Michael Cole on His Current Contract with WWE Will Take Him to “Retirement Age” & Addresses Corey Graves Main Roster Commentary Removal Situation

As noted before, Michael Cole signed a new contract with WWE in Spring of 2024 to remain in the company for the foreseeable future.

A recent episode of the Impaulsive podcast featured Cole as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Cole giving his thoughts about his new contract with WWE.

“Just signed a brand new contract with the company. So I’m going to be here for a number of years. The company really made me feel, you know, really for the first time that I was really important to this place.”

Cole also stated that his new deal with WWE has eight years remaining on it.

Cole also gave his thoughts about his reasons for his decision to sign a new deal with WWE.

“The paycheck is part of it but the new regime had a lot to do with it. When I went to sign the new deal, I sat down with my wife and I’m 58 years old now and I’m like, ‘They want to get me to retirement age.’ And this is because we had talked about me getting out of this for a long while now just because of the travel and everything else. And and she was like, ‘You got to do it. This is your legacy. Like, you’re going to be miserable if you don’t finish this up the way you want to finish it up.’ And she was great about it. So, she was one hundred percent on board with it and so I’m here for a while.”

Cole also gave his thoughts about the situation involving Corey Graves’ recent removal from WWE’s main roster commentary.

“I still don’t understand all the dynamics of it. I know that he sent something out on social media that was pretty critical of the company. He tried to explain to everyone that he was trying to generate some interest in maybe a type of a storyline. I don’t think the company saw it that way.

I think he and the company are working that out. I love Corey to death—he’s an unbelievable commentator. Beside McAfee, he’s probably the best partner I’ve ever had.”

Cole also gave his thoughts about the changes he has seen within WWE since Vince McMahon’s departure from the company.

“Listen, I will never ever disparage Vince McMahon. He’s got his personal issues and whatnot but from a professional standpoint, I’ll never disparage the man. I would not be here today without Vince. He gave me everything.

I’ll never disparage the man but Vince was very heavy-handed. It was his company, his sandbox, whatever he wanted. So, I was never really able to break out and be myself, with the exception of a little bit of a heel run I had over a decade ago. But when Vince left and Paul came and was in charge, Triple H, he really changed things. Then we brought in Lee Fitting, who came from ESPN. Lee coming from ESPN, where the talent is the announcer, he came here and said, ‘I don’t understand why our guys at the desk aren’t bigger and have bigger personas and aren’t as respected as the people in the ring.’

What Lee and Paul have allowed us to do is bring our personalities out and you’re seeing the real Michael Cole now.”

Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com