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WWE: Who Will and Won't Work as Replacements for Jerry Lawler on Commentary

WWE: Who Will and Won't Work as Replacements for Jerry Lawler on Commentary

Posted: Sep 13th 2012 By: mikeiles

After suffering a heart attack live during the WWE Monday Night Raw broadcast, we can't expect Jerry ?The King? Lawler to be back at the commentary table anytime soon?if he returns at all.

The positive news came out that Lawler is stable and did not suffer any brain damage.

Having learned that, the question naturally comes up: Who fills his role?

Here are all the possible candidates and if they will or won't work in filling the color commentator role on Raw.

Josh Matthews

Josh Matthews has already been heard every Friday night on SmackDown with Michael Cole. It seems Matthews is viewed as someone for the future, and fans are familiar with him, so it would make sense if he got the spot.

Matthews is a safe pick and would draw little attention to being Lawler's replacement.

However, I don't think I'm ready for him on Raw.

Jim Ross

As great as any scenario is to hear Jim Ross on commentary―this is the wrong decision.

First, he's a play-by-play guy. Michael Cole and Ross paired together wouldn't have a good flow to it.

Secondly, given his close relationship with Lawler, I don't think these are the terms Ross would want to return to the commentary position.

Matt Striker

Always the reliable hand, or voice, is Matt Striker.

Personally, I've always enjoyed Striker on commentary for the most part.

I don't think WWE management feels the same way. He was on pay-per-view commentary teams throughout 2010 and some of 2011, but was eventually removed.

Striker is an old-school fan of the product. This isn't the case for all of the others who work in a broadcast position for WWE. Striker likes classic commentary, calling moves by their name and using his teacher/intelligence gimmick?all things that go against the grain of what WWE wants out of its commentary.

WWE wants storytelling, not moves. Striker also had some memorable blunders on commentary. Perhaps most memorable was when John Cena was involved in a storyline of having to join the Nexus.

The outcome of a pay-per-view match determined if Cena was going to be with the Nexus or not. When the match ended, Striker tried to have the sound-bite call and screamed, "Cena's free."

He actually wasn't and was immediately corrected by his colleagues. Striker had to cover himself, saying he got caught up in the emotion.

Everybody has mistakes, especially on live television, but I don't think things like this ever did him favors in the eyes and ears of management.

JBL

The return of JBL to commentary would get a huge pop. He is a larger-than-life personality on the mic, plus a return always grabs fans' attention.

He has many years of experience with Cole on SmackDown from years ago, which would make an easy transition for Cole.

If JBL appeared as the new color commentator, this means WWE hit the panic button and surfed the phone book. I would interpret a big return like JBL to mean WWE isn't expecting a Lawler return for a long, long time. That is, if he returns at all.

Paul Heyman

Paul Heyman is back on WWE television each week and has color commentary experience.

This should not and likely won't happen.

This would take away from whatever plans there are with CM Punk.

Also, the fact Lawler was involved in a storyline with CM Punk would cause an issue. The moment Heyman, who is linked to Punk, replaces Lawler on commentary, it will come off to some fans as Lawler's medical issues were all a storyline work.

You don't want that.

Heyman is always entertaining on the mic, but this isn't his mic to have.

Rotation of Guest Commentators

A rotation of guest commentators each week would be a possibility, given WWE has done this with the social media ambassador, GM and host.

However, this would be tough on Michael Cole. New colleagues each week would make it tough to find any chemistry.

Also, creating a gimmick out of Lawler's health would leave a bad taste with fans. Just as with Heyman, it could send the message this was all a work.

It may seem hard to believe, but for at least a day after Lawler's emergency, some fans had questions of what to believe.

William Regal

William Regal would be the best choice.

He's used to the role, having done it many times over the years and currently does it on NXT.

Regal is a perfect guy with talent for Michael Cole to work with weekly.

Guys like Striker, Stanford and Mathews are all trying to climb the ladder. Regal isn't climbing the ladder. He is filling the color role where needed. He is needed for Raw right now and is the right guy for a time of uncertainty. He could easily be pulled off whenever Lawler is ready to return or be kept on as the new full-time color guy.

