WWE has gone through some major changes both behind the scenes and in front of the camera over the last few years. Triple H is now in charge of WWE creative, and Corey Graves is now the lead commentator on the Friday Night SmackDown brand.
Corey Graves recently spoke to Awful Announcing about his relationship with Triple H while making it clear that he owes a lot to The Game. Graves also indicated that he has more freedom now that Triple H is in charge.
“Triple H is another guy I owe a great deal, if not everything in my career, to. He was the one that took a chance on me as a wrestler in NXT. If I need something, I’ve never hesitated to go to him and ask. He’s cool and refreshing in the sense that he gives us [announcers] space.”
“Instead of being told and prompted that you have to do it a certain way or you have to use certain verbiage, Triple H understands that we’re all fans, and as the business grows and evolves you kind of have to let go of the reins a little bit. I still have my guide rails, but I feel like they’re a little bit wider on each side now.”
A number of former WWE commentators have noted over the years that Vince McMahon is known for screaming at people through their headsets, but Corey Graves claimed that things have been quiet in recent months.
“I’ve been on TV for seven years between RAW and Smackdown. In the last few months, my headsets have been as quiet and lucid as they have been ever. I only hear from him if I’m doing something terribly wrong or if a joke lands. If I say something and it gets him he’ll double down or he’ll add on to my joke in my headset.”
