New WWE SmackDown Commentary Team Confirmed (WWE News)

Michael Cole and Corey Graves have replaced Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett as the default SmackDown commentary team "for the coming months". Those were Cole's words when addressing some familiar faces behind the announce desk on Friday night's show. He neither mentioned Tessitore and Wade nor explained why WWE chiefs had decided to make the change.

It's believed that Joe Tess's college football schedule is the reason. He'll be calling games on Saturdays for the time being, which would've made travelling around the country for SmackDown more challenging. Logistically, and likely to save himself some hefty travel days, Joe might've decided to bow out of WWE's spotlight for a spell.

However, it'd be a huge surprise if he didn't come back - Tessitore has visibly enjoyed working for the promotion and becoming a lead play-by-play man on one of the major brands. He's also struck up some fabulous chemistry with Barrett that has turned them into one of the best announce teams in the industry.

Rumours persist that Tessitore and Barrett could be moved to Raw in the interim to ease Joe's scheduling fears, but that remains to be seen. Both squads are interchangeable, to be honest. That isn't meant as an insult. If anything, it's a compliment to Tessitore that he's as slick behind the desk as a lifer like Cole.

Unsurprisingly, Cole and Graves called some major moments on this week's SmackDown with aplomb. Corey has been able to put prior grumbles about being bumped to NXT behind him, and he always works well next to Michael (who is considered to be "the voice of WWE").

Stay tuned for more on Tessitore's absence if it becomes available.