Michael Cole says WWE has cut ties with backstage names

Michael Cole says WWE has cut ties with backstage names - "99% of the people hated them"

Michael Cole is a long-time WWE Commentator (Image credits - WWE's official website)

Michael Cole recently opened up about "go-away heat" and revealed that WWE let go of its employees due to their unpopularity in the locker room. However, Cole did not mention any names, merely saying they were announcers.

Cole is one of the longest-tenured members of WWE today, and his association with the company began nearly three decades ago in 1997. He started his career as a backstage interviewer and, over the years, has risen through the ranks to become its most respected commentator. In addition to his duties on RAW, Cole also serves as the Vice President of Announcing for the company.

Michael Cole recently sat down for a career-spanning conversation with Logan Paul on his IMPAULSIVE podcast. At one point in the interview, the veteran commentator mentioned that WWE cut its association with a few announcers recently because nobody backstage was impressed with their work.

"Then they have what we say go-away heat. They just consider it's a bad character, it's a bad product. It's a bad person on the air. We had some announcers that just didn't work out, and you could go online, and 99% of the people hated them," Michael Cole said. (40:19 - 40:35)

Michael Cole on WWE fans disliking him

Elsewhere in the chat, Michael Cole discussed how, in the initial few years of his WWE career, fans didn't take kindly to him because of his non-wrestling background. Cole added that he eventually earned the respect of his viewers due to his sheer dedication to the craft.

"When I first started my career here, one of the reasons the fans hated me because I wasn't a professionally wrestling announcer. But I just think over the years they've come to respect the work ethic and they also understand that to your point, I've been a soundtrack for a couple of different generations now," said Cole.