Jesse Ventura, one of the most legendary professional wrestlers of all time, is returning to WWE and it has now been confirmed when he’ll be back.
WWE’s official Twitter/X account announced Ventura’s return earlier today, stating “BREAKING: Jesse Ventura makes his return to the broadcast announce table for Saturday Night’s Main Event on Dec. 14, LIVE at 8/7c on
@nbc, as first revealed on The @BillSimmons Podcast!”
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Ventura’s return will coincide with the revival of Saturday Night’s Main Event, a show that first aired on NBC on May 11, 1985, and ran until April 27, 1991.
After a brief hiatus, Fox picked it up, airing two episodes in 1992. The show made a second return to NBC from 2006 to 2008, during the final years of WWE’s Ruthless Aggression Era.
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Originally hosted by Ventura and Vince McMahon, Saturday Night’s Main Event featured exciting matchups with some of WWE’s most iconic stars from the Golden Era, including Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Paul Orndorff, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Randy Savage, King Kong Bundy, and more.
WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque chimed in on social media to welcome Ventura back, saying, “Nobody reps Saturday Night’s Main Event like “The Governor”. Welcome home, Jesse.”
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The upcoming Saturday Night’s Main Event promises an action-packed card, highlighted by Cody Rhodes defending the WWE Championship against Kevin Owens, and Liv Morgan facing off against IYO SKY to retain the Women’s World Championship.
The event will also crown the inaugural WWE Women’s United States Champion, with the tournament final taking center stage.
Ventura has long had a contentious relationship with WWE (and its predecessor, WWF), despite being a pivotal figure in both the AWA and WWF. Known for his sharp heel persona, Ventura made a significant impact in the wrestling world, capturing the WWF Intercontinental Championship in 1984 with a memorable victory over Greg Valentine. He also played a major role in wrestling’s mainstream surge during the 1980s, becoming a beloved color commentator known for his quick wit and outspoken style.
In recent months, there have been signs that Ventura could officially reconnect with WWE, including his surprise appearance on Raw on July 29th. This marked his first appearance with the company since 2009, when he served as the guest host for Raw.
The episode was especially notable, as it featured a historic moment: for the first time in nearly two decades, Vince McMahon joined Ventura at ringside to provide commentary together.
The two men’s relationship has been famously strained due to Ventura’s efforts to unionize WWE wrestlers during his time as a commentator, which McMahon vehemently opposed. This led to a bitter fallout, including a lawsuit in which Ventura successfully sued McMahon for unpaid royalties related to his commentary.
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