Tag: corey graves

Chris Sabin wins WWE Speed debut, Corey Graves back on commentary

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Chris Sabin has a 1-0 record on WWE Speed after making his show debut in victorious fashion.

Sabin advanced in the WWE Speed Championship number one contender’s tournament with a victory over Grayson Waller on this week’s episode. In the closing stretch of the match, Waller caught Sabin and put him in fireman’s carry position for a spinebuster, but Sabin countered into a victory roll for the pin. He got the win with 25 seconds remaining of the three-minute time limit.

Next Wednesday (January 29) on Speed, Sabin will face off against Chad Gable for the first time ever. The winner earns a title shot against men’s WWE Speed Champion Dragon Lee. That will be the first title defense for Lee since becoming champion in November.

Corey Graves — who also returned to NXT commentary last night — was back calling Speed this week. WWE Main Event commentator Blake Howard had replaced him on last week’s Speed amid the drama Graves created on social media. The Sabin vs. Waller match was taped at SmackDown last Friday with Graves later voicing over his commentary.

Though he voiced displeasure at no longer calling Raw or SmackDown in his tweets last week, Graves said in his return last night that NXT is right where he wants to be.

Sabin made his WWE debut in October 2024 and is part of the SmackDown tag team division with his Motor City Machine Guns partner Alex Shelley.

After defeating Waller, Sabin cut a post-match promo saying he’s custom made to be in this tournament and custom made to be in WWE. He also made reference to his history as a 10-time X-Division Champion in TNA.

Corey Graves returns to commentary desk on WWE NXT

Posted on by Ian Carey

UPDATE:

Corey Graves made his return to NXT after a one-week absence.

After he was introduced at the start of Tuesday’s show, Graves said “I am right where I want to be, where passion is everything, only the hungry survive, and pro wrestling never stopped being cool.”

Original story:

Corey Graves will reportedly be back at the commentary desk for tonight’s episode of WWE NXT.

Graves has been absent from WWE programming for the past week after expressing frustration at being moved to NXT from Raw in a since-deleted social media post.

He is expected at the WWE Performance Center for rehearsals today and scheduled to be on commentary for the show, Corey Brennan of Fightful is reporting. It was also noted that there has been no indication from Graves or anyone close to him that the situation is a work, although, sources close to Graves believe it will likely become one.

WWE shuffled its commentary teams at the start of the month, beginning with Raw’s move to Netfix on January 6. Graves was revealed as the third member of the broadcast team for NXT the following night. Six days later he posted the following after the conclusion of the January 13 episode of Raw:

“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,” Graves posted.

On the morning of January 14, Graves posted to X again, writing, “I’ve got a lot to say” and promoting that night’s episode of NXT. However, Graves was not on the show and PWInsider later reported he was seen leaving the Orlando Airport.

Wrestling Observer Radio: Netflix’s effect on WWE business, WWE & TNA

Posted on by Garrett Gonzales

Dave Meltzer and I are back with our Friday episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, talking about all the big news from today’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Here were some of the things we covered:

  • Change in the UFC 311 main event
  • The passing of Bob Uecker
  • Netflix’s positive effect on WWE business
  • WWE & TNA partnership
  • Corey Graves
  • AEW Dynamite ratings
  • AEW Grand Slam Australia
  • Dave’s Sweet Daddy Siki bio

Click here to listen (sub needed) or watch on YouTube (video sub needed)

WOR: McMahon/Grant, Dynamite, Corey Graves, NXT

Posted on by Bryan Alvarez

Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including the latest on the Vince McMahon/Janel Grant lawsuit, Corey Graves update, AEW Dynamite and NXT recaps, Hobbs, the ratings for Netflix, and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!

Timestamps:
Start: Janel Grant lawsuit update
3:30: Corey Graves not on NXT
14:55: AEW announces timeslot for Grand Slam Australia, new NJPW matches announced
18:53: Ratings
31:06: Another Conor McGregor lawsuit
37:00: AEW Dynamite recap
1:02:11: WWE NXT recap

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WOL: Corey Graves, NXT, Oba Femi rules, Dynamite

Posted on by Bryan Alvarez

Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back with tons to talk about including the latest on Corey Graves and where Bryan predicts this ends up, a look at MAX and Netflix number, OBA FEMI RULES, NXT thoughts, and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!

