An Elite Experience:Nick Lendl

By
Jim LaMotta
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“Being in the ring, holding that microphone and seeing all those people,watching you and waiting for you to talk, is a truly special feeling. Only if you’ve been under those lights do you understand. Whether there are 10,000 people there or 200, it’s always a rush.”

In many ways, Pittsburgh-based ring announcer, Nick Lendl was born and bred to be under the bright lights. On the stage with his father’s local band as earlier as his toddler years, Nick came a long way from those smokey VFW halls where he sang along with cover tunes. From those humble beginnings with pool tables and cigarette machines in the background, Lendl’s mic skills have taken him on an upward trajectory throughout the majority of his life.

After he spent $2,000 for a VIP tour of the WWE Performance Center several years ago, asking head trainer, Matt Bloom how to become a top level ring announcer and getting the chance to “audition” for the staff of some of the brightest minds in the industry, Nick impressed Bloom. The enthusiastic youngster was told to pursue a degree and then get seasoning on the independent circuit so he did just that. After attending Robert Morris University and linking up with the International Wrestling Cartel in his hometown in 2016, Lendl started a journey that has already taken him across the country for his skills with a mic.

“It’s a slow process for sure, especially for an announcer. Getting bookings when you first start out is near impossible. That was the hardest part for me was getting my name out there. Thankfully, through my work with Ring of Honor and evolving over the years, I’m at the point where my name is in the discussion when AEW or other companies need an announcer,” Lendl remarked.

Through those travels, he met and was mentored by longtime Ring Of Honor announcer, Bobby Cruise, and along with working various ROH events pre-pandemic, Lendl even achieved a milestone with the opportunity to announce a bout in the hallowed halls of Madison Square Garden under the ROH banner in 2019.

When the world was shuttered from the COVID pandemic in 2020, sports entertainment took the hit just as much as any other industry with the vast majority of independent groups kept out of action for several months, and even the major league groups running events under noticeable limitations.

For Ring Of Honor, a group that was purchased by Sinclair Broadcasting in 2011, there was even more of a level of uncertainty when Sinclair announced the organization would go on hiatus at the end of 2021. The door that brought Nick to MSG appeared to close, but another opportunity would eventually fall into place, specifically when Tony Khan, All Elite boss, announced that he bought the promotion in 2021.

Speaking of the pandemic and All Elite Wrestling, after the company had to settle into its home base of Jacksonville for so long, the diehard AEW audience was ready for that live event experience to return, as the company went back on the road with its weekly television tapings. In an era where so much is rightfully emphasized about content and the revenue that can be generated from it, the house show or non-televised event, is somewhat of a lost art. In truth, those live events were the foundation of the industry for several decades in the territory system before the evolution of media distribution made sports entertainment primarily a TV business.

Still, that’s why the announcement of AEW’s “House Rules” event last month in Troy, Ohio was met with a level of excitement, as it was action that only those in the building had the chance to see first hand. With AEW in the tri-state area for a special event, they made the call for a special guest to act as in-ring host and time keeper of the show while mentor, Bobby Cruise announced the competitors, Nick Lendl was scheduled to be at ringside.

“I’ve been in contact with AEW since the promotion started in 2019, but when Tony Khan purchased Ring of Honor, things started to fall in place for me to start getting some opportunities there. They’ve reached out a few times when they needed an announcer and that’s what happened here. Sometimes, it’s stressful to walk into a new locker room, but with my experience in Ring of Honor and the indy scene, I’ve worked with a good majority of the roster. Bobby Cruise was there too, which was awesome because he has been a mentor to me for the last few years,” Nick explained.


Despite his booming voice only being heard by those in the house in Troy, Ohio last month, Nick’s elite experience would span far beyond just the few thousand fans in the building that night. He didn’t know it at the time, but the impact of his decision to make the trip to Troy would eventually see his face on national television under the guidance of Tony Khan himself.


“Surprisingly, they actually asked me to record some backstage interviews and used the clip on Dynamite. The pressure was on too because about five seconds before we started recording, Tony Khan walked in the room. He produced all of my interviews. I’ve met Tony before, but to have him standing there watching was a real sink or swim moment. But, he was really laid back and easy to talk to about everything, Lendl commented.


This Saturday, pro wrestling will take Nick to the Rostraver Ice Gardens, a well-known venue for the sport as far back as the original ECW and as recent as Ring Of Honor during the early days of the Sinclair regime, for the International Wrestling Cartel’s Superstar Showdown 4, an event that will be headlined by Rob Van Dam in an Extreme Rules match and a rare independent appearance by the legendary Jake “The Snake” Roberts. All Elite Wrestling stars, Brain Cage and Cole Karter are also scheduled for the stacked line-up. Of course, Nick’s voice is featured on the television commercial for the event that has aired for the past few weeks in local markets.

Where professional wrestling takes Nick Lendl next remains to be seen, but the odds say that he will continue upward in his career path.

For more information about Nick, Twitter:@NickLendl IG:@nicklendlannouncer

What do you think? Share your thoughts, opinions, feedback, and anything else that was raised on Twitter @PWMania and Facebook.com/PWMania.

Until next week
-Jim LaMotta

E mail [email protected] | You can follow me on Instagram & Facebook @jimlamotta89

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