10 Greatest In-Ring Promos Of All Time
Triple H doesn't feature, oddly enough.
Last Monday night's 'Festival of Friendship' was a rollicking affair, containing all the necessary elements which combine to make a classic promo. It was entertaining, it had pathos, and it had man's head being rammed through a glass screen. What more could you ask for?
Some have even went so far as to suggest it was the greatest in-ring promo ever aired on Monday Night Raw. This might sound hyperbolic, but only because it is. Simply put, it's a ludicrous claim. Sure, it was great, maybe even excellent, but the best ever?
Well, let me tell you something, brother...
Good as Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho's dissolution was, it takes more than magicians and Michelangelo for an in-ring promo to claim to be the best of all time. There are many more worthy candidates for such an accolade.
Whether they were touched with genuine emotion, monumentally changed the industry with just a few short words, or happened to feature some of the business' greatest ever talkers sharing the same space, these in-ring promos can all lay claim to be wrestling's finest.
But how do you choose between them? Now, we can either do this the easy way, or the hard way...
10. Paul Heyman Gets Extreme (Then Fired)
Speaking generously, the Invasion of 2001 was a bit of a flop. Speaking honestly, it was an absolute bloody disaster. But it did have it's moments.
Give Paul Heyman a microphone, and he'll spin gold from his vocal chords. Unfortunately, by the time he was given the opportunity to take centre stage ahead of Survivor Series 2001's 'winner take all' contest between the WWF and The Alliance, the impetus of the Invasion had fizzled out. Instead of being used to kickstart the affair, Heyman's incredible stream of invective was a pyrite promo for an impure angle.
There's no questioning the earnestness of Heyman's words as he ripped the impassive McMahon apart for his many crimes against wrestling. The sense of catharsis was palpable - as it must have been for the dozens of other promoters he spoke in place of. The promo might have been a form of redemption for all Vince's enemies, but unfortunately, it couldn't save the stuttered Invasion debacle.