A recent report has revealed that WWE will be switching to two-man booths for their announcer teams in the new year. The news comes with the revelation that a familiar face, who has been with SmackDown for over two decades will no longer stick with the brand, moving exclusively to Raw.

Michael Cole, a familiar face at both SmackDown and Raw has been confirmed to stay with Raw, ending his time at SmackDown. The blue brand’s color commentator was previously with both brands since SmackDown’s inception in 1999. The oldest and first commentator at the brand, Cole will now depart for Raw.

Legendary commentator set to say goodbye to SmackDown

Starting in 2024, Michael Cole will be a Raw exclusive commentator. The news comes as shocking as Cole was SmackDown’s first commentator, having joined the promotion two years before the premiere of SmackDown as a brand. While Cole joined in 1997, working with Raw as a backstage interviewer and, later, as an announcer for the red brand, he was selected to be a commentator for SmackDown during its debut.

The update regarding Cole is the second major change the company will be undergoing in 2024 so far. The news comes hot on the heels of the announcement that Kevin Dunn will be leaving the promotion. Dunn had been with WWE for almost four decades and looked over the media and production unit of the company.

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While it might sound shocking, WWE had planned this all along.

Why did WWE decide to move Cole back to Raw?

Cole had been shuffled back and forth between the two brands since the beginning of his career, with the most recent switch last year.  In August of 2023, WWE announced that SmackDown would have a three-man booth and Raw would have a two-man booth. This decision came when WWE moved Corey Graves and Kevin Patrick from Raw to SmackDown, where they would be accompanied by Cole. Wade Barrett and Cole were moved from SmackDown to Raw.

Cole was supposed to do a double shift by appearing on both brands in one week. It was speculated that the decision was made to help Graves and Patrick, especially Patrick to pick up tools of the trade while observing the two. While it was not revealed how long the arrangement would be for, it looks like WWE has decided that it is time for Graves and Patrick to take the lead on SmackDown’s commentary. Do you think Cole should have remained in the SmackDown booth as well or should he appear on both brands as a commentator?

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