Bruno Sammartino. Hulk Hogan. ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. John Cena. Roman Reigns. Austin Theory?

Earlier this year, it appeared that Theory was destined for greatness, having been personally endorsed by Mr. McMahon and holding the Money in the Bank contract.

Since McMahon’s retirement in July, things have gone downhill for Theory, who failed in his MITB contract cash-in attempt on U.S. Champion Seth Rollins last week.

Megastar

On this week’s Raw, a much-more serious Theory defeated Dolph Ziggler and attacked Rollins, signaling that his feud with the latter is far from over.

During After the Bell, Corey Graves, who called on fans to give the story a chance last week, had a huge prediction for WWE’s youngest United States Champion.

“I believe in Austin Theory. I don’t believe he’s ‘that guy’ yet, but in my heart of hearts as a nerd who’s spent way too much time studying the history of this business and watching it and loving it with all my being, I believe Austin Theory is the next megastar [of WWE.] And I think on Monday a lot of people started to believe as well.”

“I believe Austin Theory is the next megastar.”

Corey Graves

Letting things Play Out

After Theory’s failed cash-in attempt, fans were quick to criticize WWE for ‘burying’ the young Superstar and ‘wasting’ the contract.

On his show, Graves noted how fans were quick to jump the gun and called it a problem that exceeds far past just Theory’s situation.

“Let everything play out. Everybody loves to get ahead of themselves and jump on Twitter. ‘Oh this is it! Austin Theory’s done. He’s buried. Why would you do this to the guy?’ Let the story play out. This is WWE. World Wrestling Entertainment [emphasis on entertainment.]

“Let the story play out.”

Corey Graves’ advice to fans.

“There is a story involved. There’s curiosity. There’s drama. There are red herrings. Just like any source of literature. It’s entertainment. So let it play out. What we saw was a whole new chapter for Austin Theory.”

Seth Rollins

Theory has been a main event star in recent weeks but has been working closely with Seth Rollins.

With Roman Reigns missing from Raw on a weekly basis, the reigning U.S. Champion has taken the mantle as WWE’s top Superstar on the red brand.

On his show, Graves explained why Rollins is playing such an important role to elevate Theory.

“Rollins has been one of the mechanisms in this story, that has helped elevate Austin Theory’s stock in the eyes of the viewers. Yes, Rollins was the one who beat him but that was an essential part of the story. What Rollins is doing simultaneously is elevating the United States Championship.”

While no championship rematch has been announced, Rollins and Theory are expected to feud in the coming weeks, including a possible match at Survivor Series WarGames.

Corey Graves mentioned Billy Gunn during last night’s episode of WWE Monday Night RAW.

D-Generation X celebrated their 25 year anniversary on the season debut of RAW last night, but were missing one notable member. While Triple H, Shawn Michaels, X-Pac, and the Road Dogg were all in attendance – Billy Gunn was not present.

Gunn is currently employed by All Elite Wrestling (AEW). DX didn’t make any direct references to Gunn during their promos, but commentator Corey Graves certainly did.

X-Pac kicked things off by shouting out the late Chyna, who he called the “magic ingredient” to DX. Road Dogg followed up by doing his signature intro for The New Age Outlaws, letting the crowd do Gunn’s parts.

Just after the crowd said Gunn’s lines for him, Graves said “the other guy is doing something with office equipment these days, I’m not sure.” This was a play on Gunn’s current scissoring gimmick with The Acclaimed.

The segment wrapped up with Triple H doing the “Are You Ready?” line for the crowd, and Shawn Michaels saying “We Got Two Words For Ya!” RAW went off-air with DX celebrating and posing for the crowd.

Check out the segment, along with Graves comments on Gunn, here below:

The landscape of WWE has changed dramatically across all three of the company’s brands, at least at the commentary desk.

This week, WWE will begin their ‘season premiere’ week of programming, starting with tomorrow night’s SmackDown on FOX. Next week’s Raw and NXT will also serve as the season premieres of the red and gold brand.

The following three shows of WWE programming will be stacked for the season premieres and will feature brand-new commentary teams.

Wrestle Votes were the first to report that changes were expected to Raw’s commentary team before more information was provided by Variety. Their report, later confirmed by WWE, announced that the company is returning to two-person commentary teams across all three of its brands.

Smackdown

For tomorrow night’s SmackDown, Michael Cole and Wade Barrett will be calling the action, with the former Intercontinental Champion moving from NXT.

Raw

Next week’s Raw will see Kevin Patrick and Corey Graves behind the table, with Patrick being promoted as a full-time member of the Raw commentary team.

The Irish announcer had previously served as a backstage interviewer and provided commentary on the July 24, 2022, Raw.

Byron Saxton, who had been on commentary for Raw, has been moved to a role as an onscreen interviewer.

NXT

For NXT, the new commentary team will see Vic Joseph returning to the role, now working with Booker T.

The two-time WWE Hall of Famer has previously served as a commentator for Raw and SmackDown, and regularly makes appearances on kick-off show panels.

Premium Live Events

For major WWE events such as WWE Premium Live Events, Cole and Graves will be the commentary team.

Corey Graves has fired back at those who criticize the decision to matchup Logan Paul and Roman Reigns for Crown Jewel.

The November 5 event from Riyadh will feature a matchup for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title, where Roman Reigns puts his title on the line against Logan Paul. This came shortly after Reigns’ appearance on Paul’s podcast, where they teased the matchup.

However, the matchup has been met with a bit of backlash. Although Paul has been impressive in his few matches inside the ring, earning a World Title shot against, arguably, the biggest star in the industry at this point in time is extremely premature.

Taking to his podcast, After The Bell, Corey Graves explained why he thinks the matchup works. Of course, he admits if he had heard of something like this 10 years ago, he would have been against it.

“If you would have asked me that very same question 10 years ago, 11 years ago, when I first started in the company as a developmental wrestler in FCW, I would have said, ‘This is garbage. I hate it. I can’t stand it. This guy hasn’t paid his dues. This guy doesn’t belong.’ I would have given you 75 reasons why it was a bad idea.

“Now sitting where I sit, having experienced this machine in this capacity for as long as I have and sat ringside for countless hours of matches and moments and memories, now I have a completely different point of view and I love it because of the business aspect of it.

“We talk all the time, even the fans say ‘Oh he’s the best in the business. The business is in a good position right now. It’s looking healthy.’ People forget the business part of the wrestling world.”

Graves adds that the character of Paul is an important factor in all of this, as people will tune in to either see the YouTube star get crushed – or pull off the miracle.

“Yes, we love great matches. Yes, we love great characters. Logan Paul is a great character. He may not have been a WWE creation or a pro wrestling world creation, but Logan Paul is a character. He is polarizing. He makes you feel some type of way whether you love him or you hate him.

“You’re either gonna tune in because you love Logan Paul and you listen to Impaulsive, and you think he and his brother are the greatest thing since sliced bread, and you’re sure he’s gonna knock off Roman Reigns, or you’re watching so Roman Reigns can smash him for your enjoyment. It makes you feel.

“The worst thing you can have in this business is apathy. What we’ve seen in small glimpses, small doses, of what Logan Paul is physically capable of, the dude’s got all the tools. There’s not a doubt in my mind. I mean, you watch WrestleMania. If you still didn’t believe it, watch SummerSlam.

“Logan Paul is going to step up. This is going to be big and I actually love it. I can’t believe I’m saying that, but after all these years, I love it.” 

Quotes via WrestlingNews.co

Pat McAfee will be absent from calling the action with Michael Cole on tonight’s episode of SmackDown.

During the WWE After the Bell podcast this week, WWE Raw color commentator Corey Graves announced that he’ll call tonight’s SmackDown as McAfee is at Lake Tahoe for the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament.

This will be the post-Money in the Bank episode of the show. After the broadcast ended on Saturday night, Happy Corbin attacked McAfee and accepted his challenge for a match at SummerSlam in Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday, July 30.

McAfee wore a neck brace while attending UFC 276 in Las Vegas later that night, but said on his radio show that he was just wearing it as a precaution. 

Earlier this week, WWE announced McAfee had signed a multi-year contract extension with WWE and noted the deal “will see McAfee entertaining the WWE Universe for years to come.”

WWE announced this afternoon that Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus will take place on SmackDown, with the winner earning the right to challenge either Roman Reigns or Brock Lesnar for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title at the WWE Clash at the Castle Premium Live Event.

Brock Lesnar made his surprise return during the June 17 SmackDown and immediately reignited his feud with Roman Reigns. WWE was then quick to announce a rematch between the two for the SummerSlam PPV. A lot of fans were not happy with this decision but Corey Graves believes it’s not such a bad thing.

