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As the world tragically lost Don West recently, it lost not only a great human being, but a man who left a lasting impression on the wrestling industry through his time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling behind the commentary desk.
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While his name has never been among the greats in terms of the best commentators in the history of the business, his stint in TNA was nothing short of fantastic. He has quickly become one of the most underrated commentators in the history of professional wrestling. Alongside Mike Tenay, Don's voice was synonymous with some of the most entertaining and important years in the promotion's history, and with his devastating passing, it's time his legacy as a commentator was given the respect it deserves.
Don West's Incredible Enthusiasm Was Infectious
An enthusiastic commentator is vital to any sporting event. It's what helps fans watching at home really get enthralled with the action, and fall in love with what they're watching. Exciting, energetic commentary tells fans they're allowed to feel the way they do about the sport, and Don certainly helped TNA fans feel that way.
His energy behind the desk was infectious, and his calls helped make TNA feel that much more important. The matches felt more impressive and entertaining. Some of the most impressive moments in TNA's history, such as Elix Skipper's death defying cage walk, felt that much more historic and momentous due to Don's roaring, enthusiastic responses on commentary.
All you have to do is watch pro wrestling without any commentary, or with announcers who sound almost bored with what they're witnessing, to realize just how important the role Don played in TNA was. With Tenay as the knowledgeable professor alongside him filling in the finer details throughout matches, it was West who really stood out for fans, and it's his voice that springs to mind when thinking back about the greatest moments in TNA's history and the legendary calls he made during them.
Don West Named AJ Styles' Pele Kick
One moment that sticks out during Don's time in wrestling, and has had a lasting effect that is still seen and heard throughout wrestling today, was his decision to christen the Pele Kick for AJ Styles.
The move has become one of Styles' most important, and one he has continued to use throughout every promotion he's appeared in, whether that's New Japan or now WWE, almost two decades after he debuted it in TNA.
The move, a backflip that sees Styles land a kick to his opponent's head, was almost a mirror of a bicycle kick that the legendary soccer star Pele, who also quite eerily passed away this week, scored during his appearance in the movie Escape to Victory alongside Michael Caine and Sylvester Stallone.
Styles debuted the move during a match with D-Lo Brown and immediately afterwards, Don roared down the headset in awe of the maneuver, first asking Tenay if he'd seen it, before announcing he was dubbing it the Pele. From that moment on, the name has stuck and is a great example of a lasting impression Don had on the wrestling business.
Don West's Partnership With Mike Tenay Is Still The Greatest In TNA History
While TNA, now Impact, has seen a large number of commentators step behind the desk throughout the promotion's two-decade history, there are no pairings that have worked quite as well, and been quite as successful, as Don's with Mike Tenay.
From the company's earliest days, the duo were always side by side calling the action, and they did a wonderful job. They bounced off of each other perfectly, and their chemistry couldn't be denied. Tenay has always been known for his extensive knowledge within the wrestling business, and while he was always on hand to showcase that effectively, Don was the perfect man to play off of that, and give fans the voice of one of their own. There's just no denying that deep down, Don West was just a massive professional wrestling fan, and that was clear to see whenever he was on the commentary team.
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He called from the heart and fans really resonated with that. Sure, he wasn't on par with the likes of Jim Ross or Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan, but Don was unique. He was genuine, and his love for the business was always there. He may have only served as a commentator for seven years, stepping away from the role in 2009, but his legacy remains over 13 years later, and will be remembered for much, much longer than that.
