Jesse Ventura Opens Up About WWE Return: “I Did It Selfishly for My Kids”

Jesse Ventura recently opened up to the New York Post about the circumstances that led to his return to WWE. The legendary commentator will be part of the broadcast team for tonight’s WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, a move facilitated by his son Tyrel Ventura, who also serves as his agent.

“He’s very qualified for it. He used to be Sean Penn’s assistant, so he has experience,” Ventura said of Tyrel. “My son was a fan of wrestling and a fan of myself growing up, so he took it upon himself to make some contact with the new ownership, and they started talking.”

Ventura admitted that this new chapter was driven in part by family considerations. “One thing led to another, and I realized they were under new ownership, and I wasn’t going to be held to the old standard of why I got kicked out before. Lo and behold, it happened. I’ll tell you this: I did it selfishly for my kids. I’m 73 now. I ain’t gonna be around forever. I want to position it where if anybody makes money off my name, I want my kids to have a piece of it.”

Ventura signed a WWE Legends deal last October, which paved the way for this latest opportunity. According to him, returning for Saturday Night’s Main Event wasn’t a difficult decision.

“With Saturday Night’s Main Event coming back after 40 years, somebody said, ‘We need Jesse for this,’” Ventura explained. “Because we had already negotiated the Legends deal, it wasn’t a big deal to negotiate this. The ice had been broken, and now hell has frozen over.”

Ventura’s wrestling journey is storied. His in-ring career ended in 1984 due to blood clots in his lungs, after which he transitioned to a commentary role in WWE. From 1987 to 1990, he was voted Best Color Commentator in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards. However, a dispute with Vince McMahon in August 1990 led to his departure.

After a brief stint as a commentator for WCW in the early 1990s, Ventura stepped away from wrestling to serve as Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003. His contributions to the industry were formally recognized in 2004 when he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Ventura’s return for tonight’s event marks a significant moment in his storied career, rekindling his connection with WWE fans.