The Raw commentator talked about people’s reactions on the latest After The Bell episode. Graves first said that the Last Man Standing stipulation gives him the feeling that it’s going to be the last chapter of this rivalry. He then explained that while people have seen this match before, it’s been a draw every time:

“Of course, you’ve got people whining and complaining, ‘Oh, we’ve already seen this.’ You’re right, you have seen it, and every time you’ve seen it, has it not been awesome? Every time Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns are in the same ring, is it not magic?

Does the arena, or in this case a stadium, not rise to its feet to watch two behemoths who have proven themselves to be worth every dime because they are box office draws?”

• Madcap Moss Believes Brock Lesnar Is Underrated

WWE had originally planned for Randy Orton to challenge the Tribal Chief at the biggest party of the Summer. However, The Viper has been dealing with some injuries that could keep him out of action for the remainder of the year.

How do you feel about WWE booking yet another Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar match? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.

Quotes via WrestlingInc

WWE Raw Superstar Alexa Bliss has fired back at Corey Graves’ recent comments about her, telling the commentator to “stay in your lane.”

During last week’s Raw, Bliss faced her former tag-team partner Nikki A.S.H and defeated the Scottish Superstar after Twisted Bliss.

On commentary, Graves said it felt like Bliss was in “cruise control” and lacked urgency.

Responding on Twitter, Bliss didn’t tag Graves but referenced his line in the caption.

Corey Graves on Commentary

Bliss is the latest star to hit out at Graves’ comments, but she’s by far not the only person with an issue with him.

Graves has faced criticism for his comments earlier this month following Sasha Banks and Naomi’s walk-out during the May 16, 2022, episode of Raw.

On the show, he said the pair had acted “unprofessionally,” though fellow commentator Jimmy Smith has defended Graves, saying the former Superstar was told to read the line.

Last December, former NXT on-air talent Alyssa Marino spoke out against Graves’ commentary, claiming he couldn’t focus on the match and was instead “constantly commenting on the appearances of competitors.”

On the October 4, 2021 Raw, Graves called the action for a match between Dana Brooke and Shayna Baszler and had some harsh words for Brooke.

Graves said that Brooke “hasn’t accomplished much of anything” and questioned whether she should ‘cut her losses,’ suggesting that she should leave WWE, if not wrestling altogether.

• Alexa Bliss Turns to Police after Creep Threatens her Life (May 2022)

After weeks of uncertainty over the future of the tag team titles, WWE finally made the decision to unify the titles. Last week’s episode of SmackDown saw The Usos finally defeating RK-Bro to become the new Unified Tag Team Champions. Since then, people have been discussing whether the company would take the same step with other titles as well. Corey Graves for one, believes that it would be the right thing to do.

Bully Ray recently shared the idea to replace the IC and US championship belts with a new one. Graves has now made the case for more titles to be unified during the latest episode of After The Bell. He talked about The Bloodline now holding the Unified World and Tag Team Championships and said that WWE’s mid-card titles should be next:

“I wanna talk about what’s on everybody’s mind right now this week, that being all of the gold in the WWE now belongs to The Bloodline. All of the gold meaning Universal World [title, and] now unified Tag Team Champions. Vic, I am just gonna come right out and say it, I think it is time. I think it’s beyond time. I think we take the final step. I think we need to unify the United States and Intercontinental championships as well.”

‘It Makes Everything More Important’: Corey Graves

Corey Graves explained his reasoning behind the move saying that fewer titles will make everything mean more. He admitted that WWE sometimes uses championships to build stories without much effort. He explained that unified champions will be allowed to float from brand to brand and take on emerging challengers. Per Graves, having fewer titles will force stars to get over with their character work rather than just being the champion:

“Having the champions float to me just, it freshens everything up. It makes everything more important because there’s less of them. Supply and demand. If there’s only a handful of titles, the titles all become more valuable. I think it’s high time we do this.”

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If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

WWE Raw commentator Jimmy Smith has come to the defense of his broadcast colleagues for the backlash some have received over Sasha Banks and Naomi’s walkout.

Last week, Banks and Naomi walked out during a Raw taping, forcing WWE to scrap plans for the advertised six-pack challenge main event.

The pair’s walkout has also forced WWE to change plans for the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships, which both Banks and Naomi were scheduled to compete for.

After the walkout, Corey Graves said the pair had acted “unprofessionally” while Michael Cole said the Superstars “let us all down” when announcing their suspension on last Friday’s SmackDown.

