Veteran pro wrestler Drew Gulak is apparently joining the WWE SmackDown broadcast team.
This week’s SmackDown on FOX saw Michael Cole send the show backstage to Gulak, noting that Gulak was trying out to be a member of the broadcast team. Gulak then interviewed Madcap Moss before his win over Humberto.
A later backstage segment saw SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair confront Adam Pearce about her “I Quit” match against Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania Backlash on May 8. Gulak interrupted and asked Pearce how he did in his first backstage interview with Moss. The interruption offended Flair, who said he can get a real performance review only after he interviews her in the middle of the ring.
After a commercial break, Gulak was now waiting in the ring with a mic. He gave a grand introduction to Flair, and out she came. Gulak opened the ring ropes for Flair, welcomed her, introduced himself, and then asked if she was ready for a hard-hitting interview. Flair told Gulak all he needed to do was hold the mic, but he proceeded to ask if she was concerned with her title defense at WrestleMania Backlash. Flair ranted about Rousey and how she has a fragile ego, while Gulak mentioned how Rousey made Flair tap out at WrestleMania 38, and how he thought Rousey would be champion if the referee saw what really happened.
Flair told Gulak he was out of line. She continued with her promo and asked Gulak if he stopped being a competitor so he could stand there and ask her stupid questions. Flair then knocked Gulak and the fans for being quitters, adding that quitting isn’t in her DNA, but winning is. Flair hyped herself up some more, and said Gulak didn’t deserve to interview her. She ordered Gulak to leave her ring, and taunted him as he slowly turned to walk away.
Flair then attacked Gulak from behind, taking his leg out with a chop block. She applied the Figure Four and bridged into the Figure Eight as Gulak started tapping out. Flair yelled at Gulak, telling him to say he quits, which he did. Flair tightened the hold until referees rushed down to restore order. Flair stood tall to big heat from the crowd, raising the title in the air as Gulak recovered.
That was the last we saw of Gulak on SmackDown, but as seen in the video below, he was limping as Megan Morant caught up with him for post-show comments. Gulak said he thinks he really messed up his knee, and asked Morant what she thinks he should do as this was his first day. Gulak asked if there’s a medical team for the announcers, but Morant left him hanging.
Gulak has worked mostly WWE Main Event matches and WWE 24/7 Title chase segments on RAW since January 2021. He was drafted to SmackDown in the WWE Draft but since then has only worked five TV matches – the Survivor Series Battle Royal, a loss to Mansoor on the November 25 WWE Main Event episode, the Thanksgiving SmackDown Battle Royal, and the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
Gulak, a one-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion and eight-time WWE 24/7 Champion, has been with WWE since 2016.
There’s no word on what they have planned for Gulak after this, but we will keep you updated.
Stay tuned for more on Gulak’s new role on the blue brand. You can see related photos and videos from SmackDown below:
Great work, @DrewGulak!#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/mtTtHAPyDF
— WWE (@WWE) April 16, 2022
Don't be nervous, @DrewGulak. You got this.@MsCharlotteWWE wants an interview in the middle of the ring on #SmackDown! pic.twitter.com/VAIr5bvphR
— WWE (@WWE) April 16, 2022
.@DrewGulak is doing great!#SmackDown @MsCharlotteWWE pic.twitter.com/gMFPHuoppW
— WWE (@WWE) April 16, 2022
… and it was all going so well for @DrewGulak.#SmackDown @MsCharlotteWWE pic.twitter.com/KJmhxLyNfI
— WWE (@WWE) April 16, 2022
Quitting 🚫
Winning ✅#SmackDown @MsCharlotteWWE pic.twitter.com/P23OByhGcU— WWE (@WWE) April 16, 2022
.@MsCharlotteWWE uses @DrewGulak as an example, sending @RondaRousey a message! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/voY5HvUgLT
— WWE (@WWE) April 16, 2022
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