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Chad Gable defeats Charlie Dempsey on WWE Speed, Corey Graves not on commentary

Posted on by Joseph Currier

A new number one contender’s tournament began on WWE Speed today with Chad Gable and NXT’s Charlie Dempsey facing off for the first time ever.

The two technicians nearly went to a three-minute time limit draw, but Gable got the victory with three seconds remaining. He hit a Chaos Theory German suplex with time winding down and pinned Dempsey just before the clock expired.

Of note, Corey Graves was not the commentator for WWE Speed this week. He had provided play-by-play for every episode of the show since it debuted in April 2024, but Blake Howard was instead in that role for Gable vs. Dempsey. Howard is a commentator for WWE Main Event and formerly called NXT Level Up.

Graves also did not appear on NXT this week after hyping that he would have “a lot to say” on the episode. Late Monday night, Graves posted a tweet voicing his displeasure with being moved off main roster commentary and demoted to NXT. Graves claimed that he was told he wasn’t famous enough for Raw or SmackDown. He has since deleted the tweet.

The Speed tournament continues next Wednesday (January 22) with Chris Sabin vs. Grayson Waller. The winner of that match takes on Gable in the next round to determine who will challenge Dragon Lee for the WWE Speed Championship.

WOL: McMahon, Graves, Penta, WWE Raw recap

Posted on by Bryan Alvarez

Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez, Mike Sempervive and Lance Storm is back with tons to talk about including Corey Graves, AEW and WWE streaming, Vince McMahon’s legal issues, the RAW on Netflix show, PENTA, and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!

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Report: Corey Graves not appearing on WWE NXT tonight

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Corey Graves might not be appearing on WWE NXT tonight after all.

Despite Graves hyping that he would have a lot to say on the show, PWInsider reports that he will not be appearing tonight (January 14). The report says Graves was spotted at the airport in Orlando this afternoon getting ready to leave the city. NXT is taking place from the WWE Performance Center.

With Pat McAfee returning to WWE commentary, the main roster announce teams underwent a shakeup with Graves being left as the odd man out. Michael Cole & McAfee are the Raw team and Joe Tessitore & Wade Barrett have been shifted to SmackDown. Starting last Tuesday, Graves moved back to NXT for a three-man booth with Vic Joseph & Booker T.

Graves posted a tweet late Monday night voicing his displeasure with the situation, but a follow-up tweet this morning appeared to confirm that the original post was a storyline. Graves said that he’d have a lot to say on NXT tonight and told fans to tune in.

He wrote in the original post:

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 f*cking 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.

Graves then posted this morning:

I’ve got a lot to say. Don’t miss #WWENXT tonight on @TheCW TONIGHT.

Graves has not commented on the issue since that tweet. His brother Sam Adonis claimed that the situation is “not a work.”

Tonight’s NXT episode will feature the fallout from last week’s New Year’s Evil special.

Corey Graves: ‘I’ve got a lot to say’ on WWE NXT tonight

Posted on by Joseph Currier

In a potentially in-character tweet posted late Monday night, Corey Graves voiced his displeasure with being moved off WWE main roster commentary.

Graves moved back to NXT last week, creating a three-man commentary booth with Vic Joseph & Booker T. He had been calling SmackDown, but the WWE announce teams were shaken up with Raw moving to Netflix and Pat McAfee returning from his college football duties. Michael Cole & McAfee are back calling Raw with Joe Tessitore & Wade Barrett shifting over to SmackDown.

The tweet that Graves posted claimed he was told that he wasn’t “famous enough” for Raw or SmackDown:

He then followed that up with another tweet this morning hyping that he will have a lot to say on NXT tonight:

December 2024 marked 10 years since Graves was forced to retire from in-ring competition due to concussion issues. Graves confirmed in 2022 that he is now physically cleared to wrestle, but he has not returned to the ring for any matches.

McAfee won’t be calling Raw next week due to the college football national championship game taking place that night. WWE hasn’t confirmed who will be filling in for McAfee, though it’s been announced that JBL — a former WWE commentator — will be appearing on the episode.

WOR: Vince McMahon legal cases, WWE Raw recap, Penta debut, Corey Graves

Posted on by Bryan Alvarez

Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including the latest on all of Vince McMahon’s legal cases, Netflix and MAX streaming details, this Corey Graves story, the end of Bellator, the RAW report, mailbag, and tons of other news. A fun show as always so check it out~!

