Jonathan Coachman believes his microphone ability remains strong enough to make him one of the top three promo performers in either WWE or AEW today.
Coachman made the confident assessment while discussing his transition from interviewer to heel character during an appearance on Developmentally Speaking.
Coachman believes WWE began recognizing his potential after several successful interviews with major stars.
“I would say that when I started having a lot of really good interviews, like with The Rock early on, I think that helped.”
He also believes his physical presentation worked in his favor.
“I was in really good shape at that time. I think that helped.”
Coachman said Vince McMahon came to trust him with increasingly important assignments.
“Vince always, for whatever reason, he always really, really liked me.”
“He always really, really trusted me.”
Eventually, Coachman believes WWE identified his greatest strength.
“I think that they realized after a year or two, Coach is a really good talker.”
Coachman then compared that ability with the current wrestling landscape.
“I would say this today. If I went to WWE or I went to AEW, I’d be one of their top three promo givers the minute I walked in the door.”
His self-assessment was unequivocal.
“That’s how great I was.”
Coachman said his microphone work helped turn a broadcaster into a heel audiences genuinely wanted to see punished.
“That’s why I became a heel that people booed their asses off even though most of the time I wasn’t physical.”
Eventually, that popularity as a villain required Coachman to become more physical.
“Then I had to get physical.”
“Because you run your mouth enough, you got to be able and willing to get your ass handed to you.”
Coachman says McMahon made that requirement clear.
“That was one of the first things Vince said was, ‘If you do this, you have to learn how to work.’”
Coachman described wrestling training as the hardest thing he had ever attempted.
“The hardest thing that I’ve ever done.”
But the experience also changed how he viewed himself.
“I realized through the training that I’m a lot tougher than I thought I was.”
WrestlingHeadlines previously covered Coachman calling MJF one of wrestling’s elite talkers, making his current top-three claim particularly notable.
The ranking is Coachman’s personal opinion rather than an objective measure of current WWE or AEW promo ability.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Developmentally Speaking, with a h/t to Wrestling Headlines for the transcription.
