Matt Striker released.
 

Discuss.

"Cenas Free!"

"I'm markin out bro"

I can't help but feel that those two lines may have contributed. I was a fan of his too.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Was just informed by <a href="https://twitter.com/WWE">@WWE</a> that my contract will not be renewed. I am now available 4 appearances, signings seminars &amp; wrestling. Deep breath</p>&mdash; Matt Striker (@Matt_Striker_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Matt_Striker_/statuses/347822356623929345">June 20, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Thanks for all the support. To book plz email ForMattStriker@gmail.com <a href="https://twitter.com/WWE">@WWE</a> has your entertainment first in their mind. Support that product</p>&mdash; Matt Striker (@Matt_Striker_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Matt_Striker_/statuses/347827922872176640">June 20, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Okay the most recent of those two lines is over 2 years old. They may have been contributors in his departure from the announce team, but if they were that upset about those lines he'd have been off TV a long time ago.

Also I'm pretty sure the "HOLY SHIT" at the Rumble was worse than "I'm markin' out bro."

From those Tweets it's obvious that he wants to keep a good relationship with the company in case they want him back. In the meantime he should totally start his own web show about wrestling. He could easily become king of the internet that way.

Also, thinking of Striker and that Rumble makes me remember this from when Bryan and Punk were the only 2 in the ring:

Striker: The Internet loves this match.
Cole: The Internet loves this, the Internet loves that - who cares about the stupid Internet!

Fast forward two years:

"Make sure to download the WWE mobile app, and now to see what's trending on Twitter right now we go to tonight's social media ambassador...

Not be an asshole, but I have never liked Matt Striker as a commentator or in any interview segments. I do hope that he gets a job.

Does that mean Renee Young becomes the sole/main backstage interview now? Don't know if they have anyone else.

She was gradually taking over his spot on the main shows and NXT.

This is disgusting, Matt Striker was one of the best WWE commentators, tons better than that horrible piece of crap josh Matthews. Striker was funny smart and well spoken while Matthews is boring and so generic anyone can sit down and do it.

I hope Striker lands commentary in TNA!

Tazz : Who is this at our table mike?

Mike Tenay : This is former WWE legend, THE Matt Striker!

Tazz : Cowabunga dude! I am glad you joined us!

Matt Striker : Thank you gentlemen, now what do we have in store for us tonight on Impact?

Mike Tenay : AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM TNA PERESIDENT DIXIE CARTER!

Matt Striker : *kills himself*

last 2 weeks josh has done it wondered why he was off smackdown guess josh will go back to interviewing.

This sucks. When Striker was on commentary it actually seemed like he cared about what was going on in the ring.

What is "Cenas free"?

Coach & Todd Grisham made out pretty good at ESPN. Maybe they'll put in a good word for him.

I remember when Zack Ryder debuted his Jersey Shore gimmick on ECW, Striker made up some story about how the jobber he was facing was a fashion designer and he denied Zack access to his fashion show and Zack was mad at him. Thought that was the stupidest thing ever, but the fact that he tried it made me like him. Been a fan ever since.

Plus its cool when guys who grew up as fans get to live their dream. And you could always tell how "into" the show he always was. He loved his job. Hope he does well elsewhere.

Near the height of the Nexus angle Cena was forced to be special guest referee in a match between Orton and Barrett for the WWE title. If Barrett won, Cena would be free of being a member of the Nexus, if Orton won, he'd be fired. Orton won the match and Striker, who seemed to have forgotten the nature of the stipulation, gleefully cried "CENA'S FREE!" kind of shitting on the climax of the entire PPV.

Not since Gorilla Monsoon had anyone tried to make a jobber look like he had a reason to be in the ring...

...now we know who will replace Todd Kennely.

Ya for real though loved how much of a nerd he was for the product. Kinda came off pretentious a bunch of times but when Jerry and Cole were just going through the motions calling a match, Striker was like OH MY GOD THIS RULES.

I miss him actually calling the names of moves correctly, rather than King & Cole calling everything a suplex or side slam

Striker has this "I LOVE WRESTLING AND GOD IT IS SO AWESOME THAT I AM HERE" vibe. Cole has this "YOU ARE FORTUNATE TO GET TO LISTEN TO ME" thing going on.

I'm glad, hated him.

Oh, fuck off WWE.

Well....shit.

When he was involved in storylines on NXT and cutting promos, the guy was comfortable as fuck. Seemed like he could cut a great promo in his sleep.

I didn't mind Striker on commentary. He had a certain enthusiasm for what he was doing that made me more willing to ignore the blunders.

I liked when he first started announcing, but he wore out on me fast

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0L8TUQpQv8Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The promo he cuts here from 32:20-33:54

It's not groundbreaking or anything... But dammit he's miles ahead of most of the roster. He was so engaging and likeable and it seemed like he was so effortless with it. There were so many ways they could have used his talents. Retarded move, WWE.