Speaking on his Unlocking The Cage with Jimmy Smith Podcast, Smith said that the two are just doing the job asked of them.

“Michael Cole and Corey Graves aren’t making this stuff up. People are getting mad at them like they’re freestyling stuff, they’re not. They’re broadcasters, if Vince [McMahon] had said, ‘Here, read this,’ I would’ve done exactly what Michael Cole did. Vince could’ve said, ‘Hey, Jimmy, I want you to read that,’ and I would’ve went, ‘Ah, okay! Sasha Banks and Naomi let us all down.’ I would’ve read the same thing.

“It’s this weird thing where like, in my sense, on Monday Night Raw, Corey Graves is getting all this sh*t. Corey Graves didn’t make up that statement, he’s a broadcaster and he was told to read it and he read it. So, I understand maybe the ire of the fans but the misdirection of that ire is weird. People getting upset at me or Corey Graves, you’re just getting mad at the wrong people. I don’t get that. Graves was told to say what he said and he said it.”

“People are getting mad at them like they’re freestyling stuff, they’re not. They’re broadcasters.”

Jimmy Smith, responding to criticism of Michael Cole and Corey Graves.

Both Banks and Naomi have been indefinitely suspended and had their merchandise pulled from WWEShop.com.

The contracts of both women are expected to expire later this year, though there is the possibility WWE could freeze their current deals.

• Sasha Banks and Naomi Situation Expected to get Worse (May 2022)

Thanks to WrestlingInc for the transcription.

The Judgment Day has been trying to find its next member and Corey Graves is considering joining the faction.

The faction is led by Edge and he’s aligned himself with Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley. The group is currently in a feud with AJ Styles, Finn Balor, and Liv Morgan.

Edge has been trying to recruit all of them but the one name who seems to stand out to him is AJ.

With that said, the former “Rated-R Superstar” has namedropped several others. One of those names he has mentioned is WWE Raw commentator Corey Graves.

Graves used to be an active competitor before concussions forced him to retire. Graves has been cleared to compete since that time but he’s remained at the commentary desk given his success over the years.

With that said, during the May 23 episode of Raw, Corey Graves admitted joining Edge’s stable is something he has to consider.

Following Raw, Graves took to his Twitter account and teased joining The Judgment Day with a single image.

Corey Graves says he does not know enough about the Sasha Banks and Naomi situation from WWE Raw.

The current WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions walked out on WWE after having disagreements with management backstage. They even left the titles with the company.

WWE issued a statement saying that the women left the building after talking about their issues with booking.

On the episode, Corey Graves on commentary called Banks and Naomi “unprofessional.” He said, ”Sasha Banks and Naomi summarily and unprofessionally walked out.” This did not sit well with fans online and he received flak for it. Graves’ wife, Carmella came to his defense saying that he was just doing his job.

Now, Graves has revealed that he only knew what he was told and he has no further information.

Speaking on his After The Bell podcast, Graves said that he’s going to avoid speaking about the situation as WWE hasn’t provided him any more information (as transcribed by WrestlingNews.co):

“There’s a particular set of circumstances that went down this past Monday at RAW. There are speculations and rumors all over the place. I was on the air when it went down. I only know the information that was provided to me. In the days since then, while everybody continues to speculate, I don’t have any more information.”

“I don’t know enough about the circumstance or the situation or which side did what. So I’m just going to avoid it. I’m being perfectly honest and transparent with everybody,” Graves said.

Graves also noted that he got updates about the situation during Raw. But he does not know any additional facts apart from what is already public knowledge for now.

“I would love to dive into this conversation because it set the internet on fire. Everybody’s got an opinion. Everybody has a point of view. I don’t know enough facts about what actually went down to speak on it with any confidence. All I know is what you guys know. I was getting updates throughout the show on Monday as needed because we were doing a show.”

So if there comes a point in time where it becomes something we know facts about, I will happily dive into that for our listeners’ pleasure, but until then, we’re just going to stick with what we know to be true,” Graves explained.

Corey Graves Wants a Match With Pat McAfee

Pat McAfee made his in-ring debut at WrestleMania 38 this past weekend. McAfee took on Austin Theory, while Vince McMahon watched ringside. When it was all said and done, however, McAfee emerged victorious over Theory. Of course, McAfee found himself immediately in another match, as McMahon entered the ring and ordered the referee to ring the bell, shortly thereafter pinning McAfee for a WrestleMania victory of his own.

