Jonathan Coachman says losing his previous role on SiriusXM may ultimately benefit his credibility because he would have been uncomfortable hosting the same type of critical wrestling program under the WWE Radio banner.
Coachman discussed the change during an appearance on Developmentally Speaking with Bryan Asbury.
Coachman was previously the host of Off The Ropes when SiriusXM launched Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7 in 2025.
“When the opportunity at SiriusXM came, jumped all over it.”
The structure changed in July when SiriusXM and WWE transformed channel 156 into WWE Radio.
“That obviously changed when they made it WWE Radio.”
Coachman said he was not given an official explanation for why his role changed.
“They didn’t give me a reason.”
He nevertheless believes his commentary style may have been a difficult fit for an officially branded WWE outlet.
“I think, you know, when you’re talking WWE Radio, as you can tell from this interview, I will praise when they need to, but I will also criticize.”
Coachman said that balance is essential to credible radio and podcasting.
“Because to me, really good radio or a really good podcast, that’s what it is.”
He rejected the idea of a program that praises every creative decision.
“Fans don’t want a podcast or a show where Brian is just saying how great everything was, because now you lose credibility.”
Coachman cited the heavily criticized Joe Hendry and Danhausen Raw concert segment as an example.
“You cannot be a human being with a brain and say that was a good thing.”
He said hearing positive assessments of the segment bothered him.
“Yet I heard people on certain shows go, ‘Man, that was entertaining.’ No, it was not.”
Coachman now sees an advantage in building programming outside an official WWE-branded platform.
“I’m almost glad, outside of the money, because I can now build my own shows.”
He believes viewers would have questioned his independence the first time he declined to criticize something he previously would have addressed.
“If they would have kept my show and I would be working for WWE Radio, people would be calling me a fraud.”
“If I do one show where I don’t criticize something that the old Coach would have, now instantly, bang, ‘See? We knew. We knew that everything would change.’”
Coachman said credibility requires audiences to believe the opinions being expressed are genuine.
“People want to hear credibility. They want to hear honesty, and that’s what we give them.”
WrestlingHeadlines reported in June 2025 that SiriusXM specifically announced Coachman as the weekday host of Off The Ropes.
When WWE Radio launched on July 27, SiriusXM retained the Off The Ropes name but no longer identified Coachman as its host. The official launch announcement instead described the program as featuring Raj Dhesi, Mark Henry and Tommy Dreamer.
Coachman did not claim that WWE removed him because he criticized the company. He explicitly said no reason was provided, making that part of his explanation an interpretation rather than confirmed information.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Developmentally Speaking, with a h/t to Wrestling Headlines for the transcription.
