As noted earlier, WWE Hall of Famer Howard Finkel has passed away at the age of 69.
Finkel was first hired by Vince McMahon, Sr. back in 1975. He took on a reduced schedule back in 2000, but made several special appearances over the years. He also worked some behind-the-scenes.
Triple H took to Twitter and remembered The Fink as someone who made it special for wrestlers.
“You weren’t someone until you heard Howard announce you. A championship win didn’t feel real until you heard him say “and the new!” His voice, his personality, and his positivity will be sorely missed. Thank you for everything…especially your friendship,” Triple H wrote.
WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon took to Twitter to remember The Fink, noting that he was their original employee.
“In what has already been a tough week for our @WWE family, today we lost our 1st ever employee and WWE Hall of Famer, @howardfinkel. Howard’s voice is iconic & recognized by generations of fans. He will be missed. #RIPHowardFinkel Thank you for everything. [red heart emoji] [folded hands emoji] [red heart emoji],” Stephanie wrote.
Roman Reigns posted tonight that even while Howard’s health was declining, he was more concerned with how Roman Reigns was doing during his second battle with leukemia.
He tweeted, “Even as Howard’s health declined, he was more concerned about me and my fight to be healthy. We lost one of the greatest ever. He was the greatest ring announcer ever, and that couldn’t even compare to the human being that he was. RIP Fink.”
Edge took to Instagram to praise Fink as the best ever.
Edge wrote, “I will miss this man. Howard Finkel was the voice @christian4peeps and I emulated when we performed our own ring introductions for our living room or side yard(depending on the weather) wrestling “shows”. I know there’s an entire generation of kids, now grizzled adults who did the same thing. He was “our voice”. When I debuted in the WWE and I heard Howard’s voice introduce Edge, I welled up. THAT’S when it became real that I’d made it. I will never forget the goosebumps I had the night on a house show at The Skydome when he said “and NEEEEEEWWWW Intercontinental Champion”. Our first tag title win at WrestleMania of all places. The voice? Howard. More importantly than all of that, he was my friend. He was a genuine, warm and compassionate man who absolutely LOVED his job. I remember standing with him nightly behind the curtain with a bunch of the boys firing him up as Welcome to the Jungle played for his ring intro music. This hurts. The Fink. The best. Ever.”
AEW’s Matt Hardy wrote, “Saddened about the passing of my friend & colleague, Howard “The Fink” Finkel. Fink was my main contact when I first starting getting myself & Jeff booked as extras in the mid 90s. Howard always took great care of us & had a soft spot in his heart The Hardy Boyz. #RIPFink”
Below are comments from Edge, Triple H, Big E, Titus O’Neil, The Singh Brothers, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Alexa Bliss, Johnny Gargano, Tony Nese, Matt Hardy, Zack Ryder, Scott Stanford, WWE Hall of Famers The Bella Twins, JBL, Santino Marella, Paige, Dolph Ziggler, Renee Young, and WWE Hall of Famer Bubba Ray Dudley:
In what has already been a tough week for our @WWE family, today we lost our 1st ever employee and WWE Hall of Famer, @howardfinkel. Howard’s voice is iconic & recognized by generations of fans. He will be missed. #RIPHowardFinkel Thank you for everything. ❤️🙏❤️
— Stephanie McMahon (@StephMcMahon) April 16, 2020
Even as Howard’s health declined, he was more concerned about me and my fight to be healthy. We lost one of the greatest ever. He was the greatest ring announcer ever, and that couldn’t even compare to the human being that he was. RIP Fink.
— Roman Reigns (@WWERomanReigns) April 17, 2020
You weren’t someone until you heard Howard announce you. A championship win didn’t feel real until you heard him say “and the new!” His voice, his personality, and his positivity will be sorely missed. Thank you for everything…especially your friendship. https://t.co/CYSPt6vnvU
— Triple H (@TripleH) April 16, 2020
Every wrestling fan at some point envisions themselves making an entrance at WrestleMania. I have done it almost everyday of my life, and The Fink is the only voice I hear saying my name in my head.