Seeing McAfee compete in the ring, and in quite impressive fashion, seems to have inspired fellow WWE commentator Corey Graves. Graves recently did an interview with Wrestling Inc., and mentioned the possibility of sharing the ring with McAfee one day. However, it would have to be on the only day that RAW and SmackDown Live go head-to-head inside the ring, given they commentate on different brands, Survivor Series.

“Not to my knowledge was it ever discussed with any sense of legitimacy. But you’ve got to remember, there’s only one night a year Raw and SmackDown competes in head-to-head competition, Survivor Series.

“I hope, I am going to start politicking now,” he said on a possible match. “I think McAfee and Graves at Survivor Series, I think we have to pass the bar that was set by Cole and Lawlor at WrestleMania.”

Shane McMahon’s Son Set to Play College Football

Shane McMahon’s son, Declan James McMahon, has announced that he will be playing college football for Indiana University. Declan’s Twitter bio notes that the running back is six-feet tall and 190 pounds, although he played quarterback as well for Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn.

You can check out Declan’s announcement, as well as reactions from Shane McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, and John Cena below:

Corey Graves has been cleared to wrestle again but don’t expect him to lace up his boots anytime soon, if ever.

Back in January, Fightful reported that Graves had the option to return to the ring if he wants to. The Raw color commentator confirmed the report the following month. Graves had been forced to retire as an active wrestler in late 2014 due to issues stemming from concussions.

Corey Graves Isn’t Clamoring For In-Ring Return

During an interview with The Athletic, Corey Graves explained why he no longer has a desire to get back in wrestling shape.

“Three years ago, I might have had a different answer. But I have grown so confident and comfortable in this new role that I’m in, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Graves has enjoyed great success at the commentary table. It’s something that he isn’t ready to give up. He recalled first transitioning from in-ring work to commentary.

“I thought to myself, man, I dedicated my life to coming to WWE and being a WWE Superstar. That option got taken away because of medical reasons. But I’m still here; I’m not going to let them kick me out, you know what I mean? I’m going to make myself as valuable as possible.”

Graves will once again be calling the action during “The Grandest Stage of them All” WrestleMania 38.

Being part of an event the caliber of WrestleMania brings in enormous performance pressure for many people, but for Corey Graves it’s one of the easiest shows of the year.

The WWE broadcaster recently had an interview with Bleav in Pro Wrestling. He discussed things such as his new reality show with Carmella and more.

When asked about his WrestleMania experience as one of the lead broadcasters, Graves claimed that it’s one of the easiest shows of the year to call:

“In my experience, has been one of the easiest shows of the year to call. Every time I do it. Because it’s the culmination of the storytelling. Sometimes the stories have been laid out for three months, six months, a year, and it finally comes full circle.

The story’s basically been told.” said Corey Graves, “So, during the entrances, my partners and I will tell what needs to be told of the story, but then I just get to be a fan again.”

• Corey Graves Teases a “Familiar Face” is Returning Before WrestleMania

The savior of misbehavior mentioned how he has been able to call matches of people like Undertaker and Shawn Michaels, which is surreal.

The only two big names he hasn’t gotten to call in some capacity are Steve Austin and Mr McMahon. Graves said he hopes to get one of them this year.

Thanks to CageSideSeats for the quotes

Corey Graves has been teasing an in-ring return for a while. For a time, there were even rumors of him making a comeback at the Royal Rumble but it didn’t happen.

Though this doesn’t mean that we are not going to see the former NXT star back in action, as he has confirmed that he is cleared for a return.

Graves recently revealed this news during his interview with TMZ. He said that he spent some time with doctors in the middle of last year:

“It [wrestling again]’s crossed my mind. I went and spent some time with doctors in the middle of last year. I kinda got the itch. I think this is one of the first times I’m saying this publicly. I have been medically cleared to compete.”

• Corey Graves Responds To Criticism From Former NXT On-Air Talent Alyssa Marino

Though Corey Graves later explained that returning to ring is not an immediate goal for him. It’s something he needed to know for his sanity because his journey got cut short:

“So I went and did the necessary steps and it turns out that I’m a little more okay than I thought I was. Never say never. It’s not an immediate goal, but you can’t ever take the wrestler out of my heart.”

The Savior of Misbehavior had to retire from in-ring action in 2014 after suffering a couple of concussions. There is no word yet on when he might make his actual return.

