Are there times you have turned on a Wrestling program over the years, and the announcer's voice either bores you or irritates you to the point of not wanting to watch further. I personally can answer "yes" to that question. But that is so far from the case with the man I am about to introduce you to. I would like to introduce Brian Thompson, one half of the TCW announcer team on the TCW wrestling program on the pursuit network. Brian is fun to listen to. If you pay attention then at times he is actually hilarious. He is quick witted and knows what he is calling. He is not one that just wants to speak, he actually has a reason, and it helps make the TCW show what it is.
If it were not for Brian, you would not know the rivalry between the wrestlers, you would not know the background of a particular wrestler and you would not know some of the finish maneuver names of the various wrestler's. These are only a few traits of a great wrestling announcer. There is nothing easy about this position. You have to be quick witted, and articulate. If not, what happens? Answer: You lose your audience... I don't believe this will ever happen due to Brian calling a match.
I was fortunate enough to actually hear Brian call matches at a benefit show recently. Due to his participation I actually got into the show more, because what he said mattered and it brought emotion to things that were happening. This is a rare talent and I want to acknowledge Brian by saying "Great Job."
Please continue to read and get to know a little about Brian Thompson in the following 10 Questions.
• Years involved wrestling: 13 1/2
• Current Promotions: Traditional Championship Wrestling (TCW)
1. Why did you want to become a pro wrestling announcer?
I have been a wrestling fan since the age of 5 or 6. I was always intrigued by the call of the action and used to sit in front of my TV calling matches along with the great announcers of the day. It was always a dream of mine to one day be one of the guys behind the microphone.
2.Who is your Favorite Wrestler to call matches for, and why?
That’s a really tough question as I have been blessed to call the matches of so many greats, from guys and girls at a local level to the legends with worldwide recognition, during the past 13 years. Calling the matches of greats like Jerry “The King” Lawler, “Superstar” Bill Dundee, the Midnight Express, Rock N’ Roll Express, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, the late Matt Borne, Tommy Dreamer, etc. has been a true honor and likewise it’s a lot of fun to call matches involving the stars of today in TCW and other promotions where I’ve been able to make spot appearances. Two guys I’ve really enjoyed calling the bouts of recently are Cerebus (formerly Wolife D of PG-13 and Slash of the New Church) and Lance Hoyt. Both guys have such intensity and you know there’s never a moment where you are going to have to exaggerate what they are doing in a match. That statement could hold true for the entire TCW crew from all the guys in the Bradford Family to Matt Riviera and the Empire to Genetic Perfection and everyone else on the roster, but Hoyt and Cerebus are two of my recent favorites.
3. What is the best experience in or out of the Sport you have had in pro wrestling and why?
Becoming “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton’s best friend obviously is the best experience for me personally. He was one of my favorite performers growing up and the opportunity to have him in my life in the manner that has occurred is certainly a blessing. He was a groomsman in my first wedding (notice the emphasis on “first”) and we have traveled thousands of miles together to dozens of states during the last 12 years.
4. What was the Coolest venue/location you have announced in and why?
From an historical perspective, getting to do TCW TV from the Cook Convention Center in Memphis; Nashville Fairgrounds in Nashville; Shrine Mosque in Springfield, MO; and from the local civic auditorium in Vicksburg, MS; has been a true pleasure. I also did commentary in an historic venue in Columbus, MS, around 2004 for Robert Gibson and Ken Wayne’s promotion there that had Continental Wrestling history. So that’s been cool. Of those, I’d say the Shrine Mosque had the most appeal and aura. It’s also from my home state of Missouri.
5. Who is the most experienced or well known announcing partner you have called a match with?
Chris Cruise of NWA/WCW fame. He is one of the most underrated broadcasters in our business’ history. Seek out some of the classic stuff with he and Terry Funk as a team or even the When Worlds Collide PPV from 1994 and you’ll see just what Chris brought to the table. I believe he took me to a whole new level while we were together for quite some time in TCW, that has helped me tremendously.
