There's a constant struggle between my ears about who I am and what I mean to the world.
— Mauro Ranallo
Anyone who is dealing with any issue or any illness whatsoever, without a support network, chances are the person will not survive.
I actually think I suck. I think I'm one of the worst announcers, one of the worst performers there is. It blows my mind that I keep getting hired. But when I'm doing it, yeah, I'll admit: No one can do it like I can.
I'm living the dream.
I've learned about myself that I'm much stronger than I ever had any idea about myself.
I was as much at first probably against Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather as anyone else but... as soon as I turned off the purity of the combat sports thing, this is a business. Guys, we're all trying to make a living, we're all trying to entertain people and guess what, it's the second-biggest PPV in history regardless of how you feel about it.
I wouldn't be alive without my work.
No matter what job I've undertaken, whether it was Glory Kickboxing or Strikeforce or Pride Fighting Championships or Showtime Championship Boxing, you have to play by the rules of the company you work for.
I love pop culture. I love sports. I love entertainment. The fact that I get paid to be a part of this is like, 'Woah.'
I was discovered at 16, so all I've done is be a communicator and an entertainer all my life, and my energy is who I am in real life.
Some of the brightest, most creative minds have been touched by mental illness.
One of my first heroes was Jim Robson, the hall-of-fame broadcaster with the Canucks and Hockey Night in Canada, and Jim Ross with the WWE and Howard Cosell was a big influence on me.
As much as I love to watch movies, nothing beats being ringside for a championship fight in boxing.
Mental illness affects everyone.
I've always been an advocate for mental health.
Pride was a date night - the cool thing to do at the time - so people were dressed to the nines, and they got quite an experience, visually and otherwise. It was Cirque du Soleil meets the Super Bowl meets WrestleMania meets your favorite rock n' roll concert.
The titles aren't merely props in New Japan. They're actually the focus of the company, and that's how it should be if you're going to be in this world, this business. After all, it is professional wrestling. It is presented as an athletic competition, and the titles should mean something.
It's weird: I always feel like my career is about to end. Like someone is coming to get me. I don't know. I guess I need to find a better balance, but without my work, I don't think I would be alive. If I don't work, I don't live.
My first full-time radio job at 21, I was there for only a couple of months before I was hospitalized. I wrote a resignation letter. My dad wouldn't give the letter to my boss at the time.
When I'm at my lowest, when I'm crying uncontrollably, and I can reach out to one of my many people in my support network, it helps. I feel better.
I know my energy level is unlike others. I know that my capacity to really think fast is unlike others, but I also know the price that comes with it.
People can say what they want about WWE. Paul Levesque, Vince McMahon, Michael Cole - they all gave me another life by bringing me back to call NXT. That's where I should have been in the beginning.
UFC is UFC, and God bless them, they have the largest roster and some amazing fighters, but there's amazing fighters everywhere. That's why I am impressed with what Bellator has attempted to do with the tournament or with Aaron Pico and some of the younger talent.
I'm a huge sports fan, and I'm a huge entertainment fan.
One thing that I've learned is that you don't have to be a prima donna or think you are better than other people in order to succeed.
I don't think there's a good or wrong way of broadcasting. The more unique you are, the more opportunities you're going to get.
I knew at five years old what I wanted to do for a living. I started reading newspapers and books out loud at a very young age. I was very focused on English and building my vocabulary.
I was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder at 19, which I thought would derail my career. Thankfully, I was able to get help and continue the path, and I think, for me, the buzzword is perseverance.
I've always been a TV junkie.
All combat sports are connected.
Not talking about mental illness is killing people. We need that to stop.
I gave myself the nickname 'Bipolar Rock N' Roller' way back in the 1990s, when - as much as we don't talk about mental health now - back then it was almost nonexistent. And if it was broached, it was done in a very pejorative way.
I love to consume information of all kinds, and I think that also hopefully helps with my broadcasting, that I always try to bring up a fact that maybe will connect to a person who's not a big fan, or maybe a pop culture reference.
In New Japan, it is kept very simple. It's about proving to the other man or woman that you are the better person. And guess what? It's about championships.
There is so much to be celebrated about mental illness. I do believe that there is something to be said about the truly artistic, the truly brilliant, those of us who have been 'touched by fire' that should be celebrated, not stigmatized.
Mental illness, unfortunately, is an invisible disease: it's not seen or heard. For whatever reason, because of that, society has decided that if we can't see it, maybe it doesn't exist, so they want to just sweep it under the carpet or say, 'Snap out of it,' or that you're looking for attention.
I'm a highly intelligent, highly articulate, very empathetic, down-to-earth person. But man, my thoughts are incredibly dark. Incredibly dark.
I get that there is no one quite like me, nor should there be anybody quite like anybody else in any field. I've always said, 'Don't be the next anyone; be the first you.'
I will always be thankful to WWE for letting me be the voice of SmackDown Live and bring it to the USA Network.
I need to stay busy. Otherwise, I am like so many people, alone with my thoughts, and I can be my own worst enemy.
I am a bit of a dynamic personality and have the ability to use my vocabulary in some creative ways.
I don't think it's been healthy what I've done in my life to get to where I am mentally and otherwise, but it is the path I've chose. I'm not married, no family, and my hobbies are my loves.
I'm a fan first and foremost. I get caught up in the drama, the emotion of what is happening, whether it's a boxing match, an MMA fight, a kickboxing contest, or a WWE matchup. I want to tell the story and paint more pictures.
As an announcer, I have nothing but respect for the fighters, and I want to make sure I do my job to let the people know who these courageous warriors are, because they are putting their lives on the line for our entertainment, and there's something to be said about that.
I'm obsessed with broadcasting.
I would say Chael Sonnen would be a natural for professional wrestling.
Vince McMahon is an intimidating individual because of the amount of respect he commands because of what he's done for entertainment, turning the business into a billion dollar success story. He rarely sleeps. He's a workaholic. He's passionate. He loves what he does.
There are people with much bigger profiles than mine who are talking about mental illness. I am going to try to use whatever platform I have, whatever voice I have to help eliminate the stigma.
I'm blessed to have a great support network.
I have a curious mind.
