Report: WWE Removes Tom Phillips From WrestleMania 37

Here's why Tom Phillips was pulled from tonight's WrestleMania announce booth...

by Andy H Murray
Tom Phillips
WWE.com

Tom Phillips has been pulled from the WrestleMania 37 announce booth due to COVID-19 protocols.

This is according to Wrestling Inc.'s Raj Giri, who didn't know Phillips' replacement at the time of writing. There is currently no indication that Phillips is suffering from the virus himself.

Phillips, 31, has served as WWE's Raw play-by-play announcer since January 2020, when he took over from Vic Joseph. Initially commentating alongside Jerry Lawler and Byron Saxton, the Raw team was eventually settled on that April, with inactve wrestler Samoa Joe taking Lawler's place.

Advertisement

The same source reports that Phillips will be leaving the Raw team from the show's 12 April episode, with former ESPN sportscaster Adnan Virk taking his place.

Phillips made his first WWE appearances in 2012, conducting backstage interviews for the WWE app. He has served in various different roles since then, though he is best known for his announcing work, having made Raw, SmackDown, NXT, NXT UK, and even Superstars and Main Event his home throughout his long, meandering tenure.

Advertisement

There is currently no word on how being removed from Raw will impact Phillips' position within WWE.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.