Where is Mauro Ranallo on ‘SmackDown Live’? (WWE.com)
Mauro Ranallo was absent from SmackDown Live this week for the third show in a row.
Three weeks ago, it was said on air that Mauro Ranallo could not make it due to snow. The following week, it was said that he was sick. This week, no explanation was given for his absence.
However, in reality, Ranallo has been out because he has been suffering from depression. Ranallo is bipolar, having been diagnosed when he was 19.
“I think mental health issues have to be more and more prominent; that’s who I am,” Ranallo said in an old interview with Sherdog. “I know there is a stigma, and we’re still not comfortable talking about it in our society. You even asked me if I was OK talking about it for this story. I’ve been very open about this for many, many years. I firmly believe that’s who I am and we’re still not comfortable with talking about it in society, but I want to be an advocate. I want to make it easier for people to talk about. I hope that one day we’re still alive when people don’t have to ask and there is no stigma attached to mental illness.”
Recently, Ranallo confirmed that this is the reason why he has been gone. On Twitter, he thanked fans for their concern and said that his doctor has asked him to stay off Twitter; he is normally quite active on social media, but has only tweeted once in the past several weeks.
Bas Rutten recently said on Sirius XM that Ranallo is doing okay.
“He’s doing okay,” Rutten said. “As everybody knows – he’s very vocal about it – Mauro is bipolar. Sometimes, a couple of times a year, things are going too fast and he needs to just simply slow down. But he’s doing good. I talked to him, he’s sending me funny video clips, he just sent me something – I didn’t take a look at it… but a happy thing – it’s all in good spirits. I think he will be back to normal very soon.”