In a recent interview with TV Insider, WWE NXT commentator Vic Joseph praised Michael Cole, calling him the “greatest wrestling announcer of all time.”
Joseph said, “Michael Cole is the greatest of all time. I’ll say it again. He is the greatest of all time. I’ve learned so much from him. Here’s the thing about Michael Cole. He doesn’t want me to be Michael Cole. He doesn’t want Corey Graves to be Michael Cole. We all have our own distinct voices. It’s how you as a listener hear it. When I went to NXT, I didn’t want to be Mauro [Ranallo]. I don’t want to be Michael Cole. I want to be myself. But if you’re the greatest of all time why would you not want to pick a few things from them? There is no quarterback in the world that’s not looking at Tom Brady’s mechanics or Patrick Mahomes’ footwork. If you don’t study people who are the greatest, I think it’s foolish if you don’t. I will take as much as I can from Michael Cole and Corey Graves, for that matter, and mold it into my own. Then hopefully get to their level.”
Cole has been with WWE since 1997. He started as a backstage interviewer and later transitioned into the lead play-by-play announcer for the company.