Mauro and JBL

[Loss]

I think it's possible to both think Mauro is an overrated commentator who was probably more than a little tough to work with, and still feel bad that he endured whatever he did from JBL. But I think we've moved past that. Again, the focus of this should be that Vince McMahon puts hits on his employees and independent contractors as a way to make them prove their toughness and/or for his own amusement. Vince Vince Vince.

[stro]

I meant specifically from the time he resumed his public life, not what did or didn't happen to him while in WWE, fwiw. When he comes back to the world of social media and calling other shows and takes the time to stir the shit with WWE/JBL, it's hard to feel bad about whatever comes next is what I meant.

[Bix]

I meant specifically from the time he resumed his public life, not what did or didn't happen to him while in WWE, fwiw. When he comes back to the world of social media and calling other shows and takes the time to stir the shit with WWE/JBL, it's hard to feel bad about whatever comes next is what I meant.

Mauro was already scheduled to work the next Showtime card this coming weekend. I don't see how any of this is a big deal if JBL was the trigger. It's not like Paulie Malignaggi is also bullying him.

[El-P]

When he comes back to the world of social media and calling other shows and takes the time to stir the shit with WWE/JBL, it's hard to feel bad about whatever comes next is what I meant.

 

No. They deserves all the shit in the world. I would blast the fuck out of them if I was him.

[Rah]

Mauro made a tweet about returning to calling "pro wrestling" soon, and a weird tweet about karma and being in Japan. Mauro to call NJPW ?

[supersonic]

Ranallo is handling the situation perfectly. He's disarming WWE from having leverage to use a violent response against him in litigation. He's not succumbing to knee jerk violent desires like Bret did in Montreal. It's clearly obvious Vince ate Bret's punch that night to legally disarm Bret. In the end, Ranallo will thrive elsewhere, fuck off with a settlement payday, and in the meantime earn the respect of those in charge to possibly return one day for having the balls (in such intelligent fashion to boot) to stand up and not accept the hazing, and also showing that although a dream job, it's not one he NEEDS. We know how WWE loves bringing back most who've left on such bad loud terms, including Bret, Warrior, Goldberg, Sammartino, and Austin.

[stro]

 

When he comes back to the world of social media and calling other shows and takes the time to stir the shit with WWE/JBL, it's hard to feel bad about whatever comes next is what I meant.

 

No. They deserves all the shit in the world. I would blast the fuck out of them if I was him.

 

I agree. But he isn't, he's doing it in passive aggressive tweets and comments, which is teenage girl shit. I said it a few days ago: Either say what you have to say or don't. That went for JBL, Mauro, and Dave. So if JBL/WWE comes back with more petty shit at Mauro, I'm not feeling bad for him since he's intentionally trying to stir shit up without actually saying anything. The digital equivalent of your little brother putting his finger an inch away from your face and saying he isn't touching you.

[KawadaSmile]

Mauro made a tweet about returning to calling "pro wrestling" soon, and a weird tweet about karma and being in Japan. Mauro to call NJPW ?

Isn't RIZIN also a japanese promotion? That might've been it.

[brocklock]

 

Mauro made a tweet about returning to calling "pro wrestling" soon, and a weird tweet about karma and being in Japan. Mauro to call NJPW ?

Isn't RIZIN also a japanese promotion? That might've been it.

 

RIZIN is MMA. It's probably NJPW.

[JNLister]

Might not be possible if Vince feels he has to score a "win", but it would be best all round to negotiate a deal where Ross and Ranallo get releases from their AXS/WWE jobs respectively and then switch roles.

[supersonic]

Why has this suddenly gotten quiet?

[Matt D]

Follow the money?

[Childs]

The material in the Observer this week was very much holding pattern stuff. Reinforced the idea of JBL as a prick who's enabled by Vince, Kevin Dunn and possibly HHH but that was about it.

[sek69]

Also a mention of a non wrestling performer who was being bullied by JBL while dealing with the death of a family member, which seems like a pretty obvious description of Lilian Garcia.

 

The karma stuff Mauro was tweeting about was in reference to him getting the call to replace the guy who had him booted from Pride back in the day, so I guess that's an L for Team JBL Apologists on that one.

[KawadaSmile]

Officially parted ways.

 

http://www.prowrestlingsheet.com/mauro-ranallo-done-wwe-jbl/#.WPuMIxPyvIV

 

Mauro also said that this has nothing to do with JBL. Huh.

