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Earlier this week Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that Kevin Patrick had been removed from the WWE commentary team on SmackDown and released from the company.
Following the news that the Irishman was no longer going to be a part of the blue brand's announcement team, recent reports have stated that Michael Cole will be pulling double duty for the foreseeable future, with him set to join Corey Graves this Friday.
While Michael Cole is set to take Patrick's spot for now, we are going to be taking a look at 3 potential candidates who could be the new and permanent play-by-play commentator on WWE SmackDown:
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#3 - The voice of TNA takes over Friday nights
For more than 20 years Jeremy Borash has worked as a member of many top wrestling promotion's production teams.
In the late 90s, he had a spell in WCW before the company was eventually purchased by Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment. It was not until he made it to TNA that he began to hone his skills.
Borash served as TNA's lead announcer from 2010 to 2018, where he called many of the promotion's iconic matches.
Since 2018, Borash has worked for WWE as the Senior Director of Content and Development.
This role has him working very closely with top creative heads like Shawn Michaels and Triple H. Speaking on his Kliq This podcast, Kevin Nash gave an insight into where Borash ranks within the company today.
"Borash is absolutely a breed above [others]. I mean, he's like Triple H's right-hand man."
Given his years of experience as an announcer as well as his close working relationship with Triple H in WWE, Jeremy Borash could be the perfect replacement for Kevin Patrick on SmackDown.
#2 - AEW's man in the mask comes to WWE
Since All Elite Wrestling began in 2019, one person who has been a constant part of the company's on-screen presentation has been its play-by-play commentator, Excalibur.
One of the founders of PWG, Excalibur has been in the business for over 20 years and in that time has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry today.
One person who has been overly impressed with Excalibur's work on the mic is his colleague Tony Schiavone, who sits alongside him every Wednesday night on Dynamite.
Speaking on What Happened When, Schiavone praised Excalibur, hailing him as one of the best in the business today.
"He’s a f*****g amazing announcer. There’s nobody like him,” Schiavone said. “I’m telling you, he is an amazing f*****g announcer. As an old f***cr here, I’m learned so much from him. He’s taught me a lot about how things should be done. We do have a lot of fun during the commercial breaks…especially when Taz is out there."
While Excalibur seems very loyal to All Elite Wrestling, in recent years, fans have seen top names from AEW like Cody Rhodes and Jade Cargill make the switch to WWE. Therefore, it is possible fans could one day see Excalibur behind the announce desk on SmackDown.
#1 - NXT's announcer moves up to the main roster
For almost a decade now Vic Joseph has worked for WWE as a vital member of the announce team. The 38-year-old has shown that he is a versatile commentator, having been a part of many different brands.
In 2019, Joseph moved up to RAW as the lead announcer before being demoted in early 2020. Despite this setback, Vic Joseph has continued to show how good he is at his job, with him becoming one of the voices of NXT in recent years.
One person who thinks Vic Joseph is ready to move back up to the main roster is his co-commentator on NXT, Booker T, who praised his colleague's skills while speaking on his Hall of Fame podcast.
"I want to see Vic move up. I want to see Vic move up to the main roster and get his flowers because Vic is good. Vic is definitely the reason I stay on point on that show. He directs me. He's almost like a maestro sometimes, holding his hands, telling me to calm down, making sure the guys speed up through the reads. He's unbelievable. I definitely want to see that young man get to the next level."
With his skills as a WWE announcer having vastly improved since he was last on RAW, now may be the perfect time for Vic Joseph to become the new lead commentator on Friday Night SmackDown.
Who should replace Kevin Patrick? Let us know in the comment section.
