Joe Tessitore Reflects on WWE Raw Commentary Debut: I Wasn’t Great, But I Was a Passionate Fan

One big thing: Joe Tessitore made his WWE Raw commentary debut alongside Wade Barrett

Joe Tessitore, a veteran sports broadcaster, made his first appearance as a WWE commentator on the September 2 episode of Raw. He joins Wade Barrett at the announce table, replacing Michael Cole and Pat McAfee until January when WWE Raw moves to Netflix.

Key takeaways:

• Tessitore and Barrett are the interim commentary team for WWE Raw
• Michael Cole will move to SmackDown with Corey Graves starting September 13
• Tessitore joined WWE on July 9, 2024

Tessitore’s reaction:

In a post-show video, Tessitore expressed his excitement:

“How do I feel? [Points to the fans] This is how I feel. You feel alive. You feel passion, and you feel intensity. You want to live in the red in life. That’s what this is, Raw, live in the red. This was an awesome night.”

Why it matters:

The addition of Tessitore, described as “one of the most versatile and veteran voices in sports television,” signals WWE’s commitment to enhancing its broadcast team as it prepares for the move to Netflix. His experience in sports broadcasting could bring a fresh perspective to WWE programming.

Behind the scenes:

• Tessitore revealed he was a wrestling fan as a child, once skipping school to meet Big John Studd
• He admitted to being “the kind who was rooting against all the faces” as a young fan
• Tessitore purchased WWE merchandise to give to children in the audience

Self-assessment:

Tessitore humbly evaluated his first night on the job:

“I wasn’t great tonight, I wasn’t great tonight, but I was a passionate fan tonight.”

Looking ahead:

Tessitore will continue his role as a play-by-play announcer for college football on ESPN and ABC, a position he’s held since 2002, alongside his new WWE duties.

What did you think of Joe Tessitore’s WWE Raw commentary debut? Did his passion for wrestling come through in his performance? Share your thoughts in the comments below!