Timestamps:
Start: The latest on the Vince McMahon cases
11:00: Commercials on Max, WWE Raw length
22:17: Corey Graves’ tweet, Matt Riddle gone from AAA & signs with MLW
25:43: Ratings
29:17: Bellator as a brand name appears to be dead, Tyson Fury says he’s retired, Holly Holm gone from UFC, UFC 311 still on for LA
37:05: WWE Raw recap
1:00:59: Mailbag

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Corey Graves joins NXT commentary team at New Year’s Evil

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Corey Graves is back on NXT.

Graves joined the NXT commentary desk on Tuesday for New Year’s Evil, calling the action along with Booker T and Vic Joseph. This comes as WWE shuffles around their commentary teams once again following the Netflix premiere of Raw.

After retiring as a wrestler due to injury, Graves first joined the NXT announce team in 2014. In 2017, he joined the Raw commentary team and remained on the main roster, switching between the Raw and SmackDown brands over the years. Most recently, he was part of the SmackDown announce team with Micheal Cole.

The new announce teams for WWE’s main roster shows include Cole & Pat McAfee on Raw, which premiered on Netflix Monday, and Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett on SmackDown, which recently moved from Fox back to the USA Network.

New Year’s Evil saw Giulia win the NXT Women’s Championship and Oba Femi win the NXT Championship. The Rock also appeared on the show.

Michael Cole & Corey Graves to call WWE SmackDown on USA

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Michael Cole & Corey Graves will be the broadcast team for WWE SmackDown when it returns to USA Network next month.

Cole & Graves announced during Monday’s WWE Raw show that they will be at the commentary desk for SmackDown as it returns to USA Network with the Friday, September 13 episode. Graves substituted for Pat McAfee on Monday’s Raw as McAfee is on hiatus from WWE until the conclusion of college football season in January.

Joe Tessitore will join the Raw commentary team on the Monday, September 2 episode. It remains unclear if Tessitore will be paired with Graves on Raw or Wade Barrett. Graves & Barrett have been the SmackDown commentary duo on Fox since February of this year.

Reports indicate that Tessitore will be moving to SmackDown in January, also after college football season, as Tessitore calls football for ABC/ESPN, and that Cole will shift back to Raw at that point as the program moves from USA to Netflix.

Tessitore was introduced as the newest member of WWE’s commentary team at SummerSlam earlier this month.

Daily Update: Corey Graves, WWE Osaka results, Scorpio Sky

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest Free YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

  • The new issue of the Wrestling Observer is up on the site right now:
  • The updated details of the biggest lawsuit that ever faced TKO
  • Build to SummerSlam and All In
  • Updated PPV numbers on Forbidden Door, Money in the Bank and Diaz vs. Masvidal
  • G-1 is starting and a look at the first week of the tournament
  • The first Fantastica Mania show in the U.S.
  • The latest moves by Janel Grant’s legal team regarding Vince McMaahon’s doctor, the motion, why they are doing this and more on Vince’s doctor including bigger celebrities than Vince that he’s worked with along with legendary fighters
  • Pro Wrestling NOAH runs Budokan Hall with A.J. Styles
  • A look at the N-1 tournament
  • Longtime NOAH star retires
  • NOAH star joining New Japan and Bullet Club
  • A look at Marigold’s biggest show in its history with Iyo Sky plus Sareee vs Giulia
  • Giulia timeline updated of going to WWE
  • Upcoming Marigold PPV shows
  • A look at the Category A Observer awards and favorites after six months of 2024, who should win MVP in pro wrestling and MMA, match & fight of the year
  • The closing months of  WCW looked at as Lenita Erickson says she played a part in killing Eric Bischoff’s TV deal that would have kept the company alive
  • Lots of talk regarding different negotiations to get the company
  • The most detailed look at the ratings from the past week
  • What place did the pro wrestling and MMA shows finish in the ratings
  • How the different shows did  with ratings, segment-by-segment, competition and placings as well as other notes on viewership
  • Lots of big things coming to Arena Mexico
  • Leyenda de Plata tournament
  • 11 companies join together with a united front to government
  • Death of Ken Hoffman and the major title change that happened because of what he wrote in the newspaper
  • Notes on a number of wrestling movies and documentaries
  • MLW with big show with lots of CMLL talent
  • More on Bloodsport with WWE talent
  • TNA looking at biggest crowd in years
  • As AEW talks with WBD about  a new deal, lots of things are going on in that world
  • International ratings and streaming numbers
  • Advance ticket sales for all upcoming AEW & WWE shows
  • More on Nate Diaz lawsuit against promoter
  • Peacock raising prices
  • WWE Survivor Series notes
  • Lots of new WWE dates
  • Cody Rhodes talks AEW

