Corey Graves Opens Up On Being Replaced By Pat McAfee On WWE Smackdown

Corey Graves did worked hard to become one of the main attractions on the main roster commentary team.

Pat McAfee was added to the WWE broadcast team after WrestleMania 37, where he began working with Michael Cole. Previously, Corey Graves had worked with Cole since October 2019.

While speaking on The Kurt Angle Show, Corey Graves opened up about being replaced by Pat McAfee in 2021.

Graves admitted he took it personally because he had worked on the Smackdown commentary team for nearly two years, but suddenly lost his job – something he found difficult to accept.

”So believe it or not, I’m blowing up my own stuff here.

I think the world of Pat (McAfee). He, again, is such a strong persona, it’s easy for me play off of and rib him and get under his skin.

I was a little upset professionally, that I found out, hey, you’re going from Friday Night SmackDown on FOX, the network show that you kicked off with Michael Cole and then, I took it a little personally (when McAfee replaced me).

Not because of Pat but it was sort of, I’ve paid my dues here. I’m the guy that shows up week after week.

I’m the guy that did both Raw and SmackDown for two years straight, never complained and this is how you do me?

And again, I remember I was talking to my wife and just going, ‘This isn’t right. I have to do something about this.

This isn’t fair.’

I really took it hard. It had nothing to do with Pat being Pat. It was just sort of a professional issue and she talked me off a ledge and I had a few conversations with Cole. Michael Cole is my boss slash therapist.“

“So he talked me off the ledge as well and looking back, it’s business. Kurt (Angle), you know better than anybody here.

Sometimes you gotta do the stuff you don’t wanna do so you can do the stuff that you do…

It was a shock that I didn’t see coming but, you know what? I dealt with it. We’re all better off for it I think.”

Graves is currently a member of the Friday Night SmackDown broadcast team along with Kevin Patrick and Michael Cole.

Pat McAfee has not appeared on WWE television for a long time, so it is unclear when he will return to the Smackdown commentary team.