WWE and Mauro Ranallo parting ways, WWE issues statement

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Originally published at WWE and Mauro Ranallo parting ways, WWE issues statement

WWE and Mauro Ranallo are parting ways with the broadcaster focusing on his work with Showtime and Bellator MMA as he concludes his time at WWE that began in 2016.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter confirmed that Ranallo was leaving the company. The following statement was released by Ranallo:

I appreciate the opportunity I had to realize my childhood dream of working in sports entertainment, and I wish WWE well in the future. Now I want to direct my focus and devote my time to my other projects and to my mental health charitable activities and the well-being of my mother and myself.

POST Wrestling can confirm that Ranallo has left the company and he told us on the record that it was “amicable”.

WWE has since confirmed the departure and issued the following:

WWE and Mauro Ranallo have mutually and amicably agreed to part ways. Mauro’s passion and enthusiasm left an indelible and exciting mark with WWE and its fans, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Ranallo missed the NXT TakeOver: XXX event last weekend after going back to British Columbia to be with his family including his mother, who had been ill.

Ranallo joined WWE in late 2015 after serving as the play-by-play broadcaster for New Japan Pro Wrestling on AXS TV along with his work with Showtime Championship Boxing.

Ranallo was introduced as the new announcer for SmackDown alongside Jerry Lawler to coincide with the show moving to the USA Network in January 2016 He called SmackDown for over a year before leaving the show in early 2017 prior to that year’s WrestleMania. It was thought that Ranallo would be done with the company due to a variety of factors that led to his decision. He did return in June, although moved to NXT to work under Paul Levesque.

During the pandemic, Ranallo has been calling NXT from his home in Santa Monica, California.

At TakeOver, Corey Graves was the third voice on the broadcast alongside Vic Joseph and Beth Phoenix. Last week’s NXT tapings featured Stu Bennett calling the show with Joseph and Phoenix.

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Wish all the best to him and hopes his mother will get better. Looking forward to see what’s next for him.

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Dammit! He made some of those NXT takeovers.

I know a lot of fans have turned on him because he is definitely a large presence, but I loved him on commentary. Huge blow to NXT IMO.

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Yeah, I don’t know how anyone can look at this as anything but really bad news for NXT. Mauro has taken many cards to the next level and they’re going to miss that. Vic just didn’t have the gear for the moment during XXX and I don’t know how they work on filling that presence. He felt like he was on the right course during the 205 run, but I really found him to be a downgrade from Phillips on Raw and these couple of shows haven’t been great. I like the Wade Barrett signing, but it feels like for the first time in a while that they don’t have that next guy in the announcer pool to play the point. I’m sure they’ll give it some more time with Vic, but I wouldn’t mind seeing how it might sound with Byron doing it, as he’s long been getting reps at announcer over the years without consistency in one spot.

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Hope Mauro It’s OK. A fantastic commentator and he seems like a great guy.

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Wow Right After Wrestling Crew has been cleared out.

WWE Never used Mauro to his full potential a main stream commentator that’s called the biggest combat sports fight of the 21st century!

Crazy that his only Mania moment (Unless i am blanking)
was the pre show for Mania 32!
what a missed opportunity.

He should have called the Mania 35 Main event at least.
In fact i always thought he should have been Rhonda personal commentator ( I dont mean show bias play heel or face just so happened to always be calling her matches.) That would give a more authentic real fight feel

So casuals be like well the rest of this stuff is fake oh but Rhonda that’s real!

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I thought he was used perfectly. He never seemed like a guy who who fit the Vince McMahon mold, I always though when he jumped to NXT that it was the perfect fit for him.

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Big loss for WWE/NXT - he was the best guy they had and actually sounded like a human being. Commentary is so incredibly bad in WWE and this knocks it down even more.

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I never considered that wow. Three very different experiences. I think all three are better off doing something else than spending an eternity with that company.

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Is there any chance at all he shows up in AEW?

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Seems like a really good dude so I hope everything is cool for him

But I have mixed feelings on hearing him in AeW

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I feel that WWE wouldn’t let him go if that was a possibility (unless his contract was pretty much up).

I think he would be a huge upgrade to JR, but with both JR and Tony being there, I dont think they need another play by play right now without cutting one, and I dont see them doing that.

So I doubt it, but never say never in wrestling.

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As much as I’d love to hear Mauro calling wrestling again, it does sound like he has his plate full right now. I know there’s a weird stigma against walking away from work/opportunities, but it can often be the best thing for your mental health.

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Sometimes he was very good, sometimes he was very annoying. The endless references can be a bit much. Good luck to him though.

Hoping they go with Wade Barrett & Nigel McGuinness. Commentators from the UK just sound less cringeworthy.

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See I loved the references, but to be fair I only watch Takeovers. If I watched every week, I’m not sure how I would feel.

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Thats what got to me.

Seems like such a small thing but once they started to annoy me that was all I could hear.

Otherwise I thought he was fine.