As WWE continues its road to WrestleMania 41, this week’s episode of SmackDown promises high-stakes action with the Elimination Chamber event fast approaching (3/1). However, regular announcer Joe Tessitore will be absent from the February 14 edition of the show due to prior commitments with ESPN.

Tessitore’s Absence and Possible Replacement

Tessitore, who has been a key part of the SmackDown commentary team alongside Wade Barrett, will instead be covering a live boxing event for ESPN, featuring Denys Berinchyk vs. Keyshawn Davis at Madison Square Garden. This scheduling conflict leaves WWE searching for a temporary replacement.

While no official announcement has been made, long-time WWE commentator Michael Cole is widely expected to fill in for Tessitore. Given Cole’s extensive experience in WWE broadcasting, he would be a natural choice to step in for the night. Tessitore is expected to return to his regular duties the following week.

SmackDown Preview: Feb. 14, 2025

Even without Joe T on the call, SmackDown at the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, is shaping up to be destination viewing.

Some of the night’s major matches include:

• WWE Women’s Championship: Tiffany Stratton defends her title against former champion Nia Jax. Charlotte Flair has expressed interest in the outcome as she considers her WrestleMania opponent.
• Men’s Elimination Chamber Qualifier: Braun Strowman, Jacob Fatu, and Damian Priest will compete in a triple-threat match for a spot in the Elimination Chamber.
• Women’s Elimination Chamber Qualifier: Naomi takes on Chelsea Green, with the winner advancing to the upcoming match.

Joe Tessitore continues to receive stellar reviews for his seamless transition to the WWE Universe. After three months into bis role as the new voice of WWE Raw, legendary commentator Jim Ross says Tessitore has exceeded his expectations.

Speaking on his Grilling JR podcast, Ross commended Tessitore’s impressive career path, highlighting his roles with both ESPN and WWE. “He’s built himself a nice business, hasn’t he? He’s making some serious money,” Ross remarked. “Gotta be making some big money with ESPN and WWE, two great clients to have if you’re an announcer.”

Ross also lauded Tessitore’s quick development in WWE, admitting he’s exceeded expectations. “He does a better job than I thought he ever would this early, to be honest with you. So they made a good hire there,” Ross said. He added that Tessitore’s success is rooted in genuine enthusiasm for wrestling. “I didn’t know he was a wrestling fan. You can’t be as successful as he’s been and as informative, timely, etc., without being a fan.”

Concluding his praise, Ross noted how Tessitore’s skills align perfectly with WWE’s needs. “Looks like they’re building their announcer base. It’s a good fit for them. Joe does a nice job, and I’m proud that he’s representing our trade as well as he is.”

Tessitore, known for his work in college football, boxing, and Monday Night Football, has infused a fresh energy into WWE commentary. His adaptability and storytelling have resonated with fans and industry veterans alike, proving his ability to thrive in this new environment.

With Jim Ross’s endorsement, Tessitore’s reputation as a top-tier announcer continues to grow. As he navigates his WWE journey, fans are excited to see how his distinct voice will shape the future of wrestling entertainment.

Former ESPN boxing announcer Joe Tessitore is proving to be a “knockout” in his new role as the lead commentator on WWE Raw.

Tessitore made a strong debut several weeks ago during WWE Raw’s season premiere, and the former voice of Monday Night Football is letting both his professionalism and enthusiasm shine in the best possible ways. As a result, his peers are taking notice.

WWE has a history of vocal stalwarts, from the legendary Jim Ross to the adaptable Michael Cole, but the role of lead commentator has been far from easy for others.

However, Tessitore has struck the right balance early on. His best work so far may have come during his call of a major title change on Monday, when Jey Uso defeated Bron Breakker for the Intercontinental Championship.

What His Peers Are Saying

Tony Schiavone

Legendary announcer Tony Schiavone has taken note of Tessitore’s early work. The former WCW play-by-play man, now a color commentator for AEW, has decades of experience in the pro wrestling world. He sees greatness in Tessitore’s performances but also believes he’ll face stiff competition from his current colleague, Excalibur.

On his What Happened When podcast, Schiavone said:

“I’m sure he will do well. And I’m sure that Nick Khan is paying him a big chunk of money. I’m sure he is gonna end up being one of the best, I would hope, play-by-play men in wrestling I don’t think he’ll be in the class of Excalibur, but then again, right now, in this day and age, no-one is. He’s amazing.”

