WWE SmackDown Ring Announcer Mike Rome Details Long Journey To Current Gig

For the past seven years, ring announcer Mike Rome has been a mainstay of WWE programming, starting with the Cruiserweight Classic and "NXT" before moving to the main roster in 2019 to replace JoJo Offerman. These days, he and Samantha Irvin serve as the two main ring announcers for the company. On "Out of Character with Ryan Satin," Rome explained how he transitioned from emceeing for Nickelodeon and performing at theme parks to his current role with WWE.

"Greg Hamilton, who used to be the ring announcer for 'SmackDown' and 'NXT' before that, [he] and I used to work at [the theme park version of] 'American Idol' together," he explained.

Hamilton got hired by WWE for "NXT," and he tried to egg his friend and colleague on about potentially trying to get a job alongside him. After about six months of making an effort to go to shows in Orlando, Florida, and be seen, he got an audition.

"They were like, 'We love you! It's great! You're in! It's golden!' And then I didn't hear anything for months."

After five months, WWE called Rome back, and the timing worked out because it was after he had given up his contract with Universal Studios and got dropped by Walt Disney World from the "Star Wars" show he was supposed to emcee.

"Sure enough, a week later, I got the phone call. 'Hey, just so you know, this is what's going on. We've got this, we're gonna go international, we've got WrestleMania, but let's double back right after WrestleMania.' And I was like [makes finger gun gesture] 'PEW PEW!'"

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Out of Character with Ryan Satin" with an h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.