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After former ring announcer Samantha Irvin announced she was leaving WWE, Hall of Famer Booker T revealed his thoughts on the matter. It appears to have taken him by surprise.
During the latest episode of the Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T spoke about Irvin's departure, whom he called “really, really good.” He called her exit “eye-opening” and “kind of crazy.” He also acknowledged that Irvin's real-life relationship with Ricochet could have swayed her decision.
“One thing that's different about the business now is so many of the guys are dating the girls, so many of the girls are dating the guys,” he explained. “Back in the day, that happened periodically, but it wasn't something that happened all the time. Then again, if it did happen, we didn't know about it. It seems like it's happening now on the regular.”
WWE fans may know that Irvin is engaged to Ricochet, who recently left the company in June 2024. He left to go to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) after being with WWE from 2018-2024. He was a former United States and Intercontinental Champion, and he was also the first Speed Champion.
In Irvin's place is the returning Lillian Garcia, who previously served as a ring announcer for the company. She will take over the ring announcer role on Monday Night RAW.
Samantha Irvin's sudden WWE exit
On October 21, 2024, Samantha Irvin announced that she was leaving WWE after being a ring announcer for them since 2021. She joined the company as a ring announcer and started in 205 Live.
Shortly after, Irvin was promoted to NXT. She later joined SmackDown in January 2022 as their ring announcer and remained there for over a year.
In February 2023, Irvin moved to the RAW brand and remained a part of the red brand until her departure. At WrestleMania XL, Irvin introduced 14 matches on the card.
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Where she goes from here remains unclear. It is possible that Irvin goes to AEW to be with her fiancé. She also could be dipping her toe into music again.
Before her WWE run, Irvin starred in the Michael Jackson tribute show Thriller Live. She also appeared on America's Got Talent, and I Can See Your Voice. In 2016, Irvin released her debut EP, 27Underground, which features her debut single, “Jump High.”
Who is Hall of Famer Booker T?
Booker T is a WWE Hall of Famer and burst onto the scene in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He joined the WWE, then WWF, in 2001 before leaving in 2007 to join Total Nonstop Action (TNA).
After a multi-year stint in TNA, Booker T rejoined WWE in 2011 as a commentator and occasional wrestler. He is still a pre-show panelist for the company and recently competed in the 2023 Royal Rumble match. He was eliminated by Gunther in a matter of seconds in the yearly competition.
Throughout his time in WWE, Booker T won the WCW Championship, World Heavyweight Championship, Intercontinental Championship, United States Championship, and Hardcore Championship. He is a Grand Slam Champion and also won the World Tag Team Championship several times.
In 2013, Booker T was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame for the first time. Years later, in 2019, Booker T was inducted as a part of the Harlem Heat tag team.
