Did Corey Graves leave WWE? The truth revealed after he was removed from SmackDown
Corey Graves has been an integral part of WWE's commentary teams for years. However, his absence from this week's Monday Night RAW and SmackDown, has raised various questions about his status with the company. As a result, a lot of fans have been wondering if Graves parted ways with WWE.
However, that is not the case as the changes in WWE's programming might be the reason for his absence. There is a possibility that WWE might be moving to two-person commentary teams of Pat McAfee and Michael Cole for RAW and Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett for SmackDown. As a result, there is no room left for Corey Graves on the commentary table on the main roster.
Therefore, WWE could move the 40-year-old star to Tuesday Night's NXT on CW. Graves was also a part of the commentary team on this week's New Year's Evil on NXT. Also, Vic Joseph gave him a shout-out, calling it the homecoming of the former NXT Tag Team Champion. While it was not confirmed if the retired WWE star will permanently join NXT, his absence from this week's SmackDown suggests that this could be a possibility.
Corey Graves' presence on NXT has the potential to bring a fresh dynamic to the developmental brand. His veteran expertise could enhance the storytelling on the show, adding depth to its presentation. Graves' voice will play a key role in spicing up things and his involvement might benefit NXT's programming, helping the brand thrive.
Will Corey Graves ever return to in-ring action from commentary?
Corey Graves was a professional wrestler before he was forced into early retirement in 2014. After suffering multiple concussions during his time in NXT, the 40-year-old star was ruled out from in-ring competition. However, in 2022 Graves was medically cleared to compete.
Therefore, fans have been wondering if there is a chance that he might step inside the squared circle again. During a previous interview on The Gunz Show, Graves mentioned that while he is medically cleared to compete, his interest lies more on the commentary desk, subtly deflating the hopes of an in-ring comeback.
Although the former NXT Tag Team Champion did not explicitly rule out the possibility of a comeback down the line, he expressed that he has become more fond of calling the match from his commentary desk. Therefore, his in-ring aspirations appear to be minimal.
Moreover, the 40-year-old has also stated that if he ever plans to lace up his wrestling boots he would like to contribute to a larger story. Therefore, Corey Graves' in-ring comeback can only happen if the time and place are right.
Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how Graves' journey in WWE continues from here on.
