Former SmackDown Broadcaster Kevin Patrick Addresses WWE Release

WWE fans were shocked on January 23 when news broke Kevin Patrick had been released by the company. The commentator joined WWE in 2021 following his work covering soccer for CNN, as well as being the play-by-play commentator for Atlanta United home games on Apple TV+. In the wrestling world, he would perform play-by-play for "WWE Raw," before transferring over to "WWE SmackDown" in 2023, then being released after the company was reportedly unhappy with his style of work.

However, it seems the Irish commentator doesn't hold any grudges towards WWE, as he posted a message on his X account expressing his gratitude for his time there. He wrote "Nothing but love for 3 incredible years at WWE! From the exhilarating experiences and all the brilliant friends I worked with along the way, I'm flooded with gratitude. In saying that, it was time to turn the page, and I couldn't be more excited for this new chapter! Cheers." It was announced in 2023 that along with his work in WWE, he would become the official play-by-play commentator for Major League Soccer and Apple. His work in the world of soccer has continued post-WWE, as Patrick recently announced via social media that he would be the host of the "MLS 360" show on Apple TV.

Since Patrick's departure, both WWE commentary teams on "Raw" and "Smackdown" have undergone changes. Michael Cole now calls action on Monday nights alongside a recently returned Pat McAfee, while Wade Barrett now calls the action on Friday nights with Corey Graves, who himself has become a play-by-play commentator for the first time in his WWE career.