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WWE’s First Female Ring Announcer Was an Oklahoma State Graduate

WWE’s First Female Ring Announcer Was an Oklahoma State Graduate

Posted: Apr 8th 2021 By: Seth Duckworth - PistolsFiringBlog.com

An interesting footnote in Oklahoma State history

WrestleMania is the biggest event of the year for WWE, and it takes place this weekend in Tampa, Florida. As the opportunity arises, I always like to connect unique stories to Oklahoma State, and here is one of those opportunities.

It’s somewhat rare that I come come across historical stories related to Oklahoma State wrestling that I don’t already have some level of knowledge on. In covering Oklahoma State for years, I’d never stumbled across this one and thought it was worth sharing.

I wrote a few months ago about the Oklahoma State legacy in professional wrestling. It’s quite impressive and includes a number of Hall of Famers in the industry.

One of the most notable Oklahoma State grads in pro wrestling was Leroy McGuirk. He wrestled for Ed Gallagher and was a two-time All-American at Oklahoma A&M and a NCAA champion in 1931. He ended up as the NWA Junior Heavyweight Champion and a wrestling promoter in Tulsa for years. Famed announcer Jim Ross even recently credited him on Twitter for giving him his start in professional wrestling.

Mr. McGuirk had a daughter in 1955, Michael Kathleen McGuirk, and seemingly passed on a bit of his professional wrestling acumen to her, though it’s said he never actually wanted her to go into a career for it.

Mike McGuirk grew up in Tulsa and later attended William Woods University then Oklahoma State from 1974 to 1978 and graduated from OSU with a degree in broadcasting. She did some indirect work with the WWE, at the time WWF, lending them some of their families’ wrestling rings when they worked in the Oklahoma area.

This story, written in 2017 by Kari Williams, details her career in the WWF and the barriers she broke as she became the first female WWF ring announcer and the first female commentator in the industry.

Extending beyond the significance of being the first female ring announcer in the WWF, she was also the announcer for some huge moments in the industry. In a debut for the Undertaker, before his actual debut a few days later, she announced one of his first entrances ever.

Not only was she the first female ring announcer, but she also was one of the first women to do ringside commentary for the WWE.

She did her last show on Halloween in 1993.

In a 2017 interview, McGuirk credits her experience at Oklahoma State for the positive impact it had on her career.

“I believe watching all those years and hearing various announcers, some really good, and the voice training I had at William Woods and at Oklahoma State University in broadcasting had an impact on my presentation and timing,” McGuirk said.

It’s just a really interesting footnote in all of the stories regarding Oklahoma State, to learn that such a significant person in the professional wrestling industry has ties to the school, and via her father, also to the wrestling program.

 

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Spotlight in History

  • 1982 Junkyard Dog def. Bob Roop for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 1987 Al Perez def. The Dingo Warrior for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 2003 Kitty def. Manservant for the TPW Womens Title
  • 2008 Tim Rockwell def. El Super Colibri for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 2008 Li'l Joe def. Xavior for the GPCW Cruiserweight Title
  • 2014 Buster Cherry def. Havoc for the SWCW All-American Title
  • 2024 Big Sed def. Sam Adonis for the TexPro Heavyweight Title
  • 2025 Dan Webber became the LCW Lionheart Champion

