Top 10 Talkers Of The 2010s
Who was the greatest on the mic over the past decade?
In the digital age, the art of the promo has resurrected.
If you look beyond WWE’s micromanaged, overly-scripted verbiage, you’ll see many promotions that allow and even foster creativity. Even though AEW, Impact Wrestling, MLW and Ring of Honor have to adhere to the constraints of television, their talent have the freedom to express themselves. Of course, wrestlers on the indie scene don’t have that luxury of national exposure, so they have to create and distribute their own compelling content in order to build their character and develop a following.
With so much content available for consumption, wrestlers have to think outside-the-box to get people talking. That competition has brought out the best in many talents, especially these top 10 talkers.
10. Alexa Bliss
Although Becky Lynch has been spitting hot fire over the past two years, Alexa Bliss has been five feet of fury on the mic for a year and a half before that. Little Miss Bliss actually came into her own during a feud with Lynch over the SmackDown Women’s Championship in the fall of 2016. She has mastered her bratty character, taking it to high school queen bee extremes by insulting Nia Jax’s appearance and treating Ronda Rousey like an awkward newcomer to the lunch table. Constantly praising herself while tossing catty insults whenever possible, Bliss remains a highlight of WWE TV.
9. MJF
The 23-year-old is something of a wrestling prodigy, having already worked for every top indie promotion in the United States. He is the personification of entitled millennial, dressing like a preppy douchebag, espousing his misinformed opinions, shitting all over everybody on social media and somehow, always getting the girl. MJF is not the cool heel – he draws heat. Old-school, slash his tires, throw a cup of piss, tune-in-to-watch-his-ass-get-kicked heat. He doesn’t care who he rubs the wrong way, as a matter of fact, he enjoys it. Whether he’s a sexist pig to Alicia Atout, a racist prick to luchadors in MLW or a cocky, disrespectful guest to Stone Cold Steve Austin, MJF is never at a loss for words.
8. John Cena
In the 2000s, John Cena’s promos were peppered with sick burns or cheesy quips. In the 2010s, the Doctor of Thuganomics went serious, explaining the gravity of his marquee matches and how they defined his character. As the top dog in WWE, Cena spent a lot of time on the mic defending his morals and success, challenging his opponents to match him in the ring or in their daily lives. From verbally jousting with CM Punk and The Rock to questioning whether Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns could hang with the champ, Cena made you pay attention whenever a microphone was in his hand.
7. Jay Briscoe
Ring of Honor’s most reliable performer isn’t really a performer at all; what you see is what you get with Jay Briscoe. He’s not a redneck gimmick; he’s a farmer from Delaware who is out to win matches, make money and raise hell. He’s a family man and a prize fighter, a loner and a street fighter. He’s profane, raw, sincere and most importantly, genuine. Because of ROH’s limited audience, Briscoe’s talent will never be truly appreciated by the wrestling world. But maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be. It’s not about legacy for him – it’s about right now.
6. Konnan
Let me speak on this – the legend only gets better with age. By simply being associated with Konnan, the stock of Prince Puma, Santana & Ortiz, Salina de la Renta and Eddie Kingston has skyrocketed. In the cases of de la Renta and Kingston, that has also put them in his cross hairs, leading to verbal bashings on a weekly basis. K-Dawg is a throwback to the pre-P.C. days, when trash talk had no limits. It’s refreshing to hear the leader of LAX talk shit, separating Impact Wrestling and MLW from their family-friendly competition on the USA Network and FOX.
5. Eddie Kingston
Thankfully, Eddie Kingston has indefinitely postponed his retirement that was slated for the end of 2019. He’s just too fun to leave pro wrestling. A journeyman, Kingston has heated up EVOLVE, Ring of Honor, Impact Wrestling, NWA and several other promotions over the past decade. His gift of gab was discovered by a larger audience during the feud between the OGz and LAX in 2018. Kingston and Konnan came at each other’s throats on a weekly basis. And then when there was a ceasefire in effect, it was up to Kingston’s mouth to keep fans interested. Mission accomplished.
4. The Miz
Whenever Paul Heyman retires, The Miz will be the best talker in WWE. Year after year he steps up his mic skills, injecting a “shoot style” that separates his storylines from everyone else’s. Everybody raved over his explosion on Talking Smack, but the A-Lister has been consistently entertaining over the past 10 years. Remember when he stood outside the locker room and recounted how he’s been hated since day one? That chip on his shoulder has never faded, resulting in a committed, passionate and determined performer. Whether he’s scolding his guests on Miz TV, cosplaying as John Cena, molding his stunt double or making sweet passionate love with his gorgeous wife Maryse, Miz has truly become must-see TV.
3. Chris Jericho
Wrapping up his critically acclaimed suit and tie, vast vocabulary character at the dawn of the decade, it’s understandable that fans thought that was the best Chris Jericho had to offer. However, as we’ve learned time and time again, Jericho has plenty more left in the tank. A maestro of reinvention, Y2J evolved into CM Punk’s worst nightmare, a beloved and respected veteran, Kevin Owens’ best friend, the Painmaker in New Japan and now the never satisfied leader of Inner Circle in AEW. Everything he says becomes a catchphrase and everybody gets over when he’s talking about them. If not for his sabbaticals over the past decade, Jericho would certainly top this list. At the same time, it’s his time away from the ring that has allowed him to stay fresh and full of zest, resulting in fans clamoring for his return.
2. CM Punk
Even though he hasn’t wrestled in almost six years, CM Punk still has his name chanted in arenas throughout the United States. That’s because of the impact he’s made on pro wrestling, specifically WWE. From leading the Straight Edge Society to dropping the pipe bomb to holding the WWE Championship for 434 days (the sixth-longest reign in history), CM Punk dominated the first half of the decade, becoming one of the biggest stars in the industry.
Not since Austin 3:16 and Bash at the Beach 96 has a promo shook the wrestling world. CM Punk broke the fourth wall, tearing into sacred cows like the McMahon family and The Rock, echoing universal frustrations felt within the fan base. Even diehards weren’t sure if Punk’s monologue was scripted. While the pipe bomb will go down in wrestling history, don’t sleep on Punk’s war of words with The Rock, in which he told the Great One his arms were just too short to box with God.
1. Paul Heyman
Perhaps the comeback of the decade.
After arguing with Vince McMahon about December to Dismember and the WWE/ECW brand overall, Paul Heyman left McMahonland seemingly never to return. But when Brock Lesnar re-signed with the company in 2012, it was only a matter of time before his running buddy, representative and mouthpiece rejoined his side. In the eight years since, Heyman has cemented his legacy as one of the greatest managers of all time.
Sure, he considers himself an advocate, but that just illustrates his attention to detail and proficiency for staying with the times. His promos are legendary, his reputation so strong that he’s routinely sent out to simply talk people into purchasing pay-per-views or subscribe to WWE Network. Year after year he promotes his client’s virtues while simultaneously building the aura of his opponents. A creative genius, Heyman infuses his promos and interviews with a slice of Lesnar’s opponents’ style, rapping against Cena or reading scripture for Undertaker. His facial mannerisms and different tones continue to tell the story, revving up fans to plop down their hard-earned money to see not a wrestling match, not a sports-entertainment event, but a fight.
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