The WWE Russel Mania Speech Introduction

Opening lines, hooks, headlines…

Throw them all out the window.

None of them matter if your MC introduction fails.

I’ve touched on this before, but it’s especially critical when we talk about Russell Brunson’s $3.3M keynote.

Why?

Because Russell’s “opening line” was the opposite of what you’d expect.

It wasn’t captivating. It didn’t hook the audience. It was simply a thank-you message to Grant Cardone and a brief, casual remark about how he thought it was “impossible” to gather so many people for a conference.

Boring, in every sense.

He eventually fixed it with some audience engagement tactics, like asking everyone to turn on their phone flashlights, after opening a loop about the presentation’s topic.

But that’s not what I want to discuss today.

I want to discuss audience psychology.

Yesterday, we talked about the concept of indoctrination: building trust and credibility with your audience before the event even begins.

We explored how the event’s marketing and the type of attendees can make or break the success of a “direct response keynote.”

But there’s one more critical piece of the puzzle that completes the indoctrination strategy: The MC Introduction.

The way the MC introduces you can make or break your speech.

It’s the audience’s first impression of you.

Is this speaker credible?
Is this speaker trustworthy?
Is this speaker worth listening to?

These are the questions running through the audience’s mind.

The MC introduction answers those questions. It’s the real headline, the real opening line, the real hook. And you’re not the one delivering it. The MC is.

If you watch Russell Brunson’s keynote again, pay close attention to the first minute.

Or, if you’re too occupied, here’s the MC’s script:

================

“For the past ten years, this man has built a following of entrepreneurs in the millions. He’s sold hundreds of thousands of books, popularized the concept of sales funnels, and co-founded the software company ClickFunnels, which has grown to over $100M in revenue and 55,000 customers in just three years.

He is the king of funnels, the Internet's favourite entrepreneur, an affiliate marketing genius, and the container of expert secrets. He’s an American storyteller.

Ladies and gentlemen, bring to the stage—with a thunderous 10X applause—Mr. Russell Brunson!”

================

I’ll tell you what this intro felt like.

It felt like watching Rey Mysterio or The Undertaker stepping into the ring.

And it answered three questions instantly:

1. Credibility: Brunson’s introduction made it clear he’s a $100M founder and expert marketer.

2. Curiosity: It highlighted his accomplishments in affiliate marketing, book sales, and storytelling.

3. Momentum: It gave him the energy and authority to start strong.

Even today’s Trump inauguration had someone introduce him before he took the podium.

For someone like Trump or Brunson, you might argue that the MC Intro is unnecessary.

Okay…

But for us “normal” folks?

It will make or break the audience’s perception of you, especially if most of them don’t know who you are.

In this case, you have two options:

1. Write your own MC introduction and hand it to the MC.

2. Let the MC wing it.

My advice?

Don’t let the MC wing it unless they know the audience so well they won’t flop it.

The MC introduction is your real hook.

If you’re preparing for a keynote or presentation and need help crafting an MC introduction that sets the stage for your success or looking to scale your speaking business online, book a 1-on-1 FREE consultation with me here:

https://tidycal.com/rhetoricaddict/re-marketing-consultation-call