WWE Raw/Smackdown/NXT programming will go through its 2022 season premiere starting this week and then next week. Moving into this week’s Smackdown, the landscape of the broadcasting team will be entirely changed as first reported by WrestleVotes, followed by more details provided by Variety.
WWE then officially announced changes to the commentary teams with the season premiere beginning with this week’s episode of Smackdown on FOX airing from the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. Keeping things adjacent to Variety’s earlier report, all three brands, namely WWE Raw, Smackdown, and NXT are set to undergo changes.
WWE Smackdown: Spoiler On Several Debuts Planned For 2022 Season Premiere
As for Smackdown, Michael Cole and Wade Barett will commentate for the blue brand while Kevin Patrick and Corey Graves will be on the commentary team for WWE Raw while Vic Joseph and WWE Hall of Famer Booker T will do commentary for NXT.
WWE has also shaken things up for their ring announcers and backstage interviewers since Samantha Irvin will serve as the ring announcer for SmackDown. Kayla Braxton and Megan Morant will be serving as backstage interviewers for the blue brand. Braxton was on Friday Nights while Morant will be the latest addition.
For WWE Raw, Mike Rome will be the ring announcer while Cathey Kelley and Byron Saxton will conduct onscreen interviews. For NXT, Alicia Taylor will be the ring announcer while McKenzie Mitchell will continue to serve as a backstage interviewer.
It should be noted that the former voice of the red brand commentary team, Jimmy Smith said goodbye to the WWE Universe via a tweet from his official account, already. In return, Cathy Kelley will be added to the red brand lineup as she’s returning to the company to the joy of the WWE Universe after two years after her release in 2020.
Updated WWE Raw/Smackdown/NXT broadcasting team
The updated commentary teams, ring announcers, and interviewers are given below:
Monday Night Raw
Commentary: Kevin Patrick and Corey Graves
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
Interviewers: Byron Saxton and Cathy Kelley
Tuesday Night NXT
Commentary: Vic Joseph and Booker T
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
Interviewers: McKenzie Mitchel
Friday Night Smackdown
Commentary: Michael Cole and Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Samantha Irvin
Interviewers: Kayla Braxton and Megan Morant
Premium Live Events
Commentators: Michael Cole & Corey Graves
