Corey Graves on Not Seeing Himself Wrestling Again In Foreseeable Future But Open To Right Opportunity, Having A Chip on His Shoulder After Being Replaced by Pat McAfee, & His Past Issues with CM Punk Being “Water Under The Bridge”

TV Insider held a recent interview with WWE RAW brand and AAA English commentator Corey Graves. One of the topics discussed included Graves’ thoughts about the potential of him wrestling again in the future. Graves had retired from wrestling in 2014 due to a concussion injury and had last wrestled in April of 2013.

“I got medically cleared a couple of years ago. I started to get back in shape. A lot of things changed within the company as far as everything. So, I don’t foresee that happening in the foreseeable future if at all. One major reason being is I don’t feel like staying in ring shape because it’s a lot of work. I have the luxury of wearing a suit on TV. I like not watching what I eat. Never say never. I think if the right opportunity presented itself, whether that be in WWE or AAA, I would probably jump at the chance. At the same time, it’s not something I’m actively pursuing at the moment.”

Graves also gave his thoughts about being replaced on WWE’s commentary by Pat McAfee in early 2025 and if his demotion to NXT at the time caused him to have a chip on his shoulder.

“Definitely. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t. If anything else, that whole period in my career I looked at it and thought, “This isn’t where I want to be. This isn’t what I want to be doing. I’m going to show them.” This goes back to the outworked next guy. I will be the hardest worker in the room. I will say yes to stuff people don’t want to do. Sure, it gets me in trouble with my wife from time-to-time. I’ve missed a lot of events in life that I’m not super excited about. At the end of the day, this is what I have done with my life. This is my life’s work. Yeah, when I got bounced so to speak, from that very first time, I intended to say, “I’m coming into NXT and will reinvent myself and show you guys I’m the best in the world at this.” I kind of approached this with that mentality. It was very much a chip on my shoulder situation. I like to think I still have some of that chip on my shoulder because I’m still not quite back to where I want to be.”

Graves also gave his thoughts about CM Punk heading into WrestleMania 42 as champion and how his past issues with Punk are “water under the bridge.”

“It really is wild. Life in this business is so unusual. Everyone has a different story, but to have someone who I bond with so deeply when I was trying to get ahead of the business. He was always a step or two ahead of where I was. I looked up to him for that. I sort of tried to follow in his footsteps. I patterned myself after him, right, wrong, or indifferent. I’m sure I learned a few bad habits along the way, but he was sort of my wrestling big brother. That’s how I looked at it. Then life happens.

There are the well-documented issues he had with WWE. He and I fell off for a while, but when he came back, I made it a point to talk to him. It’s one of those things where I believe time heals all wounds or at least most wounds.

We had a heart-to-heart. Both of us apologized for a couple of different things and let it be water under the bridge. Since then, we’ve continued to grow close again.

He is one of my favorites to this day, despite the fact he is my friend. As a talent, I’ve always been a fan of CM Punk.”