WWE Reportedly Sets Broadcast Teams For Raw & SmackDown

While some rumored changes in WWE may or may not be happening, two things changing for sure are where fans can check out "Raw" and "SmackDown" in the near distant future. At the start of 2025, "Raw" will officially move off of cable television and into streaming, as WWE's 10 year deal with Netflix to air the red brand officially begins, while "SmackDown" is scheduled to move from Fox to USA Network in just a few weeks. And with those changes comes some shifting in regards to WWE's respective broadcasting teams.

According to Sports Business Journal, starting next week, "Raw's" announce team will be ESPN announcer Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett, who will be shifting over from his duties on "SmackDown." The move confirms news first revealed back in July, when it was announced that WWE had signed Tessitore, known for his work calling college football and "Monday Night Football" to a multi-year deal.

Meanwhile, as revealed on "Raw" last night, the "SmackDown" announce team will be made up of Michael Cole and Corey Graves, who will begin their "SmackDown" duties on September 13, the first "SmackDown" episode on USA Network. The move shifts Cole over to "SmackDown" while Graves stays put, having served as the lead commentator for the blue brand since earlier this year.

Ultimately, both teams may not be together for all that long. That is due to Pat McAfee, as the long-time WWE color commentator is expected to be one half of the "Raw" broadcast team, alongside Cole, when "Raw" moves to Netflix in January. The move will coincide with McAfee's duties with "ESPN College Gameday" wrapping up. It's unclear if Tessitore and Barrett would move to "SmackDown" at that point, or if Cole would pull double duty, calling "Raw" with McAfee and "SmackDown" with Graves.