WWE is adding a top sports personality to its ranks. 53-year-old college football and boxing broadcaster Joe Tessitore has signed a deal to provide play-by-play for WWE starting this summer.
What isn't clear yet is what show Tessitore will be named, although WWE has confirmed he will be working with Corey Graves and Wade Barrett. Graves is currently the lead voice alongside Barrett on “SmackDown,” which airs on Friday nights, while Michael Cole and Pat McAfee commentate on “Raw” on Monday nights. Cole and McAfee remain a couple.
“It is an honor to be part of WWE,” Tessitore said in a statement to CBS Sports. “The recent success and development is undeniable. You could feel it at WrestleMania XL – from Cody [Rhodes]Seth [Rollins]novel [Reigns] and The Rock, to the creativity and production, these are some of the best storytellers on television.
“Corey and Wade are absolute stars and it’s an honor to join their team. Pat and Cole are magical together and Cole is the greatest to ever sit in that chair. As a lifelong spectator, I am honored to join this team and serve our fans.
Tessitore, a former NFL “Monday Night Football” play-by-play man, currently voices college football and top-ranked boxing for ESPN while also serving as the lead voice of the sports reality comedy series “Holey Moley” on ABC.
Since Tessitore generally has to work Saturdays due to his college football and boxing duties, and WWE has not specified which show he will appear on, it is possible that Tessitore, Graves and Barrett will eventually move to “Raw,” which airs Jan. 1 moves to Netflix in 2025, with Cole and McAfee moving back to “SmackDown,” which moves to USA Network on September 13th.
“Whether it's a world title fight that excites the world or a college football rivalry that captures the nation's attention, Joe's voice conveys every time he sits behind the microphone “The feel of a big event,” said WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque, better known to fans as former wrestler Triple H.
