SmackDown Announcer Kevin Patrick Released By WWE

After nearly three years with the company, "WWE SmackDown" lead announcer Kevin Patrick has officially been released, according to PWInsider. Wrestling Inc. has reached out to its sources within WWE and can confirm the report. Multiple sources only recently reported that Patrick would be removed from "SmackDown," with the reasoning that it "just wasn't working out." Despite this, it originally seemed there could have been a future for him in the promotion after some restructuring, especially since he was liked backstage. 

It was also reported that Michael Cole was initially brought back to "SmackDown" to help Patrick gain his footing, but that Cole was removed from the team to determine whether Patrick could hold his own, with some believing he was not "the right person for the role". Additionally, PWInsider says that Patrick was set to travel to attend "SmackDown" in Florida this Friday, making his release seem like a last-minute decision. Before his stint with WWE, Patrick worked as a broadcaster for Sirius XM, beIN SPORTS, CNN International, and multiple other companies. During this time, he even interviewed Liv Morgan, who he praised for her conduct during their chat.

Less than a year ago, Patrick recalled his journey to WWE during an appearance on the "Out Of Character" podcast. According to him, he received his audition call while he was shaving in preparation for an appearance on CNN International, since WWE was headhunting for broadcasters at the time. During the same interview, Patrick notably claimed that he had been trying to learn from as many industry veterans as possible.