Is Tension With JBL Behind Mauro Ranallo's WWE Absence?
Ranallo hasn't appeared on SmackDown since March 7th.
Announcer Mauro Ranallo has been missing from WWE SmackDown for three consecutive weeks, and isn't expected to attend WrestleMania 33 this week. His absence was a mystery at first, but it was revealed last week that Ranallo has been suffering from depression - a condition he has struggled with since his teenage years.
A new report in this week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter suggests that escalating tension with broadcast partner JBL could be behind it. Bradshaw has never been shy of bashing Ranallo for his constant pop culture references and heavy Twitter activity, and the write-up speculates that this contributed towards triggering Mauro's depression.
Things escalated on the March 13th episode of Bring It To The Table, when JBL reacted critically to Ranallo Tweeting about receiving the WON Announcer of the Year award. If true, this situation puts WWE in a difficult position as both men currently occupy a position in the SmackDown announce booth, and not bringing Mauro back would look terrible on the company's behalf.
Whether JBL played a role or not, Ranallo fortunately appears to be on the mend, and took to Twitter with a quick update yesterday evening:-