As noted, when Mauro Ranallo recently returned to WWE and NXT, he signed a two year deal to join the NXT announce team.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting Ranallo reports directly to Triple H, who runs NXT, and Michael Cole, who produces NXT. Triple H and Cole were the people responsible for the original push to hire Ranallo when they were looking to revamp Smackdown for its live debut and brand split.
Ranallo’s new WWE deal replaces his old deal, which was set to expire in August, and the new deal is for approximately 18-20 dates per year, opposed to the roughly 75-80 dates he had as the voice of Smackdown Live. His new deal includes NXT television tapings and the TakeOver shows, while his old deal included pay-per-views and his work on main roster television. Additionally, Ranallo has a studio in his home in Los Angeles, at which he can make changes to his commentary should he need to, without having to fly to Florida or Connecticut.
The report also confirms that comments made by JBL during the March 13th edition of WWE’s “Bring it to the Table”, were said to be the “straw that broke the camel’s back” for Ranallo in terms of him making the decision to leave WWE. The report noted JBL’s comments were also what lead to Ranallo “suffering a severe emotional breakdown.”
The report adds, however, that JBL’s comments alone were not the sole reason why Ranallo left, as JBL did not act on his own when he made the “Bring it to the Table” remarks, and that reportedly signaled to Ranallo that there was a deeper issue at play in WWE. JBL’s decision to block people on social media who were supporting Ranallo and/or wishing him well were done solely by JBL, however the WWE Network comments were not, and that was an issue for Ranallo.
Below is the official statement Ranallo issued when he first left WWE:
“WWE and I mutually agreed to end my responsibilities on Smackdown having nothing to do with rumors about disputes. As I remained under contract with WWE, we discussed a variety of options. Despite originally agreeing to part ways, there was always a desire to continue working together. We have come to terms on a new agreement that benefits both WWE and me, and I am thrilled to announce I will now be part of the NXT broadcast team.”
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
