After a long career with WWE that ended abruptly, and surprisingly good tell all book, ring announcer Justin Roberts got the chance to do what he loves again when Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks came calling asking him to work the ALL IN event. He did, and was great, and the event was great, and it was just all great.
Like many others since that show, Roberts was inspired and took to social media to write a love letter to pro wrestling:
View this post on Instagram
All in: A love letter to pro wrestling. My love letter to #AllIn, greatest night of my 22 yr career: After abruptly leaving the world of packed arenas where I did the best job I was allowed to do, under a microscope-I never thought I’d have an opportunity to freely do it just 1 more time. All In gave me that opportunity. @Americannightmarecody @nickjacksonyb & @mattjacksonyb weren’t running a show about being the bosses. They just wanted to give wrestling fans a show they’d enjoy. This wasn’t about us vs them, but rather offering an alternative. I became a fan of “Being The Elite” on YouTube-Consistent characters & storylines there/NJPW/ROH. This show was the culmination of that & so much more. It gave a giant platform to the TALENTED folks who independently perform & entertain all over the world, every weekend. As the event neared, I spent hours talking w/ my co-announcer/friend Bobby Cruise about our plans & overall excitement. So many nights I’d try to sleep, only to have my mind takeover-envisioning what it would be like to stand in the middle of that ring. Week of the show, I got sick & my throat was shot. Dr gave me antibiotics & steroids(Not that kind). I didn’t talk for a few days, but going into the show-I was maybe 60%. I entered the ring & was shocked/overwhelmed w/ emotion when the fans chanted my name. The show isn’t about me-I know that. But for a brief moment, the feeling of appreciation after all these years meant more than the crowd will ever know. I also read every tweet that came through & was blown away by the unbelievably kind words. I forgot about my throat. All I could think about was the bosses & the freedom/trust in me to introduce the stars as stars. The amazing show had something for everyone. By the end, I proudly watched Cody & the Bucks stand in the middle of the ring & take in what they created. They are genuine, down to earth-GOOD people. They put this entire event together & made it special. Not only did their fans stay for a 5 hr show, but when it ended, no one left. They were so respectful all night. They were so appreciative all night. Most of all, they were entertained & went home happy. For that, I say thank you.
A post shared by Justin Roberts (@justinroberts) on Sep 8, 2018 at 12:37pm PDT
That’s really great. It’s often felt like there isn’t much out there beyond WWE, or at least nothing that can reach its scale, but that was proven wrong.