– Tony Schiavone on Joe Tessitore’s role in WWE

Adnan Virk

Adnan Virk knows Tessitore from their days working together at ESPN, and believes “Tess” can be as good as Michael Cole one day. During an interview with sports media analyst Richard Deitsch, Virk says Tessitore supported him during his time at WWE, and is thrilled that his friend now has the opportunity to succeed at something he struggled with.

“[WWE fans are] very tough to impress. So if you can come in and let’s say, 60 percent of them like Tess, that is a resounding victory and I’m sure that number is higher but, it’ll only grow. eventually, they’ll understand Tess and his cadence and like I said, the fact that he’s passionate about it and he knows it, and he’s a hell of an announcer. Like I said, I think Michael Cole is outstanding, But I’m sure Tess at some point can reach those levels as well and it’s obviously a great hire for Nick [Khan].

Adnan Virk on Joe Tessitore in WWE

Tessitore’s Self-Assessment:

Following his WWE Raw debut, Tessitore reviewed his own performance with Jackie Redmond, thinking that he could have done better, but also expressing his long-time fandom of pro wrestling noting he loved heels like “Mr. Wonderfu”l Paul Orndorff

I was so impressed with Tessitore’s performance at the time, that I wrote a full review of his work in a SEScoops exclusive feature.

Much like Rocky Balboa in his first fight with Apollo Creed, Joe Tessitore went the distance in his first outing behind the WWE Raw commentator booth. The expectation is that Tessitore would have big shoes to fill when replacing Michael Cole in the lead commentary role for the longest-running pro wrestling show on television, but the longtime boxer and football commentator put his gloves on and dug his cleats in to give the program a unique and refreshing voice.

While sports announcers were brought in previously, there’s a great deal of different circumstances at Tessitore being put in the main Monday night role – the big difference is that Vince McMahon isn’t there anymore. Not only would the former chairman berate his commentary team over the headset, McMahon knew basically zero about sports not contained in the squared circle. A Mike Adamle, a Jimmy Smith or Adnan Virk was just window dressing for the “shiny new toy” whims of Vince who would greatly handcuff anyone with his micro-managerial tendencies. It was baptism by fire, but with too much fire and no baptism.

Second and in conjunction with Vince McMahon being gone is that TKO is the ever-watching eye for WWE with Nick Khan now steering the ship as CEO. Unlike Vince, Khan has plenty of sports acumen, an asset that has clearly paid off dividends for WWE in major ways in production, relationships and merchandise sales. It’s unknown if the Tessitore hiring was the brain-child of Khan, but WWE ultimately being operated by people with sports knowledge is beneficial to a Tessitore who’s looking to tussle.

Finally, and just as important as the previous, Joe is a bonafide fan. After his first night on RAW commentary Joe noted his affinity for the likes of a Big John Studd or a “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff. Having a foundation that Tessitore holds steady ground on gives the veteran broadcaster plenty of ammo in his WWE Universal utility belt.

Tessitore’s appreciation for wrestling along with his understanding of how an actual athletic competition should be called enhanced the WWE product and gave it melded feel of Dick Enberg and Gordon Solie along with a sprinkle of Jim Ross.

Throughout the three hours, Joe weaved in a steadily calmness and precision in his commentary much like a star quarterback dissecting a defense behind center, but amped it up in the appropriate moments. If a heel did something egregious (see Drew McIntyre) Tessitore made the viewer feel that transgression. Bracelet beads being shoved down CM Punk’s throat? “Truly disgusting!” Drew beating Punk while he’s on a spinal board? “Abhorrent!” A Sami Zayn confronting GUNTHER and his World Heavyweight gold? Let’s lay out and let the moment speak for itself. The RAW season premiere may be next week, but Tessitore already turned the page in making it truly feel like a new season.

It’s also a necessity that commentary takes two to tango and Tessitore had a great dance partner in Wade Barrett. Barrett supported Joe in all the right ways, adding his signature cadence of colorful commentary, being a sounding board for Tess to bounce off of and just the simple fact that he’s a veteran of the ring boosted the two to being an already perfect pairing.

This Monday’s RAW may have been Tessitore’s first day on the job, but it feels like he’s already due a raise.

