More Backstage Details on Mauro Ranallo Leaving WWE

As previously reported, WWE confirmed a mutual parting of ways with NXT announcer Mauro Ranallo yesterday (Aug. 31). According to Ranallo and WWE’s it was a mutual and amicable parting, and Ranallo stated, “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.” Dave Meltzer offered more commentary on Ranallo’s exit on today’s episode of Wrestling Observer Radio.

As noted in yesterday’s report, Ranallo had recently missed some NXT shows because he’s in British Columbia, where his mother is currently hospitalized. According to Meltzer, while in British Columbia, Mauro Ranallo came to the realization that he would not be returning to WWE. Currently, Ranallo plans to continue doing his broadcast work with Bellator MMA and Showtime Boxing.

Meltzer added, “It was told me to me that he’s 50 years old, and it kind of brought into perspective that he’s here to be a mental health advocate, and doing wrestling every single week under that pressure is not what he’s here for.”

Meltzer continued that while Ranallo’s WWE exit “wasn’t a big blowup,” Ranallo felt that it was time to go while his mother is currently hospitalized.

Ranallo first joined WWE in 2015 as the lead announcer for Smackdown. He later moved to NXT.