WWE Sets New Commentary Teams for ‘Raw,’ ‘SmackDown,’ ‘NXT’ (EXCLUSIVE)

[Dale]

WWE is shaking up their commentary teams, Variety has learned exclusively.

Beginning with this week’s season premiere episode of “SmackDown,” the commentary team for the shows will be as follows:

On “SmackDown,” Michael Cole and Wade Barrett will be the main commentators, with Barrett moving over from the “NXT” commentary team. Samantha Irvin will serve as the ring announcer, with Kayla Braxton and Megan Morant serving as backstage interviewers.

At “Monday Night Raw,” Kevin Patrick and Corey Graves will the commentary team. Patrick has worked as a backstage correspondent, a play-by-play commentator for “WWE Main Event,” and the host of “Raw Talk.” Mike Rome will be the ring announcer. Cathy Kelley and Byron Saxton will conduct onscreen interviews. Kelley is returning to WWE after leaving the company in 2020. Saxton has been working on the “Raw” commentary desk along with Graves and Jimmy Smith of late.




Vic Joseph and WWE Hall of Famer Booker T will be the commentators for “NXT” going forward. In addition to his stellar in-ring career, Booker has been on the commentary teams of “Raw” and “SmackDown” in the past in addition to working as a panelist on pay-per-view pre-shows. Alicia Tyler is the ring announcer and McKenzie Mitchell will continue as the backstage interviewer.

For major live events, Cole and Graves will be the commentary team.

News of the shakeups comes after popular “SmackDown” commentator Pat McAffee announced in early September that he would be taking a temporary leave from WWE to work as an analyst on ESPN’s “College Gameday.” He is expected to return to WWE upon the conclusion of the college football season.​

Holy changes ​

 

[Canadian Dragon]

Barrett on SDL nice

 

[Canadian Dragon]

wait booker T in NXT

 

[Chris]

Booker on NXT holy fuck why

 

[Bad News Booty]

Booker on NXT holy fuck why

Fuck


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Dale]

Booker on NXT holy fuck why

It's so fucking random. I was reading through them all and thought they were all great changes until I got to that one. What does Nigel have to do to get a gig

What's Patricks commentary like? See him on the panels stuff and he seems fine.

 

[Chris]

I don't mind Patrick, it's whatever to me there lol and yeah what the fuck is with this Nigel disrespect

 

[Chris]

Cathy back though

 

[Dale]

The end of an era with no more Byron & Corey bickering at the desk Byron is totally gonna get bullied as an interviewer though aint he, it's gonna be like The Rock & Coach dynamic.

 

[Jimmy King]

Queen Cathy returning

 

[The Gipper]

Not Robot Kevin Patrick.

 

[Order]

Bring back Tom Phillips

 

[Canadian Dragon]

Bring back Tom Phillips

he's kind of busy!

 

[Canadian Dragon]

killing it in Impact

 

[Chris]