WWE commentator has publicly expressed his issues with the recent line-up changes on weekly programming.
In late 2024, Raw, SmackDown and NXT all had 2 man announce teams with Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett commentating on Raw, Michael Cole and Graves on SmackDown and Vic Joseph and Booker T on NXT. However, with January 2025 seeing the Raw move to Netflix and the return of Pat McAfee, the company underwent another commentary shake-up.
With Cole and McAfee reuniting on Raw along with Tessitore and Barrett being moved over to SmackDown, Graves joined Joseph and Booker T on NXT as part of the New Year’s Evil special and will be remaining on the Tuesday night show until further notice.
Graves, who was also a former wrestler before making the switch to commentary due to injuries, made his thoughts on the changes very clear on social media, stating that he was “not famous enough” to announce the show:
Imagine chasing your dream.
Then being TOLD (not deciding) that you’re no longer physically able to pursue your dream.
Then you dedicate your life to something “dream adjacent” and being pretty fucking awesome at it.
And then, when it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor, being told you’re not famous enough for your own job.
Just in case you’ve wondered where I’ve been.
Following his initial post that caused a lot of stir online, Graves stated he would comment further on the January 14th edition of NXT:
I’ve got a lot to say.
Don’t miss #WWENXT tonight on @TheCW
TONIGHT.
Will Corey Graves Return To Main Roster?
No official announcement has been made as to when or if Graves will be back on Raw or SmackDown. However, a recent backstage report gave an indication as to when WWE fans may see Corey Graves back on main roster programming.
In other news, multiple WWE stars have been moved from Raw to SmackDown.