Mark Nash, one of the fresh voices in WWE, has quickly risen to prominence as the new ring announcer for WWE SmackDown during his debut year. His visibility increased significantly because of the innovative “Never-Seen 17” custom introductions for John Cena, which have been a highlight of Cena’s recent appearances. Notably, Nash has firmly rejected performing a high-pitched introduction for WWE superstar Chelsea Green, emphasizing respect for her persona and image.
How Mark Nash Began His Career with Top Rank Boxing
Mark Nash’s entry into sports announcing began nearly nine years ago, thanks to a significant discovery by Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank Boxing. While Nash was engaging with fans in the stands using a microphone, duBoef noticed his energy and suggested to his agent that Nash could be a valuable addition to the company. Shortly after, Kirsten Pauley of CAA Sports, working in collaboration with ESPN and Top Rank Boxing, contacted Nash to meet with the agency in Los Angeles.
Nash vividly recalls the moment he walked into the renowned CAA agency offices in Century City, where he met Nick Khan for the first time, then associated with Top Rank. Impressed by Nash’s enthusiasm and talent, Khan extended an offer for Nash to work in boxing full-time. This opportunity propelled Nash’s career as he worked alongside top officials in the industry, crediting the nurturing and support he received as essential to his present success.
“Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank Boxing, Top Rank’s based in Las Vegas. It goes right back to season one, three weeks into season one. This is now nine years ago. I’m doing my thing in the stands with a microphone, acting goofy, getting the fans going crazy. And he literally said to his agent that represented Top Rank, Hey, we should call this kid. He should probably come and work for us. So a few weeks later, I get a call from Kirsten Pauley at CAA Sports, who is Nick Khan’s assistant, saying, ‘Hey, we represent ESPN and Top Rank Boxing. Would you be interested in coming to meet with us?’ I looked at my wife, and I said, Absolutely. So we still have an apartment in LA. Flew back to LA. I go to Century City, go to CAA sports. I walk into the mecca of agencies, and at this point, I’ve been in entertainment almost 20 years, and I’m like, I can’t believe I’m walking into CAA, the agency, right? I walk down the hall, and I get to meet Nick Khan for the first time. I walk into his office, and I was blown away. And he said, ‘Hey, man, we love what you do. Would you be interested in working in boxing? ‘And I was like, ‘Absolutely. Do you want me to work in boxing?’ He was like, ‘Yeah, we think you should work in boxing.’ And so my career started immediately with the Golden Knights, Top Rank, ESPN. And I got to say, I loved working for Top Rank. It was an unbelievable experience, some of the best people in the business working for that company, and they really held my hand. And I don’t think I’d be where I am today if it wasn’t for that incredible group of people who really brought me on and nurtured me and shoved with love, as we say in entertainment, you know, to get me to where I am today.”
— Mark Nash, WWE Ring Announcer
Transitioning from Boxing to WWE with Support from Industry Leaders
Nash’s move to WWE arose when the company needed a new ring announcer for SmackDown. Nick Khan, now WWE president and former contact at Top Rank, likely played a role in facilitating his transition. Nash recounts receiving a surprise text from Paul Levesque, widely known as Triple H, inviting him for a call. Initially mistaking the message for a campaign solicitation, Nash soon realized the opportunity was genuine and welcomed the chance to join WWE.
Despite leaving Top Rank, Nash expresses gratitude toward Brad Jacobs, his point of contact, who responded supportively to Nash’s decision, recognizing it as a great chance for him. Joe Tessitore, a longtime voice of Top Rank who also works with WWE, has been instrumental in helping Nash settle into his new role, showcasing a strong bond between both promotions and individuals.
“Well, we all know Nick Khan is the president of WWE, they lost a ring announcer, and there was an opening. I got a text message out of the blue from Triple H, and I looked down at my phone, and it was right around the time of the election in last year. So I looked at it at first, and I don’t even know if he knows this, but I looked at it at first. I said, Oh, this has got to be a solicitation text for a candidate, right? It was just numbers, and it started out, ‘Hey, it’s Paul Levesque, Triple H with WWE.’ So it was like when you see that, you know they’re not really texting you. That’s a bot texting, right? Like ‘Hey, it’s Morgan Freeman. I want you to vote for me for the Screen Actors Guild’ or whatever. Yeah, that’s what I thought it was when I first glanced at it, and I looked down, whatever. But my phone, like many people have, is connected to my computer, and I was working on my computer and I could see the text message also pop up on my screen. I read the first bit, and I was like, Oh this is actually him. This isn’t somebody pretending to be Triple H. And I read the text, and it was like, ‘Hey, man, we’re big fans of your work over here. You got time for a call?’ Yeah, hold my beer. Of course I got time for a call. The greatest mind in wrestling of all time is texting me, and I’m like, wow. And that’s how it started. We started a conversation, and the timing was perfect. My contracts were up with Top Rank, and I graciously said, ‘Hey, I think I’m gonna move over here’, and I will say this about Top Rank. Brad Jacobs, who was my point, is probably one of the most incredible human beings on the planet. His words to me when I called him were, ‘It sucks for us. This is incredible for you. Congratulations.’ To this day, I have the utmost respect for Brad. And I’m sure, I don’t know for a fact, but I’m sure Nick had something to do with this when that vacancy presented itself. Because he’s the one who brought me over to boxing, and I’m sure he had something to do with bringing me over to the WWE. And you know, Joe Tessitore is with the WWE, and he was the voice of Top Rank forever. So we have a wonderful relationship. And I can say that Joe has been remarkable in holding my hand. Everybody has been. So again, kid in the candy store, humble as hell, grateful for everything.”
