Mauro Ranallo Will Be The Lead Announcer and New Voice Of SmackDown

The major changes to Smackdown as it makes the move to the USA Network in early 2016 have begun. WWE has officially hired former Strikeforce MMA and PRIDE FC announcer Mauro Ranallo to be the new lead announcer of SmackDown in January.

Ranallo considers the opportunity a “dream job” and commented on being hired by WWE in an article with Sports Illustrated. You can read the full interview right here. Below is what Ranallo had to say about signing with WWE:

“This was an opportunity I did not think I would get at this point of my career and I jumped on it,” Ranallo said. “I have been a lifelong fan of the product. Michael said that when Vince saw the Warren Buffett video, it seemed to cinch it. They believed I could sell the entertainment part.”

WWE released the following statement on Ranallo becoming the new voice of Smackdown:

As first reported by Sports Illustrated, WWE announced that veteran announcer Mauro Ranallo will be the new voice of SmackDown beginning Thursday, Jan. 7, when the show moves to its new home on USA Network at 8/7 C. Bringing nearly 30 years of broadcasting experience, Ranallo is the current play-by-play announcer for Championship Boxing on Showtime and former lead announcer for the Strikeforce MMA promotion.

Earlier this year, Ranallo called the international feed for last May’s historic Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight. Ranallo is the only sports broadcaster to call every major combat sport on national television, including boxing, kickboxing and MMA, as well as helping to launch New Japan Pro Wrestling on AXS TV.

“Joining WWE has always been a lifelong dream of mine,” said Ranallo. “I am thrilled to add my voice to the SmackDown broadcasts as the show moves to its new home on USA Network.”

With more than 800 original episodes, SmackDown is the second longest-running weekly episodic program in U.S. television history, behind only Monday Night Raw. Over the past 15 years, SmackDown has been broadcast from 170 different venues, in 148 cities and in seven different countries, including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Iraq, Japan, Italy and Mexico. Now the exclusive cable home to WWE’s flagship programs, USA Network will air SmackDown every Thursday night beginning Jan. 7. USA also airs Monday Night Raw live 52 weeks a year.

Prior to joining Showtime, Ranallo was the voice of the Pride Fighting Championships, and spent six years in Toronto, where he hosted Canada’s first TV show dedicated to MMA while also hosting a daily combat sports radio show.

Ranallo lives in Los Angeles where he is a social advocate for mental health, an avid hiker and voice artist for commercials, books and film.