Ex-WWE Commentator Mauro Ranallo Set for Pro Wrestling Return After 3-Year Hiatus

Mauro Ranallo was one of the highlights of WWE and NXT television thanks to his incredible work as a commentator. He eventually had to leave the company after JBL allegedly bullied him and now it appears he is set to make his pro wrestling return after 3 years.

Ranallo has been absent from pro wrestling since his brief return in April 2021 to commentate on the title vs. title match between Kenny Omega and Rich Swann at IMPACT Rebellion. Prior to this, he was a commentator for New Japan Pro-Wrestling and worked with WWE from December 2015 to 2020, where he provided play-by-play for SmackDown and NXT.

While speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Scott D’Amore announced that Mauro Ranallo will be the lead commentator for his Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling promotion. D’Amore praised Ranallo as one of the top combat sports announcers, emphasizing his extensive experience and passion for wrestling.

D’Amore recounted meeting Ranallo nearly 25 years ago during his time in Stampede Wrestling when Ranallo was a young play-by-play commentator alongside Bad News Brown. D’Amore noted that Ranallo’s distinctive voice has been a fixture in major boxing and MMA events, making him an ideal choice for Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling.

“And I think we have one of the very best, indisputably the best combat sports cross-genre announcer, because Mauro Ranallo has agreed to be the voice of Maple Leaf Pro…I mean, he’s the man. And Mauro has got a passion for wrestling. I met Mauro probably close to 25 years ago in Stampede Wrestling. I was coming in as a heel to feud with Sabu. And he was the 20-21-year-old kid who was doing the play-by-play with Bad News Brown, and we connected then over the years. He loves wrestling. He’s the best. You turned on Showtime for any big boxing fight, or you turned on to watch a lot of the big MMA fights with pride and everything, Mauro is that voice.”

Earlier this year, there were expectations that Mauro Ranallo might return to pro wrestling with MLW, but the 54-year-old commentator has not yet appeared on Major League Wrestling programming. Nonetheless, fans are definitely excited for Ranallo’s return and it’s not hard to see why.

Did you ever expect to see Mauro Ranallo return to professional wrestling like this? Will he do a solid job as a commentator after a 3-year hiatus? Sound off in the comments section below!