WWE ring.

Michaels brings charisma and style wherever he goes. And when he talks, like EF Hutton, people stood up and listened.

He is the closest thing we have to a Flair of the generation.

17. Undertaker

He has so many sides to him and the shtick still works.

His gimmick is the greatest of all time and the ring is definitely his yard.

Don't dare cross that line.

16. Stone Cold Steve Austin

And that's the bottom line...well, you get the idea.

He captures the crowd and keeps them hostage.

And they love it.

15. Eddie Gilbert

He is underrated as a talker.

Gilbert was the kid at school that you hated but wanted to hang around because he was super cool and did some of the craziest stuff.

His mic skills were better than most people thought. His in-ring skills were the groundwork for smaller wrestlers of this generation.

14. CM Punk

I don't think I need to say anything else about this.

You already know how great he is at talking. The wrestling isn't bad, either.

13. Kevin Sullivan

Like I have said before, Satan wore purple trunks and wrestled in a ring against men who he thought were inferior.

Most of his assault was associated with Dusty Rhodes.

12. Harley Race

He did not speak much, but when he did, the NWA listened. He was detailed and he was direct.

And there weren't many who were as tough as Harley in the NWA in the 1970s and 1980s.

11. Arn Anderson

The man with the mic. He was the best ever to never win a world title.

Like all men in the Horsemen (sounds like a repeat, I know), he could wrestle, style and talk.

And when he talked, it sounded like your father scolding you for being late to curfew.

10. Chris Jericho

I used to think he would be the next Flair. Now I understand he is his own character.

His mic skills have gotten better over the years and him being a headliner helped that.

He was dedicated to making himself the best at his craft and when he held the world title, he looked like a Flair.

9. Jesse Ventura

Self-promotion was never lost on Ventura.

Whether it was on the big screen, in the political arena or fighting in the wrestling ring.

Ventura never had an issue with speaking his mind.

8. Paul Orndorff

He was a god in the ring.

If Hulk Hogan had not come along, we may have seen the "Wonderful" era in wrestling.

Another person who was held back because of the man in yellow and red.

7. Superstar Billy Graham

He was a biker, 60s lover and wrestler all in one.

Grandpa with a bad attitude.

And when he battled in the ring or on the mic, he truly was a sight to behold.

6. Hulk Hogan

He looked like a guy whose eyes would bug out of his head sometimes.

People bought into it and the oiled up superstar was great at self-promotion.

He could talk and still can talk today.

5. Dusty Rhodes

There was nothing you could do but watch.

He was every man in the wrestling ring and had a great mind for ideas.

He is just as important to this business as Flair, Hogan, McMahon, etc.

4. Ric Flair

I can't say anything...he said it all and then some.

3. Randy Savage

Randy was made for the WWF and the camera loved him.

He talked with a gravel voice and a conviction. And whether it was Elizabeth, Sherri or George on his arm, the fans loved him as a heel or face.

2. Roddy Piper

He made me laugh for years.

His craziness was undeniable, but is was also pure genius.

And when he turned it up a notch, oh boy! We had something special.

1. The Rock

Who else could it be?

He created Smackdown. He created the best catch phrases ever.

He was electrifying and he was the best thing to ever happen to the WWE.

And he is the best interview. EVER.

In the End

I hope you like what you saw...

Feel free to comment and leave me your thoughts.