 

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Spotlight in History

  • 1979 Jim Garvin & Herb Calvert def. Oki Shikina & Sugar Bear Harris for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 1980 Hector Guerrero & Ron Sexton def. Ron McFarlane & Doug Somers for the TSW Tag Team Titles
  • 2002 Jeffrey Parker def. Li'l Joe for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 2004 Luc Lapointe def. Prophet for the SRPW Boys and Girls Club Title
  • 2004 Dirty Harry Sanchez def. Beau Dalton for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 2004 Beau Dalton def. Dirty Harry Sanchez for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 2005 Justin Lee & Michael Faith became the TPW Tag Team Champions
  • 2011 Michael York & Ignition became the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 2011 Brandon Walker def. Steven Sterling for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 2011 X-Rated (Kevin James Sanchez & David Kyzer) became the SWCW Tag Team Champions
  • 2016 Kareem Sadat def. Dean Lambert for the EmpCW Independent Hardcore Title

Week of Sun 11-01 to Sat: 11-07

  • 11-01 1960 Tony Jiminez & Jesse Jiminez became the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Champions
  • 11-01 1981 Ted DiBiase def. Paul Orndorff for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 11-01 1982 Al Madril def. Frank Dusek for the WCCW Television Title
  • 11-01 2008 El Hoto def. Martin Justice for the OECW Southwestern Title
  • 11-01 2008 The New Age Syndicate (Scott Sanders & Shawn Matthews III) def. The New York Express (Jeff Knight & Thomas Knight) for the OECW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-01 2013 Steven Sterling def. Bobby Starr for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 11-01 2014 Guy Atticus became the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 11-01 2014 Kevin James Sanchez def. Kareem Sadat for the SWCW Hardcore Title
  • 11-01 2019 Brock Landers def. Tego for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 11-01 2020 Double D became the EPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-01 2020 Drake Gallows became the EPW All-American Champion
  • 11-01 2020 Revan became the EPW Internet Television Champion
  • 11-01 2020 The Sidekicks (Kevin James Sanchez & Gemini [2nd]) became the EPW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-01 2020 High Times (Father Padge & Dean Lambert) def. The Sidekicks (Kevin James Sanchez & Gemini [2nd]) for the EPW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-01 2025 Iron Mountain (Duke Blanchard & Jack Davenport) def. The Trendsetters (Andre West & Nelly Rivers) for the WFC Tag Team Titles
  • 11-02 1978 Ray Candy def. Ernie Ladd for the TSW Arkansas Title
  • 11-02 2002 Terry Montana def. Shadow of Death for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Title
  • 11-02 2003 Ty Magnus def. John O'Malley for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 11-02 2003 John O'Malley def. Ty Magnus for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 11-02 2003 X-Cal def. John O'Malley for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 11-02 2003 Outcast def. X-Cal for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 11-02 2013 Kevin Morgan def. Drake Gallows for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 11-02 2013 What Wrestling Should Be (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) def. Team Bull (The Bronze Bull & Bobby Starr) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-02 2013 Miss Diss Lexia def. Erica for the IZW Queens Title
  • 11-02 2014 Les Mayne def. Rick Russo for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 11-02 2019 Clint Poe became the EmpCW All American Champion
  • 11-02 2019 War Party (Gorgeous Garcia & Nytronis A’Teo) def. The Saints of Pro Wrestling (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders) for the EmpCW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-02 2019 Dexter Hardaway def. Double D for the EmpCW Heavyweight Title
  • 11-02 2019 Karnage def. Naiomi Sanders for the BPW 365 Title
  • 11-02 2019 Unicorn def. Karnage for the BPW 365 Title
  • 11-02 2019 Karnage def. Unicorn for the BPW 365 Title
  • 11-02 2019 C. M. Burnham def. Karnage for the BPW 365 Title
