10 Greatest In-Ring Promos Of All Time

5. The Return Of The Warrior

The Ultimate Warrior's impassioned speeches were very much the marmite of the promo world. Whilst some were inspired by their overblown hyperbole and ethereal aura, others found them to be utter drivel, an affront to the work of mic masters of the ilk of Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, and Hulk Hogan. You either loved them or hated them - but it was impossible to be indifferent.

After his unexpected induction into the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame, Warrior made an even more surprising move by showing up on Raw the night after WrestleMania XXX, microphone in hand. This time, however, nobody in the audience was groaning; everybody was rapt with anticipation to hear Warrior's words of wisdom, nearly two full decades since he'd last appeared on WWE programming.

Typically arcane and feverishly energetic, the address was everything one could have hoped for, but it later proved to be heart-breakingly poignant. Just a day later, Warrior died from a massive heart attack on his way home, and his eerily prophetic final words in the ring became a touching memorial:

Every man’s heart one day beats its final beat. His lungs breathe a final breath. And if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others and makes them bleed deeper and something larger than life then his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized.
Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.