Backstage Update on Corey Graves & WWE, Rumored Belief That Graves Attempted To Get Fired by WWE

– As previously reported, WWE broadcaster Corey Graves has been absent from WWE TV since posting comments on social media, airing grievances regarding being demoted from Raw to the NXT broadcast team. He later deleted his posts on X. Dave Meltzer commented on the situation on today’s Wrestling Observer Radio.

According to Meltzer, the people he’s spoken with in WWE are claiming what’s happening with Graves “is not an angle.” Meltzer added that Graves “hasn’t been fired yet.” Meltzer speculated that Graves deleting his X posts likely indicates that the announcer either had a change of heart, or likely took them down as WWE requested, “or else.” Meltzer stated, “He took down his tweets, so the fact that he took down his tweets said that he may have either had a change of heart or they told him, ‘You know, you better take down your tweets, or else,’ and maybe he didn’t want the ‘or else.'”

Meltzer stated that the issues with Graves and WWE likely stem from announcing plans made last fall. The original plan for January was to have the announce teams featuring Michael Cole and Pat McAfee as the broadcast team on WWE Raw for the Netflix move. At the time, SmackDown was reportedly set to feature Joe Tessitore, who would move to SmackDown after a “temporary” stint as the play-by-play announcer on Raw, and Graves starting in January.

About two weeks ago, Meltzer stated he asked WWE about who the SmackDown announce team would be, and it would still be Graves and Tessitore. His source within WWE informed him that the answer was “to be determined.” Graves then reportedly received word that Wade Barrett was going to replace him as the broadcaster on SmackDown, and Graves was said to be “genuinely not happy” about receiving the news.

As for Graves’ actions on social media, Meltzer stated that people within WWE believe Graves was “trying to get fired,” which is why he wrote the posts. Meltzer speculated that if Graves is attempting to get fired by WWE, the company will likely not fire him because they wouldn’t want Graves to go to AEW if they were to grant him a release from his contract.

It’s unknown if WWE has suspended Corey Graves. WWE has not made an announcement on his status, but he was pulled from Tuesday’s WWE NXT TV taping after his social media comments. He was also seen leaving Orlando at the airport ahead of the taping. Graves reportedly signed a new multi-year contract with WWE in January 2024.