Samantha Irvin Dreamed of Being Compared to Lillian Garcia - Now it Happens Every Day

WWE Raw ring announcer Samantha Irvin is honored to have her name discussed in the same conversation as the likes of Lillian Garcia and Howard Finkel.

Irvin joined WWE in 2021 and was promoted to announcing on the main roster in January of last year. During this year's WWE Draft, Irvin was moved to the Raw brand while Mike Rome filled her shoes on SmackDown.

Samantha on Being Compared to Lillian

Irvin has proved to be immensely popular with the WWE Universe as her enthusiasm is hard to miss whenever she's on programming. During Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Irvin was asked if she's had any interactions with former WWE announced Lillian Garcia. 

She came to a SmackDown last year and we met and I was nervous, but she was all 'You're doing such a great job. You're really killing it.' And we exchanged numbers and I got a little mushy on her. I let her know 'Oh, I love you.' She was just so great and she told me 'Hit me up anytime.'

"Every day [there are comparisons.] Every single day and it makes me so proud. I dreamed of that. When I saw Lillian sing the National Anthem, on television, acapella, live, in the saddest point in our country in my lifetime [referring to Garcia's performance on the post-9/11 SmackDown] I was just 'Wow, there's singing in wrestling.' There's singing in wrestling. Everybody is standing there listening to her and I never forgot that."

Irvin on Howard Finkel

Perhaps no announcer in professional wrestling is more legendary or revered than Howard Finkel, who sadly passed away in April 2020. Speaking about 'The Fink' Irvin said that she is often inspired by the legend.

"I take a lot from Howard. If it's an older announcement because I still want that nostalgia, a ring of nostalgia for the people who know.

"Always when I say 'disqualification.' I just always copy that. I announce Bret Hart and I want to keep it very clipped. Kurt Angle as well. There's some that just, it ain't broke don't fix it. So yeah, there's some that I want to keep it how I remember them being."

How does Samantha Irvin keep the WWE Universe entered during commercial breaks? Click here to find out. 

For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.