WWE ring announcer Samantha Irvin leaves Raw: Will she join AEW?

New Bedford’s Samantha Irvin, the voice of “WWE Raw” on USA Network, announced Monday afternoon on the social media network X that she will no longer be the pro wrestling show’s ring announcer. 

“I love you all tremendously and this does not mark the end of my art, I have a lifetime more to share,” Irvin wrote. 

Irvin did not say why she was leaving the program.  

However, she offered thanks to people across the WWE, including the company’s female roster, Raw’s behind-the-scenes crew, Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque, and the stable of WWE wrestlers.  

“There is no form of entertainment like this and not just any entertainer can be a WWE Superstar,” she wrote. “You are the stars that the stars idolize. It doesn’t get any bigger and I’m proud to have used my voice to let the world know it.” 

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How Samantha Irvin got her start in pro wrestling at WWE

Irvin, whose real name is Samantha Johnson, was born in Dennis but grew up in New Bedford. She began her rise to fame with her exceptional vocal chords, performing locally and making it as a semi-finalist on Season 10 of the TV show “America’s Got Talent.” 

Irvin also appeared on an episode of FOX’s “I Can See Your Voice,” where she showed off her impressive flute skills. Then she took to Las Vegas by storm performing in Cirque du Soleil, as well as “Vegas! The Show” as legendary singer Tina Turner. 

In 2021, she landed her dream job as WWE’s newest ring announcer for “205Live” on Peacock. A pro wrestling enthusiast, Irvin said in a Standard-Times interview, “When I was young I would watch every single episode of WWE content, and record the matches in a notebook, writing my own commentary and descriptions of the action.” 

Irvin has also served as a ring announcer for WWE SmackDown, and was moved to WWE’s Raw program in 2023.  

In April, she garnered accolades for her job announcing WrestleMania 40, a two-night event at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Legendary boxing, wrestling and football announcer Michael Buffer posted on X at the time: “Ring announcer Samantha Irvin ruled @WrestleMania last night & her emotional final announcement was awesome! … She was just brilliant! Her timing, pace, drama, energy was perfect!” 

What will Samantha Irvin do next after leaving WWE? ‘Stay tuned’

Irvin is engaged to professional wrestler Trevor Dean Mann, known as Ricochet, a former holder of several championship titles in the WWE.  

As of August, Ricochet joined rival pro wrestling organization All Elite Wrestling.  

Irvin did not say was joining her fiance in AEW, but ended her message on a cryptic note.  

“To my fans, my entire career I’ve been waiting for you! We are meant to be and I can prove it. Stay tuned…” 

Material from previous stories by Faith Harrington and Seth Chitwood was used in this report.