Mauro Ranallo

“As an announcer, I have nothing but respect for the fighters, and I want to make sure I do my job to let the people know who these courageous warriors are, because they are putting their lives on the line for our entertainment, and there's something to be said about that.”

“Jerry 'The King' Lawler might be the most talented man I've ever worked with. He comes in, he's cool as a cucumber, and then all of a sudden, as soon as the camera comes on, it was a dream. It was an absolute dream come true to spar and share the same airspace with a guy I've respected for a long, long time.”

“Some of the brightest, most creative minds have been touched by mental illness.”

“I go into calling any match, any fight - I don't care if it's the main event or the opener - that these guys have put in their work: they're here for a reason, and there's a reason I'm calling this fight, so I do want to give it as much attention and respect and energy as I would the main event or a championship fight.”

“Mental illness, unfortunately, is an invisible disease: it's not seen or heard. For whatever reason, because of that, society has decided that if we can't see it, maybe it doesn't exist, so they want to just sweep it under the carpet or say, 'Snap out of it,' or that you're looking for attention.”

“I think the healthier Bellator can be, the better it is for the entire sport, especially the athletes who - let's face it - need to be paid more. They need the opportunity to negotiate and have an option. Bellator definitely presents that.”

“I have a curious mind.”

“I'm a perfectionist and my own worst critic.”

“I'm blessed to have a great support network.”

“There is danger involved in combat sports, but this is the purest form of competition. It's all about finding the truth. When you put someone in a cage or a ring, you're going to find out the truth - not only about your opponent but about yourself as well.”

“WWE, in the back of my mind, was always the dream job, and most people don't get their dream jobs.”

“I want to make it so that it's OK to not be OK.”

“I was discovered at 16, so all I've done is be a communicator and an entertainer all my life, and my energy is who I am in real life.”

“I don't care about me being vulnerable or embarrassing situations.”

“I've called all sports. I was a radio DJ, club DJ, talk show host, hockey, basketball, football; you name it, I've done it.”

“I'm obsessed with broadcasting.”

“I love working with Byron Saxton and Jerry Lawler, and I hope I continue to do so.”

“My first full-time radio job at 21, I was there for only a couple of months before I was hospitalized. I wrote a resignation letter. My dad wouldn't give the letter to my boss at the time.”

“I knew at five years old what I wanted to do for a living. I started reading newspapers and books out loud at a very young age. I was very focused on English and building my vocabulary.”

“No matter what job I've undertaken, whether it was Glory Kickboxing or Strikeforce or Pride Fighting Championships or Showtime Championship Boxing, you have to play by the rules of the company you work for.”