6. Is there a story on how you became an announcer?
Absolutely there is. I was actually getting my feet wet in the wrestling business by doing a small website in southeast Missouri covering independent promotions that were touring in that part of the country. One group was called Midwest Renegade Wrestling (MRW), based in St. Louis, MO. They were putting on good, quality shows on a regular basis in Cape Girardeau, MO, at the National Guard Armory. I made connections with a few of the players there and would send in show reports that they would post to their website. This was in late 1998 into 1999. Well, MRW’s management had a falling out and the group disbanded. Out of the fallout, a new promotion called Gateway Championship Wrestling (GCW) was formed and that company’s first show was held in the spring of 2000. Somewhere around that time, the promoter Big Bad Ben emailed me asking if I were interested in being a ring announcer and, if so, “step up to the plate” as he had an opening on May20, 2000, on a card in Mexico, MO. The rest as they say is history. I still have that email too by the way!
7. Who over the years has been your biggest challenge to interview, and why?
I don’t know that there has been anyone who has been a “challenge” to interview, like uncooperative or anything like that. I’ve tried to help a few guys from time to time over the years who might need to be carried some. I guess two interesting interviews would be Jamie Dundee and Porkchop Cash when I was working for Robert Gibson and Ken Wayne’s promotion out of Columbus, MS. Jamie was on a tear and he ripped the microphone out of its outlet into the camera once and Porkchop was excited and a scheduled minute interview went maybe 10 minutes or more and I couldn’t find the best way to end it. I let post production handle that one!
8. What other job responsibilities do you have, other than announcing on an event?
Usually, I’m involved in other aspects of management whether it’s pitching in ideas for angles and storylines, etc. to whatever else is needed or asked of me. And I provide public relations support when available as that is my professional degree field.
9. What makes you stand out as a Wrestling announcer?
I’d like to think that when people hear my commentary, it is believable and that it doesn’t come across as forced or part of an act. I hope they feel that this guy believes everything he is saying whether the performance is as a heel or if I’m being a straight play-by-play man.
10. What has been your Proudest Moment in the sport of wrestling.?
Looking out into a crowd in Dexter, MO, one night when I was doing Lethal Attitude Wrestling (LAW) with business partners Jeff O’Dell and Kelly Warner, and seeing my grandparents sitting in the front row. They had purchased tickets that night just to see me. I’ll never forget that.
Thank you for all the time you put into this interview. I hope your career continues to prosper.
Derrick O'Dell
Wrestling News Center.
The following picture is from Brian's personal FB page.
• Current Promotions: Traditional Championship Wrestling (TCW)
1. Why did you want to become a pro wrestling announcer?
I have been a wrestling fan since the age of 5 or 6. I was always intrigued by the call of the action and used to sit in front of my TV calling matches along with the great announcers of the day. It was always a dream of mine to one day be one of the guys behind the microphone.
2.Who is your Favorite Wrestler to call matches for, and why?
That’s a really tough question as I have been blessed to call the matches of so many greats, from guys and girls at a local level to the legends with worldwide recognition, during the past 13 years. Calling the matches of greats like Jerry “The King” Lawler, “Superstar” Bill Dundee, the Midnight Express, Rock N’ Roll Express, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, the late Matt Borne, Tommy Dreamer, etc. has been a true honor and likewise it’s a lot of fun to call matches involving the stars of today in TCW and other promotions where I’ve been able to make spot appearances. Two guys I’ve really enjoyed calling the bouts of recently are Cerebus (formerly Wolife D of PG-13 and Slash of the New Church) and Lance Hoyt. Both guys have such intensity and you know there’s never a moment where you are going to have to exaggerate what they are doing in a match. That statement could hold true for the entire TCW crew from all the guys in the Bradford Family to Matt Riviera and the Empire to Genetic Perfection and everyone else on the roster, but Hoyt and Cerebus are two of my recent favorites.
