WWE is preparing to make changes to its main roster commentary teams as the company heads into the new year.

According to internal plans, new commentary responsibilities will be confirmed when live broadcasts resume in early 2026, with adjustments affecting both Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown.

Beginning with the January 5 2026 episode of WWE Raw, the commentary desk will be led by Michael Cole and Corey Graves. The show will take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn New York and will also serve as the Netflix Raw anniversary episode, marking one year since Raw moved to the streaming platform.

On the Friday night side, WWE SmackDown will introduce a new commentary pairing starting January 2 2026. Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett will call the action as SmackDown begins its return to a three hour format.

Cole and Graves have been closely associated with SmackDown and WWE Premium Live Events in recent years, developing strong on air chemistry. Their move to Monday nights gives Raw a familiar presentation as the brand continues its run on Netflix. Tessitore, who joined WWE following a long career with ESPN, now steps into the lead play by play role on Friday nights alongside Barrett.

The changes come as WWE gears up for a busy start to 2026, with storylines quickly shifting toward the build to the Royal Rumble.

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