After Samantha Irvin departed from WWE RAW, Lilian Garcia took on her role on the October 21, 2024 episode of WWE RAW. However, after a few months of working with the company, Garcia switched brands with Alicia Taylor, who had been the SmackDown ring announcer. So, Garcia took on the role of WWE SmackDown ring announcer during the January 3 episode.
But surprisingly, after switching two brands in a span of five months, WWE legend Lilian Garcia recently announced her retirement from WWE SmackDown. On March 14, after a legendary night in Spain, Garcia dropped the heartbreaking announcement leaving fans wondering about what’s to come for the WWE ring announcer in the future.
Lilian Garcia announced her retirement from WWE SmackDown
While the SmackDown event in Spain was carrying on as a thrilling spectacle, it soon turned disheartening for some fans, after legendary ring announcer Lilian Garcia announced her retirement. On March 14, 2025, during a WWE SmackDown event in Barcelona, Garcia announced her heartfelt goodbye to WWE SmackDown (via Instagram).
Known for her iconic voice and deep connection with WWE fans, Lilian Garcia had recently joined WWE SmackDown, after switching brands with Alicia Taylor. But then after hardly three months, Garcia left the audience in shock, making her retirement a significant moment in wrestling history.
Meanwhile, during the SmackDown event, LA Knight, Jimmy Uso, and Braun Strowman took down The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga in an electrifying six-man tag team match. Charlotte Flair made her grand return to the ring, securing a victory over B-Fab, but was later confronted by Tiffany Stratton (via Republic World).
As for Damian Priest and Shinsuke Nakamura’s intense battle, it ended with Priest defeating via disqualification, followed by an attack by Drew McIntyre. Further, fans also saw Randy Orton claim victory over Carmelo Hayes. Meanwhile, Gunther continued his dominant streak by defeating Axiom via pinfall in a gripping non-title match.
But overall, the biggest shocker of the night came in the main event, where The Street Profits defeated #DIY (Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano) to win the WWE Tag Team Championships. So, in the end, with so many unforgettable moments, Lilian Garcia’s retirement announcement added an emotional touch to the night’s excitement.
Timeline of WWE ring announcer Lilian Garcia’s career
Now, while Lilian Garcia’s announcement led to a few teary-eyed tributes on social media, let’s take a look at her enduring legacy as one of WWE’s most beloved ring announcers. Well, her incredible journey with the wrestling brand initially began in 1999, when she joined WWE as a ring announcer, making her debut on the August 23 episode of RAW (via WWE).
Throughout her career, Lilian Garcia has presented fans with some of the most iconic moments in wrestling history, like her performance of The Star-Spangled Banner at WrestleMania 2000, flaunting her singing talent. Later on, in 2001, following the September 11 attacks, Garcia delivered a heartfelt rendition of the national anthem during an episode of SmackDown.
However, in 2009, after a decade of serving WWE as a ring announcer, Lilian Garcia initially departed from the company. But thankfully, she returned in 2011 to take on the role of SmackDown ring announcer (via WWE). Sadly, within 5 years of her return, Garcia yet again announced her departure from WWE to focus on her music career and personal projects.
Thereafter, spending almost a decade away from the ring, Lilian Garcia made a one-night return on May 13, 2024, to guest announce a match on RAW. This return led her to re-sign with WWE full-time, on October 21, filling in for Samantha Irvin, who had announced her departure earlier that day (via ITR Wrestling ).
Soon, on January 3, 2025, Lilian Garcia transitioned to the role of SmackDown ring announcer, switching positions with Alicia Taylor. However, that only lasted three months, until she recently bid adieu to WWE SmackDown on March 14.
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