WWE Bringing In ESPN's Joe Tessitore As Lead Commentator

According to the New York Post, ESPN's Joe Tessitore is joining WWE as a commentator and he will lead a three-man booth with Corey Graves and Wade Barrett. 

Tessitore will begin at the WWE announce table later this Summer, although it is unknown if he, Graves, and Barrett will move to Monday Night Raw or remain on Friday Night SmackDown. Regardless, WWE are planning to keep Michael Cole and Pat McAfee together as a two-man booth, the NY Post report noted. 

Alongside his upcoming WWE duties, Tessitore will remain at ESPN and ABC where he does commentary for college football and Top Rank boxing. 

Tessitore was previously the first media client of now-WWE President Nick Khan when Khan was a super agent. The ESPN announcer is also said to have a good relationship with WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H, while WWE brought in Lee Fitting from ESPN as WWE Head of Media & Production in January 2024. Fitting and Tessitore would have worked together on Monday Night Football and college football games. 

After years as a colour commentator, Corey Graves became the play-by-play announcer on SmackDown in January following Kevin Patrick's exit from WWE. Wade Barrett has been a commentator on WWE TV across NXT and the main roster since 2020.