Recent WWE Controversy Was A “Total Shoot”

WWE’s commentary controversy rumbles on.

On January 13th, Corey Graves publicly called out WWE for dropping him from SmackDown. After appearing on the blue brand on January 3rd, Graves appeared on NXT four days later but was missing from the most recent edition of Smackdown.

Despite saying he would be at the commentary table for NXT on January 14th, Graves missed the show and wasn’t on commentary for WWE Speed a day later. Speed was taped on January 10th, and Graves was replaced by Blake Howard.

From the moment that Graves shared the messages fans have been divided over whether his frustration was genuine or part of a storyline. However, it’s been reported that Corey Graves’ annoyance is very real and goes back several months.

It’s believed he was originally told he would partner Joe Tessitore on SmackDown when Pat McAfee returned to Raw alongside Michael Cole. But this decision was subsequently changed, and Wade Barrett partnered with Tessitore with Graves moved back to NXT.

WWE Figure Claims Unrest Was Genuine

Reporting in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer quoted someone “high up” in the company who said that while Graves might have later told people the situation was a “work,” that wasn’t the original intention.

One person high up in WWE said after that, “He may be telling everyone it’s a work. And it may turn into one. But it was a total shoot when it was happening.”

As the controversy continued in the days after NXT, Graves deleted the criticising WWE and hasn’t publicly commented on the situation since. There remains no word on if or when Graves will return to television. The star has been with the company since first signing a developmental contract as a wrestler back in 2011.