Despite recent reports suggesting his time with the company had ended, Jesse “The Body” Ventura is expected to be in Washington, D.C. this weekend. A new report indicates the Hall of Famer will be present for John Cena’s final match at Saturday Night’s Main Event. WrestleVotes tweeted out the news regarding Ventura’s status today.
“After not appearing at the last Saturday Night’s Main Event, Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura is set for Washington, D.C. this weekend as the big John Cena send-off show approaches,” WrestleVotes reported.
Contract Status And Previous Absence
This news comes as a surprise following reports that Ventura was finished with WWE. According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Ventura’s contract was believed to have expired after he missed the November 1 Saturday Night’s Main Event special. Ventura was originally brought back as part of a nostalgia package for the specials which began airing in late 2024.
Meltzer reported that Ventura’s absence from the November show was not a major topic of discussion backstage, but the belief was that WWE had decided to move on.
“The other notable thing on the show was no Jesse Ventura, who was brought back for the nostalgia aspect. Nothing has been officially said. We were under the impression he had signed a one-year deal for these shows, and that deal would have run out with the last show,” Meltzer wrote.
The Commentary Incident
The shift in Ventura’s status reportedly stemmed from an on-air incident during the Saturday Night’s Main Event broadcast on May 25, 2025. Ventura was on commentary for a Steel Cage Match between Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest. The finish saw Priest win by walking out the cage door, a rule Ventura seemingly forgot or disagreed with in the moment.
“Wait a minute! … what kind of BS is that?” Ventura stated live on air. His critical commentary was later edited out of WWE’s official YouTube recap of the match. Meltzer reported that this moment soured WWE officials on using him moving forward.
“After the cage match fiasco performance in the McIntyre vs. Damian Priest match, we were told the die was cast as far as using him going forward,” Meltzer wrote. “He was downplayed on the next show while still under contract and not on this show, nor ever referenced.”
Ventura had previously stated he was set to call all four specials in 2025. It appears that despite the heat from the May incident, he will be back to call the action for John Cena’s historic final bout against Gunther this Saturday.
