Backstage News On The New WWE Announce Team

It’s WWE premiere week which means fans will be seeing some interesting changes on Raw and SmackDown Live.

Tonight the season premiere of Monday Night Raw is set to air live on USA Network, and a new stage has already been erected ahead of the episode.

Fans will be seeing a new commentary team on Raw tonight as well as Dio Maddin, Vic Joseph and Jerry “The King” Lawler will be calling the action.

Dave Meltzer noted on the Sunday Night’s Main Event podcast that Paul Heyman wanted a clean slate for the commentary team.

Heyman reportedly saw Vic Joseph on 205 Live and liked his work. It’s also being said that when Paul Heyman met Dio Maddin he thought of him as “his guy” and wanted him for the announce team.

Paul Heyman reportedly liked Dio Maddin’s personality which is why he wanted him for Raw.

Heyman wanted Maddin and Joseph for the announce team, but Vince McMahon wanted a veteran which is why Jerry “The King” Lawler was added to the team.

The feeling is that Lawler is only there for the short term, and that Heyman and other officials have their eye on another announcer to replace Lawler.

There’s speculation that it could be Nigel McGuinness who currently calls the action in NXT.