The September 2, episode of WWE RAW marked the commentary debut of Joe Tessitore, whose arrival was confirmed earlier this year. Tessitore has been thrown in at the deep end as the lead announcer on WWE’s flagship show, but how does he think he did?

In a WWE RAW Digital Exclusive, Tessitore said that he felt the passion and intensity of the WWE Universe in Denver, Colorado at his first ever RAW as a commentator.

“I was very into them, it was a great reception. It meant a lot to me. I brought out the little kid in me tonight.”

Assessing his performance on Raw, Tessitore said that he feels he wasn’t at his best, but is optimistic for his future on the red brand.

“I wasn’t great tonight, I wasn’t great tonight, but I was a passionate fan tonight.”

Tessitore also spoke about the show bringing out “the little kid in me” and recalled buying a bunch of merchandise from the show. Tessitore is pleased that “Night One [is] in the books” and is excited to have many more.

Joe Tessitore

Tessitore may be a fresh face to the WWE Universe but he’s no stranger to high-profile sports broadcasting. Tessistore also works with ABC and ESPN and leads the latter’s world championship fight broadcasts as the blow-by-blow broadcaster for Top Rank Boxing. 

Tessitore has also provided play-by-play for Monday Night Football, preparing him nicely for calling the intense action of WWE. While Tessitore will be kept plenty busy as a WWE RAW commentator, his role with the promotion will allow him to remain working with ESPN and ABC.

This week’s WWE RAW from the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado featured the ongoing tournament to determine Bron Breakker’s next challenger and the fallout from Bash in Berlin. We also saw the debut of Joe Tessitore, the veteran sports broadcaster who is the show’s new announcer alongside Wade Barrett.

Michael Cole, who had previously been on RAW, has been moved to WWE SmackDown where he’ll call the action alongside Corey Graves starting next Friday when the show returns to the USA Network.

Joe Tessitore Joins WWE

Tessitore’s signing was confirmed back in July and while he’ll soon be debuting in WWE, he’s no stranger to broadcasting. Tessistore also works with ABC and ESPN, and leads the latter’s world championship fight broadcasts as the blow-by-blow broadcaster for Top Rank Boxing. Tessitore has also provided play-by-play for Monday Night Football, preparing him nicely for calling the intense action of WWE. Joe’s deal with WWE will allow him to remain employed with ABC & ESPN.

Tessitore’s passionate announcing was documented in a 2012 feature from Sports Illustrated. In the feature, College Football Live producer Nick Sciallo described Tessitore’s calls as the work of “a hyper, hyper-intense guy who’s passionate about what he does.” Gifted with an encyclopedia-like mind that’ll come in handy every Monday night, Tessitore can recite Heisman winners as if he’s rattling off the alphabet, the feature adds.

Tessitore has been praised for his ability to deliver unique calls, for better and for worse. In 2016, Tessitore declared “Texas is back, folks!” at the end of a Longhorns overtime victory over Notre Dame. The line became something of a meme among football fans as the Longhorns experienced its fair share of struggles after the call.

Raw’s Revolving Door

Joe Tessitore will certainly hope to do better than those who’ve joined WWE’s commentary teams only to fall flat. In May 2021, Adnan Virk was cut by WWE mere weeks after his signing was announced. Many at the time felt that Virk failed to demonstrate the skills needed for a lead WWE announcer and lacked chemistry with Corey Graves and Byron Saxton.

Jimmy Smith replaced Adnan Virk in 2021 though he too was not long for WWE and would leave in October 2022. In 2008, WWE did all they could to make Mike Adamle succeed on TV, including giving him roles as an interviewer, as RAW General Manager, and as a commentator. He was gone by July of that year.

WWE has announced significant shakeups to the commentary teams of its two flagship shows, WWE Raw and WWE SmackDown. The changes take effect over the next couple weeks, starting with next week’s Raw and completing the following Friday, when SmackDown returns to the USA Network after a 5-year run on FOX.

Michael Cole Shifts to SmackDown

Corey Graves filled in for Pat McAfee at the commentary booth for this week’s WWE Raw. McAfee is on hiatus and is returning to his other gig hosting ESPN College GameDay. Graves and Cole will reunite on September 13 for WWE SmackDown’s big homecoming on the USA Network. The duo has worked extensively together over the years and is regarded as one of WWE’s strongest teams.

