wrestling / News
Adnan Virk On Joining RAW Announce Team, Potentially Facing Criticism From WWE Fans
In a recent interview with Richard Deitsch of The Athletic, Adnan Virk discussed his new role as lead play-by-play announcer on RAW, potentially facing criticism from WWE fans, and much more. Here are some of the highlights:
Adnan Virk on joining the RAW announce team: “The storytelling is really where great match-callers take it to the next level. So for me in my preparation for the audition, it was to make sure I knew the storylines. It isn’t just a splash off the top rope or a spear here. It’s Shayna Baszler has the ‘Kirifuda Clutch’ and she’s trying to overcome her past nemesis and all the rest of it. That was actually really fun for me, learning and digging into the storylines and trying to convey that storytelling. I think I was able to do a good enough job in the three matches that I called. Three-man booths can be tricky, but I think it actually really helps for WWE because both those guys offer a different perspective. When they told me that was the team, it was really putting me in a position to succeed because both those guys are real stars.”
On potentially facing criticism from WWE fans as a new commentator in wrestling: “It’s a totally fair point, and I often think of what the great Ernie Harwell said on this which is when you start a new position, everybody hates you. This guy stinks. He’s not as good as the past guy. Whatever it is, they’re going to find issues to critique you just because they prefer what they previously had. Honestly, you’ve got to get to a certain point, and you won’t know what that point is — maybe it is a year, maybe two years, maybe six months — but eventually people will say, ‘Well, it doesn’t matter if they like you or hate you but they are now used to you.’ So the goal is to be as prepped as possible. This fan base is so knowledgeable and so passionate. If I walk in there and start spouting misinformation, they’re going to spot them from a mile away. They’re going to be upset, rightfully so. They’ll be saying who is this interloper coming from mainstream television to try to tell us what our product is when we know better than anyone else. So the key is preparation, head down, ask questions, listen to what people have to say and utilize the resources around you.”
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