Joe Tessitore has been part of the WWE commentary team for a year now, but it was announced he’d be replaced on the SmackDown team. While fans wondered why he was replaced, the reason behind it has been revealed.
According to Cory Hays of BodySlam.net, Joe Tessitore is expected to be away from WWE television for the next few months as he focuses on covering the college football season.
It was announced during the September 5 episode of WWE SmackDown that Michael Cole and Corey Graves are now the official commentators for SmackDown, replacing Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett. The duo will also handle commentary duties on Raw, so they’ll be pulling double duty.
As we have reported earlier, Wade Barrett is no longer part of WWE’s commentary rotation. Wade Barrett will be off the road going forward, as his time as a commentator on the main roster has come to an end.
While Joe Tessitore steps away to cover college football, it’s still unclear when he’ll return to WWE once the season ends. In the meantime, fans can expect Michael Cole and Corey Graves to handle commentary on both Raw and SmackDown each week.
Do you think Michael Cole and Corey Graves pulling double duty on Raw and SmackDown will strengthen WWE commentary, or would you prefer fresh voices on each show? Sound off in the comments.
September 6, 2025 2:25 pm
