Former WWE RAW commentator Adnan Virk says his brief time with the company was an overwhelming experience.
Virk debuted on RAW on April 12, 2021, but was released on May 25 of that year. He recently appeared on the Sports Media podcast with Richard Deitsch, where he discussed his time as the play-by-play announcer for WWE’s flagship TV show.
“I was only there for seven weeks, but I tell ya, it was such an overwhelming experience,” Adnan said. “Obviously, I was being criticized heavily in all corners.”
Virk revealed that current RAW play-by-play man Kevin Patrick, who worked as a backstage interviewer at the time, gave him some advice.
“He came over to me and he was like, ‘Listen, I know what you’re going through. We are not from this world,’” Virk recalled.”In that wrestling world, you’re not one of us, you don’t belong here. And he goes, ‘I feel that too, I’m coming from MLS and soccer, you’re coming from baseball and ESPN, so I sympathize with you. Every time I hear you calling this stuff, I’m like, man, don’t check Twitter.’”
Virk also discussed his experiences working for former WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon.
“Vince was very cordial. He was respectful,” Virk said of McMahon. “He’s not hobnobbing in the locker room asking what I think about the [Toronto Blue] Jays but at the same time, he wasn’t screaming at me every five minutes. He does his own thing and he would be very direct, he was very blunt with his feedback. He’s not in the mood to offer pleasantries but at the same time, I appreciate a direct approach.”
Beginning with the May 26, 2021 RAW episode, Virk was replaced by Jimmy Smith. Patrick took over for Smith after he was released on October 6.
You can listen to the complete interview below:
