In a rare interview, combat sports broadcaster Mauro Ranallo held court with John Pollock of POST Wrestling Monday, talking about his time in WWE, his new daily podcast, and a wild year in which he experienced some career highlights including calling a Mike Tyson fight.

Ranallo was extremely complimentary of WWE, Vince McMahon, Paul Levesque, and Michael Cole for their support and giving him the opportunity to improve his standing which helped him get other opportunities. However, he said he had issues with some of the changes put into place in the broadcast booth that ultimately helped his decision along.

“I thought Jerry Lawler and Byron Saxton and I had instant chemistry, but they made the changes they felt they had to make. It’s their company. I have proven I can work with almost anyone as a broadcaster, but there were many times I was like, “What is going on here?” A four-man booth…an eight-man booth. Someone on Twitter posted a picture that at one point, there were literally eight people on headsets. I get it, but that’s not what I want as a commentator.”

The 50-year-old said live NXT shows were “the best experience I could ask for” but even doing the show from home, he was having panic attacks on the morning of recording the shows in his final few months. For his own mental health, he had to call it quits.

“With all due respect, I didn’t like what was happening and who was involved. All respect to all announcers, but I also believe in chemistry. Maybe I was the problem. On show day, I’m not a great guy to be around because I’m completely f’n focused. I’m prepared and I expect everyone else to be the same. There was another reason. I’m a play-by-play announcer and I think I’m one of the better ones in the business — I need to be left alone at times.”

He also didn’t close the door on a future return if the situation was right.

Ranallo also gave his thoughts on his relationship with Showtime, the Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. experience, Snoop Dogg wanting to put him on a song, his new Maurologue podcast, why leaving social media a year was the best decision he has made, and more in the near hour-long interview.