During NXT TakeOver: WarGames back in November, SmackDown color commentator Corey Graves posted a pair of tweets that criticized Mauro Ranallo’s commentary style for the Black and Gold brand. The play-by-play announcer was then absent from both Survivor Series and the following episode of NXT, and even when he reappeared on television he did not revive his social media accounts. However in a new interview with TSN 1040, Ranallo said he views the interaction as a “blessing in disguise.”
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“I have nothing really to say about Corey Graves or anyone else in my professional existence in the sense that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, everyone is able to critique everyone the way they would,” Ranallo said. “I would never do something like that to a co-worker but that has been addressed and if anything, I publicly thank Corey Graves because he was the straw that broke the proverbial back in terms of my social media activity and I will say here and now, I have deactivated all of my social media since November and I would implore everyone, especially those with mental health issues.”
Ranallo made it clear after the fact that he was done with social media. On top of the mental health toll it takes, he cited the misinformation that can easily get spread around like with Kobe Bryant’s death this past weekend.
“I think it’s a disease, so out of that situation with my colleague I am no longer on social media, I will never get back on social media,” he said.
Graves initially lashed out at people on Twitter (notably Dave Meltzer and Frank Shamrock) regarding the backlash over the tweets, but then apologized on his After The Bell podcast.
“This past Saturday, during the TakeOver: WarGames event I sent out a tweet,” Graves said. “It was an unpopular opinion, as I often do with the intention of just stirring up a little controversy, maybe have something fun to talk about on TV or here on the show. It was maybe not the most professional way to go about things, and it was never meant to offend or disrespect or disparage anybody. That was never my intention. If it was taken as such, I apologize deeply. That was not my intention. I would never intentionally cause anybody undue stress, especially a co-worker. So, I apologize.”
Ranallo continues to work alongside Beth Phoenix and Nigel McGuinness on NXT every week.
