WWE has announced that Adnan Virk will become the new lead announcer on Raw beginning tonight alongside Corey Graves and Byron Saxton.
The news of Virk’s hiring and his role on Raw was first reported by Raj Giri of Wrestling INC over the past weekend. A follow-up report by Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Podcast confirmed that Graves and Saxton would make up the new three-man booth on Raw.
Virk commented on his past fandom in a company press release announcing his hiring:
I’m elated to be joining the premier sports entertainment company in my new role with WWE. As a kid who grew up idolizing WWE Hall of Famers like Bret Hart and Ric Flair, the opportunity to call modern legends like Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, Randy Orton, Charlotte Flair and so many others alongside Corey Graves and Byron Saxton is truly humbling.
Virk will continue his roles with the MLB Network along with podcasts for Cadence 13 and Meadowlark Media.
Richard Deitsch of The Athletic has an interview with Virk where it’s stated that the negotiations began before Christmas of last year. Michael Cole contacted CAA agent Matt Olson to see if any clients were interested in a role on the broadcasting side. Virk was recommended and went through an audition period including calling matches and conducting backstage interviews on February 4th.
In the press release, WWE noted that Tom Phillips will become the new host of 205 Live and oversee projects for Peacock and the WWE Performance Center. Phillips will also continue his role as Senior Manager of On-Air Talent.
They also specified that Samoa Joe will remain a part of the WWE talent roster. There was no announcement regarding the broadcast team for Friday Night SmackDown following the move by Graves to Raw.
Virk’s first show is tonight as WWE begins its residency at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida.