This Week’s Wresting Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Thursday Update

WWE

  • Corey Graves tweeted and then deleted the following last night, seemingly responding to the chair shot that Jack Perry took from Mark Briscoe in AEW’s Blood & Guts match:
    • This is not meant to sound judgmental, or incite ‘us vs. them’ or question anybody’s passion, or talent or intentions.
    • This is just coming from a guy whose career ended from a few too many ACCIDENTAL headshots.
    • The ART of this business is protecting ourselves and each other.
    • Trust me…the gaps in memory are not worth it. I promise.
  • In Osaka today, WWE began its three-day house show tour of Japan. Here are the results:
    • Cody Rhodes defeated AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura in a triple threat match to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship
    • Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga defeated Kevin Owens & LA Knight
    • Gunther defeated Rey Mysterio
    • Damian Priest defeated Jey Uso to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
    • Bayley, Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill & Meiko Satomura defeated IYO SKY, Kairi Sane, Dakota Kai & Tiffany Stratton
    • Finn Balor & JD McDonagh defeated Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods to retain the World Tag Team titles
    • Sami Zayn defeated Dominik Mysterio to retain the Intercontinental title
    • Liv Morgan defeated IYO SKY to retain the Women’s World Championship
  • Though she’s out of action right now after having knee surgery, Asuka appeared in her hometown of Osaka at today’s show along with the rest of Damage CTRL.
  • PWInsider reports that Elijah Holyfield (son of boxing legend Evander Holyfield) is set to take part in WWE’s tryout in Cleveland during SummerSlam week. Holyfield played college football at the University of Georgia and has spent some time on NFL rosters.
  • With SummerSlam taking place at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Johnny Gargano spoke to Cageside Seats about how much it would mean to him to be involved with the show:
    • It’s one of those things where, look, I’m just happy doing anything. I would do anything in that stadium. I don’t care what it is. I just wanna do something in that stadium. It’s a lifelong dream of mine. Whether it’s defending the tag team titles or just popping out and waving to the crowd, I don’t care. I wanna do something wrestling related in that stadium. And I will die happy.
  • The Under the Ring podcast interviewed Gargano.
  • Denise Salcedo spoke with CM Punk backstage at San Diego Comic-Con.
  • R-Truth joined Cody Rhodes on episode three of “What Do You Wanna Talk About?”

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • Scorpio Sky appeared on the latest episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet. He addressed why he’s been in and out of AEW programming in recent years:
    • That’s been the question. I guess I’ve been in and out over the last couple of years. Some of it has been due to injury, some of it due to bad luck. One thing I will say is there’s like a narrative out that I’m just this injury-prone guy, like he’s gone for a long time and he comes back and he gets hurt again. That’s actually not the case. So I’m actually glad I want to be able to address that.
    • I did get hurt about two years ago, but I was okay within like a couple of weeks. But the problem is when you fall out of the rotation, we have so much talent, that it’s hard to get back in the rotation. I always compare it to a Ferris wheel, right? You’re up at the top at one point, but you know you’re gonna go down and you kind of have to wait your turn to get back up there. And that’s a little bit of what happened. So I have had a couple of injuries over the last few years, but for the most part I’ve been healthy for 80 percent.
  • Sky said that, while he hasn’t wrestled since an ROH match that took place last October, he is not injured right now:
    • I feel great right now, actually. I think it’s just like I was saying, it’s really tough to get back into the rotation. Because we have so much talent, there’s always talent coming in that it’s almost out of sight, out of mind, in a way, best way I can describe it. I’m eager to get back into the ring though and flex my muscles a little bit, I’m in really good shape. I’m working out with Cezar [Bononi] and I’m excited. And not only in AEW, I want to get back on the indie scene, because I haven’t done the indies in a number of years. And so that would be a really fun thing for me to kind of go back to my roots and see who’s out there, see who are the hot names, and go and have some bangers with them.
  • Kamille has filed a trademark for “The Brickhouse Kamille.”
  • AEW stars FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) will make their Prestige Wrestling debut in Portland, Oregon on Sunday, September 29. They’re facing off against Midnight Heat (Eddie Pearl & Ricky Gibson).
  • New Orleans Saints running back Jamaal Williams believes in Joe Hendry.
  • MLW announced that Miyu Yamashita will face Delmi Exo at their Summer of the Beasts show in New York City on Thursday, August 29.
  • The Creative Imbalance interviewed Chris Jericho.
  • Matt Menard was the guest on AEW Unrestricted this week.

