New IMPACT play-by-play commentator Tom Hannifan (fka as Tom Phillips in WWE) recently appeared on the Talk’N’Shop program to discuss a wide range of topics, which included Hannifan joking about his relationship with Byron Saxton and how he ruined costume wearing in WWE. Highlights from the interview are below.
Says Byron Saxton, who he loves, ruined wearing costumes in WWE:
Obviously, announcers don’t really wear costumes, at least predominately in WWE. NXT they get away with it or did get away with it. When I was there, it was Byron Saxton who ruined outfits like costumes at Christmas and Halloween for the announcers. He is a very festive guy. I want to preface this, I love Byron Saxton. He is a saint and going to heaven. [He’s nicer than] anyone in wrestling.
How an edict was put out for announcers to no longer wear costumes:
There was a Halloween edition of Raw with the Okerlund set up for the desk. It’s (Michael) Cole, (Corey) Graves, and Byron. Graves wore the David S. Pumpkins suit from the SNL [Saturday Night Live] sketch. He wore it a week or two after the sketch, so it was timely as all hell. Of course, he rocked it. Byron wore a onesie. A bright, powder blue ducky onesie with footsies. He’s sitting there, on camera, so you can see their feet to the point that, after that, the edict was put out, ‘No more costumes for announcers.’ Ruined all the fun for us.
(H/T and transcribed by Fightful)