5 Former WWE Announcers To Return

Recent days have seen a shake-up of WWE’s announce teams, with Raw’s Michael Cole and Corey Graves also taking over commentary duties on SmackDown.

The reason given for the change is that regular SmackDown play-by-play announcer Joe Tessitore is stepping away temporarily for his other role covering college football.

Meanwhile, Wade Barrett has denied the idea that his absence is linked to his recent public spat with Nikki Bella, issuing a statement that his time away is simply pre-booked leave with the company.

This situation could open the door for familiar voices to return to WWE commentary, even if only on a temporary basis. Here are five former WWE announcers to potentially return to the company.

5. Matthew Rehwoldt

TNA Wrestling’s current color commentator is Matthew Rehwoldt — a name that might not be instantly familiar to WWE fans, though his face certainly will be.

Rehwoldt is former WWE performer Aiden English, who worked for the company between 2012 and 2020 as both an in-ring wrestler and an announcer.

During his time as a performer, he was part of the popular NXT tag team The Vaudevillains, and later found short-term success as part of Rusev’s act, singing him to the ring during the hugely over “Rusev Day” movement, before eventually transitioning into announcing on the now-defunct 205 Live.

He has since settled into TNA’s booth, where for the past four years he has developed into a reliable colour commentator — and with the WWE/TNA partnership ongoing, could we see him make a return to his old stomping grounds?

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4. JBL

WWE Hall of Famer JBL enjoyed a second career with the company as a color commentator on both Raw and SmackDown throughout the 2010s.

After stepping away from the role full-time in 2017, he recently made a return to the booth, joining the commentary team for WWE-owned AAA’s Triplemanía on 16 August alongside Corey Graves and Konnan.

At the show, the 58-year-old slotted seamlessly back into the role, bringing WWE’s house-style to the Mexican promotion.

That appearance makes clear JBL is firmly back on WWE’s radar, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him reinstated at the announce desk on one of the company’s main roster brands.

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3. Jim Ross

Jim Ross is arguably WWE’s most recognisable and respected commentator.

The 73-year-old left WWE in 2019 after being used only sporadically for several years, later joining AEW as part of their broadcast team, though in recent times his appearances have been mostly reserved for the company’s biggest shows.

Could the WWE Hall of Famer once again take his seat at the announce desk of the promotion with which he is most closely associated?

In the short term, the answer is no — JR signed a one-year extension with AEW in August — but with the veteran showing no signs of walking away entirely, it would be unwise to rule out a WWE return, even for a one-off appearance.

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2. Kevin Kelly

Kevin Kelly is one of pro wrestling’s most accomplished announcers — though longtime WWE fans may remember him only as the backstage interviewer mercilessly mocked by The Rock during the Attitude Era.

After leaving WWE in 2003, Kelly reinvented himself as an outstanding play-by-play commentator, first in Ring of Honor and then in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where from 2015 to 2023 he served as the English voice of the promotion’s recent golden era.

AEW signed Kelly in 2023 for his acclaimed skills and almost unparalleled ability to communicate the in-ring narrative, but his run proved short-lived, ending in acrimony the following year — with Kelly now attempting to sue the company.

Given his reputation and experience, the question is whether WWE could take a chance on the 58-year-old and bring him back to their announce desk.

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1. Jerry “The King” Lawler

Jerry “The King” Lawler first joined WWE’s announce desk in 1992 and was a regular fixture of the broadcast team until 2020.

For many longtime fans, his voice remains synonymous with WWE programming.

Released from his broadcasting contract in 2024, Lawler has also battled a spate of health issues in recent years.

However, given his 32-year history with WWE — and his multiple prior returns — it would not be impossible to see the 75-year-old make another comeback, even if only for the short term.

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