Jesse Ventura Fired From SNME Commentary After Cage Match Tirade?

The "Body" just proved why he's still too hot for modern wrestling. WWE Hall of Famer Jesse "The Body" Ventura has reportedly been quietly removed from the commentary team for the revived Saturday Night's Main Event following a live, unscripted outburst that "buried" the finish of a major Steel Cage match.

Jesse Ventura, the legendary color commentator and former Minnesota Governor, was brought back to add an authentic, old-school feel to the retro-inspired SNME broadcast. However, the experiment appears to have ended abruptly after a now-infamous moment of genuine frustration broke the fourth wall of the tightly controlled WWE broadcast.

The Moment the Body Broke Protocol

​The incident occurred during the highly-anticipated Steel Cage match between Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest during the late Spring 2025 edition of the program.

​The match, intended to be a decisive blow-off for a bitter rivalry, ended not with a high-flying leap or a definitive pin, but with a controversial and anti-climactic exit. After Priest used a steel chair to incapacitate McIntyre, he simply walked out the cage door, which had been unlatched by a referee.

​This seemingly minor procedural win triggered an explosive reaction from Ventura. He reportedly broke away from the script, loudly criticizing the rules by yelling,

"Wait a minute! What kind of B.S. is that?"

Ventura's rant stemmed from his adherence to classic wrestling stipulations. For "The Body," a Steel Cage match is designed to trap opponents, forcing them to endure punishment and execute a spectacular climb to escape. Winning by walking out the door—especially after such a brutal sequence—is seen as a "cowardly" shortcut that negates the drama and purpose of the structure itself.

The Fallout: Quietly Shown the Door

​Despite being initially scheduled for all subsequent SNME specials, Ventura was immediately and conspicuously absent from the commentary desk in the weeks that followed, relegated to a minimal, non-speaking role or removed entirely from the broadcast.

The industry consensus is clear: WWE management saw Ventura’s spontaneous and open criticism as "burying the finish." In the modern era of wrestling, commentators are strictly required to protect the integrity of the product and sell the drama, regardless of how questionable the booking decisions may be.

Ventura’s decision to call the rules "B..S" on-air was viewed as an unacceptable breach of conduct.

This entire episode serves as a powerful reminder of Ventura's career-long willingness to challenge authority. From his infamous attempt to unionize wrestlers in the 1980s to this recent, very public dissent over match rules, Jesse Ventura proves that for "The Body," being genuine is more important than being politically correct—even if it costs him his job. The WWE's decision to silence one of its biggest names over a matter of integrity highlights the tight leash the modern product keeps on its on-air talent.

Kimster AFW.