More Details on Mauro Ranallo’s WWE Return

According to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Mauro Ranallo & WWE had been talking bout a return since back in March. WWE wanted Ranallo with them and not against them, in part to kill the story of him leaving (and any speculation and rumors as to why), and also to have “the leading voice of combat sports” as part of their team. The feeling was that Ranallo would have ended up back with NJPW on AXS TV. Like WWE bringing back Jim Ross (stopping him from working the ITV World of Sport show), WWE didn’t want them appearing on other high profile wrestling shows. It was all down to the sides working out an agreement that they were both happy with. Triple H was a big part of negotiating the return, and have become a key point in bringing people back into WWE after bad situations, like how he was the point person in bringing Bruno Sammartino back into the fold.

The new agreement allows both sides that had issues to not work with each other or even be around each other. The comments by JBL on the “Bring it to the Table,” show what led to Ranallo leaving the promotion and suffering a severe breakdown. JBL was not the reason he left, but JBL wouldn’t have been allowed to say what he said on the show on his own and saying it was JBL as the reason he was gone would be very much simplifying an issue. Ranallo’s public statement when the sides reached a settlement about JBL having nothing to do with his leaving was at the request of WWE to avoid more negative press.

Ranallo signed a two-year contract, which replaces the previous contract he had with the company. The contract is for NXT TV & Takeover events (about 18-20 dates a year). The key agreement is that he would be working with and for Triple H and Michael Cole. Cole produces NXT and Triple H runs NXT. They were the two who made the original push to bring him on for Smackdown when the company was looking for changes in the show in early 2016. Ranallo’s contract is not exclusive to WWE and he will be able to work for Bellator and Showtime boxing.