Ex-WWE announcer on Michael Cole: “he has a ridiculous and irrationally non-sensical temper”

Former WWE NXT ring announcer/backstage interviewer Alex Del Barrio has chimed in with his thoughts on Michael Cole after news got out this week about a backstage blow-up Cole had with Pat McAfee during the WrestleMania Kickoff show.

Del Barrio worked on the NXT brand for a few months from October 2015 until his release in May 2016. Before signing with WWE, he worked for Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling promotion in Texas.

Del Barrio started out by saying, “Cole is a straight shooter, but he has a ridiculous and irrationally non-sensical temper. I got yelled at for taking a selfie at the Axxess set (which was the same live event set for house shows) I got yelled at for being scruffy on the plane to Mania..”

He continued in a Twitter thread and gave some first-hand stories about Cole.

Even though other announcers flew on the same plane in shorts and a t-shirt when I was in a suit and tie (and I shaved when I got to the hotel before rehearsals)

I was yelled at in an announcing training session for saying “skinning the cat” because it was an “insider term”

— Alex Del Barrio (@alexdelbarrio) April 10, 2019

And we don’t use those on broadcasts…we do..and it’s gymnastics terminology used in wrestling….I was yelled at for buying a Whataburger after a show at #nxtjacksonville…. I was yelled at for not doing my new NXT pre-show music contest even though I was told by production

— Alex Del Barrio (@alexdelbarrio) April 10, 2019

(Berkley) that he wanted to wait until the following week until he had more music in the computer, but I was yelled at for not doing it. I was only yelled at by Cole once. These were by other announcers who had it filtered down to them because the culture created

— Alex Del Barrio (@alexdelbarrio) April 10, 2019

They look for the smallest things to criticize, berate and bully. If they like you, they look the other way. If they don’t they find ways to get you in trouble and cause this stigma about you within the company until you’re ultimately gone.

— Alex Del Barrio (@alexdelbarrio) April 10, 2019

Cole I would argue has hired good talent, is underrated as a PXP guy when the reigns are taken off and when he wants to be an EXCELLENT teacher…but he also has a stupid temper, is fake when it comes to building a real culture of “team” and fosters a culture of not trusting

— Alex Del Barrio (@alexdelbarrio) April 10, 2019

Anyone and being constantly afraid of losing your gig at every turn. There are several other stories from other folks in his circle that have more direct interaction with his temper. This McAfee story doesn’t surprise me AT ALL.

— Alex Del Barrio (@alexdelbarrio) April 10, 2019

I want to add one more thing here that I think is important…I’m usually pretty good at dealing with “yelling” I was an athlete in HS, not a good one, but i didn’t mind the yelling if it was supported by coaching and honest criticism in order to help me improve.

— Alex Del Barrio (@alexdelbarrio) April 11, 2019

So I don’t want it to come off like I was sulking in the corner every time someone said or did something to me. Not like that at all, I’m just someone that speaks my mind and will always stand up for myself, especially if you’re just being a jerk for no reason.

— Alex Del Barrio (@alexdelbarrio) April 11, 2019

This is not exactly a defense of Michael Cole, but I’ve been told that Cole is under tremendous pressure and much of what he does is because of the pressure put on him by Vince McMahon. In addition to his announcing duties, Cole does a ton of behind-the-scenes work for the company and, like him or not, he is considered to be one of the hardest working people in the company.