— Mark Nash, WWE Ring Announcer
Memorable Debut Introducing Cody Rhodes
Mark Nash’s first official WWE introduction was for Cody Rhodes, known as “The American Nightmare.” The experience made a lasting impression on Nash, who admits to feeling extremely nervous but embraced the overwhelming positivity from the WWE Universe. The fans’ warm reception made him feel welcomed and energized, setting the tone for his ongoing role with WWE.
“My first hit was, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome The American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes.’ I’ll never forget it, amazing. I was scared sh*tless. And you know, I had been to the O2 with other events, but not with the WWE Universe. And after that show was over. Man, the fans were awesome, and if I could have, I would have hugged everybody. That’s how much of a high I was on, because they were so gracious, and they all wanted to know who the hell I was. And that’s just wrestling. Yeah, it’s just the WWE Universe man, they want to know, and I’m happy to let them know. So having this opportunity, this is so cool, dude. Thank you.”
— Mark Nash, WWE Ring Announcer
The Personal Meaning Behind His WWE Ring Name
The creation of the WWE ring name “Mark Nash” was a thoughtful process. Nash combined his mother’s maiden name, Nassr, and his father’s last name, Shunock, to form his new identity. This allowed him to honor both parents while establishing a distinctive WWE persona. Nash feels proud to represent his family each time his name appears on the screen, reflecting the importance of personal roots in his professional life.
“There’s a process there, and it’s awesome. That’s a big part of wrestling is finding out who this person is now, and where this name is, or how they’re finding that name. So it didn’t come overnight, and there was a lot of conversation about it back and forth with options, and Nash was, believe it or not, something that I came up with. It’s my mother’s maiden name and my father’s last name squished together. So my father’s name is Shunock, as everybody knows, S, H, U, N, O, C, K. My mother’s maiden name is Nassr N, A, S, S, R. So I took N, A, S, H, put it together, and I just threw it in an email. I didn’t even need an explanation. I said, Hey, what do you guys think about Mark Nash? It’s my mom’s name and my dad’s name squished together. They’re like, awesome. So again, as much as it’s not my real name, it is. So when I walk out, I am so proud of Mark Nash on that screen, because you’re allowing me now to tell the WWE Universe that that’s my mom and my dad on that screen with me, and I’m just like you and probably all of your listeners. We all have families. We all have mothers and fathers, and I love mine just like everybody else, and they’re with me every Friday night.”
— Mark Nash, WWE Ring Announcer
Impact of the “Never-Seen 17” John Cena Introductions
Nash describes the “Never-Seen 17” John Cena intros as some of the most remarkable moments in his career, paralleling them to an iconic Stanley Cup victory. Cena’s personalized approach—allowing Nash to recite elaborate, custom announcements—helped propel Nash into wider recognition within the WWE Universe. Nash treasured the opportunity to contribute a fresh style to Cena’s appearances, feeling privileged that the partnership lasted for several months.
“I’m gonna just say it. This [Stanley Cup] ring is pretty special, and that’s an iconic moment from the Stanley Cup. I don’t know that I will ever be a part of a moment. Let’s knock on wood that they keep happening as amazing, I don’t have another word for it, just unreal, amazing, incredible, as this last three months that I’ve had with John Cena. Again, what is life? He points at you and calls you into the ring and tells you, ‘Your announcement sucks. Read this instead.’ And then I’m like, okay. I get this elaborate ring announcement for John, and it goes bananas and viral, and everybody loves it. And I’ve had the privilege of now repeating it for three months, and you know that came to an end two weeks ago, his last appearance on SmackDown, and I had a moment with him where I just, I literally just looked him in the eyes, and I said, Thank you so much for this incredible opportunity. Again, I don’t even know that we’d be sitting here if it wasn’t for that, right? Because it propelled me in the WWE Universe in a pretty cool way.”
— Mark Nash, WWE Ring Announcer
Firm Rejection of a High-Pitched Chelsea Green Introduction
Mark Nash has officially ruled out ever delivering a high-pitched introduction for WWE’s Chelsea Green. He respects Green’s toughness and character, declaring she deserves an announcement that reflects her “badass” persona rather than anything demeaning or comedic. Nash anticipates that fans will favor an assertive, powerful introduction befitting her status. He also expressed admiration for other WWE superstars like Michin, The Miz, and Melo, emphasizing the diverse energy among current roster members.
“I’m gonna just throw it out there for the world to know that is never coming out of my mouth. Because also, Chelsea is badass, and she deserves to be introduced as a badass. So I think that fans will start to resonate with the badass announcement of Chelsea. Michin, she’s awesome. And then The Miz has been wild, Melo, they’re all great, man.”
— Mark Nash, WWE Ring Announcer
The Growing Presence of Mark Nash in WWE
Mark Nash has rapidly become a key figure within WWE’s presentation lineup, combining his previous entertainment experience with a fresh approach to ring announcing. His creative introductions, especially the John Cena series, have revitalized his role and garnered widespread attention. Nash’s commitment to honoring wrestlers authentically, such as rejecting gimmicky or disrespectful deliveries, underlines his professionalism and respect for the talent.
Looking forward, Nash’s position in WWE seems secure, as he continues to earn respect from colleagues and fans alike. His close relationships with industry veterans like Nick Khan, Triple H, and Joe Tessitore suggest a promising career trajectory. Fans can expect Nash to maintain his signature style of engaging, spirited ring introductions while continuing to elevate the live show experience in WWE SmackDown and beyond.
