Michael Cole Addresses His Famous WrestleMania 37 Commentary Mistake

Michael Cole has publicly addressed one of the most talked-about commentary errors in WWE history — his incorrect call at the finish of the WrestleMania 37 main event between Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks. Speaking on the Sal Licata show, Cole admitted the mistake embarrassed him, confirmed he apologized to both women afterward, and acknowledged that fans have never let him forget it.

The moment in question came at the finish of a historic match — the first time two African-American women had headlined the main event of WrestleMania. When Belair pinned Banks following the KOD, Cole called that Banks had kicked out. Corey Graves immediately corrected him on air, but the damage was done in a moment that deserved a flawless call.

“I had a massive screw up in the WrestleMania where Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair headlined WrestleMania. The first time two African-American women had headlined the main event at WrestleMania. I screwed up at the finish. I was embarrassed by it. I apologized to both of the women afterward. They understand that things happen,” Cole said. “The fans have never to this day let me forget about it. But it is something I regretted. I’d love to have it back if I could.”

Michael Cole Defends the Difficulty of Live Commentary and Stands Up for Colleagues Like Joe Buck and Tony Romo

Cole used the admission as a broader defense of live sports commentators, pushing back against fans who believe the job is straightforward. Drawing a parallel to the criticism directed at Joe Buck and Tony Romo — two of the most accomplished broadcasters in American sports — Cole argued that mistakes are an inevitable part of calling live events at the highest level.

“It’s just like calling any sporting event. Sometimes there’s going to be a mistake. That’s why when the fans go off on a Joe Buck or all the issues with Tony Romo this year, I feel for those guys because Romo and Buck are the best in the business. There’s nobody in the world better than them. Yet they’re constantly being berated by people who believe they can be better, that believe they know better.” He closed with a direct challenge to critics. “Put on these headsets, sit at ringside for two hours one night, and let’s see what you can do.” Cole has been WWE’s lead play-by-play voice for decades and remains one of the most recognisable voices in professional wrestling history, making the WrestleMania 37 error all the more memorable simply because it happened at such a significant moment.