Mike Tenay

**Michael William Tenay** (born March 1, 1955) is an American podcast presenter and professional wrestling play-by-play announcer. Currently singed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a play-by-play announcer. Tenay known for his time as an announcer for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and first run with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling form 2002 to 2016. Tenay, according to TNA, "is known as 'The Professor' for his extensive knowledge of the sport". Former TNA Executive Producer and WCW president Eric Bischoff has described Tenay as "a walking encyclopedia of knowledge".

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Tenay is a five-time recipient of the *Wrestling Observer Newsletter* award for Best Television Announcer.

## Early life

Tenay was born on March 1, 1955, in Los Angeles, California. In 1966, at age 11, Mike Tenay began one of the country's first wrestling newsletters, *Mat News*. He also made audio recordings of LA wrestling programs and traded them with fans, a precursor to the tape traders who would follow. In the 1970s, Tenay wrote for the Olympic Auditorium's programs and several national wrestling magazines. After high school, he worked as a repairman and then a betting supervisor for a casino. From 1991-1995, Tenay talked about wrestling with the nationally aired late night sports talk radio show "Wrestling Insiders". He interviewed wrestling superstars, including Jesse Ventura, Jim Cornette, and Sting. His work on radio led WCW to hire Tenay to work on the WCW Hotline and do his on-location radio broadcasts at WCW events. This led to Tenay’s first major announcing job with WCW.

## Professional wrestling career

### World Championship Wrestling (1994–2001)

Mike Tenay made his WCW announcing debut during the World Championship Wrestling(WCW) co-promoted *AAA When Worlds Collide* pay-per-view in November 1994.Every announcer in WCW, including lead announcer Tony Schiavone, declined to work the broadcast. During this first broadcast, he and Chris Cruise called the match of Los Gringos Locos (Eddy Guerrero and Art Barr) vs. Hijo del Santo and Octagon, judged by the *Wrestling Observer Newsletter* as a "legendary" five-star match. Following the success of that event, WCW added more luchadores to the roster, and Tenay would appear as a guest announcer during their pay-per-view matches due to his extensive knowledge of holds and maneuvers as well as lucha libre ring psychology. Tenay would later serve as a full-time play-by-play announcer for secondary television shows such as *WCW Worldwide* and *WCW Saturday Night*, where he was known as "Iron" Mike Tenay. He was also backstage interviewer for Uncensored 1995. On September 2, 1996 he was moved up to the main show, *WCW Monday Nitro*, where he served as a third commentator to the team originally consisting of play-by-play announcer Tony Schiavone and color commentator Bobby Heenan. It was there that Schiavone gave him the nickname "The Professor" for his vast and impressive knowledge of the wrestling business, wrestling history, and wrestling maneuvers. In light of WCW adding *Thunder* as another major weekly show in its lineup, the announce team was pulling double duty during the week. Tenay was named the lead announcer for *WCW Thunder*, with Schiavone and Heenan serving as the on-screen auxiliaries. He remained an announcer with WCW until its purchase by the WWF in 2001.

### Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2002–2016)

In early 2002, Tenay was approached by Jeff Jarrett regarding the play-by-play announcer's slot with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Tenay became the voice of the upstart company when it launched in June 2002. From that point onward, Tenay (now sporting a tuxedo at every event) became the voice of TNA, announcing the weekly pay-per-view events, every single episode of *Impact Wrestling*(originally *TNA Impact!*) and *Xplosion*, and every monthly pay-per-view until 2015. Tenay's role for the company beyond that of play-by-play man has developed both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. After TNA decided to switch to a booking committee format in mid-2005, Tenay was named to the committee, enhancing his formerly modest influence behind the scenes. Tenay also became the prominent on-screen personality for TNA, conducting interviews with Jeff Jarrett (who has labeled Tenay as "the voice of the fans") as well as making major announcements (such as the signing of Sting). Josh Mathews took Tenay's place as commentator on weekly airings of *Impact Wrestling* after its move from Spike to Destination America in January 2015. Following this, he briefly hosted *Impact Wrestling: Unlocked* until its cancellation, and sporadically appeared as backstage announcer or replacement commentator. He also inducted Jeff Jarrett into the TNA Hall of Fame. As of December 2015, Tenay was still employed by TNA but had not appeared on television since July. When *Impact* debuted on Pop in January, Tenay said his future as an announcer on *Impact* was uncertain. In June 2016, Tenay appeared on an episode of *The Ross Report* podcast with Jim Ross, where he explained that he had quietly departed TNA amicably and has retired from the wrestling business.

### Surprise Return (2017)

At TNA Lockdown 2017 on April 13, 2017. **Mike Tenay** Return To TNA. In backstage segment with his the also returning Don West. Dixie Carter was stock because she believed that is business by hiring and keeping Vince Russo and allowed that son bitch to keep a job. he has retired from the wrestling business in 2016. **Mike Tenay** told her that she killed is passive and burn me out in the wrestling business by hiring and keeping Vince Russo and allowed that son bitch to keep a job. But after tonight you Dixie Carter are done with TNA Forever. And he agreed to come back to help TNA stared this new era! The Crowd Was Happy To See Both Men!
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Door Up! Come On In! No you left TNA and you and Walk Into Frame  : No! You see bitch! You and got rid of the . I had for th
I In Stared Don West: And As For Me. The New Owners Believe That The **Mike Tenay** needed a great partner. So they brought me back as well. And we will once again be the announcement team of TNA Wrestling very soon. And this time we won’t be working for a bitch like you. [[[Jeremy Borash]]: What's going to happen to us now! Josh Mathews: Who Knows?
On

## Other endeavours

In August 2015, Tenay announced on former wrestler Tazz's podcast the launch of his podcast, *Professor Vegas*, through CBS Radio's Play.it platform, due to launch on August 6 of that same year. It would focus on sports betting, and feature Tenay's own expert analysis (he was a bookie in Las Vegas for ten years, and a lifelong betting fan) along with interviews with professional gamblers, bookies, linesmakers and athletes.

On July 22, 2016, Tenay tweeted "Sorry to report that I have not been able to reach agreement with CBS Radio for a second year of podcasts." The last recorded podcast was uploaded on June 14, 2016.

## Other media

He appeared in the video game *TNA Impact!* as a downloadable character.

## Personal life

Tenay has been married to his wife Karen since 1987. They currently live in Las Vegas, Nevada.

## Awards and accomplishments

* ***Wrestling Observer Newsletter***
	+ Best Television Announcer (1997, 2002–2005)

## External links

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Tenay (right) and Don West (left) calling the action at Lockdown 2007
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**Article** Talk

This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification.  *(September 2015)*
 Retired