Corey Graves can step inside the squared circle once again if he chooses to do so.

There was a time when Graves was a rising prospect in WWE. He showed great promise on the NXT brand, even capturing tag team gold with Neville, who is known as PAC outside of WWE.

Things took a turn for Graves as he was experiencing issues due to concussions. On the pre-show of NXT TakeOver: R Evolution back in Dec. 2014, he announced his in-ring retirement.

Corey Graves Cleared

Corey Graves has been cleared to return to the ring by WWE doctors, according to Fightful. Corey had been on a strict “no contact” list within the company but he is no longer on that list.

Graves has had immense success as a color commentator. He’s become somewhat of a leader in the booth as many have credited him with helping carry the Raw broadcast team consisting of Jimmy Smith and Byron Saxton.

There’s no word on whether or not Graves will ultimately decide to step back in the ring. He has admitted that he’s been getting the itch to do something more than commentary.

Could we hear Corey Graves’ theme during the Royal Rumble match?

Corey Graves has been teasing an in-ring return in recent months. He even got physical on Raw in November when he briefly won the 24/7 championship. Now the retired star is suggesting that he might enter the Royal Rumble match.

A number of WWE superstars declared their entry into the upcoming Battle Royal during this past Monday’s Raw including The Mysterio Family and The Street Profits.

WWE recently made a tweet asking which other superstar should declare their entry into the match, and Graves responded with a tweet of his own:

After a 3 year long NXT run, Corey Graves officially announced his retirement from active competition due to concussion issues in December 2014.

He then started working as a pre-show panellist and eventually settled down in his current role as a lead commentator for WWE shows.

Edge is the most recent example of someone who has come back from a career ending injury. He also made his return during the Royal Rumble PPV a couple of years ago in 2020.

Whether or not there are actual plans for Corey Graves to return during the upcoming show will only be revealed in coming times.

Though the multiple teases have certainly gotten fans excited about the potential of seeing the former NXT star back in the ring after almost 7 years.

Corey Graves has responded to criticism from former NXT backstage interviewer, Alyssa Marino. Recently, Marino commented that she does not enjoy when wrestling commentators speak on the physical attractiveness of the wrestlers, most notably the female ones. She never did mention Corey Graves specifically, however.

“When an announce team can’t “focus” on a match and is constantly commenting on the physical appearance of competitors (especially when it’s women in the ring), it’s time to find professional broadcasters who can tell the story without being “distracted” by the athletes,” Marino Tweeted.

“I don’t often share my takes on things, but I work hard to prepare myself as a broadcaster. I’ve studied how great commentary teams can elevate matches, but it’s really grating to hear announcers get lost in how attractive they think competitors are in the midst of a match.”

Marino did not mention Corey Graves or his commentary regarding his fiancé Carmella, but he responded to her comments all the same.

“Well then, I suggest you find a different field than sports entertainment. If you can’t differentiate between a TV character and an ACTUAL journalist, then I don’t trust anything you have to say. Good luck,” Graves Tweeted in response to Marino.

Lance Storm evidently sided with Graves on this one.

Graves continued to respond to people as well.

Marino was released as part of the pandemic WWE roster cuts in April of 2020. She has since worked on commentary and ring announcing for numerous independent wrestling promotions. She did not offer a response to Graves’ comments but did respond to others about the situation.

Corey Graves has got people talking about a potential in-ring return after briefly getting involved in the action during this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw.

The Raw commentator took on his Twitter earlier today and teased an in-ring return with a tweet. He wrote “I kinda wanna wrestle again.”

This tweet has created buzz about the future of Corey Graves because he got physical during Raw and won the 24/7 championship on the show before dropping it back.

The former NXT star signed with WWE back in August 2011. He started competing in the development brand FCW before it was rebranded.

He suffered two concussions in late 2013 and early 2014. Graves officially announced his retirement from active competition due to concussion issues in December 2014.

• Corey Graves Talks Lack of Character Development in WWE

The former tag champion has taken on commentary duties since his retirement. The 37-year-old currently serves as the lead commentator for both Raw and SmackDown.

We have seen people like Bryan Danielson and Edge making a return in recent years after previously having announced their retirement due to various issues.

Now the big question is if Corey Graves could be following in their footsteps soon and if we will see him making an in-ring return in near future.

Corey Graves has taken a look back at his biggest misstep as a color commentator.