— Tony Nese (@TonyNese) April 16, 2020
Howard Finkel was a staple of my childhood. The voice we all grew up with. I first met Howard backstage at WrestleMania 33. I walked up and as I said "Hello, sir" and went to introduce myself, he burst out "HELLO, JOHNNY!" I couldn't believe he knew MY name! #RIPFink
— Johnny Gargano (@JohnnyGargano) April 16, 2020
RIP ?????? https://t.co/4tncqYnHy6
— Lexi Kaufman (@AlexaBliss_WWE) April 16, 2020
RIP to the legendary voice of our childhood. ?? ?? pic.twitter.com/1NmAhraVmt
— Singh Brothers (@SinghBrosWWE) April 16, 2020
One of THE MOST AMAZING People I’ve EVER had the pleasure of Talking too?? #RIPHowardFinkel https://t.co/UgrCYC64Ea
— Titus O'Neil (@TitusONeilWWE) April 16, 2020
Fink was not only an indelible part of my childhood but he couldn’t have been sweeter to me any time I saw him backstage. I’m grateful to have known him.
— Florida Man (@WWEBigE) April 16, 2020
In what has already been a tough week for our @WWE family, today we lost our 1st ever employee and WWE Hall of Famer, @howardfinkel. Howard’s voice is iconic & recognized by generations of fans. He will be missed. #RIPHowardFinkel Thank you for everything. ??????
— Stephanie McMahon (@StephMcMahon) April 16, 2020
I saw a voicemail after a day of training at OVW, it was my call up to raw! Howard Finkel spoke as if announcing a new world champion, at madison square garden! I will never forget that + his “welcome to the jungle” entrance is unmatched & sparked us all to have a great show!
— Nic Nemeth (@HEELZiggler) April 16, 2020
Man.. RIP @howardfinkel more blows to the wrestling world. You’ll be deeply missed my friend ?? https://t.co/iqZKrh4lpM
— PAIGE (@RealPaigeWWE) April 16, 2020
God Bless ya Fink. ??
Thanks for the childhood memories.
Thanks for always being on our side.
Thanks for being a friend. pic.twitter.com/33UCOChwPc— Bully Ray (@bullyray5150) April 16, 2020
I remember early in my @WWE career there was a Mexico tour where Lilian Garcia was unable to attend & Howard Finkel stepped in. When he announced me as I made my entrance I had the biggest grin on my face, I was that 10-year-old boy for a moment #ThankYouFink #ripfink
— Santino Marella (@milanmiracle) April 16, 2020
Saddened about the passing of my friend & colleague, Howard "The Fink" Finkel. Fink was my main contact when I first starting getting myself & Jeff booked as extras in the mid 90s. Howard always took great care of us & had a soft spot in his heart The Hardy Boyz. #RIPFink pic.twitter.com/dNPTscanuR
— #BROKEN Matt Hardy (@MATTHARDYBRAND) April 16, 2020
The first great ring announcer is gone. RIP @wwe Hall of Famer Howard Finkel. pic.twitter.com/jvkGDDVh4u
— John Layfield (@JCLayfield) April 16, 2020
Going to miss you Howard! ?? Always enjoyed our talks. Thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family. RIP. N https://t.co/y4gsbTbWlT
— Nikki & Brie (@BellaTwins) April 16, 2020
RIP Fink. The voice of my childhood… pic.twitter.com/qBKMWGm1KC
— Matt Cardona (@ZackRyder) April 16, 2020
One of the nicest guys I knew! Always remember as a kid watching Fink grab that double mic as it came down from the MSG roof to announce the matches on Monday nights. Awful news! RIP Fink. #andnewwww https://t.co/1sTOpOWtpm
— Scott Stanford (@scottstanford1) April 16, 2020
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