  • 11-02 2019 Karnage def. C. M. Burnham for the BPW 365 Title
  • 11-02 2019 Naomi Sanders def. Karnage for the BPW 365 Title
  • 11-03 2001 The VIP Crew (Rocco Valentino & Vinnie Valentino) def. The Texas Outlaws (Beau Dalton & Butch Dalton) for the OPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
  • 11-03 2001 Splash Jackson def. Big Daddy Moore for the OPW Oklahoma Hardcore Title
  • 11-03 2012 The Old School Suckas (Randy Price & Bryan Cruize) def. Big Business (Damon Windsor & Kevin Morgan) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-03 2012 Erica def. Angel Blue for the IZW Queens Title
  • 11-03 2018 Damon Windsor def. Randy Price for the WCR Revolutionary Title
  • 11-04 1985 Rick Rude def. King Parsons for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 11-04 1988 Kerry Von Erich def. Jerry Lawler for the WCCW World Title
  • 11-04 2005 Beau Dalton & Bobby Dalton became the SRPW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-05 1979 Jim Garvin & Herb Calvert def. Oki Shikina & Sugar Bear Harris for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 11-05 1980 Hector Guerrero & Ron Sexton def. Ron McFarlane & Doug Somers for the TSW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-05 2002 Jeffrey Parker def. Li'l Joe for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 11-05 2004 Luc Lapointe def. Prophet for the SRPW Boys and Girls Club Title
  • 11-05 2004 Dirty Harry Sanchez def. Beau Dalton for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 11-05 2004 Beau Dalton def. Dirty Harry Sanchez for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 11-05 2005 Justin Lee & Michael Faith became the TPW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-05 2011 Michael York & Ignition became the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 11-05 2011 Brandon Walker def. Steven Sterling for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 11-05 2011 X-Rated (Kevin James Sanchez & David Kyzer) became the SWCW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-05 2016 Kareem Sadat def. Dean Lambert for the EmpCW Independent Hardcore Title
  • 11-06 1977 Dick Murdoch def. Jerry Oates for the TSW North American Title
  • 11-06 1978 Jerry Stubbs became the TSW Mississippi Champion
  • 11-06 1999 Joey Casanova became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-06 2010 Jermaine Johnson def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Title
  • 11-06 2010 Awesome X (Kevin Morgan & Xavior) def. Aerial Assault (Ky-ote Joe & Eric Rose) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 11-06 2021 Koko became the WAH Living Hope Champion
  • 11-06 2021 Tino Valentino became the NCWO Oklahoma Champion
  • 11-06 2021 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Cpl. Punishment) def. Most Wanted (Dan Webber, Reese, & T-Arsenal) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 11-06 2021 Danni Bee became the NCWO Women's Champion
  • 11-06 2021 Samedi def. Tommy Dean for the CPW Heavyweight Title
  • 11-06 2021 Ky-Ote became the NCWO Choctaw Nation Champion
  • 11-06 2021 Tino Valentino became the NCWO Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-06 2021 Akbar Farat def. Tino Valentino for the NCWO Heavyweight Title
  • 11-06 2022 Jason Jones def. Dimitri Alexandrov for the WFC Prime Title
  • 11-06 2022 Leo Fox became the ASP Mid-American Champion
  • 11-06 2022 Olivier Vegos def. Skylar Slice for the ASP Women's Title
  • 11-06 2022 High Ratings (Maui Mike & Beau Betten) def. Chosen Influence (Malik Mayfield & Luke Richmond) for the ASP Tag Team Titles
  • 11-06 2022 Gatekeeper def. Mr. Nasty for the ASP 5-Star Title
  • 11-06 2022 Tino Valentino became the ASP Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-07 1984 Bill Dundee def. Adrian Street for the MSW Television Title
  • 11-07 2008 The Gentlemen Thugs (Cast-Iron Cothern & Shane Morbid) def. The Old School Express (Jason Jones & Jake Boulder) for the MStW Southern Tag Team Titles
  • 11-07 2009 Dustin Heritage def. Randy Price for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 11-07 2015 The Terror Squad (D Money & Montego Seeka & Marce Lewis, Nytronis A'Teo & MVP) became the IWR Tag Team Champions
11-05
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