WWE NXT lead announcer Vic Joseph has discussed Corey Graves being moved from the main roster to NXT commentary at the start of the year.
Previously a part of the Raw and SmackDown announce team along with multiple appearances on Premium Live Events, Graves was seen on NXT at the start of the year as part of the New Year’s Evil special. The move came the day after Pat McAfee made his return to WWE as part of the Raw on Netflix premiere and has announced the show alongside Michael Cole ever since. Additionally, ESPN announcer Joe Tessitore was brought on towards the end of 2024 and now calls the action alongside Wade Barrett on SmackDown.
The following week, Corey Graves let his feelings be known on social media, stating that he was “not famous enough” to announce Raw or SmackDown, seemingly in reference to the recent hires on the commentary team:
Imagine chasing your dream.
Then being TOLD (not deciding) that you’re no longer physically able to pursue your dream.
Then you dedicate your life to something “dream adjacent” and being pretty fucking awesome at it.
And then, when it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor, being told you’re not famous enough for your own job.
Just in case you’ve wondered where I’ve been.
After missing a week of NXT following the post, Graves has since returned as has remained on the team alongside Joseph and Booker T.
Vic Joseph Says Corey Graves “Needed To Take A Deep Breath”
Speaking on the Getting Over podcast, Joseph discussed Graves making his return to NXT and how his broadcast colleague needed to look at the situation with a fresh pair of eyes:
“I think he had to have a new set of eyes and take a deep breath. And something we’ve always talked about — we used to travel in the car together — was, “Hey man, it’d be cool to call the shows together one day.” And I think once he and I had the talk, like, “Dude, this is what we’ve always talked about.” He was kind of like, “Yeah, you’re right.”
I think the difficulty for Corey, and I think this is where you start to see that seamless transition, now he doesn’t have to do as much. Now he can take a deep breath. Now he can take a step back, and understand that it is three of us, three unique individuals, three distinct personalities for one goal for one show. It’s been getting better each and every week. And it’s only going to get better. All three of us are just stoked to be in New York on Tuesday at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. I mean, it’s a great card and it’s a great opportunity. And it’s a chance for not only the brand, but us as a broadcast team to take that next step together and start looking at our first WrestleMania weekend in Las Vegas.”
Featured image: WWE
