Renee Paquette is one of the biggest names in the world of wrestling broadcasting and journalism. Although not a wrestler, Renee has made a profound impact being a woman in the wrestling world. She proved that women are valuable in wrestling journalism and there are slots for anyone willing to work hard. Wanting to be an actress and a comedian, Renee found the lack of auditions to be frustrating and soon found herself in the broadcasting world where she held a position on a show called Right After Wrestling where she and her fellow broadcasters would talk about wrestling.
She eventually found herself signed to WWE in 2012, where she chose the name Renee Young. Her first appearance for the company was as a co-host to the 2012 Survivor Series pre-show. She also did backstage interviews for NXT and WWE shows like WWE Active, World Tour, and the JBL and Cole Show. Paquette became a full-time NXT color commentator in 2013. She also was a full-time commentator for WWE Superstars from 2014 to 2015.
Renee made history by becoming the first female full-time announcer in almost a decade. She was a popular favorite on Total Divas during her commentary stints. Unfiltered with Renee Young, her WWE Network show, included interviews with WWE wrestlers, commentators, and other workers. The show was a hit with audiences and really solidified Renee as a household name among WWE fans.
Renee Young was the first woman to commentate a whole edition of Raw on August 13, 2018. She then became the show’s first permanent female commentator. Renee lasted a year before becoming a co-host on WWE Backstage, an unscripted show where she, Booker T, CM Punk, and Daniel Bryan discussed Raw and Smackdown.
Renee has said that working WWE Backstage was one of her favorite jobs. She also said Raw commentary was the hardest since she wasn’t sure what her position was, and it was hard to think when people were chatting to her through her headset while she was calling the ring action. SummerSlam 2020 will be her last WWE show, she said.
Since leaving WWE, Renee has still very much been a part of the wrestling world. She has made a few guest appearances with WWE, such as being a guest on the revamped WWE Backstage, co-hosting a Smackdown kick-off show, and interviewing for various WWE documentaries. For the most part, Renee has been keeping busy with her various podcasts. In 2021, she launched her very own podcast called Oral Sessions with Renee Paquette which was later changed to The Sessions with Renee Paquette. The Sessions is my favorite wrestling related podcast.
She invites wrestlers from many companies and promotions but keeps the conversations light. Renee offers questions everyone wants to know and stuff some may not know about their favorite wrestlers. She also brings on actors, lifestyle coaches, authors, and many other people from different walks of life. Her guests usually have some sort of connection to wrestling, but she truly tries to get a variety of people on her show. Also in 2021, she began hosting a show on Sirius XM with Meisha Tate called Throwing Down with Renee and Meisha where the two talk about everything from wrestling to UFC/MMA to everyday life. She also released a cookbook called Messy in the Kitchen during 2021. Despite all of these projects, Renee also had a baby in 2021 with her husband, Jon Moxley.
Despite never getting into the ring and having a match, Renee has made a profound impact in the wrestling world. You rarely hear anyone criticize her, and she makes everyone she interviews feel comfortable. She also has broken down multiple barriers that women have faced in the wrestling world, specifically in the broadcasting/interviewing position. Since her days in WWE, we’ve seen Beth Phoenix perform commentary for NXT and Kayla Braxton host and interview backstage.
Renee never became known as Jon Moxley’s wife, which is impressive. She’s built a reputation for herself in wrestling and is a vital player in wrestling news, no matter who she’s married to. Renee has made it possible for women to work in wrestling even if they don’t want to wrestle.
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