Jesse Ventura has returned to WWE TV for the first time in over 15 years!
At Saturday Night’s Main Event later this month, Jesse Ventura will make his long-awaited return to the WWE announce desk. The move comes a few months after Ventura renewed his once-fractured relationship with the company, later signing a Legends deal with them.
Just over a week ahead of that return, however, the WWE Hall of Famer made a surprise appearance on last night’s episode of SmackDown. Early in the show, which took place in his hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ventura was shown enjoying all the action from ringside.
The Body. Is. BACK! #WWE#SmackDownpic.twitter.com/Q4NDwGAUm3
— USA Network (@USANetwork) December 7, 2024
This marked Ventura’s first appearance on WWE TV since taking on the role of Guest Host during the November 23rd 2009 edition of Raw. That show also featured the last time Ventura took to the announce desk when he and Vince McMahon made a one-night-only return to commentary.
While the former Governor of Minnesota first returned to the company when he was invited to Raw back in July, Ventura never actually appeared on the show. The viral clip announcing his return, which saw him embrace Triple H backstage, was only ever published on social media.
Did Vince McMahon’s WWE Exit Affect Jesse Ventura’s Return?
Earlier this year, Jesse Ventura sat down with Chris Van Vliet to discuss his current relationship with WWE. During the interview, Ventura admitted that the company’s merger with UFC under Endeavour, as well as Vince McMahon’s controversial exit, played a big role in his return.