WWE News: Former WWE Announcer returning for RAW 25th Anniversary show

What's the story?

Former WWE RAW and Smackdown announcer Johnathan Coachman has announced on his social media accounts that he will be returning on the WWE RAW 25 Anniversary show next Monday. In response to a fan The Coach said:

I will be there. I guess they didn’t think I was big enough to include in the announcement. So I announced it myself this morning on my @facebook live and @PeriscopeCo show. If you don’t promote yourself no one will. :) https://t.co/kDUtsdkzp6

— Jonathan Coachman (@TheCoachrules) January 18, 2018

In case you didn't know...

The Coach worked for WWE as a backstage interviewer, RAW on-screen General Manager and GM assistant. Additionally, he was an announcer on WWE RAW, Smackdown and Sunday Night Heat from 1999 - 2008.

After being a backstage interviewer for 4 years, he became an official TV character after a very surprising heel turn during a match between Shane McMahon and Eric Bischoff at SummerSlam 2003. Coach excelled in his new cocky heel-announcer persona.

The heart of the matter

Coach left WWE in 2008, actually orchestrating a contract with ESPN several months before he officially left. He had been Smackdown's color commentator at the time and had originally planned on staying in that position for a long time. However, Vince McMahon was not satisfied with his commentary.

Coach left ESPN last October and has hinted at a potential return to WWE ever since. He even made his first WWE appearance in 8 years on the 28 March 2016 episode of RAW, during a promo with The New Day.

What’s next?

The WWE Raw 25th Anniversary show takes place next Monday on the 22 January 2018, in both the Barclays Center and Manhattan Center in New York. It's currently unknown what exactly the Coach's role will be.

Author’s take

After being a fairly bland backstage interviewer for 4 years, Coach became a very entertaining character following his surprising and at the time very random heel turn, which made it all the more surprising. As of right now, Coach is just making the one appearance for WWE, but I certainly wouldn't mind seeing him return in some kind of full-time role.