Tom Phillips joined WWE in 2012, conducting interviews for the WWE app. Over the course of the next nine years Phillips would commentate on some of the biggest matches and the grandest stages that WWE had to offer.
Reflecting on his tenure with the company, Phillips has now revealed which match was the highlight of his WWE announcing career.
Appearing on Sports Media with Richard Deitsch, the Philadelphia native reflected on the friend’s he’d made during his time with the company, before naming his commentary highlight.
“I can genuinely say I’ve made some lifelong friends there,” Phillips said. “I’ll focus on the New Day. I can go on and on about a lot of people, but I can’t tell you how emotional it was at WrestleMania 35, Kofi Kingston winning the WWE Title from Daniel Bryan. It was extraordinarily emotional, because I felt that what Corey Graves and Byron Saxton and myself did in terms of calling the match and the storyline was very good. And I felt very confident about it. I think Byron Saxton had the call of his lifetime that night. And I was so emotional calling the match, and then especially after the fact when everything had sunk in.”
Phillips continued to wax lyrical about the New Day, describing how close he is to them and just how emotional he got calling that famous match at WrestleMania 35.
“I’d gotten to know Big E, he’s one of my closest friends. He and I buzz each other about college football constantly. Xavier Woods and I knew each other from the very beginning at NXT, as I did with Big E. But Xavier and I got to work together, we’re both video game guys and just see eye to eye on a lot of stuff. And Woods, on top of that, has been one of my biggest supporters. I remember not long ago he pulled me aside and was very complimentary. It just means the world to you. And Kofi, who doesn’t know Kofi Kingston in the world of professional wrestling? Who doesn’t respect Kofi Kingston? And to see his journey and see it come out of nowhere like that? I was trying to keep it together on air. It was getting dusty out there in Met-Life Stadium. I’m like ‘alright, you got to keep it together.’ I put a lot of thought and effort into the entire storyline. And especially that call. That might be the most important thing to me that I had a chance to be a part of.”
Elsewhere in the conversation, Phillips also expressed his surprise at being replaced on RAW by Adnan Virk.
In the hours after the interview took place, Phillips took to social media to comment further. Phillips thanked those inside WWE for giving him the opportunity, saying that he’ll “never say never” over a return.
H/t to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.