WWE color-commentator Corey Graves was one of the many stars who spoke with WrestleZone at the WrestleMania 38 panel, with the former NXT tag champion discussing a number of different topics, including how he felt about the transition to the table after he was injured and was told he could never compete again. That and more can be found in the highlights below.
Says he never envisioned that he’d be at the level he is now in WWE:
“When I first started doing commentary, I never envisioned in a million years that I’d be at the level that I’m at now and find the success that I have. I did everything that I did as a survival mechanism because I was like, ‘how do I stay here? I want to stay in WWE, that’s my ticket.’ So, all I could draw from, initially, is from those that I was a big fan of when I was growing up, [Bobby] Heenan and [Jesse] Ventura…even ‘The King’ [Jerry Lawler] in my older years. So, when I started in NXT, I kind of had those in my back pocket but I was still finding my own footing, so, like, there’d be glimpses of that,” Graves said. “Not because I was trying to emulate them, but that was the wrestling commentary that I knew and liked.”
Says being told he couldn’t wrestle anymore was the worst news he’d ever received up until that point:
“I think it’s just a testament on how much life changes. That broke my soul, that was the worst news that I’ve ever been given in my life, up to the point, that I wasn’t going to be able to wrestle anymore. I dove head-first into the commentary role and different avenues and facets of WWE, just as a commentator and there’s so many different roles that people play, everyone wears six hats here. If you’d given me the news that I was cleared just like a year later or two years later, I’m sure I would’ve been ecstatic, I would’ve been through the roof, but this was something where I got bored…and I don’t mean that in a negative way. I’m just a creative person, I always like to have a new project or something else that I’m working toward or a new goal.”
How he was inspired at attempting a return after Edge and Daniel Bryan were cleared to return:
“I went ‘well, I’ve called all these WrestleManias, I’ve done this, I’ve called every show we have, I’ve called every Superstar’s match that can still compete…so what do I do now?’ So, it was actually after WrestleMania, last year, I got the itch, especially after seeing guys come back with injuries like Edge, Daniel Bryan even a few years prior, it was always in the back of my mind, like, ‘I gotta at least give it a shot.’ I honestly didn’t have any expectations, I thought they were gonna say that I was still kind of a mess…and I got cleared. It took a few days to set in that I could do that if I wanted but I’m so comfortable in this professional role as a commentator, now it’s a matter of, the circumstances have to be right.”
Says he is ready for the opportunity to return if it were to arise:
“Would I love to be Intercontinental Champion someday? Absolutely, that was always my dream. But realistically speaking, I’d go out there and have some new up-and-coming star beat me, or if Brock Lesnar needs to F-5 somebody because he’s on a rampage,” Graves noted, “Michael Cole’s kind of outgrown that and I’m ready to step into that role. I’m just gonna let the chips fall where they go and I’m ready for the opportunity were it to arise. I’m too busy doing what I’m doing right now every day and we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”