Wade Barrett Removed from WWE Commentary
Credit: WWE / Edited: STAY TRUE LUT
Former Intercontinental Champion Off the Road Indefinitely
Wade Barrett has been pulled from WWE commentary duties with no clear timetable for his return. PWInsider reports that the former Intercontinental Champion is “off the road” indefinitely and will not be part of RAW or SmackDown broadcasts moving forward.
The change became noticeable during the September 5, 2025, last nights episode of SmackDown, where Michael Cole confirmed he and Corey Graves would handle commentary for both RAW and SmackDown over the coming months. With Joe Tessitore also committed to college football coverage, Cole and Graves will now serve as WWE’s two-man broadcast team on the main roster.
What did Wade Barrett say about Nikki Bella?
Days prior, Wade Barrett drew attention for a comment directed at Nikki Bella during the Clash in Paris pre-show, calling her “desperate” as she prepared to face Becky Lynch. Nikki pushed back on her podcast, while Barrett clarified that he wanted a direct conversation about the remark rather than avoiding the issue. Barrett later shared that he and Nikki have “smoothed things over,” reaffirming his respect for her and condemning the personal abuse Nikki often faces online.
Though the exact reason for Barrett’s removal from commentary has not been disclosed, his absence marks a significant shift in WWE’s broadcast presentation. For now, the commentary table will be led by Cole and Graves, while fans await further updates on Barrett’s WWE future.
UPDATE
Wade Barrett has now addressed the reports surrounding his WWE commentary status. Taking to social media, Barrett clarified that he was simply granted a short period of personal time, which had been scheduled months in advance, and will return to his regular commentary duties soon.
I usually ignore BS reports like this, but it’s causing needless hate to be spewed towards people I work with.
— Stu Bennett 🏴🇺🇸 (@StuBennett) September 6, 2025
WWE have kindly given me a couple of weeks off for personal time (booked nine months ago), and then I’m back to business as usual. A complete non-story. The end. https://t.co/ZPcBQatnCK
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