Mike Rome Clarifies Comment on Mark Nash’s Cue Card Use on WWE SmackDown

Mark Nash is the newest addition to the WWE SmackDown announce team, having made his debut for the blue brand in late March. During the April 4 edition of SmackDown, a post on X by NXT announcer Mike Rome drew widespread attention when he pointed out that Nash was reading from cue cards and wondered when that practice had started.

The observation did not go unnoticed, sparking a wave of discussion among fans and even drawing a reaction from former Raw announcer Samantha Irvin. Irvin appeared slightly frustrated, implying she was never offered cue cards during her time behind the microphone. Rome responded by clarifying that Nash has actually been using the cards for a couple of weeks now.

Some interpreted Rome's remarks as a jab at Nash, prompting Rome to issue a clarification. He emphasized that there was no ill intent behind his comment and that he has nothing but respect for Nash’s work. Rome explained that he simply hopes to have cue cards available in his own role with WWE NXT at some point.

Nash himself acknowledged Rome’s clarification and expressed gratitude, confirming that he did not take the comments as offensive. Rome further praised Nash’s performance, showing support for the new SmackDown announcer.

As a newcomer to WWE’s main roster, Nash is likely using the cue cards to help memorize key details about SmackDown Superstars. Whether this tool becomes a permanent part of his ringside setup remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Mike Rome would not mind having some cards of his own.

To clarify, @MarkShunock is absolutely crushing it. Don’t look for a deeper meaning to my tweet lol 😂 I think the card is a killer tool, especially for many of the long ass things we have to say, I want one!

— Austin Romero (aka: Mike Rome) (@AustinMRomero) April 5, 2025

Dude, love the style. Keep crushing it. Was watching Friday, gave me Bruce buffer vibes. See you in Vegas!

— Austin Romero (aka: Mike Rome) (@AustinMRomero) April 5, 2025