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Wade Barrett Addresses Reports He's Been Removed From WWE Main Roster Commentary

Wade Barrett is reportedly the odd man out as WWE reshuffles its broadcasting teams.
Rick Ucchino|
Wade Barrett
Wade Barrett | IMAGO / PPAUK

Update published 3:16 p.m. ET: Wade Barrett wasted very little time in addressing the reports that he had been removed from the main roster commentary team.

He took to social media Saturday afternoon and delivered some good news to those who enjoy his work as an analyst and pre-show host, writing the following on his X account:

"WWE have kindly given me a couple of weeks off for personal time (booked nine months ago), and then I’m back to business as usual. A complete non-story. The end."
Wade Barrett on X.

As of this update, it's unclear if Barrett will be joining the Raw or SmackDown commentary team upon his return. For full transparency, you can read our original story below.

Original story published 1:13 p.m. ET: Wade Barrett's run as a WWE main roster commentator appears to have come to an end, at the very least for now.

Michael Cole announced Friday night on SmackDown that it would be himself and Corey Graves stepping in as the commentary duo on the Blue Brand for the next few months, and now there are multiple outlets that are reporting they will be the only main roster broadcasting tandem for the time being.

PWInsider and Bodyslam have both confirmed that Cole and Graves will be on the mic for Raw and SmackDown moving forward.

Joe Tessitore had been on the call on SmackDown for much of this year, but his college football commitments are expected to keep him away from WWE for the next few months. Same for Pat McAfee, who stepped away from the desk earlier this summer due to exhaustion.

Tessitore's broadcast colleague, Wade Barrett, is now the odd man out. Mike Johnson of PWInsider says that he has been taken off the road and there is no word on when he may put the headset back on again.

With Corey Graves now back on the main roster, Vic Joseph and Booker T will be back to holding down episodes of NXT as a two man booth.

What's going on with Wade Barrett and WWE?

Pat McAfee, Michael Cole and Wade Barrett at the 2025 Royal Rumble
Feb 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Pat McAfee and Michael Cole and Wade Barrett during the WWE Royal Rumble at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

No one has been able to confirm the exact reasoning for Barrett's removal from commentary, but online speculation has immediately pointed to his comments about Nikki Bella during the Clash in Paris broadcast.

The WWE Hall of Famer challenged Becky Lynch for the Women's Intercontinental Championship in what was her first singles PLE match in seven years. During the pre-show, Barrett went full heel commentator and essentially said that Nikki was the best during an inferior time in women's wrestling (when compared to today's product) and that she would have to prove herself against the best of this latest generation.

Bella then publicly expressed some disappointment with Barrett on her podcast, believing that he was ignoring her backstage the next night on Raw. The multi-time Men's Intercontinental Champion took to social media on Friday to announce the two of them had a chat and all hatchets had officially been buried.

Everything may now be good between Barrett and Bella, but the timing of his removal from commentary leaves more questions than answers. We'll keep you updated on his status with the company as soon as more information becomes available.

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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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