WWE SmackDown's New Commentary Team Revealed
Highlights
- SmackDown's new commentary team will consist of Corey Graves and Wade Barrett, both former wrestlers with knowledge and insight.
- WWE has struggled to find a consistent commentary team, but hopes Graves and Barrett can bring stability to SmackDown.
- The move is unexpected, as neither Graves nor Barrett have been lead commentators before, but Barrett's experience as a color commentator could complement Graves' transition to calling the action in the ring.
It's been a wild week in WWE, with the Raw to Netflix announcement, The Rock joining the TKO board, and the fallout over the latest Vince McMahon scandal. Lost in that was the news that SmackDown commentator Kevin Patrick had been released by WWE. Raw began with a shakeup at its own desk, with Wade Barrett absent and Pat McAfee coming in, reunited with Michael Cole as a permanent part of Monday nights. So, who are going to be the commentators for SmackDown?
Mike Johnson, in an exclusive report for PWInsider Elite, revealed that, starting this Friday, the new SmackDown commentary team will consist of Corey Graves and Wade Barrett. That is a bit of a surprise, as neither man has been a lead commentator before. The report stated that Graves would take that spot, with Barrett remaining as a color commentator.
Why Wade Barrett Never Became A Major Star In WWE
Wade Barrett had a couple of great gimmicks in WWE, but the company never pulled the trigger and turned the wrestler into a main eventer.Will Corey Graves And Wade Barrett Bring Consistency To WWE SmackDown?
For years, WWE has been unable to find a consistent team for Raw and SmackDown. With the days of Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler together on Monday nights long over, Raw brought in a rotating team of Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Vic Joseph, and Renee Young, and even brought back Jerry Lawler and gave former WWE superstar Dio Maddin (later known as Mace) a chance.
SmackDown found a great team when Pat McAfee came in to join Michael Cole. The move rejuvenated Cole, who found himself from being hated by fans to now loved. While Cole has been dependable, it's been a struggle to find another lead commentator. Vic Joseph has been great alongside Booker T on NXT, but WWE seems determined to leave him there rather than bring him to the main roster again. Kevin Patrick was a nice guy, but didn't have the wrestling knowledge. Love him or hate him, Corey Graves has that knowledge, and Wade Barrett was the perfect replacement for McAfee when he left to cover college football for ESPN. Graves and Barrett have recently both jumped back and forth between Raw and SmackDown, and in a failed move to mentor Patrick, Michael Cole called Raw and SmackDown every week for a few months.
Hopefully, WWE has found a permanent team for SmackDown. There is no doubt that Wade Barrett will continue to be great. The only question is how Corey Graves will be. Having never been a lead commentator before, he will have to change his style from being a needling heel to calling the action in the ring. At the very least, WWE has realized that bringing in commentators from other sports hasn't worked. Jimmy Smith was another example of that on Raw a few years ago. Graves and Barrett, both former wrestlers, have the knowledge and insight to call the matches. It will be interesting to see how they do together.
