WWE Rumors: Wade Barrett Reportedly Returning To Company, Details Of New Role Revealed
As documented by Pro Wrestling Sheet, Wade Barrett will reportedly return to WWE television next week as a member of the NXT commentary team. The former Intercontinental Champion’s appearance will be a one-off for now. According to the report, Barrett hasn’t signed a full-time contract to re-join the company.
Barrett, who left the company in 2016, has worked as an announcer since he parted ways with WWE. He’s lent his voice talents to World of Sport and the National Wrestling Alliance. He hasn’t ruled out a return to in-ring action at some point, but he hasn’t competed in a match since his WWE days.
Nigel McGuinness, who previously served as the third commentator on NXT shows, was released by the promotion earlier this year. Barrett’s purported inclusion on the announce team suggests that the promotion could be on the hunt for a new commentator on the black-and-gold brand.
Barrett’s reported participation in the upcoming episode may just prove to be a cameo in the end, however. As noted by WrestlingNews.co, Mauro Ranallo is currently absent due to family reasons. That means there’s a spot behind the desk that needs to be filled.
Barrett has an interesting history with the brand, so he makes perfect sense to bring back into the fold in some capacity. After serving as a competitor prior to the show’s current iteration, he led the Nexus stable that ran roughshod over Monday Night Raw in 2010. The faction was made up of several NXT stars from the show’s early days. He then went on to enjoy plenty of success on the main roster as an in-ring competitor.
The company has expressed an interest in working with Barrett more than once this year. As The Inquisitr previously reported, he was asked to return at WrestleMania 36 along with several members of his old faction. Their appearance was also supposed to be a one-shot deal, but it was canceled due to COVID-19.
As highlighted by The Inquisitr report, Barrett also claimed that he’d always be willing to listen to offers from Vince McMahon’s promotion. However, he also claimed that he wasn’t solely driven by money and would require a role that was creatively fulfilling.
The black-and-gold brand’s commentators aren’t as micro-managed as their counterparts on Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown. The product has gained critical acclaim for offering its wrestlers and on-air personalities more opportunities to express themselves. Perhaps this inspired Barrett’s comeback, even if it does turn out to be short-lived.
