It was reported last week by Fightful that Corey Graves was actually medically cleared by WWE doctors at some point in 2020.
Graves did briefly hold the WWE 24/7 Championship in 2020 despite being on a strict internal “no contact” list that the company keeps. It was confirmed that Graves is no longer on that list. Graves had to retire from in-ring action in 2014 due to a history of concussions so he transitioned into being a full-time announcer.
Booker T talked about this during his Hall of Fame podcast:
“We knew all of those guys, okay? All those guys had a run and then something happened, they retired and came back. Ain’t nobody knows who the hell Corey Graves was before he retired, okay?” Booker claimed. “I know he’s going to be pissed off at that a little bit. The thing is, he’s done so good at being a commentator, what the hell is he thinking wanting to get back in that ring? And perhaps something happens, something pops, I don’t know.”
“Of course, having that feeling that adrenaline rush sitting there at the table watching it go down,” Booker related. “It’s almost like watching the party go by and you’re not participating in it, I understand that. I understand, ‘hey man, I’ve got one chance at this, and if I’ve got once chance to do it I’m going to take it.’ How are you going to tell a man to stop doing what he’s doing? I understand that too.
“But I remember one other guy (Alex Riley), another one of my partners, one of my colleagues who did the same thing. Wrestler, then next thing you know commentator, then next thing you know, ‘man, I feel good again I am going to go wrestle.’ Went back to wrestle, next thing you know his ass was gone. He’s been gone so long I couldn’t even remember his name.”
Booker T noted that he thinks Graves should remain an announcer.
“We haven’t seen Corey Graves whoop nobody’s ass since he’s been there. We haven’t even seen him even walk up to anybody or even get tough, or even talk tough,” he said. “And now all of a sudden Corey Graves is going to jump up from the table and just start whooping up on guys?
“I mean, come on, you’re kidding me, right? My advice to Corey Graves is to sit at that table,” he stated. “You don’t want to run back in that ring and something happen. Time off is your worst enemy.”
The WWE Hall of Famer continued by noting that if Graves can wrestle and be an announcer then he should go for it, but Graves shouldn’t give up being an announcer.
“If he can work them both, I would be all in with that. I wouldn’t give up the char, I just wouldn’t. I just think Corey is doing such a hell of a job being a commentator. Those types of guys, they come few and far between, they really do. Guys like him that can command that position.
“Because you’re doing that on a weekly basis, and you’ve got to go out there and do it somewhat, a little bit different every time. Corey has literally mastered that,” Booker said. “Me personally, if I was in a higher position I would not want to lose a Corey Graves from that position. Just because he’s so hard to replace.”
H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcription
