WWE has set the table for its announce teams that will change starting next month.
It was announced on Monday’s Raw that Michael Cole and Corey Graves will be the broadcast team for WWE SmackDown once it leaves FOX for USA Network next month.
It starts on the September 13 episode. Graves filled in for Pat McAfee on the show as he is on hiatus from the company. The big question was who would be paired with Joe Tessitore on the Raw announce team going forward, whether that be Graves or Wade Barrett, as Graves and Barrett have been the SmackDown commentary team since this past February.
It has been indicated that Tessitore will be moving to SmackDown in January, while Cole will return to Raw for the start of the series on Netflix. McAfee will join Cole around that time as college football season wraps up. WWE previously announced Tessitore as the newest member of WWE’s commentary team earlier this month.
Variety reported today that Barrett will join Tessitore on Monday Night Raw. Despite the move to WWE, Tessitore will stay at ESPN, where he is a broadcaster for college football and Top Rank boxing.
Tessitore has previously called the NFL’s Monday Night Football and College Football Playoff games.