Week of Sun 06-21 to Sat: 06-27

  • 06-21 1982 Junkyard Dog def. Bob Roop for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-21 1987 Al Perez def. The Dingo Warrior for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 06-21 2003 Kitty def. Manservant for the TPW Womens Title
  • 06-21 2008 Tim Rockwell def. El Super Colibri for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 06-21 2008 Li'l Joe def. Xavior for the GPCW Cruiserweight Title
  • 06-21 2014 Buster Cherry def. Havoc for the SWCW All-American Title
  • 06-21 2024 Big Sed def. Sam Adonis for the TexPro Heavyweight Title
  • 06-21 2025 Dan Webber became the LCW Lionheart Champion
  • 06-22 2005 Phillip def. Se7en for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 06-22 2018 Joe Cuedo def. Brock Baker for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 06-22 2024 Pastor Brent def. Daniel Aaron Michalles for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-22 2024 Daniel Aaron Michalles def. Pastor Brent for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-22 2025 Billie the Kiid def. Dan Webber for the ASP Heavyweight Title
  • 06-23 1972 Billy Red Lyons def. The Spoiler for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-23 1980 Mr. Hito & Mr. Sakurada def. Jose Lothario & Tiger Conway Jr. for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 06-23 1982 Ted DiBiase def. Junkyard Dog for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-23 1984 Gino Hernandez became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-23 1989 The Stud Stable (Robert Fuller & Brian Lee) def. Jeff Jarrett & Mil Mascaras for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 06-23 2001 Big Daddy Moore def. Adam Lacroix for the OPW Oklahoma Television Title
  • 06-23 2001 Grenade became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-23 2009 Joshua Michael & Epic became the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 06-23 2023 Dustin Tibbs def. Thrash for the WFC Prime Title
  • 06-24 1972 Stan Stasiak def. Red Bastien for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 06-24 1974 Bull Ramos def. Rip Tyler for the TSW North American Title
  • 06-24 1977 John Studd became the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 06-24 1985 The Dynamic Duo (Gino Hernandez & Chris Adams) def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2000 Great Bolo [2nd] def. Ichiban [2nd] for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
  • 06-24 2000 Ichiban [2nd] became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-24 2005 Spoiler 2000 became the NWA-U Television Champion
  • 06-24 2006 Prophet SteVens became the AACW Television Champion
  • 06-24 2007 Matt Garza became the MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Champion
  • 06-24 2016 Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) def. Terry Montana & Mighty Mouse for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2016 Seth Angel def. Steven Cruze for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 06-24 2016 Adrian Dell def. Nathan Estrada for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 06-24 2017 Drake Gallows became the ASP Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-24 2017 Excellence Personified (Duke Swellington & Dustin Heritage) def. Shawn Hendrix & Aaron Anders (substituting for Anthony Andrews) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2017 Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) def. Big Smooth & Zakk Sinizter for the UWE Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2018 Shawn Sanders def. Chaz Sharpe for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 06-24 2018 Canadian Red Devil def. Adam Patrick for the ASP Mid-American Title
  • 06-24 2020 Warren Powers def. Giganto for the BPW 365 Title
  • 06-24 2023 Stage Dive Mafia (Rook Tyler & Axel Savage) became the BCW Tag Team Champions
  • 06-24 2023 C. M. Burnham def. Lunchador for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-24 2023 Lunchador def. C. M. Burnham for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-25 2011 Sam Stackhouse def. Shane Morbid for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
  • 06-25 2011 The Sons of Ireland (Devan Scott & Shane Scott) def. The New Age Syndicate (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders) for the BYEW Tag Team Titles
  • 06-25 2011 Chris Chaos became the BYEW Caution Champion
  • 06-25 2011 The Future Hall of Famers (John O'Malley & Brad Michaels) def. Bernie D & Aaron Neil (subbing for Max McGuirk) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 06-25 2016 Brian Breaker def. Zakk Sinizter for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 06-25 2017 The Cub Scouts (Grizzly Gates & Brock Landers) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 06-26 1961 The Bolos (Great Bolo 1st & Mighty Bolo) became the TSW Southwestern Tag Team Champions
  • 06-26 1987 Frankie Lancaster & Eric Embry def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 06-26 1999 Tarantula def. Original Renegade for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
  • 06-26 2005 Li'l Joe def. Phillip for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 06-26 2009 Brandon Groom def. The Handsome Spoiler for the TOPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
  • 06-26 2009 Kevin James Sanchez def. Bobby Starr for the BYEW Entertainment Title
  • 06-26 2021 Most Wanted (Dan Webber & Reese) def. Los Loco Moscas (Elijah Sparks & El Greengo Loco) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 06-26 2025 Microman def. Mini Abismo Negro for the EDW Heavyweight Title
  • 06-27 1969 Wahoo McDaniel & Thunderbolt Patterson became the WCCW American Tag Team Champions
  • 06-27 1971 Johnny Valentine def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 06-27 1976 Jose Lothario def. The Mongolian Stomper for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 06-27 2009 Randy Price def. Dustin Heritage for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 06-27 2009 Martin Justice became the OECW Southwestern Champion
06-21
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