It has been assumed for several weeks that Mauro Ranallo was on the way out at WWE, with rumors circulating that the WWE was working on a buyout agreement to include a gag order, which would prevent him from everꦡ speaking about what happened a🎉t the company.
The scuttlebutt is that Ranallo, who openly struggles with Bi-Polar disorder, was driven from his position on the commentary desk by the incessant bullying of his broadcast partner, JBL. Many reports of JBL's proclivities re-surfaced, and the WWE's "Cult🎃ure of Bullying" was written about in many mainstream publications.
Today, has a new report, with Ranallo making a statement via e-mail which reads: “WWE and I have mutually agreed to part ways. It has nothing to do with JBL.” WWE also confirmed Ranallo’s departure from the company, but said that he will remain under contra🌱ct until August 12.
JBL also released a statement to Newsweek:
“Admittedly, I took part in locker room pranks that existed within the industry years ago. WWE addressed my behavior and I responded accordingly, yet my past is being brought up because of recent unfounded rumors. I apologize if anything I said playing ‘the bad guy’ on a TV show was misconstrued.”
A separate statement from a WWE spoಞkesperson read as follows:
“As part of our commitment to creating an inclusive environment, in April 2011, WWE launched our anti-bullying campaign, Be a STAR, which encourages young people to treat each other with tolerance and respect. As a publicly traded company, that mantra carries forward in our corporate culture. As such, we fully investigate any allegations of inappropriate behavior including the recent alleged situation with John Layfield (aka JBL), despite no formal complaint having been submitted.”
Mauro Ranallo has not appeared🐻 on SmackDown since the𝕴 March 7th episode.