Enter Joe Tessitore

With today’s “Voice of WWE” changing brands, WWE has tapped veteran broadcaster Joe Tessitore to serve as the new lead announcer for Raw starting next Monday, September 2, 2024. Tessitore has decades of experience in broadcasting, including working with ESPN doing play-by-play for Monday Night Football and coincidentally College Game Day.

Wade Barrett joins Tessitore on Monday nights. Former Nexus leader has proven himself to be an asset in recent years; calling action on Raw, SmackDown and NXT.

WWE has announced yet another shake-up to their commentary teams and confirmed that Michael Cole will be leaving Raw for SmackDown in the near future.

The company had announced earlier last month that famed ESPN announcer Joe Tessitore will be joining their ranks this Summer.

The newest WWE broadcast signee made an appearance on the Countdown to WWE SummerSlam pre-show and spoke with Michael Cole.

The longtime WWE announcer welcomed Tessitore, before confirming that the ESPN personality would be starting with the company on September 2 and be part of the Raw crew from Denver Colorado.

Cole then confirmed that he would be leaving his current position at the Red Branded Show at the same time and moving to the SmackDown booth instead.

Joe Tessitore currently appears on ABC and ESPN as a broadcaster for college football and Top Rank boxing. He is expected to continue his current roles alongside his new WWE duties.

• Michael Cole Inks New Contract With WWE

The belief is that the current SmackDown broadcast team of Corey Graves and Wade Barrett will be moving to Raw to join Tessitore.

As for Michael Cole, his partnership with Pat McAfee will likely continue with this change. Though the former NFL star’s move to the Blue Branded Show has not been confirmed officially.

These commentary shake-ups come in light of WWE new TV deals. The new deals will see SmackDown returning to the USA Network on September 13, while Raw moves to Netflix in an unprecedented change at the start of next year.

• WWE SummerSlam Results: Multiple Title Changes

WWE is boosting up it’s commentary bullpen in a big way with famed ESPN announcer Joe Tessitore. In a press release sent in to SEScoops, the company touted him as, “one of the most versatile and veteran voices in sports television. 

He join the company as a play-by-play broadcaster beginning this summer working alongside analysts Wade Barrett and Corey Graves. Michael Cole and Pat McAfee will remain teamed up.

Tessitore has been a lifelong wrestling fan. He’s been gearing up for this opportunity and expresses the utmost respect for the WWE Superstars and broadcasters he’ll be working alongside.

“It’s an honor to be a part of WWE.  The recent success and trajectory are undeniable,” said Tessitore. “Being there at WrestleMania XL, one could feel it – from Cody, Seth, Roman and The Rock, to creative and production, these are some of the very best storytellers in TV.  Corey and Wade are absolute stars and it is my privilege to join their team. Pat and Cole are just magical together and Cole is the greatest to ever sit in that chair.  As a lifelong viewer, I’m humbled to join this team and to serve our fans.”

Triple H on Joe Tessitore Joining WWE

WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque had this to say in the press release:

“Whether it’s a world title fight that’s got the globe buzzing or a college football rivalry that’s grabbed the nation’s attention, Joe’s voice provides that big event feel each time he is behind the microphone.

We’re excited for Joe to join legendary WWE broadcaster Michael Cole and our esteemed announce team, bringing his signature energy and meticulous preparation to our WWE telecasts each week.”

Over the past few months, Graves has steered the SmackDown ship as the lead play-by-play man with Barrett being on color commentary. Graves didn’t miss a beat in the new role as his usual broadcast partner Michael Cole joined up with Pat McAfee on WWE RAW.

Tessitore has a notorious commentary past in the fight game. He’s been the go-to voice for boxing on ESPN, led their Monday Night Football coverage and called College Football Playoff games.

If you peel back the relationship layers, Tessitore signing with WWE makes plenty of sense has he has a long history with WWE CEO Nick Khan. Khan actually used to be the super agent for Tessitore and now the two will be under the WWE banner together.

Experienced sports commentary names outside of WWE haven’t always been successful when they sit behind the pro wrestling commentary table. Mike Adamle and Adnan Virk both assumed play-by-play roles on WWE RAW and unfortunately, both didn’t last long.