Michael Cole explains how he’s changed his approach to WWE commentary

Working alongside Pat McAfee has changed how Michael Cole approaches his role as a WWE commentator.

Speaking to Front Office Sports for an article published this week, Cole said being paired with McAfee has “100 percent” increased Cole’s enthusiasm for commentary and his longevity in the role. Cole said McAfee has taught him how to have fun — and Cole sees their pairing as two guys sitting back drinking beer on a Monday night talking about wrestling as opposed to two people acting like traditional commentators.

“I think one of the reasons that I’ve been here so long is the ability to…evolve. Over the years, I’ve gone from a straight play-by-play man to a heel. I’ve had matches. I’ve been beaten up. I went back to being a straightforward play-by-play man again,” Cole said. “With the emergence of Pat McAfee, Pat’s allowed me to understand that this business is supposed to be fun. It’s not serious, right? This is supposed to be a fun place to work. Sitting back and watching Pat, the one thing I’ve learned is we’re all fans. Pat has allowed me to really open up. He’s taught me how to entertain.

“It’s sort of like two guys just sitting back on a Monday night drinking a beer and talking about wrestling as opposed to two guys that are trying to act as wrestling commentators. We’re trying to understand and decipher it just as you guys do at home.”

Cole told Front Office Sports that he’s having more fun now than he’s ever had in his 28-year WWE career. He signed a new multi-year contract with WWE in 2024, and Cole said he’s looking forward to WWE reaching new heights over the next few years with Raw now on Netflix.

Raw moved to Netflix at the start of 2025 with Cole and McAfee serving as the show’s commentary team. McAfee made his return to Raw on the Netflix premiere after being gone for several months during college football season.

This Sunday (February 16), a new series titled WWE’s Greatest Moments premieres on A&E at 10:30 p.m. Eastern time. Cole is the host of the series. Its first episode will count down classic moments from Raw in the 1990s.