Andrew Ravens is a Newsweek reporter. He is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His focus is reporting on wrestling news. He has in-depth knowledge of pro wrestling and has covered the industry extensively. Andrew joined Newsweek in 2025 from WrestlingNews.co and had previously worked at GiveMe Sport. You can get in touch with Andrew by emailing a.ravens@newsweek.com. You can find him on X @andrew_ravens.
Andrew Ravens
Contributing Sports Writer
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Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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After a few weeks away from WWE television, commentator Wade Barrett is scheduled to be back on duty this weekend in Indianapolis. According to a new report from PWInsider.com, Barrett is listed internally for the broadcast team for the inaugural Wrestlepalooza premium live event.
Barrett’s absence, which he had taken at his own request, led to a wave of speculation regarding his status with the company following a recent commentary team shakeup on “SmackDown.” Barrett himself previously addressed the rumors surrounding his time off, refuting any suggestion that he had been removed from his position.
In a post on X, he clarified that his absence was pre-planned and called the situation a “complete non-story”.
“I usually ignore BS reports like this, but it’s causing needless hate to be spewed towards people I work with,” Barrett wrote. “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”. His statement was a direct response to a previous report which claimed he was set to be “off the road going forward”.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 11: WWE logos are shown on screens before a WWE news conference at T-Mobile Arena on October 11, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 11: WWE logos are shown on screens before a WWE news conference at T-Mobile Arena on October 11, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Images
WWE Changes
The speculation began after Michael Cole announced on “SmackDown” that he and Corey Graves would be the new commentary team for the blue brand for the next couple of months, leaving Barrett’s role as the show’s lead analyst in question. A separate report also indicated that the current plan is for Cole and Graves to call both “Raw” and “SmackDown,” a rare setup for the company.
With Wade Barrett’s reported return this weekend, it remains to be seen where he will be positioned exactly on the broadcast team. It’s possible they go with a three-man booth for the event.
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