Posted in: Sports, TV, WWE | Tagged: Raw, wrestling, wwe

Big Shakeup on WWE Raw Commentary Team as Adnan Virk Joins WWE

Published Mon, 12 Apr 2021 08:55:44 -0500

WWE is making big changes for the first show after WrestleMania 37. Gone will be Tom Phillips and Samoa Joe from the Raw commentary team. In their place will be Smackdown color commentator Corey Graves and MLB play-by-play announcer Adnan Virk. Byron Saxton will remain on the commentary team, though whether that's on purpose or because no one remembered he was there in the first place cannot be determined.

According to the press release, Tom Phillips will be shipped to 2015 Live where he will be the show's new "host" and he will also "oversee special projects" on Peacock and at the Performance Center. Samoa Joe "remains part of the WWE talent roster," which means we could see him back in the ring, which could be a blessing or a curse, given WWE's booking.

The commentary team for WWE Raw has been turned upside down for the first show post-WrestleMania.

Below, see the press release sent out by WWE:

STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– WWE® (NYSE: WWE) today announced that Adnan Virk will make his debut as the new play-by-play voice of Monday Night Raw tonight at 8/7c on USA Network.

"I'm elated to be joining the premier sports entertainment company in my new role with WWE," said Adnan Virk. "As a kid who grew up idolizing WWE Hall of Famers like Bret Hart and Ric Flair, the opportunity to call modern legends like Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, Randy Orton, Charlotte Flair and so many others alongside Corey Graves and Byron Saxton is truly humbling."

In addition to becoming the voice of Monday Night Raw, Adnan Virk will continue his on-air host role across MLB Network's programming this season. Additionally, he hosts The GM Shuffle podcast with Michael Lombardi on the Cadence 13 network and the popular movie podcast "Cinephile" with Meadowlark Media. Previously, Adnan worked at ESPN where he primarily covered college football and baseball. He was also a studio host for ESPN's college football coverage and a play-by-play announcer and studio host for the network's coverage of Major League Baseball. He has guest hosted SportsCenter, Outside the Lines, Olbermann, ESPN's coverage of the College World Series, and Mike & Mike. Virk also hosted backstage Oscar's coverage for ABC's "The Oscars: All Access."

Virk will be joined at ringside for every Monday Night Raw by analyst Corey Graves, who began his commentating career in 2014 and has distinguished himself with a unique style and opinionated insights, and analyst Byron Saxton, a veteran with more than a decade of experience behind the microphone.

Tom Phillips will become the new host of 205 Live and oversee special projects for WWE's programming on Peacock and at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando. Phillips also remains in his role of Senior Manager, On Air Talent.

Samoa Joe remains part of the WWE talent roster.

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