Many people in WWE wear multiple hats in the company. Jim Ross balanced commentating with serving as Head of Talent Relations. Michael Cole worked on Vince McMahon’s creative team in addition to his role as an announcer. Some wrestlers, like Spike Dudley, also worked as ring crew.
And now one more person who had only one role beforehand has taken on an additional responsibility.
Corey Graves takes on new role in WWE NXT
Like the two commentators mentioned above, Corey Graves will now be doing more than just commentating from ringside during WWE’s weekly TV shows.
In an exclusive interview with PopCulture.com, going forward, Graves will also be working with NXT talent to help them develop their characters.
“I’ve recently started working with the NXT talent on helping develop characters and things of that nature, and I’ve really enjoyed it thus far. So I’m really looking forward to working with NXT a lot more as the year progresses.”
Graves has been a commentator for WWE for almost a decade, but that was never his original goal. He came to WWE to become a wrestler and did wrestle in NXT until 2014 when a series of concussion-related issues barred him from active competition.
However, he also took this interview opportunity to remind fans that he has been medically cleared to compete in the ring for more or less a full year now.
“I’d like to remind everybody one more time that I have been cleared to compete and I can’t think of a better scenario for me to step back in the ring than alongside my beautiful wife.”
The “beautiful wife” in question is Carmella, who is one of the six women competing in an Elimination Chamber match later tonight to determine the new #1 Contender for Bianca Belair’s RAW Women’s Championship. Whoever wins that EC match will face Belair at WrestleMania 39 which, like last year’s event, will be a two-night show.
h/t Fightful for the transcription