Jesse Ventura confirms signing legends deal with WWE

Jesse Ventura has returned to WWE under a legend’s agreement.

The former Governor of Minnesota confirmed the news on his Substack page with a video announcement.

Ventura first wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation in 1982 and made the full-time move to the company after leaving the AWA two years later.

Ventura was scheduled for matches with then-WWF champion Hulk Hogan but was sidelined due to blood clots discovered in his lungs and transitioned over to commentary, making the full-time adjustment by early 1986.

Ventura became a staple throughout the decade alongside Vince McMahon and Gorilla Monsoon on commentary and called the first six WrestleMania shows.

In 1986, he famously rallied the WWF talent to unionize prior to WrestleMania 2 with Hulk Hogan confirming on the recent Mr. McMahon documentary series that he went to McMahon to help him shut down those attempts.

In 1990, he left the company and sued the company over royalties he believed he was owed with a federal court ruling in Ventura’s favor with a judgment of over $800,000.

Years later, while a sitting Governor for Minnesota, he opted to work for the company in the lead-up to and including SummerSlam 1999 as a guest referee. This received scrutiny in the Minnesota press regarding a sitting Governor spending time traveling to work for the WWF and came just months after Ventura’s outspokenness in the wake of Owen Hart’s death on a WWF pay-per-view.

In 2004, he was inducted into the company’s Hall of Fame. In December 2010, he appeared as a guest host for Raw and called a match with McMahon for nostalgia’s sake.

In his video message, Ventura stated that “Hell has frozen over” and feels good about the agreement and his life has gone full circle.

About John Pollock 5836 Articles
Born on a Friday, John Pollock is a reporter, editor & podcaster at POST Wrestling. He runs and owns POST Wrestling alongside Wai Ting.