where is michael cole

Michael Cole is currently the lead play-by-play commentator for WWE's Monday Night Raw. He has recently been absent from WWE SmackDown commentary, with no official explanation from WWE. His absence from SmackDown seems to be part of some broadcast team reshuffling, possibly to keep commentary pairs consistent, especially with other commentators like Joe Tessitore focusing on football commitments and Wade Barrett on vacation. Cole is still active with WWE and may be enjoying some time off, but he is expected to continue commentating, particularly on Raw. He has hinted at possibly retiring in a few years but remains committed to WWE for now. There have been no reports of health issues or permanent changes, so he is most likely still present with WWE, just not on SmackDown currently.