Mike Johnson of PWInsider has reported the departure of Kevin Patrick from WWE. Patrick, who had been removed from his play-by-play announcer role on Friday Night SmackDown earlier this week, will not be transitioning to another role within the company.

Patrick's journey with WWE began in 2021, serving initially as a backstage interviewer, Raw Talk host, and panelist for premium live event kickoff shows. In October 2022, he stepped into the role of lead announcer on Monday Night Raw, and later transitioned to color commentary on SmackDown alongside Corey Graves and Michael Cole in the Summer of 2023, aimed at fostering his development.

Following Michael Cole's move from SmackDown at the end of 2023, Patrick was positioned as the lead commentator to kick off the new year. However, it soon became apparent that despite being well-liked personally, he was not deemed suitable for the role. This decision to remove him was made quite suddenly, as his travel arrangements for this week's SmackDown were already in place. Michael Cole is set to take over Patrick's duties on the upcoming Friday's SmackDown, with no immediate announcement about a permanent replacement.

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— Ben Jordan Kerin Jan 25, 2024 07:04AM