More Details On Events Between Corey Graves and WWE This Past Week, If It Was A Work

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter has more details on the timeline of events that led to Corey Graves disappearing from WWE TV after his move to NXT last week. As previously noted, Graves was said to be “genuinely not happy” upon receiving the news that he would be moving from RAW to NXT.

Sometime last year, Graves was meant to move from RAW to Smackdown, where he would call the action with Joe Tessitore once Michael Cole went back to RAW. However, WWE then decided that Wade Barrett would be on Smackdown instead. Graves went to NXT and when he appeared, he looked visibly unhappy.

There were some in the company who thought that his tweets were an attempt to get fired, but some sources suggested that he was trying to “blur the lines” and create fan interst. It actually might have worked, as the first quarter of Tuesday’s episode (where he warned he had a ‘lot to say’) had 883,000 (275,000 in 18-49) in the first quarter and had 827,000 viewers (224,000 in 18-49) for the first 45 minutes. Graves, however, was sent home and didn’t call Tuesday’s episode. He also missed this week’s WWE Speed.

One source noted that the events with Graves are not a work at this time. It was said that while Graves may be telling people it is, and while it could turn into one, it at least began as a shoot.