Graves has been a key member of the broadcast team for WWE’s main roster since 2016. Since then, he has shared the booth with the likes of Mauro Ranallo, Michael Cole, Byron Saxton, and Jimmy Smith.

During an appearance on the Out of Character Podcast with Ryan Satin, Corey Graves discusses a mistake he regretted immediately during The Undertaker’s sendoff.

“Michael Cole and I were back at the kickoff desk doing the voiceover for whatever was happening in the ring and they were talking about The Undertaker’s history. I believe it was with Diesel when Kevin Nash came out. And Michael Cole said ‘It was this WrestleMania… that this happened,’ and I corrected Cole because I was so sure that that wasn’t the year that it happened. And I went oh no, we’re live, I said that and I just realized I’m wrong and Twitter let me know instantly that I was wrong.”

“It’s Michael Cole, He’s Usually Not Wrong”

Graves continued, “It was in that particular instance, just because of the admiration and respect I have for Undertaker that I wanted everything to be perfect. That’s why I almost looked at Cole like Cole you idiot that wasn’t the year, and then I realized it’s Michael Cole, he’s usually not wrong. I should’ve just trusted the boss in that instance but yeah, that one I wish I could take back but I think they edited it out so it’s not the end of the world.”

Graves recently got some flak over his comments on Dana Brooke. During an episode of Monday Night Raw, Graves said that Brooke hasn’t accomplished much of anything and should cut her losses. Graves responded to the backlash, saying his comments were not a shoot.

WWE star Carmella recently announced that she and Graves are engaged.

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcribed quotes

Corey Graves raised quite a few eyebrows with a rant on Dana Brooke’s in-ring career last month.

On the Oct. 4 episode of Monday Night Raw, Brooke went one-on-one with Shayna Baszler. During the match, Graves remarked that Dana Brooke should cut her losses because she “hasn’t accomplished much of anything.” Brooke seemingly responded to this in an Instagram story.

Corey Graves Says He Wasn’t Shooting On Dana Brooke

Some felt Corey Graves buried Brooke with his comments. During an appearance on the Out of Character podcast with Ryan Satin, Graves made it clear that he was simply doing his job and didn’t intend to make Brooke look bad.

“99.9% of the time, everybody realizes that it’s just me doing what I do. I love walking the line and being provocative. I also make sure, and I try to take great care, that I don’t ever harm anybody from a character perspective. I always want to make people better. For instance, the Dana Brooke issue, I actually sent her a text message the next morning saying, ‘Hey, no hard feelings, it wasn’t personal.’ Full disclosure, I don’t know what’s going to happen on these shows. I am reacting. That’s my choice. There have been times where I sat in production meetings and I have ideas, but I prefer to not know what’s happening because I like to think my reactions are more genuine, I get to use my wit a little bit better.”

It’s important to note that Brooke is a face on WWE TV. Graves is the heel commentator. The line he delivered on commentary may have simply alluded to the fact that Dana Brooke hasn’t won a title in WWE.

Graves will soon be experiencing married life. He and WWE Raw star Carmella recently got engaged.

H/T to Fightful for the transcribed quotes

WWE superstars Corey Graves and Carmella have confirmed their engagement. The longtime couple revealed the news via a post on Twitter.

The female star shared a photo of herself kissing Corey Graves while showing off her engagement ring. In the caption of the tweet made on her birthday October 23, she wrote “Best birthday ever,”

Carmella, real name Leah Van Dale began her relationship with the former NXT star back in 2019. She has been dating Graves, real name Matthew Polinsky ever since.

These two aren’t the only wrestling couple to get engaged recently. SmackDown star Toni Storm announced her engagement to NJPW’s Juice Robinson earlier this month.

The duo of Scarlett Bordeaux & Karrion Kross also made a similar announcement just last month. Scarlett confirmed her engagement via Twitter as well.

Corey Graves has been working as a commentator on the main roster since 2016. He is currently part of both SmackDown and Raw’s broadcasting teams.

Carmella on the other hand had only been part of the SmackDown roster since the brand split returned in 2016. However, she was moved to the Raw brand for the first time since then during the recently concluded draft.

SEScoops would like to congratulate the couple on their engagement.

Corey Graves is a man who knows how to use his words. A wrestler turned color commentator, Graves is a great example of a heel character. Both in the ring and out.

Talking on his show, After the Bell Graves took the time to talk about John Cena’s return to WWE. Not in the ring but regarding the upcoming show WWE Evil. It is a show that speaks directly to Graves. Promising to dive deep into the psychology of some of the biggest villains in wrestling.

