Following WWE Raw’s move to Netflix, Corey Graves was reassigned to NXT commentary alongside Vic Joseph and Booker T, as Michael Cole and Pat McAfee took over Raw duties, while Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett were assigned to SmackDown.

Prior to his second scheduled NXT appearance, Graves shared his perspective on social media:

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 f**king 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.

Graves did not appear on the following NXT broadcast despite promoting his appearance. Fightful Select reports Graves has two years remaining on his current WWE contract, with sources indicating hope for his continued presence with the company.

For tonight’s WWE Raw, Wade Barrett replaces Pat McAfee alongside Michael Cole due to McAfee’s ESPN commitments.

Jim Ross Comments on Graves’ Commentary Situation

WWE Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross addressed Corey Graves’ recent commentary reassignment during his Grilling JR podcast. Ross, reflecting on similar experiences throughout his career, shared his perspective with Conrad Thompson:

Conrad, how many times has that happened to me? And here I am jolly, happy, healthy as the old horse, and I got nothing to b***h about.

Graves transitioned from in-ring competition to commentary in 2014 due to concussion issues and served on Raw and SmackDown’s broadcast teams from 2016 until 2024. PWInsider reports his recent social media statements stemmed from genuine frustration rather than storyline developments.

Corey Graves had an odd start to 2025. Plans were set for him to move from RAW to SmackDown, but that all changed when WWE decided to put Wade Barrett with Joe Tessitore instead. Sources within WWE say they shifted Graves to NXT, and he wasn’t exactly thrilled about it.

Things escalated when Graves started sending out messages on social media blasting the move. Some WWE officials thought he was trying to get out of his contract, but people close to the broadcaster say he was just working the fans by mixing reality with storyline.

The situation took another turn when WWE told Graves to stay home from Tuesday’s NXT show, even though he’d been telling everyone he’d address what was going on. He also didn’t show up for his usual spot doing commentary on WWE Speed on Wednesday.

In today’s Newsletter, Meltzer shed some light on it, and one thing is sure: this wasn’t planned as a storyline at all. But there’s always a possibility WWE might work it into their shows down the line if they can patch things up with Graves.

Dave Meltzer shared details about WWE’s internal response to Corey Graves’ recent social media posts regarding his commentary role changes. The situation developed after Graves learned of alterations to previously discussed broadcasting assignments.

According to Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer Radio report, WWE had initially planned different commentary arrangements in late 2023.

When Michael Cole had moved to SmackDown, but it was only gonna be temporary, and Joe Tessitore was starting with Raw, and we were told it’s only temporary, he’s gonna be moved to SmackDown. At the time I was told that the RAW announce team would be, in January, Michael Cole and Pat McAfee, and the SmackDown team would be Corey Graves and Joe Tessitore

Plans changed when Graves discovered Wade Barrett would replace him on SmackDown. This revelation reportedly occurred weeks before his social media response.

Now I guess it was a couple of weeks ago when Corey Graves got the word that Wade Barrett was gonna replace him on that show, and he wasn’t happy

Some WWE personnel interpret Graves’ Twitter posts as a potential attempt to prompt his release. However, Meltzer noted the company’s reluctance to terminate his contract due to competitive considerations.

Recent Absences Follow Deleted Social Media Posts

Graves has been notably absent from recent WWE broadcasts since the controversy. He missed the January 14 episode of NXT and did not appear for his regular commentary duties on the January 15 edition of WWE Speed, where Blake Howard called the match between Chad Gable and Charlie Dempsey.

The announcer has since removed his social media posts criticizing the commentary team changes. These deletions coincided with his absence from scheduled appearances, suggesting potential developments in the situation.

The changes to WWE’s commentary teams now feature Michael Cole and Pat McAfee on RAW, while Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett handle SmackDown duties.