WWE Hall Of Famer Jesse Ventura Looks Back On End Of Wrestling Career

As Jesse Ventura puts it, "hell has frozen over." The former union-aspiring WWE pariah made his headline-grabbing return to wrestling commentary at Saturday Night's Main Event.

Ahead of the show, Ventura spoke on "The Bill Simmons Podcast," where he discussed more about why he initially walked away from wrestling decades ago. 

"I was uncontrollable," Ventura said. "Number one, I tried to unionize. Number two, I wouldn't allow them to market me without negotiating it. That's what ultimately got me thrown out of the WWF/WWE."

Ventura's failed union effort in 1986 is fairly well known. Mere weeks before WrestleMania 2, with tickets moving and the promotional push well underway, Ventura called a locker room meeting to pitch forming a union for better working conditions. Hulk Hogan allegedly stooged Ventura out to Vince McMahon, who then called each wrestler to coerce them not to follow through. Though unions are commonplace in most professional sports, wrestling remains the exception, especially with today's guaranteed contracts and lighter schedules. 

Ventura also touched on his exit from WCW. He claimed former WCW EVP Bill Watts was too old school to grasp that TV had more value than full houses, and he lobbied hard for young visionary Eric Bischoff to replace him. But Ventura pointed to Bischoff's decision to sign Hulk Hogan in 1994 as the catalyst for his departure.

"Eric Bischoff then got the head job in WCW, and then behind my back, he went out and got Hogan ... they gave Hogan total artistic control. He came in [and] got me immediately fired," revealed Ventura.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the "The Bill Simmons" podcast and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for transcription.