“As a villain at heart I always look forward to understanding the psychology and why we had such disdain or loved to hate some of the best bad guys ever in the business. Definitely something to look forward to.” Graves said when discussing the show.

Corey Graves Words Echo the Frustration of WWE Fans

It was an interesting monologue from the host. He went on to criticize WWE for the lack of time devoted to real character development on screen.

Yes, there are clear cut heels and faces, and characters like Bray Wyatt and Alex Bliss have seen their characters explored through their weekly segments. However, Graves believes that current programming fails to truly bring the inverse in and get them invested in the characters.

“I always missed and loved being invested in the characters we see on RAW and on SmackDown and on NXT. I’ve said I would like to see more character pieces.” Graves went on to rescue himself from the ire of his employers by referring people to the WWE network. “it’s almost more of an incentive to subscribe to WWE Network on Peacock to really dive into these specials, whether it be WWE 24 or Chronicles, to really get to know the person behind what you see on screen for a fraction of the show.”

Corey Graves is a villain to the core. His words always carefully chosen to rile those that listen. Hopefully, however, the hidden frustration in his words won’t come back to haunt him.

WWE commentator Corey Graves recently discussed Michael Cole and the botched call from the WrestleMania 37 Night 1 main event. The match between Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair ended when Belair hit a KOD on the reigning Champion; however Cole incorrectly called that Banks had kicked out.

This came after a number of WWE Superstars praised Cole for saying that this was the first ever WrestleMania main event featuring two black women.

“If there’s anybody that’s truly unshakable, it’s [Michael] Cole,” Graves stated on the WWE After the Bell podcast. “Cole felt bad, he felt terrible but I can relate. I almost thought the same thing, from our vantage point, it was not crystal clear.”

Corey Graves on Michael Cole

“I’m not making excuses cause it was what it is, it didn’t take anything away from the amazing moment, it was reality” Corey Graves continued. “It was a very genuine real reaction. Take into consideration, yes we have the monitor, yes we have audio in our headphones, but we’re also in a stadium full of 20,000 people.”

“Any wrestler’s book that you have ever read says being in a stadium is very different than an arena” Corey added. “Because it takes a second, the sound has to leave and come back before anybody can truly register. I myself, wasn’t sure.”

Graves finished by defending the call from Michael Cole, saying that there are always a number of instances of finishers being kicked out of during a WrestleMania match.

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“Hey, it’s the main event of WrestleMania, people have kicked out of each others finishers 35 times already tonight” Graves concluded. “Why wouldn’t this be any different? It was a genuine shock after that so everyone, leave Michael Cole alone.”

credit WWE After the Bell and a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription

Corey Graves never shies away from the opportunity to offer WWE some constructive criticism on his podcast, “After The Bell.”

During the latest episode of the show, Graves discussed the current product over on WWE NXT, and what he believes it’s lacking. Graves pointed out that the program contains, possibly, the greatest in-ring work going at the moment within the business. However, he doesn’t feel like fans know who this current crop of NXT stars actually are. Graves went on to compare how stars of NXT’s past; such as Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Bayley, and more had established characters during their respective runs on the show.

“A lot of people just watch NXT for in-ring action, and if that’s your vibe, if that’s your flavor of ice cream, cool. I understand it. I’m just saying, for Corey Graves, the wrestling fan, knowing what I know and knowing the way my mind works obviously with RAW and SmackDown that I’m focused on now, I think we need to know who these people are a little bit more,” Graves said (via NoDq.com).

“When I compare everything to NXT, I think back to my time there. You knew who Bayley was. You knew what made Seth Rollins tick. You knew what The Wyatt Family were about. Adam Rose, for goodness sake, he was this party animal. It didn’t translate, obviously, to major success on RAW or SmackDown, but you knew who these people were.

“I regularly watch NXT, but I don’t study it like I used to. I don’t follow every bit of it. So, when I sit down and watch TakeOver, I look at it thinking, as a general wrestling fan who may not know who all these people are, in this case, it was me, what could they show me to make me care a little bit more and to hook me a little bit deeper?”

Graves himself was one of the Superstars who was with NXT during its inception after it evolved from Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) in 2012. His run with the brand as an in-ring talent was short-lived, however, as he was forced to retire due to concussion complications in December of 2014. Since, Graves has established himself as a tremendous broadcaster for the company, currently working on SmackDown Live.

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