I liked him as a commentator. Thought he would eventually be "the future" of commentary after everyone else retired/died.

Striker with Big Daddy V was the goods.

I was a big fan so this sucks for me.

When he worked with Lawler and Cole (PARTICULARLY Cole) they didn't help him out at all and jumped on him for everything. When he made the "Cena's free!" flub Cole could very easily have covered for it by saying "yeah but it's cost him his job!" and saved the moment. Instead he just said "Cena's FIRED" as if he were correcting a five-year-old who got a math problem wrong.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TuYub5UGSRM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Here they are ripping on him for telling the viewers the name of a move.

I'd rather not look up cattle mutilation

Cole and King were first grade cunts to Matt Striker. Be a star guys not a bully.

If he could go back to teaching he'd be the coolest teacher ever, but I bet he cant

Sounds like the basis for a movie

Former teacher turned wrestler fired..goes back to school to teach..inspires a kid to stand up to bullies and try out for the wrestling team..

Striker was great as a nerdy, smarky, and blow-hard announcer. Sadly, the average fan finds that annoying. He should have been fired after the "I'm marking out, bro!" bullshit.

What was so bad about the I'm marking out bro line? I can understand being annoyed by the Cena's free!! comment, but I'm marking out bro really goes with who his character was, an obnoxious wrestling fan turned commentator who loves nostalgia and surprises, which Diesel was. Unless there's more to it?

Also, I see he's moved on to commentating indy ippv's as he's set for tomorrows FWE show. I think this is where Striker belongs. Putting over indy talent before they get to the E (if they do.) Hope he picks up more indy announcing bookings.

<font color=goldenrod>My favorite Striker line was a commentary exchange on ECW:

"As the great wordsmith Calvin Broadus once said, 'I've got my mind on my money and my money on my mind.'"
"Wasn't that Snoop Dogg?"
"Calvin Broadus."

A) 95% of the audience doesn't even know what that means.
B) Would J.R., Gordon Solie, hell even Tony Schiavonie even say that stupid shit?
C) It is the WWE. It is the premier brand in all of pro wrestling. It is the gold standard. Don't fuck up as much as he did and don't say stupid smark shit that goes over 95% of the audiences head.

I'm fairly certain they didn't tell him Diesel was coming out so he'd say something stupid like that so they'd have an excuse to cut him from the three-man-team.

J.R. probably had a few surprises in his career and he didn't say stupid shit like that. It cheapens the product when the announcers make it sound like a fucking Chikara Fan Podcast.

If it frees up a spot for Colt Cabana like it has been rumored then I'm all for it. He was decent though.

He didn't even say holy shit. He said holy and then holy.....wow.

I love Striker. This is definitely sad.

I especially liked when he would quote Atmosphere and Brother Ali. Of course, ninety five percent of the audience (possibly even more in those cases) didn't get it, but I'm in the fiver or less percent that did and appreciated it.

Some of you really talk like you work for WWE. Don't get mad at Matt Striker for catering to marks. Every single one of us IS a mark. He was OUR voice.

He wasn't my fucking voice. He didn't do shit to accentuate the Sheamus/HHH match at WrestleMania XXVI.

He is still better than Michael Cole, but I have a softspot for Cole from watching "Livewire" back in the day.

Josh Mathews is my favorite announcer in WWE.

Did he ruin the match for you?

The only good episode of Livewire was when Vince Russo came in and yelled at them for the show sucking balls.

Whether any of us liked the "MARKING OUT BRO" bit, we all knew exactly what he was talking about. Anybody who didn't probably didn't hate the Rumble because of it. It really wasn't offensive to anyone.

It was offensive to Vincent Kennedy McMahon, ergo, it was offensive to me.

Oh, so you're not serious. Thanks.

Sneezing is offensive to Vincent Kennedy McMahon.

"Offensive" isn't the right word to use. It just took me out of the moment where I was feeling like a mark.

I liked Cole/Mathews Announce team on NXT where they would just shit on the product. Striker was a good host there.

OK, I can see that. We mark because we mark from the proposed parameters that have been put forth by the business over the years, and we don't need to be reminded that it's fake by the announcer.

I saw it as Striker losing himself in the moment and letting his fandom get the best of his professionalism, which is fun in a different sort of way.

Striker was good in the backstage interviewer role. I still don't understand what WWE was trying to accomplish by having Cole/Mathews shit all over the product.

Punk sort of does the same sort of thing on the mic as Striker did on commentary, but his 'outside the box' remarks are based in frustration, not fun.

terrible call....could have been a great commentator if given enough time.... could have been an excellent "Paul Heyman-type" mouthpiece for upcoming talent.....could have been a decent midcard wrestler if given the chance.... lots of could haves......

