After getting fans talking about a statement he made on social media and hyping that he had a lot to say on tonight’s WWE NXT, Corey Graves will no longer be appearing on the broadcast.
On late Monday night, Graves stated that he was told he wasn’t famous enough for a spot on Raw or SmackDown, and that’s why he went to NXT starting last week. It was expected he would be back on the main roster this fall once Pat McAfee starts his ESPN College Gameday duties again.
Graves tweeted, “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.”
PWInsider.com reports Graves will not be appearing on tonight’s edition of WWE NXT and he was spotted this afternoon at the Orlando Airport, going through TSA to leave the city.
The tweet follows a report noting that the word was going around in WWE that Graves wasn’t happy with being bumped off Raw and Smackdown for the NXT assignment. He has yet to make a follow-up statement.
Fightful Select reports that those close to him claim that Graves’ frustration is real. Graves lives in the Pittsburgh area, not Orlando, and wasn’t at rehearsals for NXT. A higher-up source stated that they’d be shocked if Graves wasn’t back on Raw or Smackdown by the Spring after being heavily praised for being flexible with his role and schedule.
It was claimed by multiple sources that Graves was legitimately frustrated with being moved to NXT. Many were surprised to see him at New Year’s Evil on January 7th, with a source noting they believed he was calling the show due to him being in town for the show.
