Samantha Irvin "moving on to bigger and better things" after leaving WWE, legend thinks (Exclusive)
Samantha Irvin unexpectedly announced her departure from WWE on October 21 after three years with the company. WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long is a big fan of the ring announcer and believes she has a bright future outside the wrestling business.
Irvin, real name Samantha Johnson, is widely viewed as one of the best ring announcers WWE has ever had. The 35-year-old is engaged to Ricochet, prompting speculation she could follow her partner to AEW. However, the announcer and musician quickly dismissed the rumors on social media.
Long worked for WWE in several on-screen roles between 1998 and 2014. On Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Time Machine, he only had positive things to say about Irvin:
"I had the opportunity to meet her," Long said. "Real nice lady, real nice, super nice." [2:51 – 2:56]
Speaking to host Mac Davis and legendary reporter Bill Apter, Long predicted Irvin will succeed at whatever she does next:
"I think what's gonna really happen for her is she's good at her job, she's good at what she does, and I think she's moving on to bigger and better things, so congratulations." [3:17 – 3:25]
Watch the video above to hear more from the panel on what the future could hold for Irvin following her WWE departure.
Teddy Long on Samantha Irvin's unique WWE style
In wrestling, ring announcers often vary their tone of voice depending on whether they are introducing a babyface or heel to the ring. Samantha Irvin went one step further by drastically changing her voice for certain wrestlers, most notably Chelsea Green and Gunther.
Teddy Long believes WWE stars were made to look even more special thanks to Irvin's unique approach:
"She was super good, and what I mean, what she did with that presentation is made you look like a million dollars." [4:16 – 4:23]
Long added that he understands why some "old school" people took exception to Irvin's enthusiastic ring announcements. However, he thinks her "new era" style of introducing wrestlers was "outstanding."
What do you think the future holds for Samantha Irvin? Hit the discuss button and let us know.
Please credit Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Time Machine and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.