Don’t expect Mauro Ranallo and Jerry Millen to exchange Christmas cards later this year.
Ranallo recently returned to mixed martial arts (MMA) commentary for Rizin last month. It came as a surprise to many as Ranallo has had a heated past with Millen. As reported here on MMANews.com back in 2007, Bas Rutten claimed Millen mistreated Pride FC commentators. Millen is now the Senior Vice President of Rizin.
Speaking with MMAJunkie.com, Ranallo said he was on board for last month’s event once Millen was out of the picture:
“The only way I would have gone back to Japan and worked for Rizin would be if a certain individual, and anyone who knows me and my career knows who he is – I will never, ever utter his name again, the worst human being I’ve ever come across in my life, let alone combat sports – someone who tried to ruin my career once before. When I found out they were actually targeting me specifically because of this individual and their own problems with him, I said, you know what, I won’t do anything for free, but get me on that plane – I’ll be back in Japan calling MMA if it’s because this guy isn’t there and they want to rub it in.”
Ranallo took things a step further and blasted Millen in no uncertain terms.
“For me, mainly, it was going back to right a professional wrong and to flip the biggest bird possible to one of the biggest pieces of sh*t I’ve ever come across.”
