According to a new report from Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE Hall of Famer Jesse “The Body” Ventura had his role significantly scaled back at the July 12 Saturday Night’s Main Event due to controversial remarks made during a previous appearance in May.
Ventura, who was advertised as a special guest for the July event, only appeared briefly in an opening segment alongside commentator Joe Tessitore. Despite speculation that he would be on commentary throughout the show, Ventura was not seen again after the intro.
“They toned way back on Jesse Ventura. He opened the show with a stand-up with Joe Tessitore, did his cool delivery, and that was that,” Meltzer wrote. “He was never seen for the rest of the show.”
Meltzer revealed that the decision stemmed from Ventura’s controversial guest commentary during the May 24 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event. In that episode, Ventura provided color commentary during a Steel Cage Match between Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest, during which he openly criticized the WWE rule allowing cage matches to be won via escape.
“Wait a minute. How do you win it going out the door? What kind of BS is that?” Ventura remarked on-air. He later joked, “Why didn’t he call up the limo driver and have him drive up and open the cage door, too?”
These comments, which mocked a long-standing WWE stipulation, reportedly created behind-the-scenes tension and led to the decision to not let Ventura announce during the July special.
Jesse Ventura definitely not a fan of winning a Steel Cage Match by exiting through the door. #SNME pic.twitter.com/PSZ2Kmrp3u
— WrestlePurists (@WrestlePurists) May 25, 2025
While Jesse Ventura remains a legendary figure in professional wrestling—with a commentary style that once defined an era—his recent stint appears to have clashed with WWE’s current production approach. As of now, there’s no word on whether Ventura will return for future specials or broadcasts.
