After parting ways with the WWE in the summer of 2022, Renee Paquette stayed away from wrestling for more than two years as she became a mother of baby daughter Nora with husband & AEW wrestler, Jon Moxley. It was in September 2022 that she debuted in All Elite Wrestling in her hometown of Toronto to become a regular attendee of Dynamite, Collision, and pay-per-view tapings to revive her career.
With her AEW stint continuing in full force, Renee Paquette recently gave a shoutout to someone who inspired her career as a journalist. During the NHL Free Agent Frenzy, last night, long-time TSN hockey insider Bob McKenzie officially announced his retirement after working for 48 years in the sports media industry.
McKenzie was a lead analyst at TSN and one of the most trusted NHL reporters of the last couple of decades. He also appeared to be a mentor to many of the emerging as well as established media personalities over the years, including AEW interviewer and backstage correspondent, Renee Paquette.
Acknowledging the same, the female pioneer from the pro-wrestling circuit has paid tribute to the 68-year-old on social media after his retirement news broke out. Quoting a post from TSN, Renee Paquette mentioned how Bob gave her a chance in the initial days, and that she used to find him during the NHL days,
“This guy was always such a gem when he would let 18 year old me pick his brain about broadcasting. I used to try and find him in the stands at Bowmanville Eagle games 😂, thanks @TSNBobMcKenzie”
Renee Paquette Keen On Doing Podcast-Kind Interviews On AEW Television
This guy was always such a gem when he would let 18 year old me pick his brain about broadcasting. I used to try and find him in the stands at Bowmanville Eagle games 😂, thanks @TSNBobMcKenzie https://t.co/cVrn6fxuTe
— Renee Paquette (@ReneePaquette) July 1, 2025
Early Journalist Life of Renee Paquette before joining Pro-Wrestling
Before joining the pro-wrestling league through WWE, Renee Paquette was an aspiring Canadian broadcaster, as she worked at The Score in her hometown of Toronto, Canada, where she was featured on the wrestling program “Aftermath” for three years. The Bowmanville Eagles, now known as the Cobourg Cougars, was the team where McKenzie would often be seen scouting players.
Being just an hour away from Bowmanville, Renee Paquette would travel to games where she would gain knowledge about the industry by communicating with Bob McKenzie. AEW broadcasts on TSN across Canada, and the network often invites the female wrestling journalist to promote the company’s content on their programming, mostly when the promotion hosts their weekly shows in that region.