[Fando]

Those reports of WWE trying to work it out with Mauro that he'll never talk about any of this would be hilarious. After being martyred, if he takes hush money...lolz.

 

welp.

[sek69]

Well of course this was going to end in a settlement with both sides not talking bad about the other. There was no other way WWE was going to allow this to end. I hope this doesn't turn into a wrestling version of "that bitch was just trying to get those sweet rape dollars" you see when a woman who was attacked settles with the attacker.

[supersonic]

https://twitter.com/itsgrammarian/status/855919744683302913

[sek69]

People trying to claim Dave was somehow wrong because a settlement was reached are amazingly dim. Like, if he was so wrong then what were they settling about? Just because the angry mobs didn't get JBL's pelt as a trophy doesn't mean it was a false story.

[supersonic]

Layfield also acted like a petulant child in recent weeks towards those who did not slight him in any way.

[sek69]

The worst is how the people on THE BOARD~! who hate Dave despite paying to be on his site are crowing like it's a victorious moment for them.

[NotJayTabb]

Would it be an answer to make Mauro head commentator on NXT, and leave Tom Phillips on Smackdown? NXT would see Mauro free of the triple threat of JBL/live TV/screaming headset Vince, which feel like they would all be contributing factors to having a relapse. Plus if that did happen, the NXT taping schedule means he'd be unlikely to miss anything.

All the great ideas I've had over the years, and THIS is the one they end up using :-) Not "Fire Dolph Ziggler" or "The Tom Zenk Collection on the Network", but this one.

[C.S.]

John Layfield · @JCLayfield

1st Sep 2017 from TwitLonger
Tweet

After much consideration, I will be stepping back my weekly role as Smackdown Announcer to dedicate more continuous time on the work I have done since 2010 with at risk kids and communities. My new schedule will allow me to continue to be a part of the WWE family and also continue my work that I feel is the most important thing in my life. I will continue my 20+ year relationship with WWE and will appear on such marquee shows as Tribute to the Troops, WrestleMania, amongst others.

With the help of Beyond Sport, I founded Beyond Rugby Bermuda in 2010--which has been recognized as one of the world's best charities for work with at risk, gang focused, youth intervention. Beyond Rugby Bermuda won the 2014 NACRA Fair Play Award out of 7,000 programs and 17 countries for its work with at risk kids. I was named as a Beyond Sport Global Ambassador--an organization backed by all major sports leagues in the U.S.

I'm proud to say that in addition to being Smackdown's longest reigning WWE Champion, I inspired WWE's Tribute to the Troops over 10 years ago. WWE has been my partner in all my philanthropic works and this new deal with WWE ensures that will continue. WWE has made my dreams come true and helped me become a global name. And now, WWE is helping me use that name to make a difference.

 

https://twitter.com/JCLayfield/status/903757644481126400

[DMJ]

What a jerk!

 

 

That was sarcasm, btw. I know that doesn't always come across online.

 

Personally, I won't miss him because I was never a huge fan of the guy on commentary (or in-ring for that matter). I also think that the WWE should be reconsidering its 3-man booth template. I think my favorite current commentator is Graves, but also wouldn't call him a once-in-a-lifetime talent like, say, a Bobby Heenan. I mention this because I think there are other heelish commentators around - probably undiscovered on the WWE's own roster - that would be suitable replacements for JBL. Nigel McGuinness comes to mind as someone who is capable enough to be on SmackDown. From what I've heard from him, he's pretty good already and, given time, will only get better. Graves and McGuinness taking over for Lawler and JBL feels natural to me.

 

As for Mauro - like many here, the bloom is off the rose a bit for me. I don't think he's unlistenable and I don't buy his enthusiasm any less than I buy Cole's, but being the "straight" play-by-play man has maybe never meshed with the WWE style? I mean, looking back, who were the best WWE play-by-play guys? I'd say Gorilla, Vince, and JR (probably in that order too) and would you call any of them straight play-by-play men the way Mauro is? Gorilla wouldn't have been able to name a single move Seth Rollins does, but I don't see that as a negative.

[Mad Dog]

I loved JBL when he was on Smackdown in the mid 00s. His recent run not so much. I agree they need to torch the three man teams. It only works if the third guy was a defined role and they don't really do that. You end up with stuff like Percy Watson on NXT that barely talks.