On December 14, Jesse “The Body” Ventura makes his long-overdue return to WWE and will man the broadcast booth for Saturday Night’s Main Event — but who is Jesse Ventura, and what makes his return so special?
Who is Jesse “The Body” Ventura?
While many WWE Superstars’ legacies are forged in the ring, Ventura’s journey to immortality bore almost no resemblance to anyone else’s. Sure, in his pre-WWE days, Ventura won his fair share of championships, but it’s what he accomplished in the broadcast booth that eventually catapulted him into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.
That’s right — he punched his ticket to the Hall of Fame not because of countless classic matches or bitter rivalries spanning different promotions, but because of his unparalleled commentary skills while sitting behind the desk. In a way, he was the first larger-than-life broadcast journalist in WWE history!
Before we further explain The Body’s impact on the announcing game, let’s clarify something. Make no mistake: Ventura was a dominant force in the first half of his career! Just check out him and Hulk Hogan tangling in the ring back in 1982 for the AWA — it’s almost like each Superstar is fighting the mirror image of the other:
Due to multiple blood clots in his lungs, Jesse Ventura was forced to hang up his tights for good in 1984, briefly pursuing an acting career. However, it wasn’t long until he returned to the world of professional wrestling — as an announcer.
While there are countless memories to pull from over the years, we’re partial to when he and Tony Schiavone memorably kicked off SummerSlam 1989. In true Ventura fashion, The Body wasted no time letting his broadcast partner know who would be calling the shots:
It was during his commentary career that Ventura established himself as the premiere talker in WWE, despite never being able to compete in the ring again. For years, he set the standard in a way that no other broadcast partner could match. His announcing apex lasted from 1985 to 1990 in WWE (although it seemed much longer than that).
Whether he was sitting alongside Schiavone, Gorilla Monsoon, Vince McMahon, or countless other partners, The Body showed time and time again that nobody could captivate the WWE Universe using only their voice like he could.
Go ahead, ask around. Ask any longtime WWE fan over 40 who is the best announcer ever, and there’s a good chance most will say Ventura! He had a voice that was perfect for broadcasting. It was loud, clear, and brash — the kind of voice that made you not only listen, but care about the words leaving his mouth.
Believe it or not, there’s a current Superstar in the Raw men’s locker room that can do quite the impression of Ventura himself! That’s right — close your eyes and you’ll be shocked that this voice belongs to none other than Karrion Kross himself.
Ventura’s last appearance on WWE television was on November 23, 2009, during a particularly memorable episode of Monday Night Raw. It’s been 15 years since Jesse Ventura appeared in WWE, but we have a feeling that fans will quickly realize he hasn’t lost a step when he returns at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 14!
What should WWE fans expect from Jesse Ventura at Saturday Night’s Main Event?
Fan expectations are usually high whenever a WWE legend returns to the fold. Fortunately, judging by Ventura’s recent podcast appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast, fans should expect an uncensored version of the Hall of Famer when Saturday Night’s Main Event hits the airwaves!
“Handcuffs are off, I can say anything I want about anyone,” he explained. “I am, I’m very excited about it. I don’t discuss finances, but it’s acceptable and I’ll be doing four a year.”
That’s a recipe for unpredictability for the WWE Universe — who knows what Ventura will say with a live microphone? (Oh, and we love how he casually let it slip that he signed on for all four quarterly SNMEs per year going forward — including the next SNME in San Antonio!)
According to the man himself, SNME will be a throwback special — in other words, it will look nothing like Raw or SmackDown.
“What’s exciting about it — and I got the word on this — the whole show is going to be a throwback,” Ventura teased. “That means it’s going to look like it did before. The wrestlers are not coming down that ramp. They’re not coming with all the lights and spectacle. They’re coming in through the crowd like the old days. That’s why they brought me back.”
You can’t look back to your past without paying respect to the pioneers who paved the way for the current generation — and that’s what will make Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 14 so special. Don’t forget to tune in!
You can tune in to NBC and Peacock to watch Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 14. In the meantime, catch up on all things WWE Universe on Peacock.
