WWE star Wade Barrett has reportedly been replaced on commentary and won’t be on the road for the time being.
The Preston-born wrestler, who is a former Intercontinental Champion, is no longer part of the broadcast team on Raw or SmackDown, while play-by-play man Joe Tessitore is off during college football season.
According to reports, Barrett is ‘now off the road’, with Michael Cole and Corey Graves set to call the action on SmackDown for a couple of months, as announced on last night’s show.
As reported by PWInsider, Barrett ‘will be off the road moving forward’, with the current plan being Cole and Graves handling duties on both Raw and SmackDown together.
The 45-year-old star’s last appearance at the announce desk was at last week’s Clash In Paris premium live event, as he called the action with veteran commentator Cole.
It’s not yet known why Barrett is off the road, and why he won’t be calling any of the weekly shows while Tessitore is off air.
Recently, the wrestler turned broadcaster revealed he and Hall of Famer Nikki Bella had smoothed things over after an apparent disagreement following his in-character comments before and during her Clash In Paris match.
‘I would love to have a conversation with Wade Barrett. He avoided me on Monday, which was shocking because he always comes up and says hi to me. He tried to avoid making eye contact with me in the hallway,’ she claimed on the Nikki and Brie Show.
‘I understand when you wanna be a heel commentator and stuff, but then there’s one thing of like… Michael Cole does this beautifully, and this is why Michael Cole’s one of the greatest commentators – he knows how to take a life story and put it into what we do. Because that is real.’
In response, Barrett insisted he ‘had no idea Nicole felt this way’, adding that he was ‘happy to have this “conversation” any time she likes.
He continued on X: ‘I wish she’d brought it up when we said hello to each other at Raw, rather than via her podcast. I don’t understand the avoiding claim at all, simply not true.’
He later shared an update on Friday before SmackDown, saying the pair had spoken and ‘smoothed things over’.
Barrett, without going to more details, added: ‘I’ve graciously been allowed back into the Bella Army. Fully paid-up member since FCW 2008 🤝🏻🍷
‘A difference of perspective – to which we are all entitled – but to be clear, some of the personal abuse that gets sent to Nikki on here is reprehensible and completely out of line, so let’s cut that out immediately.’
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