Corey Graves has rekindled friendship with CM Punk since WWE return

Posted on by Joseph Currier

After a falling out, Corey Graves and CM Punk have rekindled their friendship.

In an interview with Bill Apter for Sportskeeda WrestleBinge, Graves revealed that he and Punk have spoken and cleared the air since Punk’s WWE return. Graves said they both apologized for some things that happened over the years.

The conversation between Graves and Punk took place backstage at the Royal Rumble this January. Graves said it’s been exciting to have Punk back in WWE and renew their friendship:

I am proud to report that it’s all water under the bridge. I finally had a chance in-person – I bumped into him briefly the night of Survivor Series backstage, but it was chaotic. He had just come back, everything was at 11 at the moment. So the day of the Royal Rumble at Tropicana Field, I actually got to pull him aside for a few minutes and we cleared the air. Had a nice, long chat.

You know, we both apologized for some things over the years and realized that this is where we both belong. This is where we both want to be. It’s been a really exciting time for me personally to be able to rekindle a friendship that meant so much to me over the years. And I am truly as excited to have Punk back here under the WWE banner as just about anybody.

Graves and Punk were close friends before their falling out. The night that Punk faced Mike Jackson at UFC 225 in 2018, Graves sent out a series of tweets where he accused Punk of abandoning everyone who had stood by his side. Graves later called the tweets “unprofessional.”

Before Punk returned at Survivor Series, Graves said last November that he would welcome Punk back to WWE.

Graves is the lead play-by-play announcer of WWE SmackDown, calling the show with Wade Barrett.

Punk suffered a torn triceps at the Royal Rumble but will still be involved with WrestleMania 40 in a non-wrestling capacity. He’ll be joining the commentary team for Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre’s World Heavyweight Championship match at night two of WrestleMania this Sunday.

Prior to Punk’s injury, the original plan was for him to challenge Rollins at WrestleMania.

Apter’s interview with Graves is available to watch below:

Corey Graves praises Triple H’s ‘refreshing’ handling of WWE announcers

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Since Paul “Triple H” Levesque has taken over for Vince McMahon, Corey Graves feels like he has more leeway to be himself on WWE commentary.

Graves was recently interviewed by the Short and to the Point podcast. During the appearance, Graves discussed the support he’s received from Levesque throughout his WWE career. Graves said that the space Levesque gives WWE announcers to develop their own style has been “sort of refreshing.”

Triple H is another guy that I owe a great deal, if not everything in my career, to. He was the one that took a chance on me as a wrestler in NXT. And I know that we’ve had a few conversations since – that him having to shut me down broke his heart as much as it broke mine. He’s always been sort of silently supportive. If I need something, I’ve never hesitated to go to him and ask. He also is really cool and sort of refreshing in a sense that he gives us [announcers] space.

When he’s in Gorilla [position] right where the old boss sat, instead of being told and prompted, ‘Hey, you’ve got to say this, you have to do it this way, you have to use this verbiage,’ He, I think, understands that we’re all fans and we all love this in different ways. And as the business grows and evolves, you kind of have to let go of the reins a little bit. I still have my guide rails, I just feel like they’re a little bit wider on each side now where rather than trying to stay on a particular path and walk in a certain rhythm and do things a certain way, I have a little bit more leeway to be me and develop my own style. As long as all the boxes that need checked continue to be checked, I don’t have to do them the same way that the six guys before me have done or that Michael Cole does or etcetera.

Graves was then asked what it’s like having Levesque in his headset.

I’ve been on TV for, I think, seven years on Raw and SmackDown. And in the last few months, I think my headsets have been as quiet and lucid as they have been ever. I only hear from him if I’m doing something terribly wrong, which knock on wood doesn’t happen too frequently, or the other time I hear from him pretty regularly is if a joke lands. If I say something and it gets him, ‘Oh, that was really good.’ Or he’ll double down. He’ll follow up on my joke in my headset. And sometimes I’m like, ‘Oh man I wish I could tell the people this but it just doesn’t fit.’

Graves and Wade Barrett are WWE’s commentary team for SmackDown. Last month, Graves took on a new role as the lead play-by-play voice of the show. He had previously been a color commentator.