The WWE is widely known for bringing in unique broadcast personalities. Adding Pat McAfee to the commentary team with Michael Cole has been a huge success. Granted, McAfee is a former athlete who has stepped in the ring. So he knows what it’s like, but his excitement is top-notch. When he’s there, the WWE’s ratings are up… when he’s not, as you could imagine they dip a little. On Tuesday, it was announced that Joe Tessitore would become a play-by-play voice for the WWE.
Tessitore is set to join Wade Barrett and Corey Graves, with Cole and McAfee likely sticking together. The latter pairing has most recently been on Monday Nights… but maybe the wrestling promotion makes a switch.
“Whether it’s a world title fight that’s got the globe buzzing or a college football rivalry that’s grabbed the nation’s attention, Joe’s voice provides that big event feel each time he is behind the microphone,” said WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque in a statement. “We’re excited for Joe to join legendary WWE broadcaster Michael Cole and our esteemed announce team, bringing his signature energy and meticulous preparation to our WWE telecasts each week.”
Joe Tessitore is bringing a lot of experience with him to the WWE. Nearly three decades of experience. Since 2002, he has been a key fixture with ESPN’s College Football coverage and has even dabbled into the NFL with Pro Games and playoff matchups. He’s been known as ESPN’s blow-by-blow commentator due to his calls in World Championship fights.
“It’s an honor to be a part of WWE. The recent success and trajectory are undeniable,” said Tessitore. “Being there at WrestleMania XL, one could feel it – from Cody, Seth, Roman and The Rock, to creative and production, these are some of the very best storytellers in TV. Corey and Wade are absolute stars and it is my privilege to join their team. Pat and Cole are just magical together and Cole is the greatest to ever sit in that chair. As a lifelong viewer, I’m humbled to join this team and to serve our fans.”
In 2025, the WWE is set to enter a new era of television. Monday Night Raw will be moving to Netflix. Announcing in professional wrestling requires confidence, energy, storytelling and the ability to adapt on the fly. Tessitore possesses all of those abilities. Now, I don’t know what his knowledge or passion for professional wrestling is like. Though, I can state that he knows what is and isn’t a good play. His experiment on Monday Night Football wasn’t as good as he had done in boxing or college football.
Now, the WWE has had some failed experiments of their own. It’s still early and we haven’t seen what Joe Tessitore will bring to the WWE, but based on his experience… I don’t think he’ll fail.
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