Corey Graves can thank his Raw broadcast partner Michael Cole for inspiring Graves to becoꦏme a commentator for WWE.
Graves recalled the discussion, and how h𝓀e worked at commentary, during an appearance on a recent episode of Edge and Christian's podcast, .
Graves said it all started at♛ a bar during WrestleMania weekend in New Orleans. Graves had been injured during that weekeಞnd working a match at an Axxess event and mentioned to Cole that Graves had a brief radio career back in his hometown of Pittsburgh.
"Apparently that was enough to him, enough broadcast experience," Graves recalled with a chuckle. "I've learned now that commentators are hard to come by. Anybody can talk about wrestling but to actually do what we do, even I didn't realize it's as hard as it is. Cole, it didn't happen immediately but a few weeks down the road he's like, hey, listen why don't you give commentary a shot? And there's a room in the Performance Center that's set up for that."
After subsequently learning he would not be cleared by WWE to return to the ring after mul♈tiple concussions, Graves started working on honing his commentary sklils for five days a week at the Performance Center while also helping out however he could around the PC. Graves noted that Rich Brennan and Byron Saxton wo✃uld sit in and join him from time to time.
"Much like everybody that does it for the first time, it was hard and I was not good. But to Cole's credit he believed in me and fought for me. Hunter [Triple H] and everybody gave me the opportunity. There was no rush on it, know what I mean?"
Graves, who helped💛 out on various aspects of production at NXT after being told his in-ring career was through, said the most satisfying aspect of that duty was getting to he🍒lp out Dusty Rhodes.
"When I wasn't sitting in the commentary booth I would literally sit in Dusty's office and he would go 'what do you think about this kid? Let's give him a character' and I would help teach promo classes," Graves recalled. "That to this day is one of the proudest things that I have ever experienced in this business. Dusty trusted me enough to sometimes run his promo classes or gave me responsibilities on his behalf."