Punk usually ties his smarky remarks in a bow that all the fans can understand. Like his original "pipebomb", while some things the casuals didn't know what he was talking about (ROH, NJPW, Colt Cabana), he still made it about a) winning the title, b) wanting respect, c) frustration that he has been better than all for a long time and still not getting the money opportunities (cups, shirts, etc.). An announcer screaming "I'm marking out, bro!" and not really tying it into anything is completely jarring. Either for casual fans who don't know what the fuck he is talking about or for a guy like me who rolled his eyes and was taken out of the moment.

Shit in one hand and put Matt Striker's potential in the other. See which one fills up faster.

JR gets lost in moments and screams like a fucking madman, but he adds to the moment by doing that. Striker took away from moments when he got excited because he forgot he still had a job to do.

I don't think anyone cared at that point.

Still crazy to think that AJ and Kaitlyn have been in WWE for almost 4 years.

His memory will live on forever as the guy Johnny Curtis chloroformed on NXT.

He was a mark at the announce table. And I'm sure most of the audience knew exactly what he meant when he said he was marking out. It's not the 90's anymore, people do say that. I really don't get the big deal in him saying he was marking out. Why did that take away from Diesel coming out? What if others were marking out when he came out and he spoke from their point of view? Just because Matt Striker isn't Triple H and won't cut a promo or talk like him doesn't mean he was shitty by any means. And I didn't even like him that much, your reasoning just sucks though.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tPV0Lpm42Qk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

What other announcer in the history of wrestling has said the term "marking out" on one of the biggest pay-per-views of the year?

So you're saying he stands out.

So did El Gigante.

A part of the Undertaker's streak.

A part that doesn't ruin or detract from it, for that matter.

To me, that isn't being a great announcer. That is just a blowhard who is trying way too fucking hard.

It is like if you order a giant Sundae with no nuts, but they end up putting a few nuts on it anyway. You can forgive said nuts because the bulk of the Sundae is delicious.

What's the big deal? The majority of the audience doesn't even know what "marking out" is so it shouldn't matter.

Come on. If we're really gonna bag on things that some announcers say then what about J.R. or Jerry Lawler? Think about the phrase "Getting whipped like a government mule." Is that really better than Striker saying he's marking out? Everyone says stupid things sometimes, but they're being them, the government mule line fits J.R. and his Oklahoma background. Matt Striker saying he's marking out goes right with him being a nerdy over excited wrestling fan. I don't see the problem.

You don't see a problem with play-by-play guy regularly saying things majority of the audience has no idea what the fuck he is talking about? That is the issue. Announcers help viewers understand what the fuck is going on, not confuse them or distract them from the main product.

"Getting whipped like a government mule." is a phrase that has existed for decades.

He did his best as the 3rd man/Mike Tenay style expert who chimes in occasionally, but he let Cole/JBL/whoever shit all over him. Then, when he gets to be a big boy announcer he acts like a fucking spastic wrestling fan. I am listening to spastic wrestling fans next to me while watching the PPV. I don't want to hear it on the TV too.

Matt Striker was a breath of fresh air at first but eventually got stale and ridonculously annoying. I didn't mind when he got demoted and eventually let go of.

and yet, still no fucks were given

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_bw1ubwfcw0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Striker would have made a pretty good manager for some of the low card guys.

Here is Jim Ross marking the fuck out, but he doesn't act like a spastic fan. He still does his job and adds so much to this match:

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cdUbVOwE53I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Nobody ever said he was Jim Ross, and it's silly to make that comparison. You can't just compare every basketball player ever to Michael Jordan. Even the all stars.

Tyson Kidd is a solid hand. I'm not going to hate him because he's not Shawn Michaels, though.

You should try and model yourself after the best in your field.

Sure. But how long was Jim Ross in the business? And how long was he "Good Ol' J.R."?

Compare that to Striker's time in the business. Who's to say he wouldn't have gotten better? You seem to be coming down on Striker for no real reason. From what I understand, it wasn't even his idea to be an announcer. It was WWE's. Wrestling was his passion. That's what made him quit teaching. Considering that they just kinda tried it out on him, I thought he did QUITE well.

If J.R.'s original plan was to become a wrestler, but they stuck him in an announcer role instead, then perhaps we could make some valid comparisons. I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that that definitely was not the case.

Jim Ross started out as a referee/ring crew/lackey for the booker.

JR had the body of a Greek God Thrilla. He could have been world champ.

Most did. Ross had to have known he wouldn't be a wrestler, though.

I feel like Cole and King left him out to dry a lot of times too. There were countless times where he'd ask King about a move or hold to try to sell it to the audience and King would just sandbag or sound really annoyed.

Either way, Striker was in WWE for 8 years. He was average at best. The WWE is the #1 company in the world and needs guys to either develop or get the fuck out of the way for those who are ready. They have a shitload of former wrestlers and some newer young guys who are better announcers than Striker ever was. Will you really be all that sad if Regal replaces Striker in the booth?

So? Quit being a bitch expecting everybody to take care of you. Fuck Lawler and explain the move yourself. You are a former wrestler. Of course, the better decision was to act like a pompous smark talking over the audiences' head.