3. What is the best experience in or out of the Sport you have had in pro wrestling and why?
Becoming “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton’s best friend obviously is the best experience for me personally. He was one of my favorite performers growing up and the opportunity to have him in my life in the manner that has occurred is certainly a blessing. He was a groomsman in my first wedding (notice the emphasis on “first”) and we have traveled thousands of miles together to dozens of states during the last 12 years.
4. What was the Coolest venue/location you have announced in and why?
From an historical perspective, getting to do TCW TV from the Cook Convention Center in Memphis; Nashville Fairgrounds in Nashville; Shrine Mosque in Springfield, MO; and from the local civic auditorium in Vicksburg, MS; has been a true pleasure. I also did commentary in an historic venue in Columbus, MS, around 2004 for Robert Gibson and Ken Wayne’s promotion there that had Continental Wrestling history. So that’s been cool. Of those, I’d say the Shrine Mosque had the most appeal and aura. It’s also from my home state of Missouri.
5. Who is the most experienced or well known announcing partner you have called a match with?
Chris Cruise of NWA/WCW fame. He is one of the most underrated broadcasters in our business’ history. Seek out some of the classic stuff with he and Terry Funk as a team or even the When Worlds Collide PPV from 1994 and you’ll see just what Chris brought to the table. I believe he took me to a whole new level while we were together for quite some time in TCW, that has helped me tremendously.
6. Is there a story on how you became an announcer?
Absolutely there is. I was actually getting my feet wet in the wrestling business by doing a small website in southeast Missouri covering independent promotions that were touring in that part of the country. One group was called Midwest Renegade Wrestling (MRW), based in St. Louis, MO. They were putting on good, quality shows on a regular basis in Cape Girardeau, MO, at the National Guard Armory. I made connections with a few of the players there and would send in show reports that they would post to their website. This was in late 1998 into 1999. Well, MRW’s management had a falling out and the group disbanded. Out of the fallout, a new promotion called Gateway Championship Wrestling (GCW) was formed and that company’s first show was held in the spring of 2000. Somewhere around that time, the promoter Big Bad Ben emailed me asking if I were interested in being a ring announcer and, if so, “step up to the plate” as he had an opening on May20, 2000, on a card in Mexico, MO. The rest as they say is history. I still have that email too by the way!
7. Who over the years has been your biggest challenge to interview, and why?
I don’t know that there has been anyone who has been a “challenge” to interview, like uncooperative or anything like that. I’ve tried to help a few guys from time to time over the years who might need to be carried some. I guess two interesting interviews would be Jamie Dundee and Porkchop Cash when I was working for Robert Gibson and Ken Wayne’s promotion out of Columbus, MS. Jamie was on a tear and he ripped the microphone out of its outlet into the camera once and Porkchop was excited and a scheduled minute interview went maybe 10 minutes or more and I couldn’t find the best way to end it. I let post production handle that one!
8. What other job responsibilities do you have, other than announcing on an event?
Usually, I’m involved in other aspects of management whether it’s pitching in ideas for angles and storylines, etc. to whatever else is needed or asked of me. And I provide public relations support when available as that is my professional degree field.
9. What makes you stand out as a Wrestling announcer?
I’d like to think that when people hear my commentary, it is believable and that it doesn’t come across as forced or part of an act. I hope they feel that this guy believes everything he is saying whether the performance is as a heel or if I’m being a straight play-by-play man.
10. What has been your Proudest Moment in the sport of wrestling.?
Looking out into a crowd in Dexter, MO, one night when I was doing Lethal Attitude Wrestling (LAW) with business partners Jeff O’Dell and Kelly Warner, and seeing my grandparents sitting in the front row. They had purchased tickets that night just to see me. I’ll never forget that.
Thank you for all the time you put into this interview. I hope your career continues to prosper.
Derrick O'Dell
Wrestling News Center.
The following picture is from Brian's personal FB page.
